Chickenlips Knitting

Anybody recall that late '70's jazz/rock record by Chuck Mangione, "Feels So Good"? To me, that song felt like, I dunno, a frosty margarita on a hot summer day or something. A Maui breeze with a hint of jasmine. Flutter's the poet, not me! Unfortunately, the radio stations played that record into the ground. But trust me, bad segue notwithstanding, this Lavold Angora does, in fact, feel so good.

As much as I love knitting for others, this is a dream project just for me. I've been saving it for a long time, but this week I broke ground on Salt Peanuts. Reading ahead in the pattern, it looks like I'll have to call in the NASA geeks when I get to the collar--it's that precision-joining-in-the-middle-and-having-all-your-ducks-in-a-row business that is inevitably my undoing. But I'm nearly done with the waist shaping for the back, and the color and incredible texture makes this a piece that practically knits itself. Or so it seems. Keep it right here; this is one of those projects that calls for progress reports.

Handwarmers of gorgeous Koigu














I absolutely could not wait to make something with the Koigu that my Secret Pal sent me, and given the fact that glaciers move faster than I can knit a pair of socks, I doubled the Koigu and made this pair of mitts. They feel just right--toasty warm without being too thick--and I have plenty left over to do baby hats!

I've Accepted the Challenge

This is my first Secret Pal exchange, and our lovely hostess has challenged us participants to knit helmet liners for the troops. Shame-based, startitis knitter that I am, I've got too much on the ol' needles to commit to more than one helmet liner--but this being my blog, I must take this opportunity to wax political.

I detest the war in Iraq.

I was a college student in 2003 when our military invaded that country, and did what I could to encourage student protest--I put up posters parodying Bush, Rummy, and Tony Blair among others, which were largely ignored and then taken down. Thank God I graduated soon after, because the College of Arts and Sciences seemed full of spoiled rich kids who didn't bat an eye when our country declared senseless, unjustified war based on outright lies, but when the wrestling coach was fired they turned out in force on the quad to demonstrate their outrage! (You know who you are. Hope you're flipping burgers somewhere now. Take that.)

I marched in the Portland Peace March last spring, and demanded the immediate removal of U.S. troops from Iraq. I've written my congressman and senator expressing the same demand. I do not support this war.

But I am also a parent, and cannot ignore the fact that because someone else's child volunteered to serve in the armed forces, my child does not have to. For that reason alone, to honor the sacrifice someone I don't know has chosen to make, I'll gladly knit something for a soldier. And while I'm not issuing my own challenge, I do hope any knitters reading this post will consider joining this effort.