Hot and Cold

In summer I dream of wool and what wool things I am going to need and wear in the cold months to come.  My favorite thing to knit for me personally is a sweater, and my favorite is the pullover, followed by the vest, and then the cardigan.  Knitting for Madeline walks the line between personal and professional.  Then there are accessories.  Little projects that I can bang out in a few concentrated sessions.  The one accessory that's mostly lacking is the triangular shaped shawl, although there's one design in Brooklyn Tweed Wool People 10 that I can't stop thinking about.  It's more of an asymmetrical triangle really.  Lots of my pattern obsessions have been sparked by what I need to wear for warmth on dog walks.  I used to be anti- fingerless glove, but now I'm on board with that.  This is a Lambing Mitt, that has a nice fold over cuff.  It's a free pattern.  I knit the largest size, but if I do another, I'll likely do the next smallest.  As with socks, I like a snug fit.  I knit these with Imperial Stock Ranch Columbia, color Quail.  I love having that yarn surround my hands.  The other thing that I have given thought to is how I want a fairly snug neck piece that covers my chest.  A dickey.  I don't have one in my collection currently, so once I settle on the right yarn and color, I will knit an Askews Me Dickey.
What's on the needles in current rotation (meaning, that I actually have been knitting, there are lots more on hold) is a Woodfords cardigan in Brooklyn Tweed Loft that I cast on last November.  I am down to the last 4 inches or so of the skirt.  The rows are long, and the sweater is too big to carry along.  It was packed in my suitcase this past weekend when we traveled and I only got a few rows in.  The other sweater is Alvy in Brooklyn Tweed Shelter, and I started a Lightweight Raglan Pullover in Purl Soho's Linen Quill.  
Professionally, what's going on now is I'm working on a fresh sample for the release of the first Doggie Knits pattern, and working on a new design.
I really like watching movies that have cold weather settings when it's high summer here.  I've seen Everest on cable a number of times and it's sparked some curiosity regarding who was in that 1996 incident, and where they are now.  I was surprised to find out that one of the survivors, a professional climber who saved three people ending up dying in an avalanche the following year.  I can't imagine how anyone would be drawn to such a dangerous sport.