I love it when a plan comes together...

In this case, it's a sweater. The circular needles are being put to their first real test. Seamless caps are nice, but sweaters involve multiple pieces. The pattern is a Debbie Bliss creation worked in moss stitch. My version has short sleeves for wearing over a layering tee. All five pieces are joined on the circular needle just above the initial armhole decrease. So far the pattern has been flawless and easy to adapt. It is so tempting to proceed with the yoke. However, if I don't stop now and wait for tomorrow after work, I'll be up until very late working the last round!

All Hail Blue and Gold...

The California Golden Bears team I've cheered on for decades is running up and down the field at the Emerald Bowl in uniforms that look like rejects from Project Runway or Roller Derby costumes. How can a loyal Californian relate to Lycra with contrasting slashes? Yes, the Bears of old didn't win often; however, their appearance on the field generated a catch in the throat and a glowing sense of pride. My motto was, "At least our team can read." The university sends messages in the mail asking for donations from the alumni. I'll send mine along when the team on the field looks familiar.

Cold Weather Creations

At last, winter winds are blowing and I'm knitting up a storm. The Yarn Shoppe in Elk Grove is my favorite local source for yarn and needles. This year I endulged in a set of interchangeable circular needles. While pricey, the needles are worth every penny. The points are bamboo and the cord swivels so there's no tangling or twisting.
Lamb's Pride (85% wool/15% mohair) bulky was the go-to yarn for creating these Christmas presents last weekend. Each project took a 4 oz. skein. The yarn has a beautiful sheen and soft, feathery wisps of mohair. The color is Persian Peacock.

Seasons Greetings from RDA Tailoring

The staff and I wish you and yours the merriest of holidays.

Be careful of what you wish for...

Recently, dreams of being at home with plenty of time and no tasks at hand flitted across my mind while sitting at work crunching numbers. After one day at home, albeit with a nasty cold, I'm sooo bored. Knitting a new pattern has lost its thrill and Ira Glass lost his charm after three past episodes of This American Life on streaming audio. Maybe it's the rain and cold that make it seem like this second-floor room is a prison cell.

Next time I wish for something, I'll be sure to include sunshine and good health in the scenario.

Creative Bureau Cat's Christmas Circa 1948

Jocko, the monkey cradled in my arms, is looking at me from a valance box above the window not ten feet from where I sit. Some things in life are enduring.

Yes, I'm also a copycat!!!

Call Me Old Fashioned

Munchy easily resists the crunch can of clothes destined for donation. He prefers the predictable comfort and easy access of his Wollrich bed purchased at Target. The bed is actually designed for a dog, but what he doesn't know won't hurt him. If Lexi were visiting, she would be fast asleep in the crunch can atop the clothes.

(Click on the photo to see a larger version.)

Small Investment, Big Payoff

Some months ago a pony pack of begonias took up residence in a large pot on the deck by the kitchen. Water, sunlight and a few granules of Osmocote produced this lovely bouquet that persists despite the change in seasons.

Each day...

Dance as though no one is watching you,
love as though you have never been hurt before,
sing as though no one can hear you,
live as though heaven is on earth.

Alfred Souza

Munchy's Last Stand

I managed to cut out all of the pattern pieces around Munchy. Now he refuses to let me have the last one. Maybe he can be tempted with a catnip mouse...

The Creative Cat and the Bureaucrat

My creative sidekick, Munchy, assists with pattern pinning when I'm sewing. Sometimes a project is put on hold when he decides to make it a resting spot, as is the case in the picture. For a while he was content to have his own pattern tissue paper; however, there is nothing like the real thing! How he manages not to be stuck by the pins is a mystery to me.

Looking Back at Summer

The first true rain of Fall arrived last night with a downpour and booming thunder. The roses that were gloriously blooming just last weekend are now a mass of petals on the deck. Here are two views of them at their peak. Next year there will be a new deck between the existing ones to provide more usable space for Angel Face roses and a trellis for a Cecil Brunner climber to balance the one in the other side of the yard.

First entry - today's quotation

There is no dignity quite so impressive, and no one independence quite so important, as living within your means. - Calvin Coolidge, U.S. President