Published, for reals

This arrived in the mail the other day:It's the new book 60 Quick Knits. As I'm a fan of workhorse yarns like Cascade 220, I love books like this. Of course, I have an extra reason to be a fan of this publication. Turn to page 100 (a nice round number,) and you'll understand.Those are my mittens and pattern in print, in an actual book. They're the Cables and Stripes Mittens and you can queue them up on Ravelry here.They're ideal for using up wee bits of 220 that you may have hanging around.

As if this wasn't already fancy enough (and for me, it really is,) another surprise revealed itself when I flipped the book over:My mitts made the back cover. Nice!

Quo Vadis?

I have a belly full of barbecue and a mitten that needs a thumb......and now I'm sleepy. This mitten, which I've taken to calling Quo Vadis, was mostly knit today while reading and listening (yes, I do all three at the same time.) I can not recommend either that book or that record strongly enough, as I love them both to distraction. Who knew that barbecue brought out the hyperbole in me?

I'm off to make tea and knit a thumb.

State of the table

Exactly where I'm at on this Friday evening -- a veritable snapshot of my unsuspecting end table and the contents thereon.Clockwise, from top: Vanilla by Patricia Rain; Dream in Color Smooshy in Good Luck Jade (soon to be a new iPod cozy;) Two skeins discontinued Rowanspun 4-ply in Jade (soon to be the beginnings of Ene's Scarf;) some early spindle-spun handspun of Heather's (soon to be...a Scarfy, perhaps?); Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner (I can not get enough of her Riverside books;) and a lovely local red wine -- Mastronardi Cabernet Franc 2006 -- on one of Heather's handmade, gently quilted coasters (I told you I use them, lady!!)

Yes, it's another exciting Friday night at home.

In other news, my dining room is now sporting a very well-hung chandelier, the borage and I are on good terms and the vegetable garden is dug. Tomorrow, the herb garden. Pictures to follow.