I’m baaaack….

28Aug08

Hey everyone – long time no write!

I don’t knit much in the summer — I know, shame on me. And, that’s a bad thing because now I have 50 bajillion things I want to make whereas if I knit in the summer, I could have spread all of my ‘must have’ projects out over a couple of months right? Maybe I’ll learn this time!

So what have I been up to? Well, I recently finished my Plath Cropped Cardi and I’m loving it!

Up close with the buttons…

Detail of the stitch pattern…

Cardi in action!

I used Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece – 3 skeins in Truffle. First time using this yarn and I must say it knits up great and feels really nice. It’s quite heavy, though! And of course, I love the buttons – they just fit. I think it’s how the lines match the lines across the slipped stitches in the bodice of the cardi.

And I just finished a shifting sands scarf for my grandmother in Germany on the 24th. I started on the 19th and as my mom is going to Germany on the 1st of September, I wanted it to go with her so I make sure it gets to my grandma safely. So with the limited time, I had to make sure I had enough time to order yarn/knit up/wash/block/let dry/weave in ends. My determination quickly turned into dread (“I wanna be donnnnne!”) But, it turned out beautiful and now I can’t wait to buy Malabrigo for myself since I’ve never used it before this! I think I will make myself a black or chestnut bucket hat next paycheck to treat myself, but for now I’m making myself a shifting sands scarf (go figure!) using Classic Elite Waterlily in a gorgeous variegated berry tone.

And here’s my shifting sands in progress…

I love that color so much, and the yarn is showing off the cables so nicely!

I’ve also started my first sock, ever! Not too bad for a newbie, yah?

This past weekend, I started to teach my sister in law to knit. She had learned 5 years ago using Lion Brand Homespun. Her scarf was simple garter stitch and was too wide for her liking, so it’s still a UFO and she hasn’t had a want to pick it back up. Anyway, I was showing her some things on Ravelry and we went to Michael’s and picked her up some yarn and some size 8 straights and she’s working on the One Row Handspun Scarf, which will be easy for her but not as plain as garter stitch. The yarn she chose is not a nightmare like Lion Brand Homespun is either. I’m super excited and hopefully she keeps up with it because I have no knitting buds. Seriously. It’s sad

Fall is already here it seems in the ever-rainy Washington State! So hopefully now I’ll be keeping the FO’s coming! I’ve been stalking some of your blogs and thinking ‘maybe I should blog too’ but I haven’t had anything as interesting to write about as some of you. I’m trying though!

As a quick poll — I’m looking into getting a Namaste New Port bag but unsure which color to get: Peacock or Charcoal? I’m not much of a blue-wearing person but the color is just so gorgeous! Until next time

Filed under: FOs, Projects   |  11 Comments
Tags: plath cropped cardigan cardi shifting sands

couldn’t think of a good name for this post ;)

27Apr08

It’s been a very long week — and it’s already Sunday. I have to go back to work tomorrow and I’m not looking forward to it!

But I do have some updates for you…

I finished the body of my tree jacket, and the fit/length is great! I started to work on the left hand sleeve but then got sidetracked with reading Knitting Without Tears and working on the February Baby Sweater from The Knitter’s Almanac. Both are my first two Elizabeth Zimmermann books and I’ve heard that you either love her or hate her and her chattiness. I have to say she is truly charming and I find myself laughing out loud reading some of the things she wrote. Plus, the knowledge and information she left behind is truly indispensible. I’ve already started sketching out my own sweater designs and now I’m already thinking that I can do them! She is THAT inspiring! But yes, tree jacket will be done, hopefully by the beginning of May! I really love the fit and the color. My only concern is that I didn’t choose the right yarn for it… but I think I will work on that one this evening to just get it off my needles ASAP… I think the baby jacket will have to be grown into, anyway

I also got some advice from my LYS about what to do with my somewhat cowl raglan increases since the arm will be toooo big where it’s at now and still having another inch to increase in. So hopefully I’ll pick that back up soon.. but, look what I got earlier this week:

I am sooo excited to have some copies of this magazine. I treated myself earlier this month and they finally came and I literally want to make EVERYTHING out of them… so I may just put everything on hold and knit something from the new spring copy! If you haven’t seen the contents, check out the preview. Everything in here is to die for!

Something else that was pretty cool this week was the Knitting Daily post about the secrets of the yarn collectors. That was my name and my comment right there in that post – I’m the one who doesn’t know how to collect/stash yarn but I am desparate to start and have one. lol. I even went to my LYS on Thursday AND Friday in search of SOMETHING…. ANYTHING but… I still couldn’t bring myself to buy anything. I guess I’ll still have to work on my inability to buy anything truly due to undecidedness and hesitance. lol. I’m definitely not an impulse shopper, that’s for sure!! Once I pay the taxes/registration on my new car and see how much I’ve got left, I will splurge – believe me! Until next time!

Filed under: Books, Projects, Rambling   |  6 Comments