I am (not) Beowulf!

Well, I took the boys (and Kelson's girlfriend) to see Beowulf. The CGI was pretty good, if a bit cheesy at times. If I had to guess, the producers read the Classics Illustrated version of Beowulf, and embellished from there. Maybe they fell asleep in English class in high school, and this is their dream version of the story. I do know, however, that if any student tries to watch the movie instead of reading the story, they are totally, royally screwed!!

Beowulf is such an action-packed story in its own right - I don't understand why the director didn't tell the story as it is written. News flash for those who think the movie version is "just like the book:" Hrothgar is *not* a suicidal loony, Grendel's mother dies at Beowulf's very powerful hand (of which no mention is made), there are no "love children monsters," and poison killed Beowulf.

One cool thing, though - when Grendel speaks, he speaks entirely in Old English. :-)

In knitting news, I got a surprise Thanksgiving package from my Secret Pal!

A skein of Zen Yarn Garden in the Velvet Rose Colorway! This is actually a kit - it also came with the Reims Sock pattern (I couldn't get a good picture - see it here.) Wow, this yarn is SOFT!! And squishy!!! And pretty!! Thank you, Secret Pal!!!! This is really, really nice yarn - I just want to keep squishing the skein. :-)

I started a sock from the new Cat Bordhi book - I decided to use the Upstream Sock architecture, and I cast on with the Socks that Rock yarn that my Secret Pal sent me last month. I love STR, and this colorway is gorgeous:

I made these with some leftover yarn Saturday afternoon:

Baby socks in the Sky Architecture - the gusset is on *top* of the sock. I don't know how this woman's mind works, but she is definitely a genius! It definitely helps to make a baby sock first - it helps you wrap your mind around what she's trying to accomplish.

I'm also working on this:

I can't tell or show you much, but it's a very Silky Wool. :-)

Distracted!!

Sorry for the lack of posting lately - I've been updating my Ravelry account. I've been a member since July, but I've never really sat down and started playing around with it until recently.

Ummm.....it's distracting, and very addictive! :-)

For those of you who are Ravelry members, I'm KAC (yes, I know - it's completely unoriginal). For those of you who aren't members yet, the waiting must be horrible! For those of you who have no idea what Ravelry is (hi, Dad!), it's a database/forum for knitters.

My review of the movie that calls itself "Beowulf" is forthcoming...

Veterans Day 2007

The Brunswick Band director wrote an arrangement of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." He wrote the music on Friday, and the brass quintet (with Kelson on the tuba) played it for the Veterans Day program this morning.


The video was taken on my camera. I thought that the arrangement and the performance was beautiful.

Actual Knitting Content!

I know, it's a shocker. :-)

For starters, remember these?
They're in the new KnitPicks catalog...click the picture for a link to the webpage. I finished the ZigZag coat - it should be in the next catalog. Once again, Kyle picked out the buttons. This was an interesting knit, to say the least - it's from the new book by Suss Cousins. It wasn't a hard knit, but it was hampered by the fact that I had to tear out the entire hood and the shoulders because a section of the pattern seemed to be missing. (The errata is now available). This is knit in Wool of the Andes Bare, and it took 12 skeins for a small.
and since I haven't worn a size small since the 7th grade, Lisa (one of the secretaries at school) was kind enough to walk the runway for me. Isn't she cute? :-) It's hard to see the zigzags on the sleeves - I forgot to take an up close picture. And now, for the best news of all....

In February, I did a test/sample knit for Cher Underwood-Forsberg. I made her Goddess tank, which is a maternity tank top. This used 11 skeins of Shine Sport, and was a very nice pattern to knit. It had pleats knitted in around each side. I haven't been allowed to show it for many, many months though...

Why, you may ask, couldn't I show it, and why is this good news?


Ahem....it's in this book. I've officially been published!!! Well, *I* haven't been published, but my knitting has!! :-) (Click to order the book!)

See? It's adorable!! Of course, now Ihave to order the book, even though I will have no more use for maternity wear... :-)