Smart name from Raverlry last year right about this time.

What better way to deal with the mid-winter doldrums than to knit a nice vest?

Rather than something complicated, fine yarn and fiddly, I decided to choose an easy, fast pattern. In fact, Drops #115-24, a cabled top looked to be right about my speed.

Purchased a few years ago, I have this bag of Shakespeare by Artful Yarns, 100% wool in a lovely combination of blues and purples

Color #5

Casting on 95 stitches (yes, that is around. Total number that 95!) on size 8.00 needles to set up the pattern before moving up to 9.00 needles with two strands held together

cables plus ribbing

it has not taken long to get three balls (135 yards each worked from inside and outside) into the project.

not quite to the underarm, but close.

I am rather pleased to think that I will shortly have a nice warm vest.

I did look through other’s projects: Nicole knit a lovely version without sleeves, as did Katharaina. Then there is Donna’s (which is located here on her old blog) which I hope she ports everything over from Blogspot as she has such a nice collection of pictures and finished things.

There were another three or so finished vests, but none of the rest have projects that seem to be posted outside of Ravelry.

Audio Books

The Mercedes Coffin – Faye Kellerman. A Peter Decker & Rina Lazarus mystery, this was one of several downloaded from iTunes a few months back when they had books on sale ($6.95 seemed like a really good deal).

I read it (library book( when first released in hardback) and enjoyed it then. It is holding up well on listening, the reader is a pretty gruff sounding guy which seems to suit the story well.

on other fronts

By the simple expedient of heading into London, the Mole managed to avoid returning to school this afternoon.

On return, we had a serious conversation about what comes next. He is a good kid, knows that the budget is not unlimited (school year prepaid) and that transferring schools – except to mean mom’s – is not likely.

No one really lost their temper and we will talk on the way to Croughton in the morning.