Some Colorful Knitting and Marvelous Music

Is this blindingly-colorful and super-patriotic or what? The pattern can be found through the link on the Ships project site, it's the slip stitch pattern, and soo easy. The blue and cream are Rowan Magpie done with size 9 circs. (and yes, that's a Guernsey cast-on to start) while the red is Beaverslide Dry Goods wool and mohair on size 7 circs. I redid the red part but didn't photograph it, just did not like the dec instructions, so did my own to make a smoother finish. Also made the hat longer, more like 9"long. And not pointy at top anymore either. What was I thinking?

Last night DH and I went to this concert. The NY Philharmonic was in top form, as was Loren Maazel. The guest cellist was superb. Don't tell Glenn Dictorow, but I half-expected a clarinet to tune the orchestra! DH is not yet convinced that DD#2 deserves an upgraded clarinet, though she lobbies hard... she wants what Stan Drucker the Principal Clarinet for the NY Philharmonic plays (in case you are curious, that would be a Buffet et Crampon model R13, in grenadilla wood).
That would also be about $4800 list for the thing, not including mouthpiece,ligature, barrel, reeds, and other assorted parapharnalia. Hence DH's reluctance. Though he did say last night that he could see (and hear) DD#2 sitting in Stan Drucker's place, leading the Fifth Symphony......

Rogue is done with the entire back and the left front is nearly completed. This is going much faster than I ever dreamed. So satisfying to watch it grow and grow. Did I mention how much I love Magpie? I'm sure that's more than half of it.

Check my side-bar to see the new Trees hat pattern I put up for the Ships Project. Each pattern is only $3.25 and all proceeds go straight to the Ships Project to defray the cost of mailing items to our troops. Which comes to $2000 per month.