So, it's Thanksgiving week (in the US, I get that it's not the same everywhere). Which traditionally means Shopping Extravaganzas. But, eh, I'm not really feeling the extravaganza thing. I'm certainly not feeling like leaving the house and breathing other people's air. I'm kind of feeling like staying home and spoiling my pets and drinking hot chocolate. But, I know a whole bunch of folks like to stock up on patterns this week, and I want to make that as easy as possible for anyone who is feeling so inclined (bonus points for all this stuff being online only and [...]

Wanna see what getting the pattern pictures looks like? I kinda love showing off the behind the scenes stuff (it can feel a tiny bit strange and lonely doing all this all by myself, showing you some of the odder bits helps somehow). Plus you seem to like to see it, so let's do it! For the snowmen, I got up early, got my kit together (snowmen, hats/scarves, twigs for arms, museum putty for posing, tiny repair kit for field surgery, camera, spare battery, reflector, step stool for my butt, other step stool for the knitting/camera, and something to tote [...]

There are things we can all agree on (climate change is real and tremendously dangerous, vaccines are a marvel of modern medicine and save countless lives, abortion is healthcare and anyone who needs one should have access to one).⁠ And then there the controversial things. Does pineapple belong on pizza (yes)? Do audiobooks count as real books (also yes). Is coffee an evil trick designed to trick you into drinking bitter bean water (once again yes). And you know me. I try to refrain from stirring up needless controversy. But today I have to wade into the fray. Today we [...]

Look, I am not known for my restraint.  So, when faced with the prospect of pandemic winter, take two, it felt like my choices were either sink into a pit of despair (the sun sets at 3:59 here for much of December, which is just cruel), or grab on to whatever makes me feel even slightly better, no matter how ridiculous. I went with the second option. I regret nothing. If you want to stave off the darkness by knitting an army of tiny snowmen and dressing them in mighty fetching hats and scarves, I invite you to join me.  [...]

Ok, pop quiz! Who's been here long enough to remember what this is? ⁠ I'll tell you ahead of time, it's not another snowman (three is enough, three is enough, three is enough, if I keep telling myself that maybe I'll believe it), but it does go rather well with snowmen, if you're so inclined...

Ahem. And if two tiny, knitted snowmen help with certain situations, perhaps a third might come in handy?⁠ Though to be fair, good sense dictates that I cut myself off after three. Well, no. Good sense would probably dictate that I not do it at all. The pressing need to go take pattern photos dictates that I cut myself off after three. But in a world where I didn't need to do those practical things, I'd make a small army and stage a Calvin and Hobbes style scene with absolutely no hesitation.⁠ But I have to be a grownup just [...]

If there are problems in this world that can be solved by tiny, knitted snowmen (and I'm not even necessarily saying that there are, but let's just explore the hypothetical for a moment), it seems likely that they can be better solved by two tiny, knitted snowmen, doesn't it? Especially if that second tiny, knitted snowman has a different hat and scarf than their friend. ⁠ That's my story and I'm sticking to it.⁠ (Pattern is scheduled to come out next week, do the mailing list thing at the link in my profile if you're so inclined.)