excellent

an excellent storm from vacation last summer,other than that, totally out of context here

I'm uncharacteristically participating in one of those pass-it blog things. How could I not? Sheila nominated me as lucky # 13 in her list of Ten Excellent Blogs. I know, 13 out of 10, wtf, but rules are made to be broken, nothing succeeds like excess , and all that.

Here are mine. I thought I'd try to list blogs that seem way under-subscribed to me but you know, there are very popular blogs that are just so dang excellent I must include them.
Drumroll, please, and not in any particular order.

1. Norma because Now Norma Posts Daily and gives you a piece of her mind. Lucky for us it's a fine mind. Only nominally a knitting blog but who cares? Someday Norma & I will be living out our dreams in our respective Airsteams, and I hope she's got wireless broadband in hers so she'll keep posting.

2. Ann & Kay at Mason Dixon I know, they have gajillion readers. And another book coming out (not. soon. enough.) but these two are both fabulous writers and prolific, creative knitters. And not afraid of crazy. Go wish Kay a happy bday this week.

3. Knitting Weather Brilliant knitter, clever writing and life in Alaska. If only she posted more often (heh talk about the pot calling the kettle black). Did you see the wolf on the lake?

4. Cosymakes A recent addiction for me and another book I can't wait for. Cosy has this wonderfully inspiring use of color, texture and decoration without being over the top. Her dyeing is to die for. She makes new things funky-vintage without looking too granola. (I cannot believe I just used granola as an adjective, but there it is). She makes me want to stick buttons on everything and dust off my embroidery chops.

5. Stitch marker More inspiration. And another blog with a book that I will be getting my hands on very soon. Am I getting repetitive?

6. Mary Lou Egan at Yarnerinas She's smart, she's a talented designer and knitter and I hear a heck of an MC, which she'll be doing for the Yarn Harlot appearance in the Twin Cities soon. (Ok she also saved our tushes by designing via reverse engineering a sweater jacket and hat for my book Shear Spirit and because of that she is stuck with my unending admiration and friendship for life, but I'd still recommend her blog )

7. Knittingfriends.com not really a blog but ever since I put this in my bloglines feed I get a little digest of blog postings to look at everyday, and I find new voices without falling into the deep vortex of endless surfing . I don't get how they choose who is included on any one day's list -I first found them when I was getting a bunch of hits from their site last month- and I don't think I've been on their list since. Whatever. Fun to scan.

8. Phila *craft Cristina's a natural talent at everything she does, and articulate, too. Attention to detail in a way that I can only dream of. No waste of words, no waste of materials , beautiful objects crafted lovingly and thoughtfully. She's got the touch.

9. Hello Yarn Adrian is a source of inspiration whether designing, dyeing or just sharing her projects. F'rinstance, I just lost 10 minutes following a link she had for a new Noro yarn and her idea to knit it vertically with a steeked boat neck. Think about that for a second. See what I mean?

10.Norah Gaughan's blog because it is fun to know what is on her mind, or her needles. I love her designs, they pepper my ravelry queue. Someday I'll knit them! Until then, I'll just lurk.