thank you so much for all the nice birthday wishes you sent to david . . . he gave out one of his famously contagious smiles when i told him how many he got.
first thing yesterday morning, i made this fudge cake with lots of frosting (as requested, though there is never quite enough frosting for david, shudder), which we drooled over all day until it was time to cut it and try a piece.
totally worth the wait.
all in all, it was a nice day; there wasn’t a pile of work or a deadline for anything so we both immersed ourselves in projects of choice all day . . . still work, but on a nicer schedule. when you work as we do (that is, we have jobs but no set schedule—we have to be available as needed), this is a real luxury; i’m sure many of you can relate.
in the evening, we ordered lots of sushi and enjoyed a long, delicious dinner without too many dishes to do afterward. then we watched a good movie and ate cake, yum.
one thing that sorta slammed me in the head last evening is that i have got to get moving on my sweater—15 days til we leave for rhinebeck, and boy, i’d love to have it done. it’s getting very chilly, very quickly, so i think it’s not going to be like last year, when we still had 80-degree days in late october. i’m going to need this garment.
i’m not doing too badly; right now i have it about three-quarters of the way to the armhole, and once i hit that point i’ll be about half-finished. the yoke shaping will go quickly after that. but we all know that sleeves can feel slow, so i want to be sure to leave plenty of time for those.
i’m going to try to work on this for a couple of hours a day from now on (i’ve skipped a few days here and there this past week) and hopefully that will pan out as progress in inches. unfortunately, i can’t work on it for late-night knitting; my lamp in the TV room just isn’t bright enough for really dark yarns (it’s an ott light but it’s really dim and as far as i know they don’t sell brighter bulbs for them). i’ll just have to make sure it occupies a different, brighter time slot in my day.
here’s a bit of a closeup on the side seam area; i’m almost through all the shaping. it’s really too bad that the field pattern doesn’t show all that well til after blocking; it looks really good with the cable i think. i love the textures of everything together—i’m looking forward to wearing it. and from all i can gather, i think it’s going to fit well. i haven’t had it off the needles yet to try it, but when i lay it flat and measure it seems to be the expected width around (allowing for a little growth from future blocking).
another reason i slowed my work on the sweater is that i’ve been fiddling with this neckwarmer i’m designing for my teaching gig later in october. i think i’ve got it now, and boy will i be glad to stop obsessing over it. sometimes i just get all wound up and can’t stop, you know?
anyway, i’ve decided to stop designing it and just write the pattern, already. hehe.
while i like very much the version i showed the other day, with the spiral starting at the top and winding down through the hem,
i had a hard time finding a good finish for it. everything i tried looked like just a stop instead of a finish. and i wanted to try a knit-on edge at the end in the hopes of including an additional teaching opportunity, since lots of knitters seem to get nervous about add-on edgings.
so i knit up this version.
i like them both. argh.
but i’m going with the knit-on edge, because i really think it fits the needs of the clases i’ll be teaching in the near future. i tried making this one a smaller size just to see, and decided to ditch the idea of sizing . . . it just isn’t necessary. i have the tiniest head ever, and the small one was something of a struggle to get on, so i think it would be better to just have the one size and suggest using different needles to customize it.
i also exercised my option to make it one repeat longer and i like it either way. if you like scrunching a tube up around your neck you can kit it one or two repeats longer. and if that would annoy you, then stick to the pattern as written.
i like the way it looks from the side . . .
so late at night when my eyes are bleary and i can’t see my sweater or think about design questions, i’ve gone back to working on my little butternut scarf
the yarn is just heavenly, and so fine it feels like nothing in my fingers. but it’s a pleasure to knit with—it’s not slippery or difficult at all. i’ve been adding a repeat or two each night this week and it’s finally showing some growth. here’s a glimpse of what looks like if i stretch it a bit (though you would not need to block this one if you prefer the other texture—it lays nice and flat right off the needles)
dang. i forgot to take a picture of the back side which looks as nice as the front . . . a wonderful surprise and much-desired in a scarf fabric by some knitters. next time i’ll try to remember—it’ll be something to look forward to. instead, today we have a closeup of the yummy stitch pattern
and to go with it—more frosting . . . . m-m-MWHA.
36 thoughts on “and many happy returns of the day”
You have such a gift.
Thank you for sharing!
; )
That scarf goes perfectly with the frosting! (I love frosting…) The sweater is looking lovely; I can’t wait to see it finished — the textures are so much fun together, it’s going to look great all blocked out.
Chocolate, knitting, chocolate, knitting. knitting while eating chocolate! It’s a perfect blog!
Thanks, Anne!
Lace and chocolate… My day is complete!
I think that neckwarmer is great.
Ohmygosh. Save me a piece of cake in the freezer. Two weeks. That’s not long. Tell David to share! hahaha. I love that butternut scarf. It reminds me of 7-Up bubbles floating to the top.
Love the neckwarmer and the butternut scarf. Can’t wait till they’re available.
I love all these photos – the cake made me drool – but so did the knitting!! Love how the sweater is coming along – can’t wait to see the finished product. I wish you would write up some of your fabulous sweater patterns – especially the manly ones – it is so hard to find nice sweater patterns for men.
That golden yarn is so lovely. Wish it didn’t match quite so well with my skin color. We don’t do a thing for eachother!
And a question for your patientness. Do you think if I knit the stonewall, largest size, and stopped early to make it square, that 780 yds of colormart cotton cashmere fingering would be enough? I think that would be about 2 ft square, which seems right for a baby….
Bloglines was messing with me badly yesterday, argh.
I could see David there with the gorgeous man-lace and being the birthday dude but it would NOT open up on the page no matter what I did. grrrrr.
A belated and very sincere Happy Birthday, David. You scored big time with the sushi but dude, that cake!!!
Anne, thanks for sharing. LOVE the neckwarmer, and especially with the edge.
You never sleep, do you? How in the world do you complete so many things so quickly? It just makes me crazy! You’re amazing, and everything is beautiful, as always, including the cake!!!
If I didn’t wish David a “Happy Birthday” then
I am sending him a belated greeting. I love
the chocolate cake. Looks scrumptious. I love
your neck warmer, but I guess I am in the minority, I like the first one better. Seems
like a lot less yarn to mess with around your neck. They are both beautiful as is the shawl.
Oh NO! Am I too late for cake???? Happy Birthday, David!!!
Oy, I have not been blog-reading much lately; just catching up. Love your greens!!! They’re even prettier than mine, and I did NOT plant late lettuces, and now I’m sad.
Love that neckwarmer! It’s delicious!
I love both neckwarmers. And the butternut scarf and especially the cake. Looks so yummy!
And I adore your sweater. I wish I were able to go to Rhinebeck this year so I could see it in person but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem likely to happen.
Mmmm…that cake looks SO tasty! Wish I could have a piece!! Your sweater is looking awesome – as is everything else you are working on. Wish I could touch and taste your blog!! 🙂
Good lord! That is just cruel. I think I licked my screen before I got a hold of myself. (The cake, not the sweater or scarf.)
I agree with Christina…it is a true gift that you have been blessed with. Your neckwarmer is so incredibly beautiful!
I’m with Vickie, licking the screen! Anne, c’mon. Your frosting takes us to new levels. David I don’t know you, but you are one fabulous model and probably perfect!!! At least, you really look fantastic in your mate’s designs.
Anne, keep sending the vibe – what would we do w/o you?
best.
Jody
Cake, sushi and project of choice, sounds like perfection! Nice to see someone making knitting progress, I am feeling stalled right now. Maybe some chocolate would help, hm?
You are one of the most talented ladies out there! I love the color of the new scarf and the style. I really need to get some knitting done.
I am so full from my dinner but that cake makes me want a nice big ol’ slice of chocolate cake!
Oh, oh that pink yarn is *gorgeous*. I definitely like it better with the edging though. It looks much more finished. And it’s pretty! I think this is the first neckwarmer I’ve seen that I feel the need to knit, it’s so cute!!!
those lucky dogs getting to be in a class with you!! I think I’ll be jealous for a moment or two… there.. all better..
Love the pattern choices – and with the edge, they could either add it or not, right? options are always lovely. I hope you’ll make that pattern for sale too.
And thanks for the link to the fab chocolate cake. And I agree with David – one can never have too much icing. yummmmm
Yum! That chocolate cake looks soooo good!
Beautiful knitting too, as always. 🙂
I NEED that purple cowl. Not want, not love. NEED. Like water (or chocolate).
A piece of that cake with it wouldn’t be a bad thing, either. Just sayin.
Your blog is such a feast for the senses, Anne — yummy yarns AND yummy foods!
Beautiful cowl! I love the bottom edging you added. So elegant! Your test knitters are so lucky!
I’m loving the neck warmer! Just what I need for this winter riding the bike and the motorcycle. Much easier to use than a scarf. Like another Anne said – I need the purple one. 🙂
Ooooh . . . frosting is the best part of the cake!
Belated birthday wishes to David! I was celebrating with my aunt who shares the same birthday. The cake looks yummy & it really put me in the mood for some baking & while everything is in the oven I think I’ll get those socks finished for Monday class.
Love the neckwarmer! As you said, write the pattern already! Those who want an edging will knit it, and those who like a clean line will like it that it finishes simply.
Anne- Everything looks scrummy, from chocolate frosting to buttercream knitting.
I think the edging on the neck warmer is lovely.
Can I have a piece of virtual cake? My husband and I celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary on Oct. 2, right in your celebration season!
Just love the knitting, especially the ManLace and the Butternut Scarf. I will need to stay healthy to live long enough to knit all of your designs that I love. Good thing virtual chocolate cake is so nutritious and has no calories!
I’m late, I’m late for a very important date! Happy birthday (belatedly) to David!!
Oh yum!!! Nigella rocks!! I heart the Food Network!!
Your knitting looks equally as scrumptious as the cake and its glorious frosting!!
Can I assumme (sob, sob,) that we have to wait until you’ve taught your class at the retreat before we can get our hands on that stunning neckwarmer with the knit-on edge? And what was the yarn you used?? I have a daughter who is purple crazy right now (is this particular to 14 year-old girls?) and I would love to get a skein to make something for her. Am still loving the stoles I am working on–almost to the point of not wanting to finish them!!
Cheers, Barbie O.
Belated Happy Birthday to David! That cake looks divine! If only I could dip my finger into the frosting through the computer screen!
The neck warmer is really cool. I have Hypoteneuse on the needles now and really like your Butternut scarf and the traveling yarn overs.
Wow, those neckwarmers are so lovely! I really like the pretty edging on the purple one.
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