WIP Up: In which I realize that I have a KNITTING blog and may not have been living up to appropriate content standards.

The archaeology extravaganza is forthcoming, I promise. However, in the process of perusing my own blog, I came to the realization that my last post to contain images of those certain pointy, stickish things and windy tails of strings of any kind was December 10th. Granted, it was an FO post (that's gotta count double, somehow, right?), but, wow, has the knitting content on this here KNITTING blog been sparse (read: nonexistent!) for over a month now. So, I have decided to rectify the situation with the following Sunday evening WIPs extravaganza!



Oooh...the cool, cool smokey blue-grey beauty. I've had my eye on this Cascade yarn for a good, long while, but had little inspiration (read: lacked any and all decisiveness) on what sweater I should make with it. Then, at some point in the past few days a light bulb went off in my head. The light bulb? The Rib and Cable Jacket à la Debbie Bliss. I've been swatching and experimenting, trying to figure out how to make the pattern, which calls for cotton or a cotton blend, yield to the wooly Cascade. It's taken a few tries, scrunched looks, ripping, retrying on smaller needles, etc. to finally have a happy beginning to a new sweater project.



I am in absolute love with the wintery color (Project Spectrum 2.0: check.) of the yarn, and I heart the consummate stitch definition of Cascade wool. I am also already in love with one certain detail of the Cable and Rib jacket: the sweet twisted ribs interspersed among the regular ribs of the back panel.



Next up: the sweater I've been promising to knit for my mom. A small step in the direction of progress has been made, past the declaration that it will be made. I've cast on a sleeve and have acclimated myself to the Silky Tweed, which I actually really like working with. It's much lighter and easier on the fingers than 100% wool. So, Aud it is. In that gorgeous reddish-orange tweed.



The Silky Tweed reminds me of the delicious, delicious tins of saffron that I brought back from the UAE.



The world's most expensive spice by weight. And one of the most beautiful.



My mom's Saffron Aud will be beautiful.



And perhaps there will be a small contribution from me to the Green Sock KAL (oh, how that Lolly keeps us all so busy!).



The very, very small amount of knitting I was able to squeeze in during my month in the UAE came in sock form. In Monkey form, to be exact (oh, how that Cookie A. keeps us all so busy!). Monkey with a lil' Sundara magic called Burgundy over Moss.



And, last but not least...



The black sheep of my WIPs...my Central Park Hoodie. Inching along ever so slowly. Some day I'll join the ranks...

Have a wonderful Sunday evening, all!

Bizarro Eye Candy.

Truly, this is eye candy. Perhaps not of *the* Eye Candy Friday caliber, but eye candy, nonetheless. I couldn't help posting it. Truly, truly bizarro and well worth a quick gawk. (Note the mosque in the background in the above photo. I somehow felt the need to incorporate this detail into the photo, as much-needed proof that this glorious vehicle was actually sighted in a Middle Eastern country.)



Conservative Middle Eastern country? I think not. This Arabian pimpmobile was parked in the parking lot of the local Sharjah supermarket. How could I *not* insist that the driver of our car, one of our field directors, immediately turn around and go back for a closer look? The closer look, especially the pink boa draped across the dashboard and the lovely message printed across the truckbed back, warrented a special photo op.



A very risky photo taken hanging out of the moving car as we slowly drove past. But I managed to capture the passenger of the car, a veritable acquaintence of the Love Professor, himself. The glory!

Surely, how could you possibly have a bad Friday after partaking of these gems? So, go forth and conquer your Fridays and have a fantastic weekend!

N. B. :::Thank You::: to everyone who left sweet and awesome comments and Welcome Homes on my last post...I dream of the day when I can slough off Blogger once and for all and have a blog interface that allows me to respond to each of your comments personally. The day I move to TypePad or Wordpress is not far off, this much I know for certain. I also happily noticed that I received a good many comments from some new commenters, to whom I shout out a special thank you for reading!

Coming soon: an archaeology extravaganza! (and some knitting, too, perhaps.)

What is this blustery, sandless place?

HOME! My toes have been frozen since I stepped off of the plane, but I am oh-so happy to be back home, freakish neck-and-hand tan and all. And OH! The catching up I have to do...my bloglines widget is registering quadruple digits...I have something like 1,025 blog entries to read. Whoo! Endless, excellent reading for days and days to come! I am very much looking forward to reading/seeing what everyone has been knitting this past month while I've been desert-bound. As for me, I have tons of photos to share from my month in the UAE (archaeology-related photos and knitting news to follow in separate posts this week). A few of my favorite photos of the UAE are posted below. Enjoy and happy Monday, all!

The village of Mleiha (Emirate of Sharjah), where I lived.


Desert sands and shadow, Mleiha, Emirate of Sharjah.


Dubai Archaeological Museum, Old City, Emirate of Dubai.


Fujairah City Mosque, Emirate of Fujairah.


Gulf of Oman, Emirate of Fujairah.


Desert and mountain in Mleiha, Emirate of Sharjah.


Al Dhaid souk, Emirate of Sharjah.


Alley in Old City, Dubai, Emirate of Dubai.


Date palm garden protected by Arabian scarecrow, Wadi Hayl, Emirate of Fujairah.


Detail of Arabian scarecrow.


Desert caravan, Dubai, Emirate of Dubai.


Dune, Thuqaibah, Emirate of Sharjah.


Boat traffic on Dubai Creek, Emirate of Dubai.


Camel and baby, Mleiha desert, Emirate of Sharjah.


Camel herder, Mleiha desert, Emirate of Sharjah.


Islamic cemetery, Wadi Hayl, Emirate of Fujairah.


Moon and desert, Mleiha desert, Emirate of Sharjah (take that, Ansel Adams!).


Stay tuned...more to follow soon!