I’m in a tizzy. An organizing tizzy. Not sure if it’s the beginning of a new year, the end of an old one, the season or just the fact that I’ve been all work and travel and not enough time at home - could that be what is making me obsessed with getting things “just so” in the house? Next week it’s back to the dye pots in a huge way, so this weekend I’m scurrying about the house getting things just the way I like them. Isn’t it such a great feeling to have put your house (or even just a room or a bookcase, for that matter) together and know that everything is in its place? Well, that’s what I’m going for this weekend.

But, it’s been so long and there is so much to catch-up on. We’ll just have to take it one post at a time, ok? There was a trip to the other side of the lake (again, it’s an annual thing!) a stop in Chicago on the way home, weather (don’t even get me started on the weather), some knitting, food, lot’s of food.

What have you all been up to? What are you knitting now? What are you cooking/baking? Dreaming of Spring? Tell me, I’m dying to know. And, because I’ve missed you all so much I think it’s time for a contest. All you need do is tell me what you are up to and/or have been up to, really, anything. I’ll pick an entry (randomly, of course!) and you will get a skein of sock yarn. Comments will be open until Tuesday, January 6th at Midnight, Eastern.

Spent some time organizing my bookshelf…… here is my 1938 edition of Gone With The Wind - I love that book, though I only ever look at the spine, as I’m too afraid to touch it for fear of it falling apart.

These books just make me smile. What books make you smile?

To sign up and for more information….

Jan/Feb/March subscriptions will be based on “cozy.warm.light.happy”

It’s that time again! I’ve opened up a few spots in the Plucky Classics Club - won’t you join us?

Toast. Lots and lots of Toast. Thank you Leslie - for a wonderful, fun, fast and toasty pattern idea.

Top to bottom (for the Toast made from the aran cashmere - just one skein, cast on 30 sts on size 10 needles. Resulting in a mitt that measures approx 7″ inches around and just a hair shy of 11″ long. Perfectly drapey and squishy):

• Golightly - Aran Cashmere
• Singapore Grill - Aran Cashmere
• Shrieking Eel - Aran Cashmere
• Meet Cute - Handspun Cashmere

When entering the Plucky house…. must be willing to model the handknits.

Wedding in the plucky family, which means out-of-town guests in for the festivities.

They brought their hockey equipment.

Made a rink and, sadly, were only able to enjoy it for about 8 hours before the second and third snow storm of the week came barreling through.

Which means they’ve all been cooped up inside, playing Euchre, Guitar Hero and Sega. And eating. Lot’s of eating. We are at capacity - I don’t think we could fit one more person, pet or skein of yarn in this house. Good thing they are fantastic guests - we’ve had a lot of fun this week.

Nephew having a ball with “the teenagers” as he calls them.

Got to love a guy who helps you keep the masses fed - Bob’s known far and wide for his homemade brownies.

Happy couple and S

Now for yarn news ~

Let’s say goodbye to 2008 with a yarny bang, shall we? Big etsy shop update tomorrow, Sunday, December 21 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.

Here are just a few of the bases that will be offered:

MCN Fingering and Worsted
Merino Fingering Superwash
Alapca Silk Lace
Bulky Cashmere
Aran Cashmere
Sale skeins. Lot’s of sale skeins.

And, to top it all off and make it an extra exciting update - FREE SHIPPING on everything. The whole shebang! After the update today, I will work, non-stop, to get everything mailed out by Tuesday morning. Then, I will be off the grid, so to speak, until the end of the month.

I can’t begin to thank you enough for all the support you’ve given me this year. What a true privilege and crazy thrill it has been to serve each and every one of you.  Stay safe and warm and I wish you contentment, love and all the peaceful uninterrupted knitting time your hearts desire. (I highly recommend whipping up some Toast!).

Nectar - MCN Worsted

The Fourth - MCN Worsted

Early Light - MCN Worsted

Couldn’t resist one more Toast shot - the models are just too cute!

Early Light - Merino Cashmere Nylon Worsted (185 yards per skein)

Montgomery - Merino Cashmere Nylon Worsted

These and so many more will be available in a shop update today, Friday, December 12th at 12:00 p.m. Eastern.

And, then, just maybe, I can see about finishing a pair of these (did you know just one skein of my aran cashmere will make a pair?) and starting a pair of mittens from the pattern powerhouse that is Kirsten. The requests from friends and family are really pouring in right now. I blame the weather.

Or, scenes from a very wintry weekend.

Check out the whitecaps. It sounded like a freight train coming in across the lake.

“Bob, you want me to walk where?”

Schnauzer in the snow…. he loved it!

She hates the winter, but loves her hat.

All geared up to take her own series of wintry photos.

Back inside, bundled up and, as usual, on Flickr.

W and her first tentative stitches.

I will get the hang of this, yes I will!

Is she knitting the tablecloth? Check out that concentration.

What a perfect first project for a new knitter (not just for new knitters either - how cute is that, really?!). Practically instant gratification, in a few hours you can teach how to cast on, knit it up and cast off. None of that dreaded boredom that tends to settle in when a new knitter is going on and on and on on a seemingly endless garter stitch scarf and they wonder why they wanted to learn to knit in the first place.

I’ll be seeing her again, towards the end of the month and she’s already set to tackle baby hats and other projects. This girl has plans! I just love teaching people to knit, to see the excitement about learning a new craft and feeling their sense of accomplishment. Sort of gets me excited about knitting in a whole new way, all over again. What a thrill!

Awww. He’s proud of his new knitter.

Great big shop update later this week (I’ll be posting a specific time and date - right now it is tentatively scheduled for Friday, Decemeber 12). Yarn is drying as I type this. Let’s just say, cashmere. An abundance of Cashmere. Don’t we all need a little extra coziness right about now?

Blocking board and T-pins.

First I started making **gasp** gauge swatches and now this? Dare I say it? Am I a hard-core, grown-up knitter now? When did you feel that you were no longer casual knitter (you know, you had to graduate from dishcloths, etc.)? That it was becoming, or had become, an all consuming obsession? Was it your first big lace project? Tackling socks? DPN’s?

For me, I think it was definitely powering through the terror of sweater knitting. I am, by absolutely no stretch of the imagination, a pro at sweater knitting but at least I’m not scared any more. That’s progress, right?