And then, actual knitting content.

I was joking the other day that I crawled out of the Pit of Despair using garter stitch scarves for rope. It's almost true. Since it's cold and flu season I'm still at it, cranking out the simple stuff. I really want to get back to the crazy stranded color stuff (see "Projects of Infamy" in the sidebar), but it seems like a really bad idea to try it when full up on cold medicine and a head full of snot.

Garter stitch it is!

I just finished a simple Batkus (inc every 4th row 'til you've used up half the yarn by weight, dec every 4th row) in Socks That Rock "Holiday Hen".

There's no fool like an old fool; I was worried about it being too short. Then I washed it and it doubled in length and now goes around my neck twice with leftovers. Right.

I've been wearing scarves around the house a lot, even to bed. A few years back, my physical therapist suggested it. Since all the angry nerves in my arm run through my neck, maybe keeping them warm would help. It does seem to help minor aches, and the only side effect is looking like Amelia Earhart. Several gimpy friends have also had good luck with it. I figure it's worth a try, not like you'll die of a scarf overdose.

Which means, KNIT MORE SCARVES!!

Last year, sometime, I was talking to my friend who runs Yarn Hollow, over on Twitter. (@YarnHollow). I asked her if she'd start putting a color scheme I liked, Grateful Thread, on some kind of fiber other than bamboo. Which I hate. Next thing I knew, she had dyed it up for me on BFL superwash, and sent it as a gift!

Of course I spun it right up.

I returned to it a couple days ago, looking for another simple knit for the season. I'd been looking at directional short-row scarves, and the yarn caught my eye, and suddenly, I knew.

The Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf. (Free!) It's gonna need the holy hell blocked out of it, to lay flat and straight, but it's perfect for the color progression. I can't stop knitting it, to see how the next color blends in. Gift fiber that turns out perfectly. Nothing's better.

I'm going to go knit some more, and gloat, and feel smug. Pardon me.