One more try...

The doldrums are just a pain aren't they?? Oh well. I am in the process of catching up with all of you but you are a prolific bunch so it's taking awhile :) On my front, here at Feeling Tangerine? not much, just a quick post to help kick the doldrums. I finished the last of the mittens (I know, I know, I'm sorry but that's all I have knit lately!) Mittens for Ana It's hard to see but these ones have sparklies in them: and a scarf for Ana's Blue Bear: The scarf matches one that she got and she was thrilled that Blue Bear got one too. Kids are hilarious :) Earnshaw is from Simply Noro. The yarn it calls for has angora in it which I cannot wear. (I can pet the bunnies and spin fresh angora, but commercial angora or mohair preparations make me itch to high heaven.) Since I couldn't use the Noro, I decided to go with the Spin to Knit approach: I had to have the book because I had met so many of the showcased spinners online, especially Symeon North of Pippi KneeSocks . I'm not actually following any of the advice in it, just supporting friends :) I couldn't decide on colors and finally just threw them all in. Why should kids have all the fun? I know this is not a challenging project, but I've never done anything in just stockinette and garter stich and all I really want is a super cuddly handspun hoodie to snuggle up in for the winter so I think it will do just fine. The roving is all dyed up, now to just spin up a few thousand yards......

Better late than never!

Well Happy New Year all! December and January have been very very busy and I caught a plague or two to top it off as well. Dad turned 60 to start it all off and the Maine sister brought her family in to surprise him. It was great and we all had a ton of fun. Then came the Christmas festivities far and near, then the post Christmas Birthdays, then New Years, then the New Years birthdays ........and then lots of curling up on the couch in pj's with tissues to recover from the "extra gifts" that the kids all had to share. Sound familiar? I know, "happening in a household near you" all over this time of year. I was blessed with nieces and nephews spending some nights over in all the chaos, my sister made me dinner not once but twice - very spoiled I was. On the knitting front, the mittens were a hit and the girls squeeled with glee and I glowed. Sisters and brothers in law acknowledged the wool and *do not machine wash* factors and warm feelings were shared by all. In the middle of all this cheer there was a sudden pause from the not-so-wee nieces. Then.they.asked.for.sweaters. Quick on my toes I informed them that if they stopped growing, I'd start knitting sweaters instead of mittens. Being 8 and 9 they actually got excited and started to think about this for a few minutes before catching on to the glitch that kept this from working out in their favor. Yes, I am the *mean* aunt that tortures them with sarcasm and a smart aleck wit that leaves them always wondering ;-) And in true New Year style, I decided to start something, well, new :)