Delights from Amazon

After my near-death experience yesterday, I was convinced the afternoon had to get better.  I figured since I had picked the "lucky bagel", I might be just as lucky with a Bingo scratch ticket.  It wasn't until after I'd scratched the losing ticket that I realized it had been the Great Canadian Bagel employee who actually picked the bagel.  Feeling dejected, I headed home to watch the second half of season one of Glee. 


When I arrived home, I was delighted to be met by a package from Amazon!!  There are few things in life so sacred to me as my Amazon wishlist, and earlier this week I decided to cross a few wishes off the list.  


I had been shopping around for some Elizabeth Zimmerman knitting books, which are apparently the best knitting books money can buy.  One of my ultimate knitting goals has always been to knit an Aran sweater (or Fisherman's sweater) for my hubby.  I figured every good wife who knits should be able to do this.  Much to my dismay, hubby is not interested in an Aran sweater.  He thinks they look bulky, heavy, itchy and old-fashioned (this is what I assume he thinks, as I've never really asked why he doesn't like them).  In good spirit, he has requested I knit a vintage looking Toronto Maple Leafs sweater instead.


Enter EZ's Seamless Hybrid sweater.  It has the look of a comfortable, casual men's sweater, that with the right colours could be regarded as a sweater-jersey.  The pattern is printed (or more described) in Knitting Without Tears.  I was also advised to pick up EZ's Knitter's Almanac, as it's apparently the must-have guide for all knitters.  I read the first chapter last night, and I am sold.  Elizabeth Zimmerman is the saintly kind of knitter you might wish was your grandmother -- or at least the person who taught you to knit.  The first pattern in the Almanac is (of course) an Aran sweater.  I'm thinking I might try to go through it, pattern by pattern, next year.  If you want to follow someone doing that very thing this year, check out Knitty-Kat's blog.


In order to qualify for FREE SUPER-SAVER SHIPPING I needed to add one more item to my order.  I decided to go with Eugenia Bone's Well Preserved, which has been on the wishlist for awhile.  I haven't cracked it yet, but expect I will as the weather get's warmer and I'm thinking more about food and growing things and less about warm woolies.


SO, despite a few minor setbacks, yesterday turned out to be a pretty great day.