This little guy is a late Christmas present from my cousin.  Cringe if you will, but I love him.  He allows me to safely melt wax cubes, which fills my knitting lair with wonderful scents.  He's also reminding me to ask aforementioned cousin if I can borrow her sock monkey pattern book again.  I'm going to duck behind the monitor for safety as I write this, but Christmas is coming.

Only two projects haunt me now:  the beaded purse, and the Vanna 8-Color Afghan (mine has 14 colors).  Assembly always takes a long time - sewing 42 squares together. 

I must add that having a 5" weaving needle helps with the ends on projects like this considerably.  I don't know how I got along without mine for so many years.  They're a little hard to find, but worth the hunt.

I found a skein of Homespun on a clearance rack today.  Beautiful stuff.  This one is 'Harvest', which somehow manages to blend orange and red and green, just like autumn leaves.  I've been meaning to start a Homespun stash, to eventually make one of those round afghans.  If I don't, this will make a gorgeous scarf.

I said the "S" word?  Here's a fledgling scarf, hoping someday to adorn and warm a neck.  It's made with an old line of Red Heart cotton yarn that I loved.  Made two afghans from it and am using up the scraps.  What's that ivory thing under it, that looks amazingly like a motif for another afghan?  That's my first hexagon, in Caron's Simply Soft, which I also love.  I love Simply Soft so much that I look for excuses to use it.  I have a bed-sized granny square made with it, and it is perfect for summer nights.

I did order an Addi Swing hook.  Eagerly await its arrival.  After much consideration, I went with a "G".  I probably use an "H" more often, but when I use a "G", it's usually on something that takes a little muscle, like the flower afghan.  I'm totally sold on the Boye ergonomic handle that I picked up a few weeks back.  Wasn't sure I'd like it, and it took a lttle getting used to - but like with everything else, when you get the right project and yarn, it makes a tremendous difference.  Made working hemp with a small hook a breeze, and is really nice with the dishcloth cotton.

If you notice closely, it also works with a competitor's hooks, if you happen to favor them.  I'm a firm Boye fan, but always find myself grabbing a Bates for this yarn. 

I've got snoods on my mind now.  My cousin mentioned how she used to buy little "bun covers" for her hair, like a small hairnet.  Says she can't find them anywhere anymore.  Somewhere, deep in the scary recesses and stacks of my pattern books, I remember seeing a pattern for something like that.  I also happen to possess a wonderful thing called elastic sock yarn.  Seems like the two could be combined and something pretty neat could fly off a hook.

With that in mind, off to grab some grub and make some fibers fly.