Bonus!

An unexpected upside to living in the UK: when Interweave sends out a sneaky email about the Hurt Book sale at 11:20 am my time, all my knitterly competitors in the States are likely still asleep. My bank account is now somewhat lighter, and my mother is going to have to deal with a large, heavy box of stitch dictionaries (I got almost every Harmony guide available, even the crochet one!) and some of Franklin's cartoons. I think I'll need a extra bag for our trip this summer to haul all this loot back. Plus some cashola for the heavy bag charge...

There is knitting being done: I have decided on Annis as the teacher present for this year, partly because I think it's lovely, but mostly because I did one and it took me four days. That would have been three days if I hadn't mucked up the stockinette section (only I would do this...). So Numero Dos is on the needles in this, with some modifications for slightly short yardage. First one was 340 yds, and I've only got 305 yds of the handspun, but I think it will be ok. Expect an Annis Rainbow post sometime around the end of the term.

A deadline

It's that time of year when crafty spinning/knitting mothers the world over start to think about presents for their children's teachers. Actually, most have probably already taken care of this issue - it's just us procrastinating ones that are suddenly realizing that time is running out.

So my kids have 6 teachers between them - Devil has a main teacher (Mrs. A), a teaching assistant (Miss. B) and a reading teacher (Miss. M). Boo has two main teachers (Miss A and Miss B)(hunh...conservation of initals?) and then Miss I, who she spends the afternoons with and who also sometimes babysits for us. I'm looking for quick knits that won't bore me silly but that I can finish in the next 3.5 weeks. Add to this the fact that Mrs. A is preggers with her first wee one, so I need to do a baby present too.

Baby first: I considered a number of different sweater options before I realized that 1) I don't know what type of sprog she's popping out, and 2) I don't know what kind of colors she likes. So I'm taking the easy road out - it's Dragon time. I got some cotton/acrylic blend at the store yesterday and cast on last night.

My row gauge is seriously off, so I'm having to just figure out how many inches are needed between drecitons and work that number of rows. It took me all of "New Moon" to get this far three times. Good thing it's a horrible movie and I didn't really want to pay any attention.

So...for the teachers. I'm thinking Branching Out or something similar, particularly with some handspun. One of Boo's teachers actual knits, so I'm thinking she'd appreciate some handspun in her gift. I'm also drawn to Annis, from the new Knitty, which I might cast on in this, and see whom it seems to suit best. But I think the girls and I might be having a big dye party this week end to get some appropriate yarn for these babies.

So...the last day of school is July 7. That gives me just under four weeks. Ready, set, go!