So here is the blanket-in-progress. These are 8 of the 16 (so far) panels that the pattern calls for. Somehow, I think I'll need to knit more than 16 for a 9-year old girl.

I joined Crafster.org instead of just lurking all the time. There are some kickin' projects up there! Now, I just need unlimited time and resources... but hopefully, since I'm also in the process of rediscovering my sewing machine, I'm going to check and see if I can find a couple of 'sewing for BIG dummies'-type patterns. Crafster is a great site for hip and funky crafts, you should check it out. I've linked to them over in the links section to the right. The message boards rock, and everyone is very supportive.

So I'm knitting away on this blanket - man, it's a lot of knitting. I have put myself to sleep a couple of times. I am at the stage where it's "okay, this was fun, can we finish this now so I can find another project?" But it did pull me out of the knitting funk. And I'm committed, having promised this to my cousin for her 9th birthday.

Sewing - if anyone knows a really, really simple pattern, please send it my way. I've made two pillowcases (with very cool Star Wars material - I'll take pictures) for Will (no, not for me - yet). I bought more Star Wars material (yes, for Will) and some DragonTales material for Alex, but I'd like to try something a little more exciting. Yes, I'm putting the cart before the horse again. Hey, that's me.

By the way - can I tell you how much I HATE the subway? I sat at 57th Street for half an hour tonight. There was either a track fire or a switching problem - one conductor said one, another said the other - you think they'd at least coordinate their B.S. excuses. Anyway, got lots of work done on the latest panel. If I didn't have my knitting, I probably would have gone postal, being the throes of a horrible PMS time of the week.

So let me go and post the other shot of this blanket, an individual pattern swatch. Stay tuned.