Not Robin's Blanket

I know that this isn't the post that everyone is dying to see - ROBIN'S FINISHED KOIGU BABY BLANKET!!!! Mazel tov Robin! Yep, I took pictures of it. Yep, the pictures do it justice. So, where are they? After knitting circle (at which I bought a haul of Koigu - you know that old saying, "don't let friends drink and knit?" well, drinking and buying yarn don't mix either - I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SAVING FOR MARYLAND SHEEP AND WOOL, not dropping $131.00 on Koigu!!! The only consolation is that it's impossible to beer goggle with Koigu, so when I woke up in the morning, I hardly had coyote arm), I went home to load up the pictures, and my modem starting blinking like something out of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and my browser seemed to stick it's tongue out at me. After an hour and a half on the phone with Verizon, the technician diagnosed the problem as a defective modem, and arranged to ship me a new one. Unfortunately, he shipped it to the wrong address, another problem that had to be fixed the next day, so to make a long story short (have you ever noticed that people always say that when they've already told a long story?), I won't have my new modem to some time next week. Drat. But, I don't want to deprive the world of seeing the finished blanket, so I'll try to remember to bring the camera with me to Knitty D's on Saturday WHEN WE RECORD THE PODCAST!!!! so I can load from her computer.

In the meantime, you'll have to settle for what I had already loaded up in anticipation of the long holiday weekend at my parents, and then never got a chance to post.

Following Flash Your Stash Day, I did some soul searching. Clearly, I have no stash. If I buy something, it must be knit quicker than immediately. I have miscellaneous yarn that I'm never going to use. So, instead of letting it lay loveless in the sweater bag in the closet, I put my yarn up for adoption. And, everyone will be pleased to know, that some of my yarn has found good, loving homes.

The first to be adopted was actually the last to get put in the mail. A few days after Flash Your Stash, I stumbled onto Cynthia at Two Wooden Sticks, who was starting up a collaborative afghan for her niece, Grace, who has cancer. Cynthia writes:

"My plan is to make the blanket bright and colourful in all shades of girly pink and maybe even some purples. I hope to knit some flowers and applique where appropriate. I am researching my edging.

Carole O Clowe, one my knitting buddies, summed it up best when she emailed me: "We are all Embracing Grace - we are all joining together to embrace her with warmth, love and strength." As knitters we know better than anyone else the power of what we create. Regardless of who we knit for I think we knit miracles. I am glad that Grace is on our list right now! Thank you."

The project has grown so big, that additional afghans will be donated to the Alberta Children's Hospital. So, while I haven't knit my square yet, I finally stuck my Leila cotton (since Grace is allergic to wool) in the mail, and it is on it's way to Canada.











Next to leave the orphanage of unloved stash was this bundle of joy, the Siddar Snuggly that I had been intended for a baby blanket:

So, instead of being a baby blanket, it will now become a puppy blanket, a kitty blanket, or, heck, a bunny blanket, I don't know. Knister Chelle writes:
"Lately I've been working on soothing, simple projects. Pet blankets, mostly. I've crocheted several critter blankets since the Olympics ended. Me crochet? Yup, I'm loving it for the pet blankets. The density and drape (or lack thereof) of crochet makes for good, sturdy blankies. And it's a great way for me to use my crap yarn. Sorry, the yarn I've outgrown."

Well, Michelle, I can see that you are the perfect person to give my crap yarn a good home:
And, ultimately, a better home - here is the link to Michelle's Home for Critter Knitting

And, last but not least, everyone's favorite cause, Grace's knitting. Hardly a charity, but to contribute something to what you know is going to be completely beautiful, is enough to warm the cockles of anyone's heart. When I mentioned to Grace that I had a some Rowan Botany 4 Ply that I had gotten on ebay for a steal, but had never committed to a project, she started to bounce with glee. YOU HAVE ROWAN BOTANY 4 PLY!!!! Now, to see a 6'2" woman bounce generates even more excitement, so I had to gift my Rowan to Grace. Thanks for all of your help Grace, and enjoy the botany!