Pray for Coal

In the spirit of the holiday season, my friend sent me this link to the top 10 most dangerous toys of all time.

My personal favourite is the Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab (1951) shown here:
















I mean, who of us wouldn't love to have their own atomic cloud chamber? (On second thought, don't answer that)






In knitting news, I took my good friend C.N. to the yarn store today (LK) to buy yarn for her first pair of mittens. The thrummed mittens from the Winter 2006 issue of Interweave Knits. My other colleague/knitting goddess supreme, E.L., has almost finished her pair and they look fantastic. They were made using the Thrum Mitts kit from Fleece Artist (140g of Bluefaced Leicester Aran and 60g handdyed Merino roving). C.N. ended up buying the same yarn in the same colourway. E.L. recommends following the pattern in IK, but attaching the thrum using the technique described in the pattern on the label of the Fleece Artist kit. She said that it seemed more secure.

Much to my dismay, E.L. also pointed out that a lot of the patterns in this issue of IK use a technique called steeking. I feel like I'm a braver soul than I used to be when it comes to knitting, but carving up a complicated fair-isle sweater is something I'm just not ready for.

Fortunately the pattern that I'm dying to make, the Equestrian Blazer, doesn't employ this technique... Now all I have to do is acquire some aran tweed yarn (not of the expensive, Rowan variety).


The "Trellis" I'm making from Knitty for my little niece is almost finished. I promise to post pictures soon.

Delenn