November 29th, 2009
Hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving! We were invited to a friend’s house where 15 came for dinner! It was a great time and good food! Btw, I have so much to be thankful for. Despite the ‘ups and downs’ in my life, it is a life that is truly blessed!
Well, I have several projects underway…..and no, I STILL haven’t blocked the ‘Meandering Shawl’ yet! I have been so busy this weekend with football, I must try and do better this week!
This first project is one that a friend admired in a baby magazine, and ripped it out to show me. So…..this is my rendition so far of this pattern. Just have to seam and add the tassels, beads and ribbon. I used an acrylic yarn (for easier washing) called Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice and size 11 knitting needles. Stay tuned…..
This project will be a cabled long sleeved v-neck for a little boy. The yarn is KnitPicks ‘Swish DK‘ (doubled) and the pattern is: Patons ‘My Guy’s Sailing Sweaters.’ I’m using knitting needles sized 7 and 8. This photo does not show the true color of the main color, which is actually a green (pampas heather #24306). The brown color is: bark #24633. Hopefully my next post will be the shawl on the blocking board!!
Happy Thanksgiving!
November 23rd, 2009
Whew! Sorry for the neglect! There has been so much going on, my head is spinning! Update: I have finished the ‘Meandering Vines’ shawl for my niece…..it still needs to be blocked, though. I have an order for 3 children’s sweaters and a poncho! I am putting the edging on the poncho, and that will go to the blocking board as well.
Thanksgiving and my birthday occur this week! I will again be busy, as I imagine you will be, so let’s reconnect after all of the excitement is over! Hopefully I’ll have those F.O. to show!
Happy Thanksgiving! I have soooo much to be thankful for…..how about you?
I’ve been tagged!
October 4th, 2009
Thanks, Annie, you have been a loyal blogger friend of mine and I appreciate your talent!
1. Show the above tag in your blog.
2. Post these rules.
3. Link back to the blog that tagged you.
4. Make a list of the 5 senses and what each one represents for you. (I have change this and added pictures)
5. Tag five other blogs, and let them know by leaving them a comment.
My 5 senses on the Weekend:
1. SIGHT
I love to sit at my computer desk in my ‘knitting room’ and look out the window at my backyard. It looks inviting, tranquil and makes me smile.
I look and smile.
2. HEARING
Last night I was awakened by a pounding rainstorm! Why all the excitement? Austin has been in a serious 28 year – low drought for most of the year. Even though it was around 4am, I woke up, turned on my bedside lamp and read awhile as I listened to the rain.
I listened and smiled.
3. & 4. SMELL & TASTE
On the weekend, since hubby wakes up first, he starts the coffee. I love to open up the bedroom door and take in the first whiff of freshly brewed coffee. Ahh…..that first taste makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over! Yes, I love my coffee on the weekend….it’s the only time I allow myself two cups, rather than the customary one a day.
I sip and smile.
5. FEEL
Well, I love to feel the leather of my knitting chair! Every weekend I look forward to sitting here to knit or crochet, as I catch up on watching my favorite t.v. shows that have been recorded during the week. Big enough for two people, this chair allows me to spread out all of my books and knitting supplies, sometimes the laptop, and have everything within reach. I sit, knit and watch, and oh, smile!
I love my weekends!!
1. Knitty Cent
2. Adrienne
3. Cici
4. Oiyi
5. Carolyn
Seattle
September 26th, 2009
I have just returned from my first trip to Seattle! I went for a work conference and was there for five days, and believe it or not – - it never rained while I was there!! Believe it or not, the weather was nothing short of fabulous! The mornings were in the mid-50s and the highs were in the 80s. Perfect for sightseeing! I was everywhere…..shopping downtown, milling around the waterfront, and dinner at the Space Needle Restaurant. I even got my nails done at ‘Julep’, a cute shop that I was told afterward that Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway had recently stopped in!
I have several friends that live in Seattle, and I promised one of them a knitted neck warmer, which I almost forgot to make. So I began the project on the airplane and yes, finished it and gifted it before I left! I grabbed two skeins of yarn from my stash, ‘Terra‘ from the Fibre Company in the colorway, ‘Black Walnut’. It is a super warm and soft blend of 60% merino, 20% baby alpaca and 20% silk. The pattern I chose was ‘Thermis‘ by Kristen Patay.
As a I was finishing up the project in my hotel room, I realized that I forgot to pack buttons for it. So…..I knew I had to shop for them….in Seattle. I already had plans to go to the Kinokuniya Japanese bookstore recommended by Ava , so I planned to also visit a yarn shop in town to look for buttons. Btw, Ava has better photos of the bookstore than I do, so check out her blog. (The photos of the neck warmer in this photo were taken on a bench at the Space Needle, on top of a shoulder wrap that I wore that night for dinner.)
Kinokuniya was everything I had heard it to be…..shelves and shelves of knitting and crocheting books. Although not in English, the books are charted so well, that anyone can follow the patterns. I bought the ‘2009 Let’s Knit Series no. 141′ and ‘2008 Organic baby Knit no.4346′ books.
The hotel concierge knew of “So Much Yarn” and gladly gave me the address and mapped it out for me. The store was down on the waterfront and was very cute inside. The staff was friendly, and there was a great selection of yarn in stock, and yes, a nice collection of buttons to choose from. I had the neck warmer with me and took it out to size up the right buttons for it, and the clerk oohed and aahed over it. I was able to share with her the source of the pattern, as she had never seen it. That night I gifted the neck warmer and my friend seemed to like it alot. I hope it is well used. Seattle definitely had a certain charm, and I would love to visit again!
* Sorry for the quality of the photos, all were taken with my cell phone.
Washcloth for Baby
August 30th, 2009
Looked what I whipped up yesterday when I should have been working on the shawl! I felt the need for a little break, and I found this free pattern for a washcloth/dishcloth. I have a co-worker that is expecting a baby boy in the Fall, and I’m looking for something to make. I had this yarn in my stash (Lion Brand Cotton Ease), so I grabbed some size 6 needles and went at it. This was super easy and quick. I want to make another one, reversing the blue and sage colors to get a different effect. This version of the pattern requires a crocheted border, but it’s optional. The overall size is 9.5″ x 6.5″ and is the smaller of the two that the pattern offers. A pile of these would make a great baby shower gift!
August 29th, 2009
Today I watched the funeral of Sen. Ted Kennedy and was quite moved. He was a man that gave so much for the cause of others, lived with such a purpose that all of us should adopt, and left a huge legacy for his heirs to be proud of. May God bless, strengthen and immobilize his family members he left behind to continue in his footsteps.
I received my winning book, “Vogue Knitting 25th Anniversary” from Nik! Thank you, again, I love this book. It is a great source of history, techniques and interviews from the greatest designers in the industry. It will remain on my desk in my knitting room, because I just can’t see it sitting on a shelf!
Progress on the ‘Meandering Vines’ shawl is going well. I have completed the fifth repeat out of seven for the first half, as this shawl is made in two pieces, and then grafted together. The pattern repeat is now memorized and flowing with more ease than in the beginning! I did go out and buy a longer (29-inch) cable needle to hold the stitches better, and have not had any ‘pop’ off the needles since.
For the new knitters looking at this photo, I know the shawl appears wrinkly and the stitches indistinct…… this is because it has not yet been soaked and pinned down to dry (wet-blocked). In the previous post, I stretched it out before snapping the photo to show the stitch detail a little better. But stay tuned…..the beauty of this shawl is still yet to be revealed!
