Summer is NOT over!

Don't dare say it. Don't point out that the days are getting shorter. Don't point to the calendar and show me that there are only 7 days left until Labor Day. I'm covering my ears (la la la la la). What, what was that you said? School starts in 8 days? Oh yeah, I'm all about hearing those words. I'm listening now.

While I'm in denial that the weather will soon turn cold and I won't be able to wear shorts and be barefoot 24/7, I am trying to be much better prepared for my holiday knitting than I was last year. Here's my list:
* I've decided that King Thing and Thing 2 will get sweaters. I started on King's last spring but still need to find a pattern and spin yarn for Thing 2's.
* Thing 1 requested a thong for the second year in a row. I absolutely refused last year but might do it for grins and giggles this year. King Thing says that I should make it out of wool - ouch!
* McGuyver Mom will get a scarf (she loves them and was sad that I didn't make her one last year but made Dad one) and perhaps a camisole though probably not by Christmas especially if I have to spin for it.
* Ebay Man/Dad is a huge question mark but then again, he always is. How do you buy something for the man who has everything?
* G'Ma will get either a snuggly lap blanket or some sort of silky scarf (her neck gets cold).
* My brother and nephew will get matching firefighter Cheekies (my lil bro will hopefully finish training in Sept. to become a Howard County Firefighter - hurray!) These are my top priorities.
* Friends will probably get a smattering of mini cheeky little monkeys and handspun goodies that have yet to be designed. And somewhere in there I hope to finish Rogue and start Eris. Oh yeah and knit and design lots of felted bags. And teach knitting classes. No I wont be busy.

So, as I swatch for my first holiday project, I need your help. As I mentioned yesterday, this is the Cascading Leaves pattern by Annie Modesitt from Scarf Style. Now its meant for a solid yarn but I used variegated handspun of the same gauge. Here's how it looks after three pattern repeats. While I acheived my goal of the fall colors, I'm wondering if the pattern is recognizable or appropriate for this yarn.



Close up while blocking (I was a little too aggressive when blocking it and had to whisper sweet nothings in its ear to get it to soften up)


This is a shot after blocking.

What's your vote for what I should do with this knit? Should I...
a.) Pick another pattern. You're dreaming about this one.
b.) Finish knitting it with the handspun but another yarn would honestly look better.
c.) Forget it, the handspun isn't working at all. What were you thinking?
d.) Finish knitting it. It looks great! Don't change a thing.

Either vote using the poll on the left or leave me your response in comments. Vote early, vote often. I need your collective guidance.

In the mind drivel department we have an unsolved mystery in la casita de muse - the case of the traveling pants. These are the pants.



They're nice pants, Lee Dungarees in fact. They're right at home on the couch there and are content not to move. They're made for a man. A tall, skinny man - neither of which is King Thing. They magically appeared in our mini van three weeks ago. And we can't figure out who they belong to. They don't belong to Thing 1 nor any of our visitors, family or friends. If you are missing a pair of pants, please contact me. I'm dying to know where they came from.

And straight from Patternworks' New for Fall 2005 files
This cute mini kacha. So cute!



and this beautiful Marjaana yarn that's named after famous historical women. How cool is that?



These are going on my birthday wish list!