Baking, Blocking, Etc.

Winter hibernation means Her Highness is taking over my duvet. I don't always get to sleep under it, because you can't disturb a cat that comfortable. At least, I can't.

To be fair, this time she took over while I was busy blocking the christening dress (so, obviously not using the duvet, right?) Steam-blocking for the method of choice again, and it went quick and easy, laying the dress out on the ironing board. There's always a little twinge of concern than I might scorch or melt the knitting (which would be super obvious on a white lace dress), but so far so good, and now that is folded up ready to deliver.

I'm being sociable again tonight, going to visit friends in the wilds of Gatineau. I promised to bring dessert, so last night I made mint snowballs.

Tasty little things, shortbread-y with mint flavouring in dough and icing, and topped with coconut. Been a while since I've had them, don't know why I waited so long. And now I'm thinking, we've always made them with mint, but I bet other flavours would be good too. Citrus, or cherry, or chocolate...

Cookie Season

The weatherman is predicting snow - there's a storm watch on. It hasn't gotten here yet, but it doesn't matter. I'm hibernating indoors today anyway, for multiple reasons.

1) It's cold out there. Even the cat hasn't been in the mood for long walks the last few days.

2) I had a little fall yesterday, and did something to one foot near the big toe. I don't think it's anything serious, but it is swollen, and walking is a bit awkward, so I'm figuring best to rest it up for a day or so, and not do something like go out Christmas shopping.

3) Tomorrow I have a cookie exchange to go to, so I've been in the kitchen all morning. Christmas cookies are all about the pretty, I think, so I always make this my excuse to do something a little on the fancy side. This year it's stained-glass cookies, and twisted candy-canes and wreaths. Now I just have to do something about packaging them.

4) Last bits of school stuff I still need to finish. Business plan details, colouring the big plan for one design project, and getting the last of a second done on the computer, and studying for first exam Monday...

Speed Demon

That has to have been the fastest pair of mittens I've ever knitted.

I cast on Wednesday night, cast off Friday at knit night, blocked and dried them overnight, and delivered them to Marianna this morning at 10:30 - slightly damp around the cuffs still, but done and tagged and ready for her to give as a Christmas gift. AND I remembered to take pictures before leaving this morning.

I do not want to knit at that speed on a regular basis.

Except for a few rows on a sock foot redo, there has been no knitting today, for a change. I finished picking up a few things for Christmas, then got the cookies for the exchange baked. Holiday Oatmeal cookies, with coconut and raisins and nuts and maraschino cherries.

I needed 48 cookies for the exchange. The recipe produced 50. Sooo...48 neatly bagged, and two in me. After all, I had to make sure they were good, didn't I?

Joy To The World, The Cria's Done...

I feel like this has been a terribly productive day, really. The blocked scarf from yesterday is wrapped. I went out this morning and got my Christmas cards stamped and mailed, and picked up a few things I needed. Came home and finished spinning the last of the cria, had lunch, and went into baking mode (there's a cookie exchange this week).
At 4 o'clock my kitchen table looked like this.

By 5 o'clock, it was this.

I had to wait for the icing to dry on the first round before I could make room to do the second round. So I did some plying. Give you one guess what this is.

All the cria in one lovely pile. Spun and plied. 574 grams according to my scale. A little number crunching yielded an approximate total of 2200 yards. Which means that hopefully I should have enough to do the shawl I wanted with my share. The yarn still needs a final wash, but the spinning is DONE.
Next up - something that doesn't require carding. But not today. I still have Christmas knitting to do, and cookies to clean up after.