le calze scale mobile

...AKA escalator socks.

Those socks, those frigging socks that I have been promising photos of forever - they're done. I can't wait to give them to my nonno! I used Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine in this gorgeous navy with hot fuchsia fibres wound in (I hope Nonno doesn't notice - but I think it will make him discreetly super-hip). I also love how squishy and stretchy the pattern is.

Check out that texture!

Also, I thought I'd leave you all with an update on one of my gifted crafts. My "haters gonna hate" pillow, which has become a conversation piece over at my recipients' apartment, has finally served its purpose. Check out their dinner guest, passed out, at 10pm.

Judge him if you must. But, as the pillow says...

domenica

My Nonna is extremely particular - I suppose she's been doing what she's been doing for long enough to know what she likes and what she doesn't. What she does like are big, loose-fitting socks (or calze). Enter the Sunday Swing pattern from knitty, an Italian-friendly redubbing ("domenica" is Sunday), and about a month of knitting, and her Christmas present is ready for gifting.

I reversed the pattern on the second sock so that the eyelets sort of chevron in, as pictured. As usual, the second sock flew by.

happy canadian/southern/italian thanksgiving

What a weekend.

Thrilled to finally assist in making this year's bird (an astonishing twenty-five pounds), I woke up bright and early Saturday morning to stuff, truss, and do whatever else it is you have to do. Our family dressing is what I live for - onions, butter, celery, apples, pears, bread, and spices.
The turkey went in just a little after noon and I went off to enjoy a lazy midday, when disaster struck. Remember how I was off raving about my oven last week? We're barely on speaking terms now. The heating element decided to crap out right in the middle of turkey time. Ruination.

Long story short, after coaxing my parents down from two seperate conniption fits, I sought out a "cook your turkey on the barbecue" tutorial on the interwebs - one hopefully minus thousands of conjunctions (especially y'all or ain't). We ended up finding one that worked and, thank the Lord, Thanksgiving was saved (to be honest, it was delicious).


As I'm the one taking this photo, you can't see me giving this oven the finger it deserves.

Sunday night was my family's Italian thanksgiving spectacular. Open bar, five courses, dancing. Though I've tried explaining this tradition in the past, it might be easier if I just show you.

Miguele nella signora from Lauren P on Vimeo.

This is my cousin, Michael, dancing a fine tarantella in a 10 (maybe 11) foot lady costume. We call her la signora, and she's supposed to represent Santa Maria della Salette. This, to be honest, is nothing. In Italy, they attach firecrackers to the suit and then burn the entire thing down. Probably not acceptable in Woodbridge's finer banquet halls.

Monday called for much more traditional fare - turkey two-point-oh. I couldn't resist cooking up some ming tasties to accompany the pumpkin pie. I used - what else - recipe #15, Pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese icing and candied ginger. A little leftover yarn and some handmade nametags, and poof, instant placecards.


I hope everyone's thanksgiving was bawllin' (read: no oven meltdowns). I will be posting halloween costume haps these coming weeks - I have a lot of work to do!!

Ming cupcakes: 4/33