This is titled "Knit 1" after all

If any of my knitting friends are still reading this blog, I am almost finished with the Celtic Cardigan. I lack the neckband which will be tomorrow's project. I normally hate seaming up a sweater, but this was not too bad. Got the button bands right on the first pinning and that is the reason for the blog tonight.

I've tried lots of different methods for holding two pieces of a project together while you seam up. Hair clips, blocking pins, actual basting, hemming birds, all sorts of different things others swear by as the be all and end all. I have a different and inexpensive solution that is already in your knitting stash. DPNs! Amazing! You have a 5 - 8" pin in sets of 5. Nothing gets in your way, you can leave them there until all is finished or take them out as you seam. Nothing moves, nothing snags, nothing gets buried and pokes you unexpectedly.

Can't believe that after a good 35+ years of sweater knitting that this was the first time I thought of it. I was just trying to remember if I ever knit a sweater while I was still home with Mother. I don't think I did. I think my first sweater was at college when I got an unexpected invitation to a football game and knit a sweater in less than a week. Of course, I was already knitting without patterns, but this one was a real no-brainer. I held three yarns at once, using the only needles I took with me, Mother's ancient wooden 10s, knit 4 squares - 2 large and 2 just a bit smaller and sewed them together into a very stylish (for the time) short sleeved, warm, burgundy sweater! I wore that sweater for years before I unraveled it and knit someone an afghan with the yarn. That project wasn't nearly as impressive as making a skirt, blouse, and shawl one morning before an afternoon wedding! Not knitted!

Last bit for knitters. I'm reading a Cat Bhordi novel.

Snow

I don't think I ever remember this happening. We have snow on snow on snow. There was snow left from the January snow when it snowed so much last week, and now it is snowing again. The weather service says another 2-3 inches tonight. Back when we had the big snow in the 80s, I think it snowed and then we had ice and the temperature didn't get high enough for much melting to occur. Then, I was just happy to get away from my high schoolers for a while. Staying home wasn't a problem. I just can't remember if we were at the farm or already in Judsonia.

We will have to make up school days after tomorrow. That's OK, too. Just so we don't miss so many that we run way into June. The powers that be have already started cutting our spring break down. It is later, shorter, and chopped up for the next 3 years. This doesn't sound like year round school to me!

A fun snow memory if you can believe it, and if you knew my dad, you'll believe it. The winter I was 14 we had a fairly big snow. It hadn't snowed for a couple of years to amount to anything as I remember. My dad told me to get up, get dressed, and put my coat on, I was learning how to drive. Yes. My first driving lesson (stick shift on the column) was in a big snow covered parking lot. He reasoned that as little snow as we get in Tennessee, this might be the only opportunity to teach me the fundamentals of driving in ice and snow. It paid off about 4 years later. On my way to Searcy after Christmas one year, first semester with a car no less, there was ice from the Memphis bridge to Searcy. It took 10 hours to drive that 88 mile stretch. The road from Gallatin to Memphis had been clear for 200 miles.

Actually, I've appreciated the snow this time. I've had a horrible kidney infection and I would have had to be out anyway. This way, it doesn't mess with my sick days. I've had perfect attendance this year. One more good year like that and I'll make up the days I missed with Scott last year. Not that I would do that differently, unless it was to take the full 9 weeks off and just not worry about it at all. Right.

Well, I'd best get my knitting together for the ride to church. I usually get a good solid 2 hours in there and back. It's nice not having to drive anymore!