T-minus ALMOST!!!

ALASKAALASKAALASKA

Things to do while I am there:

• Knit
• Relax
• Get a mountain picture (for Margene)
• Snap some wildflowers (for Cara)
• See a bear and a whale and an eagle
• Hike and Ride and Raft

My phone line (and therefore my DSL) is out at home, so I may not be able to post after today. (So you may not know if I finished the sweater or not until I come back.)

Before I go here is one good thing and one bad thing:

The Good
I got my prize from Claudia's MS Raffle! Cara sent me a set of beautiful sheep and flower cards. And oh my, they are indeed lovely! I want to frame them all and keep every one for mememe.

I don't know which I like more, the sheep or the flowers. I am thinking the flowers will go in my bedroom, the sheep over my knitting.

The Bad
I am not going to name any names. But I purchased a pattern from an online source and I am very disappointed (yes, at least as much in myself as in the vendor).

The pattern is for a Stole. You can see a picture of the pattern here (this image is from one of several retailers offering the pattern, not from the one who sold it to me). Lovely looking thing, isn't it? It uses two balls of a wispy mohair blend, so I thought it would be a great pattern for the two balls of Kid Silk Haze I got for renewing my Rowan membership.

Now, I think I can safely quantify my disgust without breaking any copyright laws. The pattern goes something like this:

Using size X needles, cast on Y stitches. Knit in st until piece measures Z inches. Bind off.

Seriously. That's it. Five bucks. (The yarn apparently makes it look somehow cooler.) Does this even qualify as a pattern? Like I said, my disappointment is equally balanced between my own dorkiness ("A pattern? Crap, I better buy it! Someday there may not BE any more patterns!") and the vendor's ability to take money for this thing. Your thoughts?

I hope I can pop in once more before taking off, but if I can't, see you all in two weeks!