yarn along

This week I've been working on the same secret Christmas present. It doesn't look like much except for miles of ribbing, so I figured it's safe to show here. I've been relishing the mindless knitting involved in this project. Knit two, purl two. Ah. It's a stress reliever, for sure. Check out my Ravelry page to see more details of the project.

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Really, I've spent the majority of my time this week reading. We're planning a beach vacation! I've been poring over guidebooks and daydreaming. Recently I've fallen asleep thinking of Hawaiian foods and beaches, which makes for some sweet dreams. 

I also just picked up The Homemade Pantry at the library and can't wait to make something from it. Everything looks so delicious and the stories Alana Chernila tells make each dish even more tantalizing. Because I'm in fall mode already, I'd especially like to make one of the comfort foods (maybe pudding or toaster pastries). 

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What are you making or reading this week?

Yarn along with us over at Ginny's.

yarn along

yarn along

I fell off the knitting train for a whole week. I blame those sleeves! But I'm back to knitting now (although not back to sweater-knitting). I've been working on lots of gifts. I cast on this simple gray project last night; it's a Christmas present, so I can't share details here. I'll include them on my Ravelry page if you're interested.

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I've actually been reading quite a bit lately. Over the long weekend, my husband and I rearranged our large collection of books, so of course I made a big to-read stack. K loves Michael Chabon, and I've read some of his fiction, so I thought I'd try out this book of essays. Chabon's writing is clever, entertaining, and offers insight into what men think about (baseball, family, feigning confidence, cooking). One of my favorite parts of reading Manhood for Amateurs is that I can talk to K about it because he's already read it, too. Sometimes I miss being a lit student and reading books along with a class full of people. 

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How are you this week? Are you reading or making anything?

I love to know what other people are making! Here are some recent favorites:

Alicia makes the prettiest cakes, and she's just shared a chocolate cake recipe that I can't wait to try. 

Kristen makes some beautiful (and impressive!) jewelry.

A lace A-frame tent would be the perfect hideaway for an afternoon nap.

Tracy's handmade rabbits and polka-dot cookies make me so happy. 

I want to sew up a bunch of these simple bags and try out different stitch patterns on my sewing machine in the process.