A loooonggg over due update

Wow, I have not updated this since July! I am sure the hundreds (ha!) of you that read this have been dying to know what I have been up to. Lets divide this into the 2 major parts of my life: Health and knitting.

Health: My health has continued to improve and I feel great! As of this writing I have lost 56 lbs. I saw my dr for a follow up visit last week and he said, that's enough weight loss, no more. I am positive that is the first time a dr has told me not to lose weight! I am now wearing size 6-8 pants, size med tops. I have never been this small in my adult life. I love the way I feel and the way I look, and of course, the attention I get ;-) I continue to have almost weekly bloodwork done for the coumadin. Sometimes I get to skip a week but my INR continues to be up and down a lot. I had a second clot in August. It was a small one in my leg, didn't need to really treat it and my hematologist felt it was not signifcant enough to discuss placing a Greenfield Filter. Fine by me..I have had enough surgery! So knock on wood, I am healthy and doing well.

Knitting: This is a knitting blog, right? I haven't done a lot of knitting since summer. I made one pair of socks and started a second pair that i just abandoned last night.

I made the Estes Vest from the Fall 2008 Interweave Knits magazine. The sample was made in Lamb's Pride Bulky which I tried to order from a LYS. After 2 weeks of waiting, I decided to use some yarn I had in my stash. I believe this is from Queensland and it is a merino, silk, alpaca blend. Heavenly soft. I made it in the same color as the sample.

And now for your daily does of Huh?!!? A few years ago there seemed to be a fascination with Willie Warmers Well I happened across the pattern again a few nights ago and it left me giggling. Here's an especially pretty one:

I really like how it stands up so nice and tall, and the little white drawstring is a nice accent to the pretty purple cozy. The knitting looks to be very nicely done, someone put a lot of time and effort into this cozy. The lucky recipient should feel very special,and warm, indeed.

My current knitting projects (no not a willie warmer) are an alpaca lace ring to keep my neck warm and I am itching to cast on for my second Ribby. My first one is too big now, but I think i might be able to block it smaller, as I made the all ribbed version. I have some of Knit Picks Shamrock yarn in red that I am going to use for this Ribby. I am just trying to finish something (i ditched the socks already..must finish the lace ring) before I cast on for it...Wish me luck!