Howdy!

Isn't that guy the cutest??? How did someone in M&M's marketing think of the perfect item - A bee guy (holding a pumpkin) with stickers and a stamp and CHOCOLATE all in one! Hmmm. . . Could it BEE that this would BEE appealing to kids? Probably, but also to a chocolate addicted bee-lover who scrapbooks, like me! Thanks to a friend for gifting it to me. Hightail it over to a Cracker Barrel if you want one for yourself.

I've been meaning to show a few of my latest knitting projects, but since several are presents to others, I can't post pictures of those yet. So, here's the latest scarf that I'm working on. I love to have a mindless knitting project going and the pleated wrap on the front of the Spring/Summer issue of Debbie Bliss' magazine is a perfect one - almost all garter stitch with some interest along one side. I considered going on the hunt for the DK weight yarn the pattern calls for, but decided to shop at home and use my favorite yarn - Malabrigo - which I have quite a bit of! So after re-writing the pattern for the worsted weight plus Malabrigo yarn, I was set to go. The Malabrigo color is Indigo - a medium blue with some purple mixed in. I am loving it and so is Cayenne, who is a HUGE Malabrigo fan too! If the wrap is left out on the couch, she is on it and curled up asleep immediately. I think I'm going to have to knit her a kitty bed out of some Malabrigo - not a mindless project. That will have to go on the to-do list.

Here's the wall of mostly Malabrigo yarn at my LYS, Knit or Knot. Needless to say, it's one of my favorite places to visit every few months for a FIX. I'm pretty sure I could have at least HALF a wall like this at my house if I hung all the Malabrigo out that I have. But it's so much easier to stuff into various crevices if the skeins are kept twisted up. Not so obvious to SOMEONE exactly how much of it is around!

If you've got 4 skeins of Malabrigo worsted weight and want to do the DB Pleated Wrap, cast on 47 stitches, work the pleated edge with 7 stitches ,and knit the 40 stitches. I'm using #10 needles (ebony with mother of pearl encrusted ends - which also add to the enjoyment of the project). The piece is a bit stiff/tight, but I want it to be. So you could always go up to a #10-1/2 for a bit looser piece.