Purly Twirly

Viola

2011-03-01T19:57:00.000-05:00

I'm such a fan of her work. I comment on her blog every now-and-then(ish), but I read every time she writes. Her daughters are pretty models that seem so appreciative of their moms' hard work at knitting things. Their nonchalant poses sell her product very well!

I'm so in love with the three perfectly coordinated tints of this periwinkle colorway. I tried so hard, but I wasn't able to join in on the club to knit this with the others. Now it's available for us all to knit and enjoy! Uh, it's just so pretty!

If you haven't read any of Through The Loops' writing, or if you haven't tried any of her projects, you're in for a happy surprise. You're bound to enjoy it all!

New wool

2011-02-09T22:25:00.000-05:00

My new 5' x 8' Chevron Rug is absolutely fabulous. It's charcoal gray, which is an extension of one of my favorite colors out there. But it's got little hints of ecru showing through in the low loop of the high-loop/low-loop pattern. Which makes it even better.

Looooooooove iiiiiiiiiiit!*

westelm.com delivered quickly (3 days after order was placed) regardless of the fact that they were in the midst of taking inventory in their warehouses, and I was even told about that before I ever even placed my online order. Way to be on the ball about important details for online shoppers, west elm! Your detailed warning about the possible delay of order confirmation via email as well as actual product delivery was really appreciated. I'm one happy customer and I'll be back to order some of these and definitely a set of these as a jewelry catch on my bathroom counter, or some wall decor in the dining room! My Ben Moore Revere Pewter walls could use some more lemon yellow art! (That picture with the two white slip covered armchairs is pretty much spot-on as far as what the color actually looks like, fyi.) Oooo yeah.

Please:
- ignore the crooked lamp shades.
- forgive the old ugly braided country style rug that's folded and piled up next to the red covered sofa table. It's next to the front door and on its way to a new and loving home on Friday.
- and this is a pretty-please: appreciate the fact that I straightened and even dusted off the coffee table and all its contents for this here photograph.
- admit that you've also got swatches draped over your lamp shades. I'm not that crazy, am I?
- ignore that the two sofa tables aren't the same height, so the two lamps aren't the same height. Which I HATE and must fix soon now.
- choose to look past my cheesy decision to prop the recently-finished Pup Beatnik up against one of the sofa pillows. I regret it, but couldn't pass up the posed pup (again, *).
- admire the framed photo of the interior of Notre Dame in Paris I snapped on June 7, 2008 in an impromptu picture-taking contest between me and the Hubs. Obviously, I won!
- encourage me to discard those magazines once I've fingered through them eight times. Because eight is enough.
- look past the computer tower jammed between the legs of the nesting sofa tables. It's literally jammed in there.
- be jealous of my suede wedges.
- pray that I don't kick the Hubs out to sleep here tonight again because he refuses to sleep in silence. The guy must get a kick outta snoring, because it's apparently worth him sleeping under the hot pink Snuggie on the sofa!

This new wool has brought class, warmth, geometry, and sophistication to our living room. Which I'm totally proud of, because I picked it out and purchased it without the Hubs really knowing what was going on other than me telling him that we're totally getting rid of this ole crumb collector ASAP. Sometimes, when you've had enough of something you don't appreciate, you've just. Had. Enough. New wool... I love it.

*Vespa's precious little pup pose was 100% asking kindly to go outside for a bathroom break because she knew I was off the sofa and didn't have a knitting project in my hands so I would most likely be willing to open the door and let her out without forcing her to "gimme kissy!" (Yes, that's one of her tricks.) And I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to snap this shot! Come on and admit that you wish you had a dog this cute. And if you do have a dog this cute, please show her off. And also, please admit that she also requests one (or three) extra water bowls around the house in addition to her regular by-the-food-in-the-kitchen water bowl, including one next to the coffee table in the living room and one on the nightstand for midnight sips.

Send in the model!

2011-02-05T13:47:00.000-05:00

Because I'm obsessed with everything about the show Project Runway (did you know that about me?), I asked Vespa to present a little model fitting for me a couple nights ago.

She huffed and puffed and dug a cave into the down comforter I had piled on the sofa next to me. Little Miss Thang likes to bury herself and sleep in little spots that could likely result in us sitting on her if we're not careful about it.

Anyway, the fitting went really well! I can tell I'll want to do a little extra finishing work around the arms, and I'll definitely want to tack down the turtleneck fold so that it stays where it should. I'm even considering the addition of a little belt around the middle, just for vanity's sake (because if you knit cables, you know what it means to accidentally skip a row in your chart, and I did, thus the one-row-looks-like-crap effect around her midsection). But other than that the fit was perfect! Whew. This is a lot of work for a little dog sweater, so I'm glad it's working out so well.

Oh. Speaking of working out well, there is one flaw in the sweater, if you'd even call it that. I got the sweater onto Vespa because I attacked while she was sleeping. Poor thing woke up to Mama squeezing her lanky little poodle legs through the armholes. But try getting a cranky little prissy pup out of the thing! These directions don't call for any buttons, snaps, ties, or other means of putting a snug sweater onto a resistant furry little creature who can twist and wiggle her little body in a number of ways to both frustrate you and make you laugh at the same time. It sort of reminds me of Bridget trying to dress up her precious little dog Wednesday (she loved the Adams Family) into a bunny costume on the terrible tv show The Girls Next Door. Vepsa didn't take things as far as Wenny did, but she came pretty close... up until she decided to give me a girly little high-pitched whimper-slash-growl and nip at my fingertips.

She definitely likes the sweater, though.

Vespa's (almost) Beatnik

2011-02-01T19:39:00.000-05:00

This is Vespa's chin. Vespa's getting excited. She's about to attack me with kisses because I just told her that it's looking like I'm finally about to power through to the end of her new Beatnik sweater. And that means she's gonna be warm and I'll get back to my own Beatnik before long at all.

Beatnik for Vespa

2011-01-20T21:36:00.001-05:00

It's still chilly as can be outside, and however cute it may be with its hot pink lining and rhinestone belt, poor little Vespa just hates the velcro closures on her $9 WalMart fur-lined doggy jacket -- they're itchy on her undercarriage. She is, after all, known by her sissy Shiloh (aka Posh Spice) as Sporty Spice. Which means: no rhinestones required for this chick.

That's it, I couldn't take it. I have officially started what I threatened in my previous little blip: I've cast on the Fabulous Dog Cozy and in lieu of the pattern maker's chosen cable design, I'm adding in the center cable pattern (Chart B) from Beatnik. Which makes my heart flutter just a little bit. My sweet little Vespa dressed just a little like me? Plus a turtleneck top? How cute is that? That's exactly what I said: very.

Easy reading

2011-01-12T21:16:00.000-05:00

Finally getting around to opening this tonight. It's a very good sign when I'm in love with the front cover and the back cover.

Vespa isn't quite as thrilled to delve in. She's more interested in staying cozy and warm inside the skirt of my hot pink Snuggie. Can you blame her? I surely can't! Even though we didn't get the ice and snow (and more ice and more snow) that they got in Macon and above that, it's still frickin' freezing here and this little pup doesn't like the cold. Maybe I should set Beatnik aside and knit up a quick Fabulous Dog Cozy for her so I might have my lap back?

Starting the New Year off right

2011-01-09T18:34:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! I feel refreshed and ready for a challenge.

So, I cast on Beatnik from Knitty's Deep Fall issue and I am totally wild about it already. The moss stitch is such a simple contrast to all those pretty cable twists. I can't wait to get this one finished, blocked, and on my body! What a treat I'm making for myself.

The yarn is Cascade 220 in color Aspen Heather. It's a beautiful combination of a very light beige mixed with a very light gray -- so, it's right up my alley!

I'm so pleased with the color and the fabric that this yarn is making. I'll post more pictures and comments as the project grows. For now, here she is:

A big storm is on its way here to Georgia. We're probably only getting a lot of rain down here, because we're south enough and the temperature is a few degrees too mild. But up in middle Georgia and north Georgia, they just might have some big slip-n-slide action going on with inches of ice on the roads and snow on the ground. It's times like these you need a warm wool sweater to cuddle up into and enjoy the winter whiteness outside!

Keep warm everyone. See you again soon.

2010-10-26T23:06:00.001-04:00

The Great Fiber Heist

2010-09-11T14:46:00.000-04:00

In the Ravelry Forum Funnies...

http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/fairbanks-fiberistas/1236767/1-25#1

These girls found some black gold, Texas tea!

Cute as a motnet!

2010-08-31T20:29:00.000-04:00

Well, guys, it's official. I was a real person in Round 2 of my Ravelry exchange group and have received a package in my mailbox as of this afternoon!

I grew up listening to my little sister talk about some of her favorite things in the world. Sometimes the hold your clothes together, sometimes they light up, sometimes they click, sometimes they buzz. One of my little sister's favorite words growing up wasn't even a real word at all: motnet! And what is a motnet, you might ask? Why, it's a button, of course! (By the way, that's pronounced in a typical Georgia southern accent, maht-nit with a soft o and a soft i.)

My scarf came out of its packaging and pretty much exploded into my hands. It's totally cute... cute as a button! It's all different shades of purple, from plum to lavender to a really rich and pretty grape-ish color. Now I'm gonna say this like Oprah: "LOOOOOOOOOOVE IIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!!!"

There were also a few treats in the package as a little bonus gift for me. I know, lucky me! There were two boxes of fruity-flavored teas, and the icing on the cake was another motnet. This time, quite literally. It's a ring decorated with three stacked motnets, and they all match my cute-as-a-motnet ruffle scarf! I know, it's totally perfect, right?

Thanks thanks thanks to Ladybug888 for pulling through like a truly kind, totally cool Canadian knitter would do.

Happy 3rd Anniversary to my Hubster and me!

2010-07-29T17:30:00.000-04:00

From the lyrics of our first-dance song, "I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow."

A little bit of progre... ooops!

2010-07-28T10:00:00.000-04:00

When I started my 2nd repeat of the pattern for the top tab of the Quinn Bag, I accidentally skipped Row 1. Apparently, Row 1 is the row in the pattern that does the work of crossing the center cables over each other, so that step got skipped. Ooops! The Hubster suggested doing that as a part of the pattern so now I'm skipping Row 1 every other repeat.

Looks like this little mistake is working out beautifully! And, I'm really enjoying the process of knitting cables. Not only is it stimulating and a bit complicated for me, but it's also fun to be making something that's both flat and 3-dimensional. Oh, and it doesn't hurt at all that I'm also crossing off another "I wanna learn this" off my New Year's resolutions list!

2010-07-28T09:32:00.000-04:00

I've been absent from this blog for a long time. Let's just get that past us and marvel at what I'm teaching myself right now! This is by far accomplishing one of my New Year's resolutions in knitting: learning to knit cables!!!

A few months ago I visited a yarn shop for my first-ever time! I went with my BFF Chelsea in Macon, Georgia and purchased three balls of this Spud & Chloe yarn in the color you see below called flannel as well as one that's a sort of heathered paprika color called sequoia. It's so chunky that it would be nearly impossible to knit a flattering sweater with it. Plus, I'd need tons more of the yarn than I have right now. And at $13.40 a ball, that's not very likely to happen with my budget right now.

But why not make a killer bag? I could use a handmade purse. And a big one. There's enough of this stuff to go very far and make a beautiful bag! So, I set out to find a pattern and found the perfect one for free. I know, big plus there. The pattern for the Quinn Bag shows cables all over, which is very pretty, but I found sknitty's version of the same bag posted online and loved it even more than the original.

Original: Modified:

It's only one round of cables at the top opening to frame off the rest of the bag which is simple and pretty. It seemed like the perfect beginner's project that wouldn't fatigue me too much on this attempt at a new-to-me knitting technique.

Excuse the lazy Sunday afternoon nightgown and un-manicured hand with a weird amount of wrinkles on my thumb. Here's what I'd done so far Sunday since I'd started the project:

Smart cardigans

2010-06-23T22:40:00.000-04:00

Here's just a few of my recent finds. Enjoy!

Rorschach Sweater. It's amazing what a chic neckscarf, smart pixie haircut, and lush backdrop of ferns can do for a simple cardigan. This is such a classic, originally published in 1981!

Mossy Featherweight Cardigan. This looks very light, easy, and comfortable for lounging or out-and-abouting. I already had the Featherweight Cardigan stashed in my favorites, but DutchesofYarnover's addition of this trim is so lovely. She gives away her edging secret in her notes, if you're interested.She chose a nice color for her project, too, I think. It would also be pretty in a rosy pink or ivory. Oooo, or black. Anyway, whatever color I knit this in, I've gotta go ahead and knit it up already. It's been waiting around

for a while.

Luminens hoodie. While I could live without the high schooler's thumb-holes at the sleeve cuffs, the rest of this hoodie is so interesting to me! The cabled trim wraps from the hood, down either side of the zipper on the front panel, opens up to make pockets along the bottom, and swooshes around the waist to the back. It looks almost elven, like Liv Tyler would have worn it to lounge around her palace in the movie Lord of the Rings.

Myrtle cardigan. Just look at that pretty eyelet scoop neckline! And all those pearly green buttons. And all those climbing vines! Am I accidentally all about some green here tonight, or what?

103-1 Jacket. Fragilistica did a great job with color on this one. And the buttons are a very nice and understated finishing touch. Love the cuffs on this one. The second pose below makes me wonder what the jacket would look like with buttons all the way down, tied around the waist with a same-yarn belt.

Of course, Ysolda always steals my heart! I have another of her sweet, whimsical masterpieces on my shelf of things to knit. I love that this looks like old-timey smocking. Something's telling me this would be pretty in green. Like, a bright grassy green. Or in a soft, buttery yellow. Mmmm, yellow. (I think hippoknits has a little one at home... if I'm seeing the tv in the background correctly, that's Thomas the Tank Engine!)

Annnnnnnd, I'm sleepy. What do you wanna knit, but haven't started yet? Innything purdy?

I think I spoke too soon.

2010-06-03T21:28:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's totally frogged. And no, I don't wanna talk about it.

Annnnnnnnnd, redo.

Knitted Lace of Estonia: the book and a project

2010-06-01T21:18:00.000-04:00

So, spirit fingers! I made the blog all cute and Springy and bright and cheerful. But what good does that do if I don't actually contribute anything worth looking at and/or reading?

I'm here to say that even though I've been away for a really, really, really long time, I have actually been knitting. Not as much as I was a couple of months ago. Mostly because I work at a quilt shop three days a week and it's had a little bit of influence on my crafting and creating endeavors. But I have been knitting nonetheless.

Knitted Lace of Estonia is a beautiful book and I am very happy that I bought it on a whim from Borders back in February. Stuffed with a rich history behind the making of original lace creations by women of Estonia, this book offers tons of patterns that are challenging, fun, and breathtakingly beautiful. It's really fun for me to be knitting something that is totally challenging for me... it's keeping me on my toes every step of the way! But, at the same time, I totally get it - the instructions are flawless, and that makes everything doable. In keeping with my 2010 New Year's resolution, I am knitting from a chart for the very first time. GO ME!!!

I'm knitting a scarf for the fearless leader of my aforementioned knitting swap group on Ravelry.com. The yarn I selected for him reminds me of the colors in a peacock's tail feathers - teal, navy, black, and gold - and this pattern suits the yarn well.

As I dive more into the progress of this scarf, I'll be updating more here. I'm liking the look of this one so far, and I'm sure I'll be ready to show off my work once this thing grows some more. Until then, let's all try and forget that this project was supposed to be finished waaaaaay back when... yeah, I try not to think about that. And, instead, I'm looking at the scarf I'm knitting and hoping it will be well worth the wait.

Until more progress is made, I'll try a little harder to keep in touch.

Much love to knitter-bloggers everywhere!

Last sneek peek

2010-04-06T22:08:00.000-04:00

I'll be sending this pop of Springtime inspiration to its rightful owner tomorrow!

Seed stitching a secret

2010-03-25T16:15:00.000-04:00

As mentioned in my previous entry, I ordered yarns for round 2 of the Scarf Exchange that I'm always raving about lately. Have I mentioned how much fun it is? Have I mentioned that I love it? Well, it is, and I do.

A couple of weeks ago, the leader of the group expressed sad concerns that he had accidentally left himself out of the automated random name draw for this round of the swap. How tragic is that? The guy organizing everything, the guy walking so many of us swap virgins through the proper steps, has accidentally left himself out of the benefits of the whole thing! So, I just couldn't stomach it. I asked to knit something for him, and I'm so excited about it! But because he already knows who's knitting for him and because I have already pictured the yarns I purchased on el blog-o, I'll keep the pattern selection a surprise. Gotta keep something a secret, right? I have a few other things in the works for him, but let's not go there until things are revealed in the end. ;)

As for my "real" Secret Scarfee, the yarn for the thing I am knitting her was ordered from the same supplier on the 20th and arrived yesterday. Needless to say, I started knitting last night just as soon as I had finished my supper. Because she doesn't know who I am, I'll go ahead and share the secrets. First of all, this yarn!!! My goodness, this yarn is sooooo pretty. It's a hand spun, hand painted 100% cotton that is incredibly soft. And the colors are so Springy. Pastel pink and orange and green and yellow and a creamy white. It's like a sorbet. How unintentional and perfectly whimsical!

For the project, I'm knitting my own variation of the Destroyed Cowl by Martha Merzig. Rather than straight stockinette stitch, I opted to stick to as much of a Spring theme as I could and traded in for seed stitch. Real cute, I know. I've been wanting to knit something in seed stitch, and this presented a great opportunity to do so! I'm also making this version a bit shorter than the sample pictured on the pattern page... about half the size, but twice the cuteness!

A Sense of Whimsy

2010-03-20T22:15:00.000-04:00

Sorry to everyone out there. I know that my millions of blog fans have been complaining about my absence here. I've been busy. Or lazy. Or sometimes... brace yourselves... busy and lazy. At the same time. I know, I know--that just blew your mind. I'm like Garfield and The Tazmanian Devil all squished into one person sometimes here lately. And I still somehow managed to find the time to paint my toenails the other night.

So. Of course, after my beautiful success in swapping partners (both Scarfer and Scarfee) from the Secret Scarf Exchange: Round 1, I undoubtedly jumped at the opportunity to do it all over again. But with a new Scarfer and a new Scarfee this time around. I am very sad to let my Scarfer go because she made the most beautiful and most perfectly colored eggplant purp cowl just for me. If you missed it, then I guess you haven't been missing my absence because it was kind-of a big deal. If you saw it, then I'm sure you're super jealous and hoping YOU signed up for Round 2: A Sense of Whimsy and were randomly selected to be her partner. But listen here: she is so sneaky and such a great secret-keeper that she still has not revealed her identity! I know, I'm impressed with her stamina too. Hopefully she'll give out soon and claim the purple masterpiece I wear around my neck with a camisole and yoga stretchy pants around the house at night. Hey, my dog doesn't judge, she loves unconditionally... and my husband chuckles and gives a quick-and-disapproving shake of the head and goes about his computer-clicky business. I was also lucky enough to have been assigned to a grateful Scarfee. As soon as she received my scarf gift at her home in Portugal she posted thanks on Ravelry and that really made the whole experience worth-while for me.

Now I'm looking forward to getting started on my next endeavor: Round 2. I mentioned in a thread of the group that I'll be posting little teasers and clues and hints about what I'm knitting and who I'm knitting for and what tricks I may have up my sleeve. I'm trying to keep the theme of "A Sense of Whimsy" in as much of the project as possible... and I find it to be a whimsical project, teasing other knitters about a project that may or may not be for them. So, be sure to check in on a fairly regular basis. I'm gonna be pretty busy on a couple of knitting projects, and sneaky... er, whimsical... about it to boot!

For now, the yarn has been ordered and is officially on the move. I found a lovely selection of handspun/handpainted yarns at Birds Nest Yarns on Etsy, and here's what's on its way to my house right now:

The light and fruity pastels are just lovely, no? Make you crave a cold sorbet snack, maybe? (I could definitely go for a lemon sorbet myself.) I can't wait to touch the soft handspun organic cotton tecture. And the rich, coolish-warm gray/teal/gold Merino looks yummy in its own handsome way, dontchathink?

Enough for tonight. I'll keep going on this topic once the yarns arrive on my little newlywed starter home doorstep.

2010-03-08T21:42:00.000-05:00

Every day, since the 27th of February, I have been skipping out to our little rusty mailbox with giant hopes of opening the wobbly little hinged door and finding a package in there just for me. The New Year Secret Scarf Exchange (Round 1) ended on the 27th, and I could hardly contain my excitement while waiting for my surprise to arrive!

It pretty much broke The Hubster's heart every day, when I would come back into the house with hands full of sale papers, coupon papers, bills, newspapers, and magazines and sit down to the kitchen table and quietly open everything with the un-excitedness of an every-day mailbox visit. Leave the house hopeful and excited that a package may have arrived, and come back inside with nothing but bills! How could this not be depressing?!?

So, tonight The Hubs got home before I did. He left work a few minutes early with a headache, and I left the quilt shop a few minutes late because of a couple of lingering customers. I came inside, loved on little Vespa pup, and tended to Hubster's sore forehead. When, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a hot pink package in the seat of the Barcalounger and my heart jumped! I looked at The Hub and he just nodded at me with a smile on his face. Yup, IT WAS HERE!!!!!!!!

"Looks like you got Royal Mail," he said to me as I bounced and squealed for joy. I didn't even touch the package for a couple of minutes... like it was sacred or something, haha. I just looked at it and folded my fingers together, resting my face on the back of one of my hands like I was dreaming or something. Then I picked it up, squeezed it, jumped for joy and squealed with excitement for a few more minutes. It was like Christmas morning!

Then I looked at the mailing label. Sure enough, the parcel was actually stamped "Royal Mail" like the Queen sent it herself! Then I contemplated saving the package until later tonight to open.

Wait. What was that last thought? Craziness?!? I thought so. And so the package was ripped.

Here's what I found inside:

Ca-UUUUUTE little lamb letter from my "Secret Scarfer"

And this was the main event... BEAUTIFUL!!!

Here's a close-up of my Scarfer's beautiful handiwork. Please forgive the evening lamp light effects: it's a beautiful eggplant color, exactly perfect for me!

Here I am, happy-as-can-be, wearing my new cowl. Be jealous.

Husband's request #1: "Be sure to get a traditional MySpace photo shot!"

Husband's request #2: "You look like a ninja ready to strike at any moment. Show the camera a little bit'a judo chop action!" And so I did. Looks like you got the stink eye, too. (Please-please-please ignore the naked wall to the right, as it's the space above our sofa... we're newly-ish-weds who have just-ish moved into our first home and I don't have anything to hang there yet!)

So, there you have it. I got a cowl via Royal Mail and it's the most perfect shade of eggplant purp. And, what's that? What did you get in the mail? Coupons and junk mail and bills? Yeah, I judo chop in your general direction. Heh.

(But really, I value my blog readers, so I don't "literally" judo chop in your general direction. I'm just ensuring my superiority in this case, since I got a kick-ass cowl and you didn't. Love ya!)

Oooo, fancy pants.

2010-03-03T21:47:00.000-05:00

Please excuse the gumbledy-gook and slight dizziness as I play around with a little bit of Flash/html/Javascript for my little Ravelry squares in the sidebar.

Thanks to sarahspins for the starter code!

Check it out

2010-03-01T23:04:00.000-05:00

Something I read tonight really got me thinking.

My husband likes to joke around and tease me that I'm aging before his eyes as I sit on the sofa and knit. And as I exclaim, "Oh! Look at these sweet little apron patterns I can sew up!" But in the end, after his teasing at me, he really seems to love that I knit and sew and enjoy other home making crafts. He loves to peek over from his Barcalounger to check out how far down that Secret Scarf Exchange scarf I've gotten: "Only about a ping pong ball size amount of yarn left!" down to "Look! I finished the scarf perfectly--I only had 4" of yarn left over!"

I also work at a quilt shop, where home economics, crafting, home making, and other "olden days" hobbies are celebrated on a daily basis.

So, on to what I read tonight. Blogger Little Jenny Wren recently posted a blog entry that really hit home. We are special, rare, and important people as knitters. Appreciate yourself. Feel proud of yourself rather than "feeling crushed, feeling guilty, and a bit stupid." Knitting is a special talent and we should embrace it! Read the blog written by this knitter who lives in Tasmania (yeah, really!) and makes dolls, has a pet duck, and obviously embraces her crafting abilities!

All the way to... "???"

2010-02-24T19:26:00.000-05:00

So, I finished my New Year Secret Scarf Exchange scarf. And I'm pumped about it. Like, so pumped that even though I don't even particularly like the color blue, I wanna keep the thing. I think she puuuuurdy. Here she is, in all her shriveled glory, about 24.7 seconds after I bound off. I modeled her on the white blanket under a white-ish lamp and grabbed my camera before blocking began.

Then I blocked, using my favorite SOAK scent (flora) and straightened, rolled, and squeezed the best I could into this towel:

Then, of course, I blocked. BLOCK, PEOPLE!!! Look at the difference in this and the following photos compared to the first two above. It's amazing how blocking TOTALLY MAKES your knitting pop!

Kick-ass red fingernails getting the job done right:

Pinned and ready to dry overnight:

Not sure why I look so sneaky with my perky little lips here. But the tousled hair and rosy cheeks are pure I-totally-just-woke-up material. As soon as I smooched Hubster goodbye for the day (I head to work after he does), I unpinned, wrapped, and photographed the heck outta this scarf. I love her, she's gorge! And I hope my scarfee, all the way in Scarfee-land does, too.

The palm of my hand is bruised, but...

2010-02-17T22:35:00.001-05:00

(Whew, I was beginning to think that Blogger thought my knitting was too fug to allow any photos of it to be published. Turns out, it just takes FOREVER for my pictures to upload and I forgot about that since the last time I shimmy'd here at PurlyTwirly was about a week-and-a-half ago. Sorry, I'll be better! Please ignore the lighting by lamp. I wanted to write this tonight, which meant no natural light to show true color. But we'll get there as the projects progress, promise.)

So, I have been keeping myself really busy in my spare time lately with plenty of yarn on the needles. Ysolda seems to be a bit of a muse for me. Aside from her lovely wavy blonde hair and timeless pretty face and charming bloggy wit, she's got a genius pattern planning brain. I have three projects in the works that are of her sweet, whimsical design. I should have just gone ahead and purchased her first book, Whimsical Little Knits, but I couldn't bare to wait for it to be delivered. So, I purchased the instant pdf download of her Poppy and got to work immediately. Now, I have two Poppys ready for their debut. But for now, just in case anyone who actually knows me in real life decides to be sneaky and lookyloo over here before these darlings can be gifted, I'll only be sharing a snippet. Here's the one (she's the blonde, for Miss Addison) who isn't packed away for the drive up for giveaway. I still cuddle on her. I'll still be sad when they're both out of my hands. She waves hi.

The third project by Ysolda is one that I've got on the plastic size US6 needles: Elijah the elephant. I can't wait to pick up the stitches necessary to make those big, floppy ears on the sides of that huge head! I love the yarn I'm using from my stash, Lion Brand's Cotton Ease in color 11 Lake. It's a great-looking muted grayish blue and I'm really happy with how it's knitting up. It's pretty firm and sturdy, which makes for a great stuffed animal yarn because his little stuffed animal guts aren't squishing through the loops (so sorry for the graphic nature of that sentence!).

And finally, of course, is an update on my New Year Secret Scarf Exchange scarf. Y'all. I am truly in love with this pattern, Branching Out by Susan Lawrence (and it's published over there at knitty.com). It's very pretty. It's growing (seemingly) quickly. It's just easy enough to keep me proud of myself for totally getting it, and just tough enough to keep me working at it, because honestly, I don't know what the heck I'm doing. To attend to my super-secret scarfee's preferences, I selected a heathered dark blue yarn, Elsebeth Lavold's Silky Wool in color 95. While it's not my favorite color, I will admit that it is a very lovely yarn. Indeed! And, yes, I bunched it up on purpose so that you couldn't really see anything. I'm very, very sneaky.

The palm of my hand is bruised because my genius boss (owner/mogul of SuzannesQuilts.com (check out the blog, SuzannesQuilts.com/blog! (yes, that was a shameless plug for the blog I keep at work, and yes, this is a TRIPLE parentheses, thankyouverymuch!))) decided that for Fat Tuesday, we'd have a "Buy 20, get 10 free" sale on all fat quarters in the shop. That means that for all of my Monday, all.I.did.all.day.long. was cut fat quarters! And, well, the rotary cutter, cupped in the center of the palm of my hand, decided to go ahead and bruise it while it was there. Have you ever had a bruise on the dead-center of the palm of your dominant hand? It sucks. Wiggle your thumb. Ouch. Wiggle your fingers. Youch! Pick something up. You guessed it. So I'm knitting a little slower than my typical slow knitter self, but I'm still truckin' along! GO TEAM USA!!!

What's on your hot little knitter needles?

Got it all worked out

2010-02-04T10:55:00.001-05:00

For those of you who have been fretting, stressing, pacing the room, and worrying about that ugly little mess I recently shared... well, you can rest assured that things are gonna be a-okay. The emergency surgery took many hours to complete and there were two minor setbacks (the yarn broke twice while I was tugging at it not-so-ginger-like), but in the end the yarn was saved!

I'm a happy knitter now, lace-ing away on my Branching Out Scarf for my secret-secret scarfee.

New Year Secret Scarf Exchange

2010-01-30T21:19:00.001-05:00

So, I am a part of my very first ever exchange, and I just sort of fell into a group that I'm absolutely loving. I'm really enjoying being a part of a semi-somewhat community. I like knitting something for someone who will appreciate the work that has gone into making it, and I absolutely love the fact that someone out there that I don't even know is making something just for me.

I was especially pumped to have found what I thought was the perfect color yarn for the gal I was assigned in the secret exchange--a dark heathered blue made of a wool and silk blend. It was soft, supple, and was knitting up beautifully. That is, until this afternoon. This yarn met an ill fate indeed.

You see, I got this great idea to suppress my PMS oh pitiful me feelings and make myself some brownies. I found a recipe here at Smitten Kitchen today that promised to make some good, rich, delicious brownies and decided to give it a try. Hey, why not? I already had all the necessary ingredients, plus plenty of milk to wash it all down with a smile.

Well, to get the recipe into the kitchen with me, that meant the laptop needed to come sit on the counter. And, since the battery didn't really want to cooperate long enough for me to finish the 20 minutes of cocoa and sugar and butter melting preparation on the stovetop, I needed the power cord.

Of course, I had been knitting on my secret scarf for my secret exchange buddy before I got up to make the brownies, and the laptop had the pattern pulled up on the screen. When the power cord was brought to the kitchen, the yarn (which had been resting on a portion of the cord) got tangled and mangled and incredibly discombobulated. It was enough to make any knitter sick. And, yes, I know that I should have rolled the yarn into a ball as soon as I unpacked it from the mail wrapping. But I just wanted to get started already!

So, this is what I am left with now:

A mangled disaster of fibers, all knotted up in a mess of I'll-never-get-this-untangled-ness. And a portion of a scarf that could have turned out beautifully. No-no-no, the yarn is too far gone. She has been taken off life support and we're just waiting for the trash pick-up Monday at 7:00am.

Now, I've planned a trip to Valdosta tomorrow afternoon, just a short 45 minute drive down the road, to buy some emergency get-back-to-it yarn so that I can officially get re-started.

yaaaaaaaaay.

Just block it already.

2010-01-24T14:28:00.000-05:00

I've posted a short tutorial on blocking here on Purly before, but I just found this incredible thread over on Ravelry and I thought I'd share it with anyone who might be out there and interested.

I'm a strong believer in blocking my projects. If you take the time to flip through even just a few pages of the link of that thread up there, you'll totally understand why it's so necessary to show off all that hard work!

My sweater, Desert Rose, before I blocked her:

Here she is after the bath, all stretched out and comfy, pinned to set the shape, and ready to shine:

Isn't she lovely?

Ravelry's 2nd Annual-ish Bobby Awards

2010-01-18T21:08:00.002-05:00

I've really had a lot of fun clicking through all of this year's Bobby Awards. I mean, a lot of fun. Knitters are so funny. I mean, really funny. And creative, funny, helpful, generous, funny, talented, and funny. Did I mention that knitters are funny?

My favorite Best Obscure Pattern

My favorite Best Use of Color in a Project:

My favorite Funniest Single Post

My favorite Best Use of Texture in a Project

My favorite Most Unusual Project

My favorite Funnies Project Title/Tag/Notes:

My favorite Best MacGyverism:

My favorite Funniest Thread

My favorite Best Group Name

My favorite Best Disaster:

My favorite Geekiest Pattern

My favorite Funniest UGH Picture

The whole lineup was super enjoyable. Thanks to the Ravelry Team for compiling such a comical, entertaining, eye-opening list of patterns, conversations, Ravelers, and projects. Okay, now I'm gonna go look again!

Dolce de Knit-che

2010-01-06T20:14:00.002-05:00

While this is in no way directly related to knitting, I just had to post this little linky below (you can click on her beautiful photo that I totally stole for the beautification of my little bloggy corner of the internet). It's not a pattern, but it is a recipe. It's not about fibers, but it is about ingredients. And it sure would be great to sip on, on a night this cold.

It's currently 37 degrees here! I wish I could make my font shiver, to express this chill-to-the-bone that I have. If anyone out there is listening, reading, knitting... how cold is it where you are? What are you knitting to keep warm? I'm finishing the second of two Poppy baby dolls tonight. They don't warm my toes, but they sure do warm my little knitter heart. Gosh, it's gonna be so unbelievably difficult to give these precious little knitted baby dolls to their little toddler mommies-in-waiting. I love to cuddle with them when I think Hubster isn't watching, but he's apparently caught me a few times patting a little baby doll bottom as its little self lies against my chest. They're such sweet little things, I am convinced I'll be making one for myself.

2010 Knitting Resolutions

2010-01-02T19:58:00.001-05:00

- Learn to read and knit by following a charted pattern
- Learn to knit with more than one color, aka fair-isle style
- Start supporting LYSs rather than trekking to the big-name stores for their convenience... plan projects, in detail, in advance
- Knit a special something for my sister to wear for her wedding in October
- Knit something special for myself
- Put the final, finishing touches on the two Poppy baby dolls I've been working on, and give them to their expectant toddler-mommies
- Finish the second half of the second one of my husband's Hedgerow Socks
- Make myself a pair of socks and/or slippers
- Start knitting the gifts I know I want to give to family and friends next Christmas (yeah, I already have a few ideas, patterns, or favorite-ed Ravelry pages) asap

Do you have any knit-specific resolutions for 2010?

A resolution for 2010

2010-01-01T22:48:00.000-05:00

Here's to a new year of happily knitting garments, toys, accessories, gifts, decorations, and anything else a knitter's heart might desire.

In 2010 I hope to keep up with PurlyTwirly a little better than I've been doing lately. I do love knitting. And I also love blogging (believe it or not). Why wouldn't I take more care of a blog that flourishes on my gushing about knitting projects? Before The Hubs gave me the bright idea of starting a strictly-knitting blog, I would share my knitting projects with a few family members and friends who would pop into my personal blog every now-and-then. Last year's resolutions included losing weight (whose resolutions don't include that one?), training our little puppy to behave around other animals and in public, and learning new knitting techniques... specifically, "learn to make laces, shapes, designs, colors, everything!!!"

Since January of 2009, I have actually learned a number of knitting techniques I wanted to learn. I made a sweater with lace in it (I named her Desert Rose although the original pattern is named Rusted Root). And, in making that sweater with lace detail in it, I learned to knit-in-the-round, I learned to knit something other than a scarf (because up until then, that's all I had ever knitted... and I'd been knitting for about 6 years!), I learned to make increases and decreases, I learned to read a pattern (including all the abbreviations and symbols), I learned about the importance of blocking and actually blocked my first knitted project. Oh, I learned a lot in 2009.

For 2010, two of my goals are to learn to knit from a chart, and to knit using more than one color. I have already purchased my year-end project's chart-pattern, A Family Portrait which can be found on Ravelry. (The designer, 2sticks, is super-nice, encouraging, positive, and quick to get back with you if you've got any questions about anything, so I highly recommend purchasing her patterns... support your fellow knitters!)

There is a short list of a few other knitting goals I've got, but I knew I wanted to go ahead and get this one out there in the open. It is, after all, January 1st of 2010, and what's the 1st of the year without sharing a new resolution?

This is not a dead blog.

2009-12-02T21:43:00.001-05:00

Yes, I am still here, believe it or not. Until tonight, I hadn't actually sat down with intentions of clicking through anything on the computer since the day before Thanksgiving... not even email!

As far as knitting blog-catch-up, I worked on the second sock from Hubby's "pair" of Hedgerow Socks whilst digesting Thanksgiving dinner, then Thanksgiving lunch, then another Thanksgiving lunch. Because I don't have a stitch of energy left in my feet today to go grab the camera from my purse, I'll just let you know that I'm about 5" down the tube of the sock. Go me for pushing through and making this a pair of socks, huh?

Another new project is quite a terrifying one indeed. I just recently purchased a beautiful pattern that I discovered during a "Christmas stocking" search on dear ol' Ravelry.com. The pattern is named Baby's First Christmas Stocking and it's part of a little family of patterns: A Family Portrait. I chose the baby pattern because I just liked the flower/snowflake overall design. It's a perk that this comes as a collection of three different-yet-similar stocking patterns. And the designer, 2sticks, is totally bright, friendly, and encouraging. Why encouraging? Because she kindly reassured me that I could totally...
... knit with more than one color at once...
... learn the Turkish cast-on technique...
... start these stockings from the toe and work up from there...
... annnnnd...
... follow a chart pattern.

Those are all new things for me! Woohoo for learning more new knitting stuff!!!

If 2sticks's predictions are right, these two stockings should be a breeze. I'll keep y'all filled in on the project, and on my progress, and let you know if 2sticks is indeed correct. :)

We're blocking over here!

2009-11-13T16:45:00.000-05:00

I've got the Pretty in Pink "Little Black Dress" pattern finished as much as it can be finished up to the blocking point. It's being blocked right now. Once it is set and dry, all I'll have left is to join the two pieces and stitch the little beads around the neck. I'm torn between pearls and beads. I've got both to choose from, and they would both make for sweet neckline adornments. Ah, choices!

Until I knitted my first sweater, Desert Rose, I never even knew about blocking. I wasn't aware there was anything to do with a knitted garment once it was finished except put it on and wear it proudly. It wasn't until I reviewed my pattern for that sweater for any lost bits of finishing tips (weaving in ends of yarn, finishing neckline, etc) that I saw these words: "Be sure to block your new sweater before you wear it!" I had no idea what "block your sweater" meant until I looked it up on Ravelry. WHAT! This was a big step, and once it was explained to me, I really understood its importance. After all, why would I spend so much time, effort, and cash on a beautiful sweater if I wasn't going to treat it well or care for it properly?

Because I was eager to start the blocking process as soon as I understood what it was, I didn't bother going out to a craft store or buying any blocking detergent online. I went straight for our pup's shampoo. It was soap-free, and gentle enough to not hurt her eyes when we washed her little face with it. And who wouldn't welcome a gentle rosemary-lavender scent coming from their sweater?

I tried to document everything as I blocked the Pretty In Pink pup sweater this morning. So, here's the blocking process according to me.

Because I work at a quilt shop that carries Soak brand detergent for crafters, I thought ahead and purchased a small sample of a scent that enticed me. As it turns out, it was a very subtle and neutral scent which I really like--nothing overwhelming or too perfume-y.

First, run your water in a clean sink and add in just enough detergent to suds it up a little bit. I use hot water, as hot as my hands can handle, just because I have this idea in my head that it will make the stitches more permanent and help to set them a little better.

Once you've got enough water in the sink to put your knitted piece in and be able to move it around plenty, go for it.

Don't be afraid to get your wool (or any other) fibers totally soaked. The other part of the blocking process will insure that your piece doesn't shrink. Squish it around in the water, making sure you get it really good and wet all over. This process will a) set your stitches into place by teaching them with the washing/drying process that this is where they belong. It'll also release any extra pigment that's still holding on. See how my water turned slightly pink?

Once you think you've squished it and swished it around in the sudsy water enough, rinse it out. VERY WELL. Be sure to get every stitch and every corner of both sides.

Once you're done rinsing, it's time to get all the excess water out. You want to squeeze. DO NOT WRING IT OUT!!! If you wring out the water, you'll also be stretching some stitches out while compressing other stitches, and that'll cause your finished knitted work to be distorted and all geeked up. I put this pup sweater in a ball in my hand and pressed down against the sink so that the water would just go straight down the drain.

Now it's time for drying! I block all my knitted work on the guest bed in our spare bedroom. Normally, I put a couple of towels on the mattress first and then pin the piece on top, just to keep the mattress fresh from any damp build-up grossness. Because I was currently doing a load of laundry including all of our towels, I just went for it today without any towel buffer.

Lay the piece out flat, right side up, and start pinning with straight pins (the same ones you'd use with your sewing machine). I try to pin about every 4 stitches, or about every 1/2" to be sure all the edges stay straight. What you don't want to happen is for the yarn to shrink up in between pins, because you'll be left with a scalloped edge effect.

Be sure to keep your curious, attention-seeking pup far away from any pointy pins!

I usually let my blocked pieces dry for about 12 hours. That way, I know the fibers are very dry, and the stitches are very set in place. Once everything is dry, you can take out all the pins (be sure to get them all!) and do any finishing work--putting together any pieces that were knitted separately (like this project), finishing any edges, or weaving in any ends (which I always do before blocking, so that they stay in place as well). You're done! You've got a piece of art that will last for a long, long time. Cherish it!

Pretty In Pink

2009-11-11T21:27:00.004-05:00

I just (as in, 10 seconds ago) cast on my 25 sts for my pup's sister's Christmas gift. Little Shiloh, aka Shi (pictured below as her sleepy little self) is all girl, and when I saw this precious Little Black Dress pattern on Ravelry, I had to start knitting it immediately!

It looks like a relatively quick and easy knit, so it should be finished by this weekend when I plan to begin knitting my mom's Christmas gift (yarn has been ordered, and I'm wiggling in my seat just waiting to see it in person on my front doorstep). I even found some cute little plum colored beads to line the neck of the pup sweater, as the patternmaker did with pearls. I can't wait to see little Shiloh dancing around with these ruffles on her booty!

Repurposing my yarn, one skein at a time

2009-11-05T20:51:00.006-05:00

So, I've got quite a few good many yards of perfectly good kiwi-greenesque yarn. I really liked the dense quality and soft touch of Lion Brand's Cotton Ease yarn. I bought enough to make this sweater, and was so excited about it I could hardly contain my silly knitter self.

As time would tell, there was a pretty doom-and-gloom outcome in the making of this sweater--it never happened! As a novice sweater knitter, I discovered a major hitch in the pattern for this sweater (only because there weren't enough stitches to add in the separately-made sleeves) and pursued the writer of the pattern for assistance. Her email box was full. After leaving a few messages on her not-so-frequently-updated blog, I have yet to read a response from her on the issue and have since given up hope on ever finishing the once-50%-complete, delightfully-happy-looking project. *sigh.* I had even given her a name (Toula, as in, Toula from the movie My Big, Fat Greek Wedding), and had a dream about wearing her, tall and proud. *double sigh.*

Since setting aside my half-made, never-to-be-finished Toula, I set out to creating new things out of her guts. One simple little project I just finished last week didn't use too much yarn at all, but it was a quick and satisfyingly useful little project. I made a little purse pouch, convenient for carrying pens and other writing utensils, a small supply of mid-day touch-up makeup supplies, or other girly... necessities.

Sock it to me!

2009-10-27T21:38:00.007-04:00

Okay, okay.

So, I came into Socktoberfest at 120 miles an hour with no time to blink. And then things got pretty busy.

We bought this:

Because of that, this happened:

Then, we went here...

...for this:

Even though it's not technically the end of Socktoberfest, it is pretty late into the 27th out of 31 days. That means it's pretty much over. Boo, hiss! I'm preparing for the inevitable ending of October to only have this for show:

But hey, this is my first ever sock. And it turned out perfectly! I am quite proud of myself.

And little miss Vespa thinks this is a very fine sock, indeed. (There should be a "Cutest Dog of the Week" awarded over there at Ravelry, dontchathink? Vespa could totally be a winner.)

It wasn't the pair of socks for Hub and a pair of socks for myself, but it's more than I accomplished last year (which was nothing at all, because I didn't know Socktoberfest existed). Here's to accomplishment!

Ribbit.

2009-10-17T13:22:00.008-04:00

That's right. I had to frog some of Hubster's sock. Not all of it, but enough to set me back a day. And that's enough to make me angry with myself. I mean, who turns the heel of a sock without making the proper decreases? I picked up and integrated the heel stitches (you know, the stitches you slip when you're making the heel) and just started knitting around again like a fool, not realizing that just because the heel was attached to the rest of the sock, that doesn't mean it's going to be the shape of a Husband's foot. After I knitted about 3 inches, I started noticing that it wasn't really looking like a sock should. And, because the only "socks" I have ever knitted were a couple of gigantic stockings a year ago for Christmas, I didn't really know what I should be doing. I mean, after all... shouldn't a knitter who has no idea what she's doing abide only by pattern law at all times??? I guess I just got too excited about being on the home stretch of my very first ever real sock and forgot about the rules.

So for now, I've frogged those anarchy-ridden 3 inches and I'm back up to the heel again. Here's to rules! Hey, at least I knew enough to realize I was doing something wrong. Football Saturdays offer a perfect stretched-out afternoon to knit and cheer and yell at the tv. The sports announcers sound better, I think, with the tick, tick, click of my aluminum needles in the background anyway. :)

Here's to the good life.

2009-10-09T20:45:00.004-04:00

We have officially moved into our first new home. And by officially moved into, I mean, boxes are unpacking one-by-one and at least the dishes are in the cabinets.

I experienced a few long moments of intense panic when I realized I wasn't sure where either Poppy doll or Hubby sock had been packed. And we've got a whole mess of boxes that are stuffed full of... just... stuff. Magazines, yarns, needles, books, patterns... everything. Luckily, the three important aforementioned work-in-progresses were found shortly after my mental breakdown. Tucked away in a corner of our new master bedroom, in their own little reusable grocery bag, all cozy and quiet and ready to be worked on again. *Sigh of relief.*

So, here's to the good life. Here I am, lying on the sofa, blogging and knitting a sock, some easy listening provided by The Strokes and Cake, pup curled up next to me while The Hubster clicks around at games on the computer. All that's missing is a cool, sweet glass of Riesling.

Sock update

2009-10-03T13:22:00.006-04:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have progress!

I had The Hubs try on and model what I have so far of his first sock. I must admit, I am quite pleased with my results!

So far, it's been a pretty mindless project. This section of the socks for me definitely has a high rate of multitaskability with its K1, P1, K2, P2, etc, etc, etc repetition, so I've gotten in plenty of TV watching as well as searching for more Socktober projects for myself on Ravelry. I had forgotten how satisfying it is to listen to the subtle click, tick, tick of aluminum needles at work.

So far, so good! Now, let us keep our fingers crossed that I am this exuberant about the second sock and have the endurance left within myself to make my own pair, once they're decided upon. ;)

Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater!

2009-09-30T14:06:00.005-04:00

Oops! I haven't stopped by in quite a while.

I was too busy obsessing about my last-week's "decision" to knit the Hedgerow Socks for The Hubster (I stuck to my guns and he's getting them!), and also super-obsessing about us closing on our very first house (yippee!!!) to remember to blog.

Now, I'm back.

I couldn't help myself, and once I finally firmly decided that Hubs was actually getting the Hedgerows, I had to start right away. I know, I totally cheated and started knitting my Socktoberfest project before October began, but hey, I was way too excited to still be waiting. First, of course, I tested my gauge. Looks good, feels nice and dense, but the fibers are a little more abrasive knit-up than they are on skein. But because Hubs approved of the texture and the pretty-much-definitely pistachio green color of my fabulous yarn from Croatia, I had to get started right away.

I fell into the ease of repetition in this pattern. And, because I only really need to be able to count to 2 at any given moment, it's super easy to knit while I'm watching Project Runway or House on TV. (For looks, I did add in a row of purl stitches in the center of the K4, P2 ribbed top.) As for now, here's what I've completed:

I'm glad it's starting to cool off a little outside now. The socks should be finished just in time to hug a few cold toes. And I'm getting the itch to bake something pumpkin spice-ish. I wonder if anyone out there knits aprons to bake in...?

Are you ready for Socktoberfest?

2009-09-21T20:56:00.008-04:00

...'cause I'm pumped!

A long-lost someone posted this on Ravelry, and it made sense to me:

Soctoberfest:

A very simple concept with very few restrictions - Socktoberfest is an October-long celebration of the art of making socks. It is a simple celebration of the accessories that we make as crafters to cover our feet. Think of it more as a festival than a knitalong - people who love something come together and celebrate it!

I'm the one in the orange sweater, intense as all get-out, knitting my first scarf in Lion Brand's Homespun yarn, in a pretty lavender color. However, because that yarn was a little more difficult to work with and I had no idea what to expect (or even how to knit), my first-ever knitting project (a scarf shaped like a boy part, because of accidental increases, a sudden realization of them, and then immediate decreases!) became my first-ever frogged project. (Annnnnnnd, no, to this day I still haven't lived that one down.) Then, somehow, that yarn was lost in the process of living a dorm life.

From 2008-2009, The Hubs and I lived in Arizona for a year, and I worked with some amazing girls there who really kept the desert living doable for us southeastern weather lovers. Two of them really took an interest to my Desert Rose, and so I created a knitting party at my house, complete with cookies and a curious pup. I got to pass on my passion to someone else, and they both really fell in love with the craft.

Other than those experiences, I haven't ever really been a part of a group project or club for knitting. Socktoberfest is going to be another first for me, and I am so excited! I've been on my Ravelry account, flipping through so many sock patterns my eyes are doing somersaults. My goal is to complete two pairs of socks this Socktoberfest: one pair for The Hubster, and one pair for myself. (First, it was just one pair, for him, but I'm too excited about it to not knit a pair for myself.)

I'm planning on using a kind-of-pistachio-green-with-hints-of-red,-blue,-and-green-flecks-here-and-there wool/acrylic blend yarn I picked up on a recent family vacation in Dubrovnik. Maybe I'll use the needles I got there, too, just to keep the socks as Croatian as possible...?

The Hubster gets Hedgerow Socks by Jane Cochran, I've pretty much decided. They're just pretty enough to keep me interested in the pattern, and just fancy enough to be dress socks for a man without being pretty, I think. He's just excited I'm making any for him at all.

Once I've decided what I'm making for myself, I'll shout it from the rooftops!

Desert Rose, my first sweater

2009-09-20T22:03:00.000-04:00

Here's a little blast from the (not-so-far-back) past, my beloved Desert Rose sweater. This was the first sweater I ever attempted, and the only one I have completed to-date. The pattern was originally titled Rusted Root, written by Sarah and Rachel, but I just fell in love with the feminine lace pattern of this sweater so much, calling her anything to do with rust or a root made me think dirty or weeds. I held a vote on my personal blog, and decided on the replacement name of Desert Rose.

This was the first project I ever knitted that had any sort of lace in it. It was also the project that taught me increases, decreases, yarn-over, knit two together, and other knitting instructions. Other than knitting these giant stockings for The Hubster, me, and our little fuzzy pup for Christmas, I hadn't knitted anything other than scarves until I knitted this sweater! I am just as proud of her today as I was the day I finished her, blocked her, and tried her on for the camera!

(P.S. If you reference my sweater here against the other Rusted Root sweaters pictured on Ravelry, you'll notice that my lace detail is on the opposite side of the front of my sweater. Yeah, I'm a lefty, and I knit as a lefty which means I knit everything backwards, and I think I forgot to switcheroo everything in this pattern. I was a bit nervous about the big project! So I think that's what happened with that.)

Mary Jane Close-Up

2009-09-20T22:02:00.000-04:00

These two little baby dolls have turned out to be an extremely fun project to work on! I have enjoyed customizing them with their little undies, and have actually knitted down to their tippy toes by now. For both babies! Here's your next sneak peek:

A "Caution" tape worthy setback!

2009-09-20T21:59:00.000-04:00

I've been avoiding a small problem.

When I started knitting in both little Poppys' panties (changing colors from skin tone to underwear color and back to skin tone again), there was a small opening where the two colors separated from each other. I researched on how to avoid this problem, and have long-since found an easy answer to my annoying little holes of problems.

The way to avoid these little holes is very easy. But the way to repair the holes that already exist is totally heartbreaking: I must unravel and start again.

I know, I know, it's totally devastating. But it must be done! Otherwise these sweet little baby dolls will be leaking baby doll guts before their sweet mommies can properly break them in and introduce them to all the other playtime friends.

So, it is now a terrifying but necessary fact - we are reduced to this image:

I thought it only fair to share the entire baby doll making process, and that includes both the happy progress as well as the sad little beginner's knitting-and-learning setbacks. Baby doll guts are just so sad and depressing. But I promise, I'm working quickly to make these two little friends as quickly as my aching knitter's pinkie will allow!

One Poppy, Two Poppy

2009-09-20T21:16:00.001-04:00

I have been dealt a tall order: it is the dream of two very special mommies for me to create a sweet little lovable baby doll for two pretty little lovable girls. This is a project that looks much more complicated and fancy than any project I have attempted before, so I have a feeling it's going to be a big challenge. And I am so excited!

I met up with the little girls and their mommies to pick out the yarns. It seems cotton and bamboo are the fibers of choice for any girl under the age of 3 looking to cuddle and love the baby dolls that those fibers make. One baby doll is being made of mostly Patons Angora Bamboo yarns while the other is working up nicely from Lily Sugar n' Cream Cotton yarns.

From a modesty standpoint, and because big girl undies are especially fun for little potty training-age girls, I made a few changes to the body frame of sweet little Poppy. Once shoulders have been shaped, and sts for arms have been placed on markers, knit two rounds. Then I worked the rest of the body for modesty as follows:

Rnds 41 and 42: K 2 rnds
Rnd 43: K4 mc, K5 cc, K2 mc, K5 cc, K rest of rnd in mc
Rnds 44-47: K4 rnds cc
Rnd 48: K20 cc, K20 mc
Rnd 49: K4 mc, K5 cc, K2 mc, K5 cc, K rest of rnd in mc.
Rnds 50-56: K7 rnds mc
Rnds 57-60: K4 rnds cc
Rnd 61: K3 mc, K14 cc, K3 mc
Rnd 62: K4 mc, K12 cc, K4 mc
Rnd 63: K6 mc, K8 cc, K6 mc
Rnd 64: K7 mc, K6 cc, K7 mc
Rnd 65: K8 mc, K4 cc, K8 mc

Now little Poppy will have complete and cool modesty while her clothes are being changed from dress to skirt/top, to whatever-else-little-miss-playtime-wants!

These little dolls are just precious and I think it's going to be tough to part with them in the end. Wish me luck as I continue my project!