Spam

Is anyone else getting LOADS of spam, despite having to fill out a captcha in order to post anything on your blog? It is being caused by some bot, or is some little nitwit sitting there trying to sell prescription drugs by filling everything out by hand?

Gloves Are Tres Difficile

I've found that gloves are harder than they would seem to be. Specifically, casting on the extra stitches and the picking them up between the fingers without leaving wee holes, no matter how tightly I hold the yarn. I suppose some people would mend said holes from the reverse, but I'm bound and determined to get everything right.

I was going to give several pair to Dear Friends for Christmas, but it looks like a wrench has been thrown in the works. I don't like fingerless mitts, so its time to get cracking on something else!

Off-Topic (again): The Etiquette Grrls

As some of you may know, I am one-half of the duo known as the Etiquette Grrls, authors of Things You Need to Be Told, and the cleverly-titled sequel, More Things You Need to Be Told, and co-creator of the popular (but defunct) website etiquettegrrls.com.

Well, it seems the world is only getting tackier and more rude, so it's time for the EGs to come out of retirement. I hope to drum up enough interest for a third book. So please visit my new blog, The Etiquette Grrls Strike Back!, which I promise will be fun!

If you're on facebook, please consider joining the EG group, I Adore the Etiquette Grrls, and "fan" our new page.

Thank you!

Off-Topic: Team Don

Forget about Team Edward and Team Jacob. I'm betting a lot of you Dear Readers are Mad Men fans. Aren't you? Of course you are. Now that the Drapers are apparently careening towards Splitsville, it's time to take sides. Sure, our favorite Sunday night hard-nosed philanderer isn't perfect -- to say the least -- but neither is whiny Betty. (Even though she dresses well.)

Come join our Dear Friend's Ami's new facebook group Team Don!

Reviewed

BK gets a nice review in this magazine!

Where, Oh, Where...

Basketweave Gloves, Vogue, 1950

...have my lovely gloves gone? I started these gloves (my first pair!) this summer in a lovely bottle green Jaeger merino wool, and completed one in no time. I was so proud, it turned out so well. However, typically, I set it aside in order to work on another project, and now, I can't find it anywhere, and the yarn seems to have vanished as well, although the hat I began to wear with them is still in my knitting bag. As wool glove season rapidly approaches, how very vexing! Where could it possibly be? I've started another pair, but now they don't match my hat, and both yarns have been discontinued, so I'm unable to acquire more yarn. Arugh. I could just cry out of frustration. I suppose they'll turn up two summers from now, or some such. But this is little consolation right now.

The Blankie

Well, I finished the promised baby blanket a week or so ago, and it should have had time to arrive at its destination, so it's time for The Big Reveal! I'm very pleased with how it turned out! I made it a bit smaller than the directions called for as it's to be used as a blankie to sleep with and drag around, not a full-sized blanket. However, I made it a fairly good size, so Baby can pull it over herself if she gets a bit chilly, about 25" x 25." The only problem was that it didn't block very well -- I'm not sure if it was due to the yarn, the garter stitch border, or the crocheted trim, or a combination of all three. Still, considering after a couple of uses, the edges will probably get stretched out, I'm not really overly worried, although the perfectionist is me was a bit disappointed, for the sake of presentation.

Completed Blankie

Detail, front (in progress -- for some reason, I didn't get a close-up of the completed front)

Detail, back

I hope Mummy, Daddy, and most of all, Baby like it!