The Fir Cone Square Shawl is shaping up nicely! I'm about halfway through the center section and am falling ever more in love with the pattern. It slides through my fingers now, instead of struggling with them. I can't wait to see it blocked!!

All other exciting and recent knitting projects are wedding and/or gift related. Just three more weeks to the big day! I can't wait to show off the pictures (of the knitting of course!)

He is Risen Indeed! ALLELUIA!

Now the green blade rises from the buried grain,
Wheat that in the dark earth many days has lain;
Love lives again, that with the dead has been;
Love is come again like wheat arising green.

In the grave they laid him, love by hatred slain,
Thinking that he would never wake again,
Laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen;
Love is come again like wheat arising green.

Forth he came at Easter like the risen grain,
He that for three days in the grave had lain;
Raised from the dead, my living Lord is seen;
Love is come again like wheat arising green.

When our hearts are wintry, grieving, or in pain,
Your touch can call us back to life again,
Fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been
Love is come again like wheat arising green.

- Now the Green Blade Rises John MacLeod Campbell Crum, 1872-1958

Happy Easter!

The Return of the Fir

I've finally gotten back to knitting on my Fir Cone Square Shawl. Over the weekend I ripped the whole thing out, went down a needle size, and started over. I'm much happier with the results now. Now, if only my cat would stop looking threateningly at the yarn... one snap of those jaws would snip it in two and I'd have to figure out how to weave in ends on lace. *gulp*

I am able to spend time on the shawl now because I've completed my bridesmaids gifts! I'll post pictures after the wedding - they're a surprise! But I think they're precious! I can't wait to show them off! Just a little more than 6 weeks now... we're getting close!

With this being Holy Week and last week being incredibly busy with a funeral and other goings on, I'm looking forward to a bit more knitting time after Easter. I'm starting to feel yarn-deprived!

Far too long

It has been far too long, dear knitting blog, since I spent time with you. I have excuses, I promise! I've been swamped with work. (That one's old.) I've been knitting secret projects that cannot be revealed until a later time. (Valid point, I suppose.) I've been traveling and away from my computer. (Ever heard of a laptop or e-mail, genius?)

In any case, the Valentine's Day gift for my beloved was a lovely Besotted Scarf (Ravelry Link). It's a lovely green flecked with yellows and browns and blues. I'll have to ask him to take a picture of himself in it. My camera is still broken and I forgot to ask to use his. I apologize!

My big pink, fluffy prayer shawl is close to being done. The knitting group has completed 5 already! We're blessing them in worship on Sunday. :-)

The remaining monkey sock is hibernating for being ornery.

For now, that's all the knitting news I've got.

Happy New Year (a month into 2009)!!!

I didn't fall off the face of the earth - I promise! I've just been knitting a lot more than I've been blogging. I suppose that's what happens when your fiancee lends you all of his Star Trek DVDs (ie - all of TOS and TNG). As much as I hate to admit it, I've been pretty glued to the TV for the past month and a half - but it has produced a lot of knitted goodness! One monkey sock is complete, and the other is fast approaching the heel. A Valentine's Day gift for my beloved is also complete, but since he reads this blog every so often you'll have to wait until next week to see it!

A new prayer shawl ministry is up and running at church. I had to start my shawl over when I discovered it was too narrow, but one of our knitting converts, my dear friend Deb, has already completed hers! I'll be showing her how to weave in ends at our meeting on Tuesday!

Well, that's all my publishable knitting news for now! See Ravelry for more details!

On the Way

The projects for Chris' family are all done! I mailed them on Tuesday. I sent washcloths to his parents and this cabled scarf to his grandmom.


I think the blue will compliment her eyes beautifully! Ravelry Link.

In other knitting news, we've started a prayer shawl ministry at the church. My dear friend Deb is even getting into knitting! I'm so excited to be sharing my love of yarn with her.

Life in general has been incredibly busy. Advent will do that to you, I suppose. I'm looking forward to this time next week when I will have a couple of actual days off!

Meme from Spinnerknitter (a Ravelry friend)

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I love getting creative with wrapping paper, but sometimes bags are better for strangely shaped gifts
2. Real tree or Artificial? I'd much prefer a real tree, but since I live in an apartment with my cat we've got a little artificial one that a friend is loaning us.
3. When do you put up the tree? Normally, Christmas Eve. But I needed some cheering up since I've been sick this week so I put it up a couple days ago.
4. When do you take the tree down? Jan 6 - Epiphany!
5. Do you like eggnog? I don't think I've ever had it
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Tough call! Either the dollhouse my grandpa and I put together or my big stuffed dog, Spot!
7. Hardest person to buy for? Dad. Hands down.
8. Easiest person to buy for? Mom or my fiance
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes! Olive wood from Bethlehem.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, if I do them.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't know.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Carol (don't make me pick a version!)
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I make most of my gifts, but I keep my eyes open for things all year round.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Grandma's Pumpkin pie!
16. Lights on the tree? Yep!
17. Favorite Christmas song? Oh man oh man... don't make me choose! Infant Holy, Infant Lowly; O Holy Night; Silent Night; Angels We Have Heard on High; There's a Star in the East...
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Usually I travel to see family, but this year family is coming to me!
19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donder and Blitzen and (of course) Rudolph!
20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning
21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The fact that it starts after Halloween and ends on the 25 of December. The world forgets Advent and the actual season of Christmas (Dec. 25-Jan. 5)
22. Favorite ornament theme or color? My Aunt Dee who is also my godmother has given me an ornament every year for Christmas and those are my favorites.
23. What do you want for Christmas this year? I've got a long list of books (many of which are about yarn...)
24. Angel on the tree top or a star? Angel, one I made as a kid
25. Favorite Christmas dinner? We usually have ham and turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls, green beans, pumpkin pie... yum!