Fa-la-la-la-BLAH!!!!

In Worry Christmas/Crappy New Year Grand Tradition, my employer's business has ground to a nearly complete standstill, and since it is not going to pick up in MY department before sometime in January, here I am at home again. Laid off. Going 'round the house in circles because I had already gotten accustomed to the rhythm of the work week even though I had been back at it only about a month. I suppose I wouldn't mind taking the time off if it came with a paycheck, but since it doesn't, it's a bummer. Big time.

Well, it's not like there isn't anything to do here at home. I have been dyeing silk to replenish the shop, and just finished and photographed my latest design: Mad Angel Creations Climbing Bamboo Cowl. I proofread the pattern over again, set it up as a PDF file, and uploaded it to my Ravelry store. Hopefully people will find it irresistible and buy many copies before the week is out.

Work peeps who may be reading this -- yes, this is the thing you last saw me knitting in the cafeteria at lunch.  I finished it this morning. Please excuse the fact that I am having not just a bad hair day, but a HIDEOUS hair day. Oh, and I do not, in fact, have one blue eye and one brown eye. Something weird happened with the camera flash, is all I can figure. What a bizarre effect!

Now here's the cowl all by itself.

And a close-up of the utterly fabulous stitch pattern, and my equally fabulous hand spun yarn in a Merino/Seacell blend.

So, I AM finding stuff to do during the down time, but seriously hoping the down time does not go on past mid-January...