Shop, Shop, Gobble, Gobble, SALE, SALE!

Ahh, the Thanksgiving weekend of excess, the holiday madness has begun. The gluttony started yesterday at my family thanksgiving feast, to which I contributed a lovely sweet potato combo:

 That yummy marshmallow-bespeckled casserole is actually this recipe made from sweet potato orzo! It got all browned and chewy.....ah chewiness, a much missed texture on the Thanksgiving plate.

Then the shopping began this morning. Now, let me clarify. I am not a Black Friday shopper. Never have been. Crowds. Lines. Disgusting displays of greed and wanton spending. It's not my thing. But when I found out my local yarn store was having a Black Friday sale with additional discounts for wearing your PJs? Well, greedy and wanton yarn shopping is another story. I picked up a bushel of puffy Burly Spun and I do believe I'm feeling the post-sale after glow.

 Indeed, I'm feeling so festive, I decided to host an After Thanksgiving Pattern SALE on my Etsy shop! All Patterns are 2 for $5 now through end of day Monday. Stock up now and that way when you realize you need some fast, last-minute gifts in a few weeks, you'll be ready!

Check out the SALE here and feel free to pass the news along.

Meanwhile, I have some leftovers to attend to.....

Kerchief Cowl - Updated!

The weather outside is freezing and not really that delightful. It was supposed to snow here, the weather peeps on TV have been attempting to whip up us into a snow-crazed frenzy for an entire week. But a little night-time snow shower was all we got, and it isn't pretty. My yard is sprinkled with small crunchy white bits that look and feel, but do not taste, like Nerds (the candy that is). Either that, or as if I decided to decorate my yard with 5 year old confectioner's sugar. Oh well. Maybe they're saving the good stuff for Christmas.

The cold weather has at least been good for one thing. I've been doing a whole lot of knitting, as well as a good amount of snuggling with my winter accessories, specifically the Kerchief Cowl I designed last winter. It's the warmest, coziest thing I've got in my repertoire, and I wanted to knit some up to share the cozy love.  Of course, I couldn't knit the pattern as is, even if I did write the darn thing, so mods began popping up as they always do. First, I started with a bulkier, puffier, tweedier yarn. I skipped the textural garter rows and left off the bottom triangle. Then I added a big ol' huge vintage button.

Huh. Still cozy. And then I turned it inside out and upside down and poof!

It turned into a cool, kerchief bandana like thing, just like I wanted all along. So, if anyone out there is knitting this pattern, feel free to experiment. It'll keep you cozy no matter what. If instead, you'd like one of these new updated cowls all knitted up and ready to snuggle your neck, you can get 'em here. And if anyone else wants a pretty snow-covered yard...well, sorry, can't help you there. Give me a few weeks.

Oaxaca Highlights

Wow, I can't believe it's already been a few weeks since I got back from Oaxaca. I've been too wound up in a tangle of stressed-out holiday knitting to notice anything these days. So, before I forget (even more) and move on to different things, here are a few Oaxaca highlight pics. Oaxaca really is a magical place and the amount of craft and art everywhere is so inspiring! It made me want to lose myself in some detailed, elaborate, grand-scale sort of public art project....if only if my hands could knit faster....

Anyway, Enjoy! (And remind me that one day I really have to do a special post just on the amazing natural dye process the weavers use. It will blow your yarny mind!)