birthday booty

First, let's start the post with some things that required absolutely zero effort on my part: birthday presents.

My partner in crime is such a sweetie, she got me some nice things for my birthday this year (even if we didn't get to have a Rockford dinner together like last year). My first yarn-gift came already made:



If I were cool I could tell you which book contains the pattern for the bottle cozy, but I'm not that cool. I think it's called Simple Knits for the Home or something like that. Anyway, the yarn is Berroco Hip Hop, and concealed beneath the bottle cozy is... a bottle!! A bottle of what? Stolichnaya Razberi! I had just bought one from the sto' so I am now pressed to drink that one up so that I can enjoy my birthday bottle as soon as possible. Good thing I just bought a pack of Blenheim's Ginger Ale!

She also got me three balls of Artful Yarns Portrait in the Karen Colorway:



Some who know this lovely lady might also know that she made herself a Perfect Pie Shawl (from everyone's favorite knitting pr0n book, Weekend Knitting by Melanie Falick) out of this same yarn in a lovely purpley-green mix (and I think also in blue?). I too feel the call of the Perfect Pie Shawl, especially since I have some leftover Jaggerspun Zephyr in ruby red to use as the lace edging. Otherwise I might try to use it for a simple feather-and-fan scarf, because I seem to be the ONLY knitter on earth who hasn't made a feather-and-fan scarf. Not that I don't like that pattern (though I prefer to think of it as "Old Shale;" that's the same thing, right?) but I have just never "gotten around to it." I am still scarfless after passing my red entrelac Odyssey scarf to my mommy. I will try to get a picture of that sometime, because I'd hate for everyone to miss that one! It really is pretty, and has totally sold me on Reynolds Odyssey: I think I might buy more in the fall to make something else.

Next up is a birthday gift from a non-knitter who clearly pays attention when I am cursing the yarn that gets stuck in the zipper of my red rockstar knitting bag:



This bag is HUGE! Included was a note about how there are NO ZIPPERS on this one so it is meant to be my new knitting bag. It also has three pockets stitched into its lining: muy helpful. It is more than big enough to hold what I am working on today:



Oh, gracious! Could it be? Could it be that I am finished with the knitting of Lucky? Do I really just have the seaming left to do? It turns out that I actually don't mind seaming, so I have already completed the raglan sleeve seams and part of the neckband. I am having issues at present with making the neckband pull the sweater in enough so that I don't end up with the famous "boatneck effect" that other Lucky knitters have experienced. I tried what had been suggested elsewhere: putting Lucky on and pinning the neckband while wearing it, then seaming. I don't know how anyone expects me to do that: since when did I sprout five extra arms? I think some people have really really understanding husbands or something, because I am NOT capable of wearing and pinning at the same time. I think I will throw caution to the wind and try seaming the neckband to the sleeve tops and back by just easing in the fabric evenly as I go: I will then try it on and see. I've got the other seams pinned up to help me with fitting, but I do not enjoy being poked by pins!! Otherwise, my Lucky is ADORABLE!

I am sort of babbly and incoherent today because I had jury duty today: I was so worried I'd oversleep and miss it that I did not fall asleep at all, and am now paying the price. I think if I drank half a beer right now I'd pass right out. However, I did get some good sock-knitting in while waiting around. I had all but forgotten about Retro Rib Redux, and today was reminded what a pleasant pattern it is. Do knit it!