Today was a landmark day - I actually ventured out of the house! I met up with my good friend Becca for brunch. It was the change of pace that I needed the most. Since we last spoke, I developed even more swelling, and a yellow bruise on my right cheek from the surgery. That was enough to keep me indoors, even though the pain was almost completely gone. More knitting, more reading, more television watching. These last days of 2006 will be hard to differentiate, as I have done the same thing every day since Wednesday: wake up late, read for a few hours, take the dogs on a walk, eat yogurt and applesauce, and then plop down to watch TV and knit the night away.

Of course, this daily regimen may not be the best for exercise, but I did make some real progress on Kris's Lopi sweater!

This was right before I started the sleeves, which are both done now!

I am working on the front, and am nearing the armhole decreases. The magic of size 11 needles! The Lopi is working up nicely, and it is not as scratchy as I remember from the last time I worked with it. The charcoal gray is a perfect color to match Kris's wardrobe. He has even mentioned wearing it several times, which is a total surprise. I plan to finish the knitting up soon, and give the pieces a bath to soften them up even more, and a good blocking. If I am lucky, I can finish this sweater for our anniversary next Friday…

In terms of planning, I have looked through my knitting library and have been evaluating what knits I want to make next. I am going back and forth trying to decide if I want to churn out some more sweaters. It is always a push-pull, as I think about how I want to lose more weight; this will undoubtedly change my measurements for proper-fitting garments. Of course, I could stick to accessories and socks for awhile, as those are knits that will always fit. I am leaning towards more accessories, although the pull of the sweaters are strong - I have a lot of yarn stashed for some lovely projects! The way I may solve this (small) dilemma is by knitting sweaters for Kris, and knitting shawls, hats, and accessories for me. Sounds reasonable, right?

Spectacled made a handsome version of Jamesey. I remember liking this pattern when it came out, so it was great to see it again. I showed it to Kris, he nodded approval. He always says "as long as I can wear it to work", or "as long as it's not too hot"… This sweater is very work-appropriate, and is also made with cotton, so check and check! I found a great yarn: a nice sagey-green mercerized cotton from Elann. Should be a perfect match.

These sweaters, along with the Plain Winter socks I am knitting up are all perfect contributions to Jeanne and Robin's Manly Gift Knitalong. Knitting for a man/boy in your life? Check it out

And just as a reminder: There is still time to purchase Shobhana's Bejeweled scarf pattern for F.I.R.E. Any scarf patterns proceeds purchased through today go to help the Dulaan Project items get to the children of Mongolia. Go and buy your pattern, and then come and join our little knitalong! The Bejeweled Knitalong starts tomorrow!

Here's a peek at what yarn I will be using…

*Happy New Year* 

Thank you so much for your kind words. The surgery itself went well. I had not experienced being "under" anesthesia before, and it was a very strange ordeal. One minute laughing with the nurses, and then suddenly Kris was there with me post-operation and I was in a wheelchair! I was so out of it, and parts of the story are beginning to come back to me. After I woke up, I remember the nurse saying "It went well", and I kept on asking her what time it was… I am sure nurses and assistants have some funny stories about what people do when they are coming out… Supposedly, my sister came out singing at the top of her lungs! Kris reported that they had some trouble trying to get my sweater and coat on - evidently I kept trying to stick my head into the armhole. Of course, I don't remember any of that…

We got home and I felt okay for awhile, really swollen and in need of some rest. The afternoon passed, and by the evening, I was coming back to my senses. The pain set in later, and the medication they gave me made me feel quite nauseous, so I just slept it off. Sarah, my youngest sister, came over to see me - she brought flowers! So sweet. She probably just wanted to see her sister looking like a chipmunk!

The swelling is still quite noticeable, and it is still sore. I am on a steady diet of yogurt, applesauce, and mashed potatoes. And the matter of the ice packs… they are so sexy, let me tell you Kris keeps giving me a silly look like he is trying not to laugh. Of course, he is being a real sweetheart and taking good care of me. He actually has to have his wisdom teeth out in two weeks, so this is all reciprocal. Hopefully I will back on my feet by the weekend. Probably not on solid food for awhile longer though…

When I can keep my eyes open, I have been watching Season One of Veronica Mars, which was a Christmas gift from a friend at work. I also paged through some of my new books that I got for Christmas… I got some great books, several of them knitting related. See?

My sister-in-law picked up the lovely Christmas Stockings book at one of the local yarn shops. She is a crafter too (mostly cross-stitch and embroidery) so she knew a good book when she saw it! It is an Interweave Press publication, and includes patterns by many well-known designers, such as an Estonian style stocking by Nancy Bush. I realize that my sister-in-law may be dropping a big hint for next year's gift, but I don't mind. These look fun! Kris bought me Knit 2 Together, which has some fabulous patterns in it. I have been dropping serious hints about this book all season, so he heard me loud and clear. The book deserves a whole post in itself… so more to come… He also bought another "research" book for me, one that has topped my wishlist for the whole year, A History of Hand Knitting. This book makes my knitting librarian/historian heart go pitter-patter! Mom and Dad picked up the fun and stylish Hollywood Knits Style book, and it also has some cute patterns for sweaters and accessories. Loads of inspiration!

This was quite the crafty Christmas - my family knows me well!

My big present was quite a surprise - a Serger from my parents! I am seeing all sorts of home crafts in my future. It is perfect for finishing napkins, tablecloths, and blankets. I hope to learn more about it. Any of you have tips on Sergers? I am sure there are some ways to incorporate finishing techniques of knitted items with a Serger as well…

My sisters also got me some lovely crafty gifts: Mimi and Daniel went to New York City in early December for a short vacation before his deployment. They stumbled across a gallery show at the Fountain Gallery in Manhattan called "The Year of the Alpaca". Among the artwork, photography, and knitted items, Mimi found two lovely skeins of alpaca yarn. She bought them for me! I love the natural colors, and I am thinking about a colorwork design. Each skein is 220 yards, so there may be enough for a hat/mitten set. It is so soft!

Also from mom and dad, a fun scissors set! All of the scissors are special blades that cut patterns. These will be just perfect for some Project Spectrum crafts! and the colors of the scissors themselves are perfect for Project Spectrum as well!

And Sarah crafted a gift for me too! She put together a beautiful stationary kit. She bought a striped fabric box (which I love!) and filled it with some real goodies, including six handmade blank greeting cards. She used rubber stamps, special papers, and embossing techniques to make some beautiful pieces. She included a great orange daisy pen, and some other delights, like flower-shaped candles.

Other gifts included some beautiful jewelry, more fun books, silk scarves, a cashmere cardigan with pearl buttons (so classy!), and some fun kitchen appliances (a smoothie maker that has come in quite handy since the tooth surgery!) and beautiful wine glasses. A truly wonderful Christmas ~

Thanks again for your well-wishes and thoughts. I have been able to knit a little (when I can stay awake!) and I will show you that progress very soon.

With love from your chipmunk-cheeked friend…

I do bear a striking resemblance to this little guy at this moment… well, except for all of the fur…

Wisdom teeth - who needs them?

Evidently I don't.

They are coming out today, and I am a little nervous.

The dentist made an audible wincing noise when he looked in my mouth and saw my wisdom teeth… and then made a digging motion with his hand.

That is not a good sign.

Sure, I am worried about the pain - I have heard so many stories from friends, coworkers and family about their wisdom tooth extraction (it's like childbirth stories) - but the main thing? 

Can I knit on high dose painkillers?

When you see me next, I will have four less teeth - and chipmunk cheeks…

Well, the holiday was not completely handknit… I didn't finish my mom's present, so I worked out a little surrogate gift… and I didn't make anything for dad, but I am already thinking about next year's, and I still have some knitting to do for the nieces…

Despite these things, we had an absolutely wonderful Christmas.  Kris and I spent Christmas Eve with my family:  we prepared a wonderful feast, attended a service where my sisters sang beautifully, and came home to desserts, presents, and some yummy wine.  We laughed and shared gifts into the late hours of the night.  On Christmas morning, we awoke and headed to my brother-in-law's house for another wonderful brunch feast and opening gifts with all of Kris's family.  Things were relaxed this year, and it felt so nice to be "in the moment".  A wonderful two-day celebration with our loving families.

Wanna see the handknits?  Well, you may be surprised… 

This is the happiest picture of my mom EVER, so I had to share She is a cutie! You see, I was making another gift - still a secret - and I quickly realized that there was no way to finish it in time for gift-giving. So, the trusty Fetching mitt pattern worked in a flash! I used Knit Picks Andean Silk and lengthened the wrist.  This pattern is so cute and quick.  I think she likes them

She didn't seem to mind that the mitts were only a hold over until the real project is complete. Now, I need to motivate myself to actually work on that!

… and these are gifts you may remember!  I made the mittens for Mimi all along, but played them off as my own on the blog.  She loved them!  and Sarah was thrilled with her braided Rapunzel scarf.  In fact, the day before, she had just asked me if I could make one for her! :) 

~We had a wonderful time with both families~

Daddy and the stockings, Mimi and her little Oscar cat

Kris, Lolly, and the nieces, and the new gumball machine

In between it all, I managed to turn the heel on Kris's Plain Winter Sock.  The yarn, and the fun heel construction are definitely keeping my interest on this sock.  That and warming my husband's feet ;) 

This heel construction was really fun and I am hoping it will wear well.  It is outlined for this pattern "Plain Winter Socks" in Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks book.

Today is Kris's birthday too!  Unfortunately, no handknits were finished for the birthday, but I hope he likes the gifts I did get him…

…and speaking of handknit holidays…

Don't forget about the Bejeweled Knitalong!  You can join us in knitting up Shobhana's beautiful and simple lace scarf - you can buy the pattern on her site - and for SIX MORE DAYS only, the proceeds of the sale will go to F.I.R.E., the organization behind the Dulaan Project, that provides clothing and warmth for the children of Mongolia.  Pick up the pattern, choose a yarn, and join us for the knitalong - it starts on New Year's Day!

When Project Spectrum ended last August, I received lots of feedback about what to do (and when to do) the second round. I knew that I needed some time off to focus on my last semester of school, and to prepare for the other blog-related extravaganza of Socktoberfest Luckily, things went smoothly, and now here we are looking onto a whole new year, and the prospects of more crafty colorful creations!

I have received several emails asking if Project Spectrum will resume in January 2007. I would like a little more time to gear up for it, so I actually prefer a February start date, or later - maybe March, like last year's Project. Of course, don't let the start date hold you back from creating a colorful craft menagerie!

There was a discussion thread on Flickr's Project Spectrum group - you can read it all here - and there are some wonderful suggestions. However, four months have passed, so people's ideas change, as well as plans for the future. Plus, new ideas crop up, and may revolutionize the whole thing all together!

So, I would love to know some things from YOU:

• Do you want a Project Spectrum 2.0?
• When would you like it to start?
• What structure should it follow? Like last year's? or something new and radical?
• Do you want to take more than one month with a color?
• Do you want to extend the project over a whole year, or only 6 months like the first round?

Here's what I am thinking:

• I want crafters and artists of every stripe to join the festivities! This may be primarily a knitting blog, but some of the most inspiring projects that I saw in last year's project were from quilters, painters, photographers, paper artists, and crocheters.
• I want to switch up the colors, but still use a logical order. Last year, we started at Red (and pink) and followed the rainbow through, ending with the neutral colors. My personal preference would be to start with BLUE, as I have so many projects that I am dyeing to do with this amazing color but of course, that is up for debate.
• I want the Project to remain open and free to interpretation throughout its tenure. If you aren't "feeling" a certain color of the month, you don't need to feel obligated to create with it. No pressure is the name of this game, as always.
• I want participants to feel comfortable expanding their horizons. In last rounds orange and yellow month (April), many people stated that these were their least favorite colors, but actually the time when they were the most creative!
• I don't want it to become a "chore", and for people to get bored with it.  I felt like this happened last time, and I would love to have some suggestions on how to keep it fresh throughout.

If you have some thoughts, ideas, or answers to the questions above, please share a piece of your mind - give me your two cents! (Please don't be shy! you could have a great idea, and I wanna hear it!) I want Project Spectrum to be something special! Ideas will be gathered in this space, and we can talk about the possibilities and make some decisions together

For the newcomers, you can learn more about Project Spectrum here:

Creating Colors: Project Spectrum

The post that got the ball rolling - almost a year ago!

Project Spectrum Flickr Pool

Crafters share their colorful creations and captures for each month, March - August

Project Spectrum in Interweave Knit's Web Watch column

Amy Singer gave our little Project some props in a magazine!

So, what's in store for Round Two? You tell me!