We DO Have Winter, People!

I know, I know it's not like the winter most of you know, with snowdrifts and sub-zero temperatures for months at a time.  But if those of you from the northeast, where it's been freakishly warm, are wondering where your winter went, look no further.  We've got it. Since Thursday, it's been freakishly cold here in California.  It's bad.  More than half the citrus crop may be lost.  And avocados - food of the gods, people! - are likely to be devastated, too.  When we were in the Central Valley this weekend, we woke up to this.

Yup, that's 24 degrees Fahrenheit.  In some of the prime citrus-growing country in the state.

Here at Casa Unraveling, it was 33 degrees at 7:00 this morning.  Frost on every roof, cars and houses, as far as the eye could see.  But we are well prepared.  Wool socks, scarves, gloves and hats abound because...we are a knitting household.

And we teach others to knit.  My new sister-in-law, to be precise. And she is a fast learner.
Her first FO of 2007:

The yarn is Malabrigo, which is some of the best learning yarn ever because it's so soft that you just can't put it down.  After I taught her how to knit and purl Continental style and told her that it's ok to rip, I sent her home with this book:

It's got everything a beginner needs, including easy to follow patterns.  Yukari took my advice and wasn't afraid to rip. Four times. But in the end, it was worth it. Just take another look at what she ended up with:

It's a mighty fine first project.

Of course she cast on another project immediately:

This one is why she wanted to learn to knit - in order to make a sweater for her baby (due in April).

So we are knitting our cold days away.  And working.  News about my projects will have to wait for another day.

Comments

[Chris]

Oh no! I better stock up on guacamole now... :( And OJ...

I'm glad to hear that the Unraveling household is warm and toasty. Maybe time to start knitting citrus grove cozies??

That IS a wonderful first project.

I put up a little blurb about Super International Pajama Day yesterday and it got a warm reception. :)

[Kim]

Congrats on bringing a new knitter into the fold! I got my MIL started over Christmas, though knitting English not Continental. I just got myself YNotKnit to learn Continental myself; I just need some time to practice the stitch on something I don't mind messing up the tension on!

[Amy]

When we moved here from Boston in August, we packed away everything really warm. Well, the joke's on us! We unpacked it this weekend... brrrr!

(And the next time you're in the Central Coast area, let me know!)

[Daphne]

An April baby sounds lovely. Congrats!

We're not happy about the weather here either... nor the loss for the farmers. phooey!