There was a birthday celebration...

...complete with all the requisite things.  Home-made birthday cake, doting grandparents, balloons and the birthday banner, good friends and food and a few gifts for the birthday girl.

Three!

All ringing in year three!  Cheers to our girl!

Neopolitan Cake. Yum!

Finished - Grand Central 2.0

I've managed to cast off the second version of leeleetea's lovely Grand Central cowl.  This one is for  one of the dearest girls on the planet.  My friend Jess is one of the kindest, smartest, most generous and thoughtful people.  And I was just thrilled when she asked me to knit something for her.

Modeled by my ever-willing sister.

If you are looking for a simple and easy to follow and remember knitted cowl pattern, look no further. And if you haven't tried a tubular cast on or off, this is a great way to start.  It makes absolutely the best finished edges for 1x1 ribbing.  I love it.

The yarn is also fantastic.  This is Jill Draper's Hudson in Mourning Dove.  It's got a great twist and wonderful, subtle variation. And I can promise that it will wear extremely well.  I have worn mine almost every day this winter and it looks as good as it did right after it was blocked.  (I even wore it to chop firewood, so it's not only been marching around inside my dress coat, it's actually gone to work. P.S. Sawdust shakes right out of this super wash.)

Granted, we're not facing winter weather to the extreme that New England is, but it will be delivered in good time for some use this winter.  I can only hopes Jess likes it as much as we like her.