Flame On

Roundabout Exit 151 the week just past has sometimes felt as if the proverbial candle has had afterburners on at both ends. It's Fashion Week in NYC, the Olympic cauldron in Torino is lit, and both Sockapaloooza and the Knitting Olympics have begun in earnest. Fashion! Passion!! Exclamation points!!! If that weren't enough, week's end has brought some timely cheer and the first big winter storm of the new year.

Just ahead of the storm came a pretty hearts-and-flowers package all tied with gossamer ribbon from my SP7 pal. Thank you, Secret Pal! Such faultless taste and timing – even if we get the predicted gi-normous snowfall, I'm very well provided for.



Inside the box: Valentine's Pez, Fiber Trends Fuchsia Lace Scarves pattern, three skeins of Rowan Wool Cotton (colorway 951 Tender), a lovely note, and three fancy stitch markers. This is perfect! I've been coveting Elspeth from Rowan 37. DH has appropriated the Pez [sounds of contented clicking of dispenser in background].

DH has other reasons to be contented: while watching Olympics coverage last night I cast on not one, not two, but three swatches for his cabled vest. From left to right they are Rowan 4 Ply Soft, colorway 384 Smoky Joe; Cashsoft 4 Ply, colorway 437 Thunder; and Felted Tweed, colorway 132 Charcoal.



After close examination, DH decided on the Cashsoft. He actually prefers the springy hand and excellent stitch definition of the 4 Ply Soft, but disliked its lead blue cast. He also likes the rich color and soft fuzzy hand of the Felted Tweed, but noticed it's better as a stockinette fabric than as cables. The ideal yarn for the project would be something springy yet fuzzy, in a true gray... the Cashsoft isn't fuzzy enough, but it's sufficiently close to the ideal. So that's decided.

Someone at The Stitching Bee (Exit 142) tried to convince me that husbands don't notice such things. By contrast, the SnB at Modern Yarn (Exit 148) recommended threatening DH with a "mancho" if he fussed too much. Maybe it's a generational thing. Anyway, Googling turned up this horror one, which is lead gray to boot. Happily for domestic bliss and tranquility roundabout Exit 151, such drastic measures were not required.

Another big decision: initials. The vest will have DH's initials knit in somewhere. So handy, you know, in case someone else at the gym club has a vest just like it. More swatches coming soon.

I wonder if other Olympic knitters are actually watching the Olympics. I've been watching coverage of Fashion Week for Fall 2006 on NYC TV Channel 25. The event itself is over, but (wonderful to relate) the City of New York has its own TV station, which obligingly is broadcasting runway shows, behind-the-scenes interviews with designers, editorial commentary, and after parties. Many designers are showing elegant three-quarter length sleeves. Hm... surely that means lots of lovely long gloves and gauntlets and mitts.

From fashion update to weather update: the snow is falling thick and fast now, but earlier I did manage to get to the Post Office to send this to my International Scarf Exchange pal. It's actually green, but my digicam can't seem to capture that.



More after snow shoveling tomorrow. A full day is planned at Church of the Improv, including installation of the associate minister, but I have a feeling attendance may be slim.