The Winter Bucket List

First, I want to thank all of you for your kind comments and emails from my last post.  I took your encouragement to heart and got out those knitting needles and yarn.
And haven't looked back...

I haven't posted since then because I've been knitting like a crazy fool.  My Kindle is dying of neglect.  I have gone on to library books on CD so my hands are free.

Here is the first sweater.  It looks pink in the picture but it's burgundy for real.  My photography skills have gone to the dogs.

I used the plus size A-line cardigan pattern from Deb Gemmell of 'Cabin Fever'.  Her patterns are my favorites for making larger sized sweaters.  She adds in all the little extra techniques that make sweaters fit well on larger women.  Thanks, Deb!
I finished this one in October.

I immediately started another.  This one is also Deb's pattern from her book 'Need A Plus Cardigan'.  I modified it to make a crew neck pullover.  It's a really basic sweater but fits well and I am happy.  I had a skein of darker wool that I added on the neck, sleeve and bottom ribbing to give it a little interest.   I finished that sweater last week.  The picture of the finished piece didn't come out well.

Yesterday I started another!  Same basic pattern but this will be a v-neck pullover. 

This one will be a little more challenging because I'm doing stripes with slip stitch and a lot of color changes.

So far I have cleaned out about a quarter of a bin of yarn from my stash.  I did have to buy the variegated yarn to pull together the burgundy and dark green in this sweater.

My winter bucket list is to knit six sweaters four is OK too) and clean out a whole bin of yarn, or most of one anyway.

The kitties have been helping me.  Anyone for a pile of cats???

This is Deiter and his harem.  The girls just love him!  Ha-ha!
And where is this pile of kitties located???
Right behind my laptop in my messy work area.

The basked with all the manilla envelopes is my filing system for circular needles.

The only needles I use any more are circular ones and this is the best way I've found for keeping my 50-plus sets neat and organized.  In the past I've had nice plastic sleeves in a binder or a case with fabric pockets to hold the needles and neither of these methods has worked as well as this inexpensive method.  If the envelopes get torn or dirty, I just replace them.
The plastic tubes in the back are double point needles and crochet hooks.  I got those handy little tubes years ago when I worked in the hospital lab.  They held inoculating loops for microbiology specimens.

Just one more knitting thing, then on to other stuff.

I got the 'Sweater Wizard' software to be able to create and modify my own patterns.  I'll have to play with this a while before I can make a judgment on how well it works.

 OK!  On to the chocolate factory, Willie Wonka!
Well, it's not really a factory.  It's a warehouse and distribution center.  And a discount store. 
It's the new Lindt chocolate outlet right off of I-81 just south of Carlisle.  What fun!

Bins of truffles!  Quantity discounts!

Great time of year to shop if you like to give chocolate for Christmas.

Doesn't this picture just make you want to eat chocolate.  Be still my heart!  Ha-ha!

That trip was three weeks ago.  Sadly we are all out of truffles.

So that you don't get the idea that I've been noshing on a steady diet of sweets, I have been cooking occasionally.
Do any of you love the Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden the way I do???
I used this basic recipe http://www.food.com/recipe/olive-garden-copycat-zuppa-toscana-38298
with a few modifications.

Chopped onions, garlic and kale.  BTW, kale is the only thing left living in the garden.  I hope it survives a while yet.

 

I didn't add any bacon, the sausage added enough flavor.  And instead of potatoes, I added cannelloni
beans.  It was yummy!

I've rambled on long enough for one time.
Thanks for stopping in!

One final picture.  This is what I see every day while I'm working on the computer or knitting.  Deiter laying right behind my work area looking at me with his head upside down.  Life is GOOD!!!