Stop Me if You've Heard This One

The good thing about crossing the blog desert is that when you get to the other side, you have plenty to write about.

I can safely post this now because it won't spoil the Christmas surprise. (I know some of you are already planning next Christmas, but I'm talking Christmas 2008 here. And yes, I did in fact send a Christmas card last week. I prefer to think of it as "Overcome By Events" rather than mere procrastination.)

For the last several years we have drawn names to exchange gifts in my family. I love it. Not only do I get to laser-focus my holiday schemes on one special person, but my brothers, sisters, sisters-in-law and brother-in-law are thoughtful givers and gracious receivers.

This hat is for Doug:

When Doug was a little boy, he had an aquarium snail named Douglas, and a glass catfish named ... Douglas. I see a pattern (bad pun intended.) So just in case you can't tell this is Doug's hat, there is a knit in reminder. It says DougDougDougDougDougDougDoug and 08080808080808080808 when you turn it inside out.

Swedish Dubbelmossa from Handknitting With Meg Swansen in undyed, 100% alpaca sport-weight yarn (maybe 850 yards) purchased directly from the farmer, Bearlin Acres, at the Pennsylvania Knitters' Day Out. You can feel that this is not "big mill" yarn. It is a bit denser, but very smooth. In fact, alpaca is a little slick for my inexpert colorwork tension, but it was an absolute joy to knit. Linda even told me the names of the animals from which the fleece was sheared, but I forgot.

I have actually knit this pattern twice (a rarity for me). About 12 years ago I knit it for my Dad in Unspun Icelandic. Even though this one is softer and maybe warmer, the first one has a cachet that cannot be duplicated.