Inviting...

Isn't this a picture? Doesn't it make you want to just run outside & bask in all of the glory of nature?

Bright gleaming sunshine...

Snow-covered Chugach mountains...

So idyllic, no?

Okay - here's a few more photos to tempt you into the great outdoors of Alaska:

This photo was taken from my front doorstep while I was facing south:

Doesn't the blanket of snow just make everything look so clean, so inviting?

Perhaps you may want to reconsider:
No - this is not the work of photoshop. This is what our thermometer read this morning at 9:58am (disregard the time displayed - the clock is set by the atomic clock & doesn't account for Alaska Standard Time). Yes - it was -14.6°F this morning. And yes - our heater is having to work overtime to keep us warm - I think the heat had been on all night & only reached 61.7°F upstairs. Unless you are a serious die hard, used to bone-chilling, skin-freezing, snot-solidifying temperatures, this is just plain COLD, COLD, COLD!! I took these photos soon after showering & my hair actually froze during the short time I was outside. Yikes! So yes, going outside with wet hair is just plain dumb & I don't recommend it.

You learn early living in the 49th state that clear, sunny skies during the winter months = cold temperatures. Anchorage temperatures don't usually bottom-out like this, however. These are temps usually experienced by Fairbanks - approximately 360 miles north of here.

Wow!! It's -29°F right now in Fairbanks. Okay - makes the current temperature of -11°F seem more tame.

We were supposed to go out to my parent's cabin yesterday, but the extreme weather changed our plans. It was -20°F at the place where we leave via snowmachine. The cabin is about 2 hours by snowmachine from Deshka landing. With high winds in the forecast combined with negative temps - good sense prevailed & we opted to stay home. Too bad - I was really looking forward to spending time with my parents & enjoying relaxing & quality knitting time. Perhaps we'll be able to squeeze in a trip before the winter vacation is over.

So - let's look at warmer things, shall we? Like a couple of Christmas knitting finished objects:

Danish Earflap Cap in Dimond High School colors

Yarn: Cascade 220 in Maroon & Gold
Pattern: Danish Earflap Cap from Hats On!

My hubby - such a good sport to stand outside to model his new hat. The 'earflaps' are more like cheek warmers in the large size.

Elka Icelandic Sweater from Best of Lopi

Yarn: Lopi Icelandic Wool
Recipient: My stepmother - she'll have to wait to receive it as they are at the cabin & we're not.

The yoke detail.

I was very glad to finish this project. While it was a fun & relatively fast knit, the amount of finishing - knitting separate button bands & sewing them into place, sewing on 6 buttons, weaving in ends, kitchner stitch the underarms, knitting collar & sewing in place was a bit taxing. Overall - I'm glad with the result. I felt the button bands pulled on the stitches a bit, so I'd like to improve on that the next time I tackle a similar project. There was no time to block the sweater, but since now we're not heading out to the cabin, I might set it in the tub for a good soak.

Okay - thanks for sticking with this long post. I think we're off to brave the cold & check out the ice sculptures downtown. Then back to knitting for me. Next up: the Druid Mittens from Vogue knitting.

Stay warm!! Ciao~

Dang...

Whoa - it's been almost 3 weeks since my last post?!? I'm such a slacker... Rest assured dear reader(s) that I while I've sadly neglected my blog, knitting has been fast & furious. Let me fill you in on the past three weeks:

1) Elka - my Icelandic sweater. I *think* I mentioned I was taking an Icelandic sweater class. It's been fabulous - we've met twice thus far. At class #1 I learned to swatch in the round by knitting back & forth & not joining in the round. Weird, but accurate. Gauge was close enough to use size 10.5" needles for the Lopi yarn. Yes - size 10.5" + bulky Lopi = fast, fast knitting. Our instructor wanted us to finish the body of the sweater (knit in the round w/steek stitches added in) by class #2. Being the type A, overachiever that everyone accuses me of (okay - guilty as charged), I finished the body & sleeves by class #2. At class #2 I learned how to attach the sleeves to the body so I can knit the yoke. Slick as roads at 32°F. So - after some tricky math (how embarrassing since I taught Advanced Algebra for years) & help from another knitting teacher, I finished the decreases & am ready for tomorrow's class #3 and STEEKING!!! Ahh - I'm going to actually cut through my knitting. You know that's worthy blog fodder. Here's what it looks like so far:

It might be a bit snug on me (I kept thinking I was knitting the medium when I looked at the pattern in the wrong spot & ended up knitting the small size) so, I might be able to cross off another Christmas gift from 'the list'.

2) The Central Park Hoodie from the 2006 Fall edition of Knit Scene. I've had yarn in the stash for this project for months. So - cast on a couple of weeks ago & as of this evening, I've finished the back, learned how to add short rows to the back rather than binding off, knit the left front w/short rows at the shoulder, three needle bind off left front to back, and cast on & knit about 8 inches for right front. Not too bad... I'm trying to get all pieces knit & blocked (this will take some serious 'Frankenblocking' since the cables pull in a lot) before my next finishing class (November 3). I'm hoping my finishing class teacher can show me the correct way to sew in sleeves - I kind of winged my way through the last two sweaters. Here's the evidence so far:

3) October is time for Socktoberfest which means I felt the need to try to knit a pair of socks. I've really fallen off the sock bandwagon lately. I still have about an inch left of the RSC Cleopatra socks to finish - I just haven't found the impetus to pick it up & finish. Luckily, those clever knitters over on Ravelry kicked off a Socktoberfest KAL. Kirsten of Through The Loops wrote a mystery sock pattern. I was hooked! Each Wednesday she posts a new clue for the sock - I started a week late, but was able to catch up w/both socks by today's release of clue #4 (the foot of the sock). It's been a lot of fun - here's where I finished before clue #4.

The yarn is from a purchase I made during our road trip: Dream in Color - Smooshy. The color is Lipstick Lava - fun name. Clue #3 was the heel which turned out to be an Eye of Partridge heel - I've never knit one, and it was pretty cool.

And of course, because three projects (that are getting attention) can't be enough, I told Iain that I would *make* his Halloween costume this year. He and Orion are going to be:

Calvin & Hobbes!! What a sad day it was when Bill Watterson stopped creating this masterpiece of humor. Orion will be Calvin (easy, peasy - red shirt w/black stripes, black shorts - done). Iain will be Hobbes. This costume is not quite so easy - it will involve sewing. Yup - the things I do for my children.

Here's the costume so far:


Yeah - still lots of work to do. It won't be ready for this weekend's school carnival, but should be done by the actual date for Halloween. Wish me luck....

No sewing tonight, as I need to get to bed so I can get up before God so I can be at school tomorrow at 5:45 to kick off our Mole Day celebration. More blog fodder! :0)

So I hope you see why I've been away so long. Shouldn't be such a long hiatus before my next post.

By the way, please go visit OneMoreRow and wish my great blog friend a happy birthday!!

Ciao~