Mother's Day Solved

With Mother's Day approaching, I was racking my brains trying to decide what to get my Mom for a gift. Like most of us, she doesn't need anything, so it's always tough to know what to buy. Inspiration hit me when I saw the Euroflax linen yarn on a recent visit to Yarn Harbor in Duluth, MN. I knew there was a pattern in The Knitter's Book of Yarn for a linen bread basket liner, so I picked up a skein. I must confess that I was just as interested in trying out this yarn as I was in getting a gift made.

The liners knit up quickly--one skein makes two bread cloths. It was a little tricky getting them started on the DPNs, but then in no time you're casting off. I love the linen so much that I was already planning in my head what I would make with it next. Today I found a perfect bread basket. (The one in the picture is mine.) The plan is to fill it with fresh baked rolls to bring over for the family get-together that day and pair it with a nice plant. That's one mother taken care of.

While I was doing laundry yesterday, the doorbell rang, and there on my doorstep was a big old box o'yarn. I took advantage of an online yarn sale and planned out a few future projects. This is the closest thing I've had to a stash in my whole life. There are three sweaters in this box, so lots of happy knitting hours ahead for me. It took every bit of discipline I have to pack this away and get back to our dirty clothes.

My Bobbled Braids cardigan is progressing nicely. The back is complete, and I've got several inches done on the right front piece. I just love knitting cables. It will be a bummer to finish this and then have to wait until fall to wear it though. I've actually been tempted to cast on a cotton sweater I have in mind, but since I'm in the cable rhythm, I'm going to keep going.

Finally, I hereby declare that if it's nice outside tomorrow, I might mow the grass for the first time. How's that for a definite maybe? The grass isn't that long; I'm just itching to do some outside work.