Well, I'm sure it's not because he's discovered Weffriddles. If that were the case, he'd be banging his head against the table, wishing he'd stayed away but powerless to resist the challenge. Note: If you have not yet checked out Weffriddles, stay away until after all your holiday knitting is done and you are caught up on your blogs.
No, this moose is smiling because he is holding a prize, sent to me by Beth, from Three Sheeps to the Wind:
Eight yummy ounces of baby alpaca top. Beth also sent some gourmet hot chocolate and a tin of apple mints. Gotta love the packaging:
My holiday knitting has been interrupted by bill-paying, accountant-meeting, child-rearing, cookie-baking, exercising (yay!), and a rather significant shop update. I have just posted 3 more jumbo skeins of superwash worsted merino. From left to right: "76 Trombones," "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover," and "Route 66."
But that's not all. There's plenty of superwash sock yarn, too, including "Dancer" (I am stuck on reindeer names):
as well as more Real Vermonter local wool/mohair 3-ply sock yarn, such as "Bay Leaf," "Jack Frost," and "Peppermint":
I did finish the first sleeve of my Icelandic sweater and have started the patterned cuff of the second sleeve. But this morning I had to drop that and start this:
I suddenly decided that my mail carrier, "Dave the Mailman," deserved a little something special this year, such as fingerless mittens. And I decided to make them out of my own hand-dyed superwash; he is always picking up packages that say A Piece of Vermont on the outside and now he will get to see what kind of stuff is on the inside. (I have read of bloggers who have adversarial relationships with their mail carriers, and I'm happy to say that is not the case here. Dave happily will pull into the driveway if my packages don't fit in the roadside mailbox, and he carries treats for our big dog, too. If I have special instructions for him, I can just call the local PO and tell them to have Dave the Mailman call me. It's a wonderful thing.)
I chose this colorway because I thought it struck the right balance between pretty and masculine. I'm embarrassed to say this is the first skein of hand-dyed superwash worsted I've kept for my own use. I'm loving how soft it is.
Even though I had a daunting list of chores to accomplish today (before heading off for swimming lessons and a wrestling meet tonight), I was happy when a friend stopped by unexpectedly for coffee. By the time the visit was over, Dave's first mitt had grown nicely:
I believe I'll be onto the second one before bed tonight.
ETA: I just wanted to say that I have noticed great improvement in my continental knitting, after about 10 months of doing it. My tension is more even and my speed has picked up dramatically. My two-handed stranded knitting is coming together as well, and there are times when it's not much slower than one-color knitting. Which is good, since I have a men's extra-large Icelandic yoke to finish in the next week....
Ha! We have that same moose. He's not out this year because I ran out of places to put Christmas decorations. We even have decorations in our bathroom!
(My husband mailed you a check for yarn, did you get it yet? It went out on Monday. Now I can't look at the store until Christmas because I will be able to figure out what's missing and know what he picked out.)
Posted by: Jenn | December 14, 2006 at 03:23 PM
I discovered weffriddles recently, and have momentarily broken the spell. Or I had, until you reminded me.
Gorgeous yarn. It's a good thing I CAN'T buy your house, or I'd buy your whole store stock too. I wouldn't be able to live down the street from all that colorful goodness. It would call to me like the Aztec gold.
Posted by: Carrie | December 14, 2006 at 03:55 PM
I know I should have heeded (head?) your warning, but I didn't. And now instead of getting sugar cookie dough made up, I've reached level 7. Hmm, which will my family appreciate more? I think some of your yarn will be on my birthday list come March - I particularly love "76 trombones" and "peppermint." Yum. Thanks for sharing...even the Weffriddles :o)
Posted by: Leah | December 14, 2006 at 04:07 PM
It sounds like Dave certainly deserves those mittens! A good postman is a good thing indeed.
And your shopupdate... just wow! Amazing colours, as usual.
Posted by: Tina | December 14, 2006 at 04:42 PM
Ooh, alpaca top. Yum. I bought some baby alpaca roving a month or so ago, but have yet to spin it. I'm trying to finish what is currently on the bobbin (I have a bad habit of being a bit flighty), but that is next on the list. Your new yarns are gorgeous and I can't wait to see the mitts. I haven't been brave enough to click on Weffriddles, but I'm intrigued.
Posted by: Stephanie | December 14, 2006 at 05:28 PM
Weffriddles! Pah! If I tell you I'm on level 40, you'll know just how much time I've been wasting recently...
Posted by: Anne | December 14, 2006 at 05:30 PM
OK, I had to start Weffriddles, but I dragged my daughter in with me, so maybe we won't waste too much of my knitting time!
Posted by: Diane E. | December 14, 2006 at 06:41 PM
He sure is a happy looking moose!!
Posted by: --Deb | December 14, 2006 at 08:04 PM
dave, the mailman will be totally delighted with your thoughtful gift ;-)
Posted by: Teyani | December 15, 2006 at 09:24 PM
Our postie doesn't get a workout from us and we don't have this mailout thing from your own letterbox here. Nope, we have to go to the post office or a mailbox.
Love the mitt. I've been knitting with some of my own dyed stuff and I am loving it too.
Posted by: lynne s of Oz | December 16, 2006 at 09:03 AM
I'm resisting Weffriddles at all costs! I won't even peek. Must. Knit. Faster.
Posted by: Carol | December 16, 2006 at 09:24 PM