can't and the messages we send

For the Red Scarf Project. Lengthwise stripes, garter stitch with some stockinette when the spirit spoke . Leftovers: Cascade 220 in red and teal, Brown Sheep Top Of the Lamb (circa 1988, no kidding)in light blue, some recycled sari silk yarn. I'm going to fringe it, I think. 6" wide by 60 " long before fringe.

If you read comments here from Marla Mclean, Atelierista, you'll notice they reveal insider knowledge. Makes sense, she's my sister. Go check out her blog if you have even the slightest interest in creativity & learning. I find her ideas apply in my mostly grownup world. Plus her photos of the kids in her Reggio school studio are artful & fun to look at.

On Thanksgiving day, with preparations reaching frantic pace, Marla declared that can't isn't a word we use. It was pretty interesting to see how often we trilled out our negative declaratives: " I can't reach the top shelf! I can't get these friggin' breadsticks to stay in shape! I can't remember where I put the scissors! " and then we'd stop and reframe it, or say things like " I need help with..." or " How else can I do this..." Yeah of course we teased her about turning us into her 4-5 year olds but it was pretty cool. Makes ya think.
And yes, of course we considered making it a drinking game but we do have all these teenagers to set a good example for, at least for another holy crap , in five years they will all be over 21. {sob. shriek}

The red scarf I started last night. Inspired by Maryse's Gathered Scarf. I'm knitting it in Cascade 220, on US 9 & 5 needles. My yarn & my sections are modified proportions to hers, which was fingering weight. I cast on 28 stitches, but only increase in every other one, so the ruched stockinette bands are 41 stitches wide. Let me tell you this scarf is flying , and it has just the right balance of drape and weight. It'd make a banging cowl design.

I've been playing chicken with the weather, letting this one last collard grow in what was our Lameass Vegetable Garden of 09 . I looked up from shooting that scarf and discovered it was now huge, has two sisters , and there is broccoli & arugula to cut too.

So. Maybe we CAN grow veggies after all.