Well, I certainly won't be knitting this or this.

I've never bothered with a cozy for the laptopasaurus--scratches, cat hair, bits of toast, bring 'em on--but with a shiny, new toy due any time, a pretty case might be in order. The above is a new pattern from KnitPicks. The folkloric design juxtaposes nicely with the technology, don't you think? And Leigh Radford's chic case from AlterKnits is completely groovy. (Here's a cool version from a Rav user showing a red Dell. Like mine!) Could be cool in Fun Fur, too. (Wait, did I just say, "fun fur""?)

Clearly, I'm delirious waiting for Dell to ship.

I totally whimped. I'm this guy. Not this guy.

After careful consideration and much agida, I bought one of these. With aging eyes, I worried about the Mac's small screen and wasn't about to pop for the bigger, pricier Macbook Pro. Some reviewers, too, fussed about the glossy monitor, hitting a visual sweet spot and the problem of fingerprints, which had me thinking that after a week my beautiful, silver communion wafer would look like a soggy cracker.

And, when I asked my brother, a recent Mac-convert, what he liked better about the Mac, he said, "It boots up faster."

Alrighty then. I should spend 500 clams for that?

The real reason, though, came down to cost and practicality. This quarter I've got a gig where...let's just say, I'm not playing to my strengths. The idea of wrangling a new operating system, a learning curve and new software--or old software that looks like new software--had me in a lather. Plus, we have licenses for the old, comfy software, so no extra costs there.

Best part: The new PC is red. Like an apple.

And my existential personality crisis has been resolved. At last.

Marsan Watchcap by Staceyjoy Elkin in Aslan Trends Guanaco

The photo doesn't do the hat justice. While the weather here has shaped up beautifully, the light still has that cold steel cast. Not great for lameo shutterbugs such as myself.

Marsan is a twisted-rib watchcap with clever gymnastics so the brim matches the "body" of the hat. There's a second one on the needles in Lamb's Pride Worsted in black. Very fierce.

May the coming year bring us all warm heads, hearts and hands to employ at home and for the greater good.

Happy, happy!

Wishing you a holiday season of peace and good friends.

Like much of the rest of the country, the Mile High City has been plunged into the cold, a phenomenon that has inspired a burst of productivity. We've all heard that if you hands, neck, feet and ears are warm, then you are warm. If that was true, we could through ourselves into snowdrifts wearing nothing but hats, cowls, mittens and socks.

The freezing temps have inspired a striptease of sorts. I'll spare you the visuals. But last night the cold drove me and a friend to Lake Steam Baths. It's an old steam room--think "The Sopranos" not "Sex and the Citÿ"--where a stern naked lady hands you a postage-stamp-sized washcloth and orders you in sans towel, sans glasses, sans hats, cowls, mittens and socks.

It takes a bit of getting used to. But it's blessedly humid and hot. And today my bones and sinuses are grateful. 

But wse can't spend all our time steaming? So it's back to considering our extremeties in extremis. One more Coloradan will have a warm Malabrigo neck when the above finds a home today. A super chunky neckwarmer accompanied by some Nake-id Soap--orange, ylang-ylang and basil this time. For keeping warm and clean when it's time to steam clean.

Thorpe in Manos del Uruguay, Lava; edging in Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted, Onyx 

This was a clever, quick knit. It's obvious the designer has taken time to consider ways in which to expedite and perfect this topper. Mitch thought the large was a little "large," but the intended recipient has a large noggin and a full head of hair. If I were to use Manos again, I might drop the needle size to an 8 for a closer fit and tighter more wind-resistant knit. But I'm delighted. There will be many more Thorpes born in the house of Nake-id.

Are any of you watching what's doing at Lime n Violet? Their Advent Calendar is filled with wonderful wish lists, knitting accessories and pattern recommendations. Including great knits for men, like this classic topper from Smariek Knits:

This was a two-evening project. Turned out a little small for the man of the house, whose got a really big cabeza. Will definitely make another, but will bump the needle size.

For some other man-friendly caps, try Thorpe by Kirsten Kapur of Through the Loops. Thorpe is a clean, quick ear-flap that's easily customized.

Ravelry revealed the perfect watch cap, Marsan by Staceyjoy. Absolute perfection.

Anyway, more hats to come.

Happy last-minute knitting!

The end of the year gets us thinking--about things accomplished and things left undone. It's got me wondering about the role knitting plays in my life.

For example, do you ever do this?

1. You meet someone new. Say the President-Elect. If he's wearing a sweater, do you immediately breach all social conventions (and the Secret Service), touch it and ask if it was handknit?
2. You're in a meeting. An important one where you are expected to contribute important, penetrating thoughts. And instead of giving it your undivided attention, you're designing sweaters in your head?
3. You receive an invitation to a social event. Do you accept immediately or do you hesitate, concerned that it will cut into your knitting time?
4. Your spouse is speaking. Do you listen, eyes looking into his adoringly? Or do you surf Ravelry while he's talking?
5. You're dining at a fabulous restaurant. And all you can think about is its proximity to the yarn shop down the street?
6. You're discussing politics. Do you find yourself using knitting metaphors to describe the state of the world?
7. You're watching a film. And you can't concentrate on the action because the heroine is wearing this stunning, must-knit cardi?
8. You spy a new pattern. Suddenly everyone you know, including your male clients, needs a slouchy beret?
9. You haven't showered all day. Do you soap yourself down? Or say, phht, I'd rather knit?
10. You can smell that something going seriously awry in the kitchen. Do you drop the cable you're fixing? Or do you run to save dinner?

I'm not saying I do any of the above. Just wondering...

And now for something you've all been waiting for. The annual reading of:

The 12 Days of Knitmas!

 On the first day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
A Universal sweater machine.
 
On the second day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Two turtle necks
And a Universal sweater machine.
 
On the third day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Three French knits
Two turtle necks
And a Universal sweater machine.
 
On the fourth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Four needle sets
Three French knits
Two turtle necks
And a Universal sweater machine.
 
On the fifth day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
Five cashmere goats!
Four needle sets
Three French knits
Two turtle necks
And a Universal sweater machine.
 
(Moving right along)

On the [twelfth] day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
12 thrummers thrumming
11 purlers purling
10 llamas leaping
Nine knitters shopping
Eight bitches stitching
Seven hookers hooking
Six raglans blocking
Five cashmere goats!
Four needle sets
Three French knits
Two turtle necks
And a Universal sweater machine.

It's interesting to see how passionate people are about Microsoft vs. Apple. Honestly, I think folks hold more opinions on this issue than: Bush or Obama?

(Maybe Steve Jobs could get them for his next round of ads? Obama=Mac. Bush? Like my old XT. Could be cute.)

One of the reasons I'm considering a Mac is I'm hoping it will spark creative productivity. (No doubt in the same way I wish my holiday gifts would knit themselves.) Deb has made some wonderful recommendations for writing tools, namely Scrivener and Journler. Both are intriguing. I'd be more impressed if they could get up on their hind legs and do my interviewing, but maybe that's up for Scrivener 2.0.

But what do Mac-based knitters do? Let's say you're writing a pattern--What software do y'all use to do schematics and charts? Do you use knitting software to help chart cables? Do these things exist for the Mac?

Don't want to drink the kool-aid without full knowledge...