a random mixed up set of pictures and recent history--including FO's!

I was recently here


And spent a couple days with these folks


And these two crazy canoers

(You will soon be able to see lots of pictures from our trip to Maine, and from other random events, on my flickr site) But because I was in Maine I missed the birth of the aforementioned Jack Xavier, otherwise known as "Ack Baby".

Yes, that's my newest nephew. I've had lots of opportunities this past week to cuddle him. He's pretty great! Next up: a picture of my step-dau Kim and myself--she was here to visit along with Bill's sister and her husband. Kim is pretty great, too.

And finally, some FO's. I had bought this beautiful Mountain Colors yarn in Washington a couple months ago when I was with my mom and her family on Orcas Island. I didn't know what to do with it right off, but then I started to dream up this item, for which I have no name--I've been calling it a "schood"--pronounced "should" but with a little bit more "ooooo" in it. "Schood" for a cross between a scarf and a hood.


This is my lovely friend Christy, who was obliging enough to model the schood for my blog posting pictures.

See, I always end up wrapping my scarves around my head in the wintertime, because I've either misplaced my hat or I don't want to develop hat-head. But the problem with wrapping one's scarf around one's head is that sometimes it slips off, or there are gaps through which wind passes, or it just looks messy. So I dreamed up this schood, which is a scarf but it has a hood built into it.

It can be worn as a scarf only--

or the hood can be pulled up to cover the head if necessary. Here's a picture from the back--Christy's looking over her shoulder--so you can kind of get a better idea of how it was constructed, using short rows. I have to admit, I am pretty proud of my design.


If anybody wants the specks on exactly which Mountain Colors I used, email me and I'll dig out the tags. I liked how much this came out so much I am going to knit another one and keep track of what I'm doing, so as I can write the pattern down and make it available for others.

The schood was knit lengthwise, all in garter stitch so it is warm and stretchy. I used size 7 needles except for on the ruffly part on the one edge, where I used a size 8. I love the ruffles, but some of my friends thought they were a bit too dramatic. What do you think?