The Perfect Pairing

Superstarra Christie is making a knock-off of this sweet Banana Republic hat; Nik made up a pattern for it and calls it Republic. The original is made with a chunky cashmere; Nik used Plymouth Encore Chunky, which I have never used.

I thought it would make a sweet gift for a couple of the ladies in my life, paired with Kate Gilbert's Gifted mittens. She makes these with Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky.

What a perfect pair, no? I had dreams about this last night, people. I think I'm going through knitting withdrawal.


So I'm wondering if Knitpicks Sierra, Panache, or Decadence would work well for a cap and mittens? I think I'm the last person on earth to use KP yarns. Are any of these yarns soft enough yet sturdy enough for the job?

Blue Ribbon

Thanksgiving dinner was everything you'd hope for, cooked by my mom and my aunt, who always do fabulous things in the kitchen. I contributed something new: sweet potato and sausage gratin with thyme, which my husband said was the best dish of the night. So. Good. This recipe is definitely a keeper; I'm already planning to make it for Christmas dinner at the in-laws'. I also brought the cranberry sauce that I love to make... such a simple recipe but the twist makes it extra good and it always gets raves.

Here we are the next day (Thanksgiving Stuff-A-Thon, 2.0) at my BIL's place... guess who had her first bite of real food (mashed potatoes!)?



We're snowed in. Second day. Yesterday was spent doing a little knitting but mostly listening to my dear daughter experiment with her vocal chords... her new trick is squealing/shrieking/screaming at the top of her lungs at a very high pitch. Yay!

Today: more knitting. Progress photos soon?

Comfort

The comfort of family... I almost forgot to share Peanut's Halloween picture with y'all.



What's Up, Pussycat?


The comfort of food... I made the best homemade macaroni and cheese last week, recipe from The New York Times via Smitten Kitchen via Supergirl. Truly comfort food during the extra stormy weather we've been having here in Seattle.

The comfort of warmth... This weekend is my annual girly roadtrip to Portland and I'll be driving. Hopefully, the girly that's riding with me will split the driving time so we will both get to knit in the car! I'm so close to finishing the knitting for Jemima and really want to be able to wear it soon. My classroom is so cold this year. The burner is on the fritz in my section of the building and it takes forever for a work order to be filled when there is ONE electrician working on the heating units in the entire school district. This might be a cold winter, my friends.