Autumn Glory

Things are getting busier as work duties shift, a new person in our lives gets more attention and we go into Fall full force. Most of all, the knitting has been a lot of fun. Last week it felt like I was living at the courthouse, although one day I was free to get some visits with clients in! Monday through Friday was the usual drill, with the occasional joyful music making interlude in bells and choir. We have begun ringing and singing some new Advent and Christmas music and it's really been lovely. All that searching at the music shop has really paid off:)

Yesterday was a rainy autumnal day, but sometimes the dreariness of the sky makes an even better backdrop to the glory of the changing leaves. I set off to visit our daughter K and little Johnny out in Westminster. A perfect day for an indoor visit. I picked up some lunch for K and I to eat while Johnny slept - eventually. We had a nice quiet time, catching up and taking care of the baby (well, Gram played with the baby, LOL and got to feed him some of the time. K is doing a combination of breast and bottle, which is sensible, given the fact that she's returning to work mid-December and school in January.

S arrived in the early evening, having spent the day at his church for a funeral. They are still unpacking from the move that took place the day before Johnny was born. He has really "chubbed" back up from his skinny post-birth weight:) Already he has such dark eyes and his hair is starting to lighten to a reddish brown, like his Daddy's. I think he's beautiful, of course, and please don't try to disabuse me of that notion. It won't work, trust me:) He looks like a little boy to me, too, strangely enough!

When night fell, I left for home, feeling somewhat guilty that I hadn't stopped to see Madison and Ruby at their house four doors down, but I also knew that D was getting ready for her overnight shift and didn't want to disrupt things - plus I had to get the car back to John so he could get to his night shift. So homeward bound for a quiet evening with whatever I could stomach on TV and my knitting.

Yesterday's knitting consisted of a dozen or so more rounds on the Aestlight Shawl and it's coming along a lot better with the Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine in the dark grey. I've finally begun the edging, and though right now it looks like a mess o'knitting, I think it will block beautifully. It's a simple pattern, but like I've been told, the simplest ones are often the most beautiful.

I am also working on some Christmas scarves. I started a version of the herringbone pattern found in Henry. I tried that pattern about a half dozen times and frogged over and over again. I think the problem was it was too many stitches for my little mind to keep track of and I needed to turn things around. So, I cast on 48 stitches in the same Encore yarn I used for the Pretty Thing for S. And by George I think I've got it! Though I could do the Henry at this point, I think I'm sticking to the more traditional way of knitting up this scarf. And I'm going to change the yarn. First, because I only have a little under 2 skeins for this and this pattern eats up yardage like a gypsy moth on oak leaves. Second, because the drape is a little stiff. So... I thought I'd use my skein of Ultra Alpaca Fine in an autumnal red with the size 8 needles and see how that works. I may need to go down a needle size, but I think it will be softer this way. I'll take pics and post them here so you, dear 2.5 readers, can be the judge(s).

And finally, here's something I just started for "shits and giggles" as my daughter, S likes to say (sorry for the bad language). It's a wrap I'm doing to use up the boxload of aran colored acrylic yarn. I changed the pattern to add a couple of rope cables between the lace pattern and I think it looks rather nice - maybe eventually it will be something for the couch on a cold winter evening. No pressure:)

On the other hand, it may not be a bad idea for a Prayer Shawl. I like to make things that are machine washable for them and this doesn't look too bad for acrylic (just don't get up too close, LOL!).
Well I think this evening is going to be a quiet one. There are a number of us who are scheduled to work today, so I may not have a very large dinner to cook. This is probably a good thing since I've got to get started on that Christmas sweater I'm supposed to be knitting, otherwise, it'll be February before the recipient gets it! Pics to come once I get started.
Happy knitting everyone, have a great week, and if I don't see you, God be with you 'til we meet again!
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