Gift-scarf-apalooza, winding down

The Sister Scarf finally finished! I really did think it would never get any longer, that I would just knit and knit forever, but all of a sudden, it was a nice length and I was nearly out of yarn. Here it is:


Details:
Pattern - Sister Scarves (I made the smaller)
Yarn - Knitpicks Shine in Sky, almost exactly two balls
Needles - Size 6
Notes - I did a few more repeats of the second lace pattern to make it long enough since I was using much smaller needles. I might have added more of the first lace pattern as well if I had thought it through ahead of time. Nevertheless, I'm happy with the pattern. This was the first scarf I've ever grafted in the middle, and it went fine. I liked the narrow width I got by using the smaller needles, but I'm a narrow scarf person.

So that was gift scarf #4 of 5, or possibly #4 of 6. I haven't decided what to make my mother-in-law yet. I might try to finish the Vintage Beaded Gloves, but I may save those for Christmas and do a scarf as a shower thank-you instead. I'm sort of leaning that way. At any rate, here is Gift Scarf #5, whether ultimate or penultimate:

That's the beginning of Flora from knitty. I'm using Rowanspun 4Ply in Siren, a really nice red, four strands held together (which I guess makes it 16-ply). I'm waffling on whether I'll make the removeable flower or not. I'm not sure the recipient is a flowery person, but it is cute. It might depend on how much yarn I have left at the end, since I doubt I'll wind more yarn just for that. I'm almost always knitting from the knitty archives instead of the current issue. I am SO not trendy.

Reading: Well, I finished An Assembly Such As This by Pamela Aiden. It was...above-average Jane Austen fanfiction. Not that there's anything wrong with fanfiction, but one usually finds it on a list-serv (or, these days, I suppose, on a blog). This doesn't mean it wasn't fun and enjoyable. It might be premature to judge, since it was the first in a trilogy. The writing was not the best (in fact, the best parts were scenes lifted straight from P&P), and I just wasn't as engaged in Mr. Darcy's story as I thought I would be. And there's this whole goofy part about how his valet ties his cravat and some other gentleman getting all cranky because Mr. Darcy's cravat is tied in this new way that's better than his, and I just couldn't see people getting that worked up over a stupid cravat. But maybe they did...I wasn't there. But it went on and on and on and wouldn't go away. I'm not sure whether to recommend the book or not. Maybe if you read/watch P&P and desperately need more, it would hit the spot. I'm curious enough to want to read the rest of the trilogy, so there must be *something* there. I'm now on Owl's Well That Ends Well by Donna Andrews (her titles just crack me up). I've just read a couple of chapters, but it's cute as usual. Marie, I didn't know about the Stephanie Barrons, but I will have to look into those! They sound fun.

Writing: Urgh. Chapter 7.

Cooking; Well, to make up for missing World Bread Day, I made Cinnamon Raisin Bread in the bread machine the next day. I also made Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins and Irish Soda Bread. My husband has politely requested that I not bake anything else until we've eaten/given away the giant load of Cinnamon-Raisin Bread, the two loaves of Irish Soda Bread, and the dozen muffins. That seems reasonable enough. The muffins are wonderful; I had worried that there were too many cranberries and they would be too tart, but not at all. Very moist and pumpkin-y. The Irish soda bread is not for people who only like squishy white bread; it's very dense. Instead of the four free-form loaves the recipe uses, I divided the dough in half and used loaf pans. It's lovely in thin slices with jam and butter.

Yarnthrower, I'd love to join a CSA. We haven't because we haven't known how long we'll be living here. I think that'd be a lot of fun. I'm glad you like my food section :) Stefaneener, I think you may have hit on something with the perishable/storeable food division. I think that's why I didn't feel motivated to do the Eat Local Challenge, but did feel compelled to buy as little out-of-area produce as possible. I went to the market again yesterday. I think we're nearly at the end of the season for the Wednesday market, which is smaller than the Saturday. But yesterday, many of the spots were empty--I think there's only one more left. I've been spoiled with my twice-a-week routine!