Monthly Archives: January 2015

Husband Sweater: The Beginning

3 Replies

This year, I didn’t even try to get my husband’s Christmas present finished in time.  I didn’t even have time to start it before Christmas.

(Sorry, Tristan.)

Instead, when we did our gift exchange, I told him my plan.  I am going to make him a sweater of his choice.

And, because the last one I made for him never gets worn (except when we go back to the Midwest for Christmas Break), I asked him to pick out everything about the project, so that he would end up with exactly the sweater he wants.

He’s typically pretty simple in his clothing choices, so I suggested a few patterns for him to start from.  He’s a big cardigan guy, so I started there:

Cambridge Jacket by Ann Budd

I could see Tristan wearing this sweater all the time.  It’s simple (almost too simple), and very manly.  No goofy colors or weird stitches.  Not even a button band.

3500883460_570d467ee9_z[1]Ranger by Jared Flood

I really like this sweater, even though it’s a little fancier.  (I actually might make this for myself.  I guess just like Jared Flood Sweaters… I’m actually wearing my Cobblestone, right now.)

Ranger1_medium2[1]But, no.  Tristan would have none of the sweaters I suggested.  He went down to his office in the basement, and looked at Ravelry for more than an hour.  (I thought he was playing Diablo… apparently not.)

And he picked out this one:

Émilien by Ariane Caron-Lacoste

img_4328_medium2_medium[1]I know!  Crazy!  Colors! Stripes! A hood!

But, as surprising as it was, he was very sure about what he wanted.  So, here we go!  A stripey, zip-up hoodie for my husband.

My Backwards New Year’s Resolution

6 Replies

I always like New Year’s resolutions.  It’s easy to be cynical about them, but there’s something really nice about everyone trying to improve their lives all together.  Trying to get healthy, eat better, read more, or watch less TV, it doesn’t matter, as long as you have something to work on.

I feel pretty healthy.  I eat fairly well.  I read a lot (although, I suppose I could always read more).  And there’s no way I’m watching less TV (as I said the other day, I just started another watch-through of the X Files.  So that ain’t happening.)

But one thing I’ve been meaning to do for the blog is increase my “social media presence.”  Which is a phrase that makes me kind of want to gag.  As a big introvert, being constantly in contact with other people makes me a little nervous.  And, frankly, I can’t imagine who would want to hear me mumble about the knots in my yarn and complain when I accidentally spill my tea over the shawl I’m working on.

twitter-logo[1]But, I’ve been told that Twitter is important these days, so I figure I’ll make a go of it.

So, follow me on Twitter @on_the_needles.  And I’ll try to be funny?  Or something.  It’s all very mysterious, how the whole thing works.  (And can someone explain how hashtags and stuff work?  I’m basically an 80-year-old woman when it comes to technology… so bear with me.)

I’ll give it the old college try for a couple months, and we’ll see how it goes.  Do you guys use Twitter?  If so, what do you use it for?  I’m still not clear on how it works (again, because I’m 80).

Do you have any other interesting (or non-interesting) resolutions this year?  I’d love to hear about them!

I’ve been a busy little bee

4 Replies

But I also have to be an enigmatic little bee.  (Sorry!)

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWhat with Christmas, traveling, and work deadlines,  it’s been a hectic month.  I’ve been working my little fingers to their nubs on a super secret surprise project, that I can’t tell you about…  yet.  But let me just say, it’s going to be AWESOME!  Or, at least I think it will be.

So, thanks for sticking with me, and the moment I can tell you about my project, I totally will.  And, I’ll get back to my regularly scheduled updates on my projects, knitting tutorials and patterns this month.  But, in the meantime, can I appease you with a picture of a really adorable little lamb? (You can’t be angry with me if you’re too busy going “Awww!”)

cute-lamb-wallpaper[1]