hey there hi there

this is not the only thing I have knit in the last month, I promise. It has been busy, busy, busy, and I am slowly knitting my way through a sweater I recently began. This Thursday my sister and I will be going to a Tacoma Rainiers Stitch N' Pitch event, which will actually be my second baseball game this week...I went to the Mariners/Atlanta game last night, and juggled my knitting along with my friends' excited one year old daughter.
My younger sister is getting married next month, my older sister delivered her lovely 5th child Micah last month, and my younger brother is expecting a boy in August-lots of baby knitting going on, but not always enough time to take a picture before I give it away, and just plain busy in between!

as the family grows

This year, I will gain three new nephews/nieces. In the world of me, that means lots and lots of knitting requests for the previously knit gifts that fit the previous nieces and nephews so well....and that's what I've been working on. There have been other changes in my little life, but this morning as I was catching up on some of my favorite other bloggers(Wendy Bernard, Jared Flood, Stefanie Japel) I realized it had been well over a month since I had posted ANYTHING! And my Ravelry notebook does not reflect any of my newest projects, because I have literally been giving them away as fast as I have been knitting them. So, here's to two more resolutions: Take pictures BEFORE giving knits away, and keep track of projects!
As I write this I am sitting in my newly reclaimed spare room/office space/yarn & craft catchall, and imagining all the great projects to be. I am knitting up another one of those adorable kimono style sweaters using some of the alpaca yarn I picked up in Peru, and debating which sibling to gift it to because it will require some special washing care. I am trying to take inventory of what projects I have on the needles, which ones I will realistically finish, and how much of which yarns I have at my disposal. Now I just need to come up with the perfect storage solution for my yarn, because the wine-crate tower is now overflowing, and I have bags of yarn sitting on the floor, hanging on the wall, and crammed in the closet.....any suggestions??

Blame it on the rain?

I think my exhaustion may also be partially due to returning from an extended vacation and overbooking myself working two jobs, but really I am still here, knitting. I think I may join another Monday night knitting group, provided they don't crap out on me like the last bunch of wishy-washy-weather-afflicted knitters and crocheters that called themselves a fiber group.
Whoa, tone down the negativity, self!
Maybe it is the rain. I feel as if every pair of shoes I own is made of wet sponges, and I can't seem to wear enough pairs of socks to cut down on the damp wrinkly toes that keep showing up. Not that it rains all day long, but it rains long enough to build up squishy yards and substantial puddles, then stops not quite long enough for the feeble sun to make an attempt at drying things out.
sorry, this entire post was more of a tantrum than anything. I'll try harder next time.

north to here.

I made it back, obviously alive and with a yarn stash twice the size of the bags I had taken down with me. I purchased another backpack in Ecuador after our trip to Otavalo, because I had purchased another two giant skeins of yarn and had left behind ten more in Peru that still had to be accomodated in my return luggage. I realized that no matter how much I look at other colors, I always choose blue and green.


While I was in Ecuador I had the opportunity to share and show off my knitting skills, managed to finish knitting that pair of socks and start on another cowl for myself, using moms pattern and some Malabrigo Worsted that was in my carry on luggage.


While traveling in northern Ecuador with my friends Gabi and Jesse, I also visited a village called Pijal, where I met this lovely weaver named Bolivia (yes, just like the country). She took us to her house to show us her loom and wheel, and if I had been thinking I would have written down their Qichwa names when she shared them with us.

on my way south again!

Back to Peru, land of yarn and spinning and alpacas...it's my own little piece of heaven! I will also visit some friends in Chile and Ecuador, just to see what those countries have to offer fiber lovers. An old friend from my first trip (4 years ago) is currently part of a exposition with his amazing weavings and knittings...check him out. I have been waiting over a year to sneak back down south, and now I have 18 days to enjoy myself!

Mom's Birthday Cowl

Here is yet another example of my inability to walk away from the classic Feather and Fan stitch. I loved the two yarns together, and wanted a simple pattern that showed the beautiful drape of the Alpaca Silk and the glittery softness of the Kid Mohair, and because I am a creature of habit, the feathers and fans just fell off my needles in less than two days from yarn purchase to wet blocking.

Yarn:
1 skein Fancy Image Limited Edition Sparkling Kid Mohair ,(200 yards, color Cream)
1 skein Blue Sky Alpaca Silk,(146 yards, color Wisteria)

Needles and Notions:
size 8 16"circular needle
stitch markers or safety pins
darning needle
scissors

Gauge:
Not critical, and I forgot to measure it before I gave the cowl away!

Pattern:
Feather and Fan Stitch in the Round (from Gaby Monson )
Round 1 and 2: Knit around
Round 3: *K2tog 3 times, (yo, k1)6 times, k2tog 3 times. Repeat from * around to beginning marker.
Round 4: Knit around

With one strand of both A and B held together, cast on 108 stitches.
Join, being careful not to twist stitches, and purl one round
Knit one round, placing a stitch marker every 18 stitches
Purl one round
Begin Feather and Fan stitch Pattern, work the 4 round repeat 12 times, ending after Round 4.
Purl one round
Knit one round
Purl one round
Bind off all stitches loosely (yet neatly)

weave in your ends, soak and block to get rid of the kinks and shape the scallops, wear and enjoy!

Disclaimer: Because I was so eager to give this away, I forgot to count how many repeats I did of the pattern and had to rely on counting rounds from my pictures...this is not an exact science, so just quit with the pattern when you are about five yards from running out of the Alpaca Silk, then follow the instructions for the garter end.
And here's my lovely mudder, wearing her cowl:

I should be humble....

but earlier this evening I was looking for the perfect pattern for the ONE skein of Malabrigo that is mocking me from its perch on the top of my yarn tower, so I went to the Malabrigo Yarn webpage. I searched patterns, and who should I see but me! My pattern is featured on their webpage, courtesy of Jimmy Beans Wool! If you could see me now, I am grinning like a fool. Silly knitter, shame on me, etc. etc. I think this is pride: not in the stuck up way, but in the my-kid-just-learned-to-tie-their-shoe way!

And so it goes...

Knitting is my favorite second thing to do. I love that I can knit while sitting through meetings, or while stuck in traffic on I-5. I can knit while waiting for the dentist to call me back, or while watching a movie. It is never the only thing I do, but it is always there and ready to keep my hands occupied while my brain, eyes, or mouth are also otherwise occupied.

Lately, I feel like I haven't done that much knitting, but then today I took a peek at my recent projects. I have TWO pairs of socks going right now, one on size 2 needles and the other on size 4 needles-this should technically count as four projects, seeing as how I am knitting them using the two at a time method. I also found some fantastically colored acrylic yarn, very reasonably priced and just the right gauge for making that adorable Chiton Pullover from the latest issue of Knitscene. Because I have never worked with this yarn before, we'll see how it goes as far as drape and hand, but I am always up for a challenge. The belt is just cast on, with about two inches of garter into the necessary 55 inches.

Stay tuned, because I will post the pattern for mom's birthday present after Sunday, February 6th (once I have had a chance to gift it to her)!

that one day, when I lost a tooth and knit a sock...

so, the socks are finally done. So is my 30 year relationship with my baby tooth that the dentist decided was long overdue for removal. Thanks to extensive time in the waiting room yesterday, and then the residual effect of anesthesia making me useless in all other aspects of active life, I managed to finish knitting the socks that I started before Christmas. I used Jarbo Garn Raggi in color 1550, a basic top down short row heel pattern with stumpy toe because I lost track of my round count as soon as I started. I started with 48 stitches on size 6 needles, and hope that they fit. Here, take a look:
Also, this was not supposed to be shared until later, but I finished mom's birthday present:
If you promise not to tell her what it is, I promise to post the pattern on February 6th! For shopping purposes, you will need to gather a size 8 16"circular needle, one skein of Blue Sky Alpaca Silk and one skein of Fancy Image Limited Edition Sparkling Kid Mohair. Now, wait a few weeks and you will get to see it all!
On a side note, my curiosity has finally got the best of me and I started knitting two socks at a time on a circular needle-so far it is barely big enough for two toes, but I can see the benefit to knitting quickly... I found the pattern here, and am using Serenity Sock Yarn in colorway Teal Tease.

and another one!

Here's the Lion Brand Amazing "Arcadia" version of the convertible cowl. I finished last night and wore it to work today-already one coworker wants to learn the pattern!

And here's my attempt at an artistic shot of my new yarn swift, with the yarn for mom's birthday present. These pictures were taken at night without a flash, so the blur is because I had to hold the camera as still as possible....


I am going to knit using both yarns at the same time for a soft-fuzzy-sparkly blend, but in case you were wondering the yarns are Blue Sky "Alpaca Silk" in Wisteria, and Fancy Image "Limited Edition Sparkling Kid Mohair" Dyelot N173.

oops, forgot to mention....

Yesterday I gave my aunt Joyce her first knitting lesson! My Nanny Ruby, her mother, was a consistent knitter and when she passed away I was the one who inherited all the long aluminum needles that she used to keep aunt Joyce awake, with her peristent clickety-click-clickety-click. It was an honor to find another person in the family who wants to learn, and with all of her jet-setting-job-time spent in airports, airplanes, and hotels I think she will catch on quickly. I recommended my favorite beginner books (Stich n Bitch, One Skein), yarns (Universal, Fancy Image, Patons) and we knit garter swatches so she could practice casting on, knitting, and binding off. She kept both swatches so that she could have the visual reminder, and I anticipate receiving a long garter scarf next Christmas! (hint, hint)
I also used my crazy running around time on Saturday, between helping my sisters' family move and attending my nephews' basketball game, to run over to Churchmouse Tea and Yarn so that I could use my yarn bucks certificate to get some yardage for mom's upcoming birthday present. Pictures forthcoming, after February 6th, of course!

crocheted cowl...and then the doll

I made myself a little something. It's crocheted, and utterly easy even for a beginning crocheter like myself-I actually have already started on the next one! This is my new accessory of choice, since winter in the Northwest can't decide if it wants to get started, or be over with and I am tired of picking my scarf fringes out of my zipper. Here's the pattern. Mine was made from Bernat Mosaic in color Ninja, and the next one is being worked with Lion Brand Amazing in color Arcadia.



I also finished that reversible Cinderella doll I had been working on for Akira-it turned out so cute that I wish there was more princesses with multiple personalities so that I could knit them, too!

and then here's another nephew,Levi, sporting his green striped Christmas hat-they all turned out so darn cute!

hat, hat, who's got the hat?

some of the family....




...modeling their Christmas hats!!!
(okay, so it's only three of Jenni's kids and Dad, but at least it's a start)

until next year, Christmas knitting projects....

Whew, I am glad that is over! Not that I don't absolutely love the holidays, but now I can return to knitting for knittings sake and not for gifting sake! The holidays flew by in a blur of glitter and tissue paper and way too many cookies, and now it's time to get back down to business. My goal for the next year is to be more successful with my Etsy page, and start selling instead of knitting and squirreling away my projects until the next birthday, baby shower, or gifting opportunity.

As for all those projects I knitted up for holiday gifts, they were well received and much loved, immediately. On Christmas Day I had to pass out all the gift boxes to my nieces and nephews at the same time, and then let them open them up together so that no one saw what they were getting before they managed to get their gift. The little ones were of course the cutest, yanking on their cat hats and wearing them the remainder of the morning, and the older girls looked so much older in their berets. The boys were absolutely certain that I had used lots of green yarn in their hats, but explaining self striping yarn to an 8 year old and a 10 year old is nearly impossible. On Christmas Eve I whipped out a quick beanie in blue Sprout cotton yarn and silver Vannas Choice, because my brother informed me that his girlfriend and her 5 year old daughter would be celebrating Christmas with us, and I didn't want Trinity left out of the little kids Christmas hat frenzy.

My sister Jenni gave me my own yarn swift for Christmas, and some yarn (easily the best gift of all), so now I need to find a table clamp and take the swift out for a spin. She also crocheted up the Convertible Cowl for our youngest sister, which I absolutely loved, and just last night I braved the day-after-Christmas crowds and bought myself a crochet hook so that I can give this project a try.

Once I have had the time to go through Christmas pictures and find ones of the kids modeling their new hats, I will get them posted.

baby duck and others....

One of my co-workers is awaiting the arrival of her first granddaughter, and had asked me to create a baby hat using Oregon Ducks colors. Of course, I was just so inspired by the hat that I had to make booties to match! They turned out adorable, and of course using Fancy Image Yarn mixed with a little bit of sparkly silver Vanna yarn. The ducks uniform is green and yellow with silver wings on the shoulders, so I think the combination was perfect.


Now I am working on a special Christmas set for another co-worker, who will be gifting it onto her daughter. No pictures yet, because it is a surprise!

It's Official!

I will be at the Hawks Holiday Happening this Saturday, along with my sister Jenni and whatever she decides to bring to sell! If you are in the Olympia area, come by and see me!!!

things I made over the weekend...

no, there is no energy drinks or sleepless nights involved. I was oncall for work in Port Townsend, so I WISELY used my time to sew like a mad woman and make some more fun stuff to sell at the Hawks Holiday Happening. Marissa and I did some undercover idea shopping in downtown PT on Saturday, looking for cool things that we could attempt to recreate while sneaking snacks from all the Holiday Open House businesses. My knits are coming along too, but you can't really tell because I am such a procrastinator that I wait until the last minute to do the finish work. That will cause sleepless nights.
However, it must be said that no matter how inexpensive the fabric, I will NEVER NEVER NUNCA MAS shop at JoAnns on Black Friday. Kayla and I thought it would be easy peasy, in and out, quickest stop of the night-into-morning that we were slogging through, but NO! we were forced to wait 3 hours just to get 5 yards of fabric for me and a new table easel for her. 3 hours. In JoAnns. After we had already wasted hours of our morning both indoors and outdoors standing in lines. It was rough. And who really needs 85 yards of flannel anyways? Are you planning on making 15 king-size quilts by Christmas?
10 yards or less line. That would have been nice. Maybe I will fill out a comment card.
As you can see, I finished the leaf cowl. Haven't yet decided if I will sell it or gift it, but I do love the colors of this yarn.

oh, the holidays!

Holy Moley it's been awhile! I can only blame the long workweeks and the numerous weekend trips to frigid chilly Jefferson County football fields to support my nephews team, PT Braves(B Squad, #1)Those little darlings won the championship this past weekend, and tomorrow will play the Battle of the Bridge against the reigning Kitsap County team. I have been attempting to knit while at the games, but it is either too cold to have my fingers out or I have some small niece or nephew sitting on my lap attempting to tangle themselves in my yarn...
IN any case, before last weeks game Rhapsody and I walked over to A Dropped Stitch where I stocked up on some Universal yarns-Classic Shades and Dolce Merino. The lady was so patient with Rhapsody wandering around and touching everything, the knitted toys and samples, etc.
The most recent knit is a new Odessa hat using more Fancy Image, and a couple more hats in various colors using up leftover skeins.

I have also been doing a lot of sewing, with mom showing her newest flax seed bag to everyone at work, I have made three more for her co-workers. I am still considering renting booth space at the Hawks Prairie Holiday Happening to sell some gift-ish items on December 4th, possibly make some extra holiday money?

here's some new pictures!

I finished the crochet hat, it's luv-erly! And once I had realized that there was no way I had enough of the green and gray and black yarns to knit a third hat, I cast on using some old Mountain Colors sock weight (still in green) to make the hat for Levi. I also used the leftover Fancy Image Yarn in blue to make a random hat-still need to decide who it's for! Take a peek:

I have also been playing with my sewing machine again, this time I made a sleeve for my laptop using some recently scored navy blue kimono-style fabric from Goodwill-eleven yards for 3.99!

how about just a picture....or three?

I just recently had my SLR camera cleaned and replaced the batteries. It's been awhile for me, so I played with some things around my house, snapping shots of silliness like a yarn bouquet and one of my hats stretched over a lamp...