February in October

The February Lady Sweater is done! I started it in late August and finished last night. It would have taken even less time if I had remembered how to count. I like how it fits.

Close up:


Farther away:


It's a good style for Zombie Arms:


Someone had been yodeling and mooing and deserved Zombie Arms:


The only thing to watch out for when making this sweater is sizing. I usually wear a medium or thereabouts. This time, I went for the XS, which indicated a 37.5 bust. I really wanted more ease than that and nearly went up a size, but I'm glad I read the comments about the fit on Ravelry first. It runs big. So the XS gave me plenty of ease, but it's not enormous. The pattern does have instructions for an XXS as well, but anyone smaller could either alter the math or else use a finer yarn without any problem. It's a fun knit and I'm seriously considering making another one.

Awww...Yer Makin' Me Blush...

Two people gave me I Love Your Blog Awards!

Jessie of What Housework fame gave me the first mention (scroll way down). I love her blog too. She's funny, talented, and has a husband who keeps picking up spare, unwanted critters and bringing them home. Some of them end up as breakfast or dinner (relax - I'm talking about pigs and chickens, not dogs and kittehs) but while they live with them, they lead a fine life. She is in Vermont and from what I can see, has the life I'd like to live. Of course I have it completely romanticized and I purposely ignore that she likely has every-day problems like everyone else, and that all of those adorable animals produce a lot of poop and someone has to clean it up!

The second was from Toni, who seems to have enough energy to maintain two blogs. I want her to be the crazy (in a good way) lady next door. She and her husband embark on these 'month of' experiments, she grows and then preserves huge amounts of food, has been finishing up UFO's at an amazing rate and I'm just pretty sure she never sleeps.

So now I'm supposed to list a few blogs I read. Have you checked the list on the right? I check out a ton every day. It's a tough choice but here are a few fun ones:

Amputeehee - perhaps I'm a bit biased because she's my friend but I met her through reading her blog - and I wouldn't have kept reading enough to meet her if I hadn't liked it. She's smart, creative and insightful and one heck of a fab hostess. And she's got a really cute little dog (and now a kitty too!).

Donnaz Chaos - another friend made through blogging. In fact I guest-blogged about training for the Avon Walk on her blog just before I started this one. Between the raunchy double entendres about balls and how she gets a kick out of simple things, Donna cracks me up.

SpinDyeKnit - Just when Alison makes you all teary-eyed with her amazing stories and her endless compassion for others, she'll get you to snork and roll your eyes with some really bad (good?) puns.

Last, certainly not least, and I could go on forever but I'm stopping at 4 (plus the two who selected me), I bring you The Adventures of Gladys and Harold Quimby. Finally, I'm mentioning someone I haven't met in person. Though I would like to. 'Gladys' has a fine husband who makes crazy faces at the camera (or at least I hope they're on purpose), some giant cats and some fine stories to tell, especially about falling down in yarn shops and vacationing with various family members. I'd like to be her neighbor too and I swear it's not just because she lives in Canada and you can buy Malabrigo Sock Yarn there.

Oh what the heck let's make it five - if you're going to mention Gladys you have to mention So Now What too. Another Canadian (they know each other) and as I've already mentioned a few that I'd like to have next door, could she live across the street? Again, not because of the Malabrigo Sock Yarn.

And that's it. I really have to stop now. Someone has started mooing again. Outside. The neighbors are probably going to report us for keeping livestock in the back yard.