From the Finish Line

Well, I did it! I completed the Anisette Cardi in just 42 days.

I finished the buttonhole band just before work yesterday, quickly wove in the ends and wore the thing to work. It was glorious. And I can't tell you how wonderful a short-sleeve cardigan sweater is.

For one, you can wear it over a light long-sleeved shirt. It adds just enough warmth so that you're cozy in your fall jacket but not steaming hot, even in the car.

Now, I'm surveying my stash and looking for my next victim. I even ventured into the under-the-bed storage unit to see what I could dig up.

Well, I could be industrious and start on next year's Christmas presents ... but I decided first thing's first.

I need a new hat. I lost my beloved teal slouchy at the county courthouse a little while ago. Time to whip up something for myself! The boyfriend said I should try something red. I have a little over a hundred yards of bright red yarn leftover from a tie I knitted for my dad years and years ago. So, that's first on the list for sure.

Also, I have to finish a pair of socks I started around this time last year. I hate socks. I vow that this will be my last pair of socks I knit in the round the traditional way. My Second Sock Syndrome is killing me. I better learn how to double knit or else the sock yarn in my stash will turn into many, many scarves.

I'm kind of looking forward to the yearly State of the Stash post in January! I think my stash has shrunk since New Year. By my count, I've at least used up around 22 balls of yarn for my holiday and birthday knitting.

Well, toodles for now. I'm off to finish up those pesky bunny slippers and that errant single sock.

Looking Back on September

Another month has gone by! Can't believe it. This month brought cooler weather for baking. I discovered European buttercream frosting, which I used to make two cakes last month. One was a chocolate cake covered in dark chocolate swiss meringue buttercream and glazed in chocolate ganache. The other was a simple vanilla butter cake swathed in vanilla swiss meringue buttercream. I will likely never, ever make American buttercream again!

Between cakes there were cinnamon rolls and chocolate crinkle cookies.

I also made challah, vanilla ice cream and the last smoothie of the summer.

And I finally perfected a recipe for a delicious, refreshing and filling smoothie:

• 1 cup ice
• 1 avocado
• 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk or honey
• 3/4 cup milk (I used 2 percent, but you can use any kind you want)
• 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice (to keep the avocado from discoloring.

Blend and enjoy! Depending on how much you love smoothies, this recipe serves between 1-2 people.

But there was more! I attended my first-ever yarn tasting!

I got to sample a dazzling array of luscious yarns at Sophie's Fine Yarn Shoppe. I even broke my diet to purchase a lovely ball of Berroco Boboli Lace.

Speaking of yarn, September also brought a flurry of finished knitting projects. So I guess it was a win -- one new skein of yarn for every four from my stash! I finished a sparkly shawl made from Lion Brand Trellis and a fluffy warm cowl knitted out of Patons Divine. That brings my total finished project count to 10 so far this year. I am making great progress on Christmas gifts! Just a couple more to go and I'll be done.