Saturday Stash

This view was sort of expected this morning...weather folks really enjoy making a mountain out of a mogul, don' they?  It wasn't a particularly welcome view, though.  I have already gifted our snow to all my bloggy friends who really love it and have none yet.  I love how the snow has collected on our improvised (circle of sheet metal) squirrel baffle.  In the fall, two of our bigger - and younger - squirrels managed to climb up the metal pole and spent about five happy moments cleaning out the sunflower seeds.  We think we have them stymied - for the moment.

Good thing I've been knitting some warm woollies this week.  What have I been knitting?  Even better question: what have I finished?   I'll start with my only work in progress right now: the Midnight Rose tunic.  Oh, I think it's going to be so pretty.  I was making great strides and then got a bit distracted by some other stuff.    I've got the color a bit better this week (it's darker than this) and can you see the lovely tangle of cabling?  This is a fun, fun pattern.  No cable needle necessary as you never cross more than one stitch.  I do have to count, though.  Rows, stitches...in the round that's a lot to keep track of as you increase and decrease at the same time in some places.

I finished the Desert Shadows scarf and have the pattern on Ravelry as a free download.  Go here if you'd like to try it.  You'll need about 400 meters of 4ply fingering to make a scarf. 

After I had written up the pattern, I wanted to make another test knit just to be sure.  The pattern is very easy but the writing, as always, can get lost in my translation.  So, I cast on some leftover sock yarn for a swatch.  It looked so pretty I just kept going 'til the string ran out.  I sewed on two stash buttons  which can easily slip through a dropped-stitch 'ladder'.  Now I have my Swatch Band.  It makes a neat little neck-warmer or a headband to keep the ears warm.

In danger of becoming a UFO, these white socks begged me to finish them.  The only thing wintery is their name -  Snowberry socks.  I think, being cotton, they'll be waiting in the drawer for some warmer weather before I actually wear them. 

Not a bad week on the knitting front.  Now if you could just bring your shovels and buckets and take all this snow away.  Please?  While I wait for you, I'll be knitting.  I have some red recycled yarn that wants to be a jacket.  Sounds perfect for a snowy day.