I'm in love....

with a scarf.

Thanks, Yarn Harlot.... you sealed my fate three weeks ago with your cave-in to this pattern, and like a sheep I followed... a sheep drawn to the wool lol! Seriously folks, Noro silk garden is amazing. Yes this is an expensive scarf but I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gah!

I also have been chugging out a lot of baby blanket over the holiday weekend....


Very productive knitting weekend!

Yesterday my awesome mother in law also helped me get a lot of yardwork done... we raked the backyard and she helped me plant bulbs so that we have some pretty flowers next year... she ROCKS! And it was amazing timing too, because today = SNOW!

Check this out from this morning:


whew!!!! :-) All in all it was a great weekend... not wanting to go to work tomorrow :(

Happy Turkey Day!

...thats what my nephew would say :-)

I am so thankful this year!!!!!! I am thankful for my wonderful husband.


I am thankful for my super awesome sister in law and her hubby.


I am thankful for my adorable nephews.


I am thankful for my new mother in law.


I am thankful for my new father in law.



I am thankful for the Noro i just bought. LOL. (Yep... im going to make one of those scarves... its the Yarn Harlot's fault and also Cynthia's fault!!!!!!!!! haha)


I am thankful that the internet is helping me with my side dishes and turkey since I am cooking it all this year! Whew!!!

And I am thankful for all my awesome friends and blog readers... which would be too many pictures!!!!!

Have a delicious thanksgiving everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cabled neckwarmer

This project is still going well.... I am at 17.5 inches... very close!!!!



I worked on my dad's tie a little last night... gotta get that done, although the tiny metal needles hurt my hands after awhile so I need to spread the knitting out. (no picture... ill take one later)

I have one slipper completed for my mom and the next is started, BUT I ran out of yarn, the color "Sand Dune" (swish superwash worsted). To my dismay, they no longer carry that colorway, so I have resorted to BEGGING people on ravelry. No responses yet, I really hope someone will sell me one measly skein... :-( The slippers will be so cute if I can ever finish them! Pattern is here.


(picture is of the first slipper almost complete)
(P.S. applied i-cord rocks!)

I am not knitting the strap on these, since my mom doesn't like the "mary jane" style, but I want to add a felted flower or a button or something to them for embellishment. Let me know if any of you have a good idea or pattern!

Lately I have been swimming in knitpicks yarn. I've gotten a pile of yarn in Swish Bulky to make a blanket for my nephew.. his mom (my new SIL) and I are going to each knit half, just like we did for his big brother.


Love those colors together!!!!!

The other pile of yarn I have is swish worsted, to make a really cute turtleneck shrug (from the book Scarf Style) for my friend and former maid of honor Megan. She is super awesome and paid for both the yarn AND the book. Of COURSE I will knit her anything she wants for that price!!!!! :-D It will be really cute as black with pale green stripes.



Other christmas knitting... not much...I made a few dishcloths to donate to a friend (hi carrie!) who is planning dishcloth gifts for her whole family (just trying to be a good knitter and take some of her pressure off!).

OK i better get back to work. Lunch breaks are too short!

Oh and one more pic of that cabled neckwarmer... same picture but I inverted the colors, i thought it looked cool.. haha...

I love small projects

Small things go so FAST! lol



Sorry the color is so messed up... i took these in the conference room at work (crap lighting)



Also, check out those rings eh?? Old married lady is me!

Neckwarmer

Now that pesky wedding planning is out of the way, I have been working on a cabled neckwarmer for myself. I am using yarn and cool "square" needles given to me for my bday by my SIL and my MIL. (they are my in laws for real now, woot!)


Celtic Cabled Neckwarmer

Its turning out pretty nice... I like how the cables move around and twist... and the yarn is soooo buttery soft... (Debbie Bliss Cashmerino, woot). And the color rocks! All I have to do is find some cool buttons for it.

Thanks again to my girls :-)

Oh also...

I finished my shawl in time for the wedding... it was a bit of a help against those october chilly winds!!!!

I'm married!!!!

Now I am a knitting wife... wedding and everything went off without a hitch and the honeymoon was wonderful. Sad to get back to work but glad to be back in our home!

One year ago....

...my life changed forever :-)

Tomorrow's the big day!!!!!

Blocking for a Fee

Today I dropped off the shawl at the home of the nicest little old lady. She is going to block my shawl for me for a modest fee. This is probably the best thing I could have discovered... thanks to the shop owners at Knitting Off Broadway for reccomending her! I get to pick up the shawl Friday and see its magical transformation.

So yes, I will be wearing a personally handknit shawl at my wedding this Saturday! WOW! Never would have thought I would say that sentence!!!!

Also, ZOMG IM GETTING MARRIED THIS WEEKEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ta da!

10-21-08....11:45pm..

cast OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope...

So the other day I stumbled upon a knitter's blog, and as i was scrolling down, reading her past posts, I noticed she had completed the shawl that I am currently working on. I thought that was pretty cool and read/studied intensly the post and the pictures that she posted. Check it out on her blog here: Team Knit.

Anyway, what sparked my interest is this: I loved the size of her shawl. It was exactly what size I want mine to be! Up until this point, I was unsure how many pattern repeats I would want to do. The pattern as written, if knitted to the creator's specs, would be something like a 6 foot wide shawl... in other words, HUGE. I am looking for something more of a shoulder warmer, not an afghan!

Anyway, I looked at the picture of her holding the shawl out behind her back... and noticed i could count the "leaves" along the center spine. She had like 12 leaves! I thought, surely I am at least HALFWAY there, no? So I got my shawl out and counted my leaves... i had 8.5!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do you know what this means???

I MIGHT have it DONE for the WEDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you imagine? Me, in my dress (in 2 weeks, eek) with a handknit lacy white shawl???? *sigh*



It is all very exciting... I just had to share. I shared with Cynthia almost immediately because we are both at the same point in our shawls (we are knitting them together)... so we were both almost giddy with the potential to have the shawls done SOON!

I'd post more pics, but it doesn't look like much... not until blocking :-)

So yeah, my wedding is 2 weeks from today. I can hardly believe it... it is the oddest thing in the world to think about. I was never one of those little girls who planned out their wedding or dreamed about it. In fact, when my fiance popped the question and I told people at work the next day I was engaged, they immediately asked when the date was. Like I had any idea! Needless to say it has been quite a year. I don't even know where the time went! It FLEW by. I am even a year older this week (26!) and it doesn't feel like it should have happened.... my poor fiance had some trouble giving me a birthday present, which is his own fault... (if you don't know, he gave me an engagement ring on my birthday last year). :-) He will never top that birthday!

Also, I am loving my new home, but good LORD there is a lot of trees and a lot of raking! Good think I love fall!!!!!!

I hope the next year goes a bit slower so I can enjoy it!!!!!

Hope everyone else has a nice relaxing weekend.

YAY!!!!

I got my copy of Mason-Dixon Knitting: Outside the Lines!



Lets just say I have DEVOURED it and have already read it cover to cover....and it's GREAT! (What did you expect! I loved the first book!) I already want to knit literally EVERYTHING in the book. I love knitting books like that!!!!!



The pictures are gorgeous, the patterns seem to be very well written & explained... the new ideas and creative things are amazing! I mean, look at this COAT!



I would have said a knitted coat would just look like a big sweater but that definitely looks like a COAT! I want one! lol

And this BAG... zomg... i would have to learn how to felt AND duplicate stitch but I totally think it would be worth it to have that. I love it.




Anyway, enough gushing... I am going to cast on some cabled fingerless gloves for one of my friends :) Have a great weekend!

P.S. Bridal shower #2 tomorrow with my fiance's family! I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scarf

I was itching for a new project, something simple and fun. I decided to see what I could make with this giant ball of mystery wool that I bought off of Cynthia when she was having her stash sale.



I finally settled upon a 2x2 ribbed scarf. I am happy with the progress so far, I am just worried that it won't be long enough when I run out of yarn.



It is just something mindless to knit on during law & order... haha. Of course I am neglecting a knitted tie I am working on for my dad...



I am making that up as I go, using a storebought tie as a template. So far its OK... just hope I can get the increases right for the "fat" part of the tie.



Anyway, hope everyone had a nice labor day weekend. I was a total bum and didnt do much! Which is too bad because OMG ITS SEPTEMBER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2 wedding showers, being a bridesmaid in my friend's wedding, meeting with my florist/DJ/caterer, dress fittings, getting the boys to go to their tux fittings, finding shoes, finding a place to get our HAIR DONE ZOMG!!!!!!!!!

OK time to lie down now :-)

More squares...

I have another square nearing completion for Jesmy's grandpa's blanket!



I call it "waves" but its actually "ripple stitch" or something from my Treaury of Knitting Patterns (barbara walker)

Woot! I also have worked on my shawl, ill try to get a pic up later! it would be bigger if i would stop making mistakes and have to rip back LACEWEIGHT yarn. Blech!

FINALLY

THANK YOU SO MUCH to my newest best friend, YarnThrower, over at Pickin' and Throwin'.

Ladies and Gentlemen, she has FINALLY CAME UP WITH A SEAMLESS BABY BOOTY PATTERN THAT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes... you heard me right... booties that look like the ones i have been knitting only WITHOUT my akward/horrible/ugly/bumpy SEAMS! OMG!

So without further ado, please go to their blog and leave her some comment love. Because it is about damn TIME! :D

Grandpa Blanket 08

So I heard the unfortunate news that Jesmy's grandpa has cancer. I thought, hmm... what can I do as a nice gesture? And as a knitter? How about start a blanket!!!!!

I have made 2 squares so far, and have a promise from Cynthia to get some contributions as well. Then ill mail them off to Jess and she can sew up a nice blankie for her grandpa!


Dark brown "baby cables" square. (cable pattern from Barbara Walker's Treasury of knitting patterns)


Blue cascade "boat" square (he's a navy man), pattern here.

Get well soon, Grandpa Jess! Pop over to her blog for more.

My Knitting Place

Cynthia posted a pic of her knitting spot, so I'd thought I'd post mine!



(knitting at lunch as usual!)

Also I finished the blanket square... it turned out pretty good:



Pattern: sailboat cloth
Yarn: Cascade 220

Happy Friday everyone!

Dishcloths!

Cynthia and I finished our dishcloths for charity, and we got some dish soap to include with the cloths for a nice present for some needy person!!!!

We even got matching ribbon to make it all pretty:


Nice, eh? I hope someone enjoys them!

Not much to show for the shawl, although the other day Cynthia and I each knit 6 whole rows in an hour! Thats a pretty good lace shawl speed, if I do say so myself! :-)

Have a great friday!!! TGIF!!!!!!!!

Bad Blogger

... that I am. I have been a busy girl these days, since I moved to a new house! It is so much fun but also there is so much to do! :-)

Me and my DF on the stoop of the new house!


I love it though... so much ROOM! Yes... yes... I even have a knitting room. YAY! (at least until I start having kids, then it will probably have to be a playroom or something)

I have done a few knitting things in the meantime....

Knitted a baby hoodie for a friend's baby,... i'd show you a picture but that would mean I would have to find the hoodie, and who the heck knows what box or what room THAT is in.... eeek...

Almost finished a red dishcloth, I am knitting dishcloths with designated knitter to give to a charity drive at work!


Pattern is "eLoomanator's Diagonal Knit Dishcloth" found the PDF on Ravelry.

AND.... (drumroll please).....


the shawl has progress! Woot!


See the "leaves"?

It is very tiny yarn... sometimes I can barely feel myself knitting with it, but it is strangely fun! Designated knitter is making hers in a beautiful red color. Our knitting speeds are pretty evenly matched too, so it is a lot of fun at lunchtime at work to go in the conference room with her and knit on our shawls. It is awfully quiet in there though, haha... we have to concentrate so we dont miss a yarnover! :)

Anyway I will try to post again soon.. now that things are a bit more settled! Hope everyone had a great weekend... I will just leave you with a picture of me, my fiance, and our 2 super adorable nephews that we got to visit....


love those boys!

Ut oh...

What is that???? Laceweight yarn??? LACEWEIGHT?!?!?!!!!!!!???

What have I gotten myself into now.... heh heh heh. Perhaps... some sort of lacy shawl?!?!!!!

Don't worry, I am making DesignatedKnitter knit it with me (so she can be my tech support) :-D

Stay tuned... I may even be knitting from a CHART! Dun dun dun!!! Horror!!!! lol

Booties

Thanks for your comment YarnThrower... I forgot to link to the bootie pattern I use!

It is Perfect Baby Booties, and believe me they sure are close to perfection! They do have a seam along the bottom and back (I always photograph their good side) but its really not too bad even with my crappy sewing skills. Plus with only 2 ends to weave in, I love it!!!!!


And I forgot I finished a pair of secret booties, which cannot be disclosed until I gift them to their recipient... :-)

Knitting wrap-up!

OK so here is what I have been doing this past month (besides planning the whole wedding thing and trying to buy a house)

1. Chenille washcloth for a mother's day present:


I wrapped it up real cute with a fancy lemongrass soap! Mom loved it :)



2. Cotton Baby Sweater


A cute summery cotton sweater for my little nephew :-) It still needs a button (toggle)!

3. Baby shower hat & booties - for friends of ours having a shower next weekend (what??? im done early??? no way!)





Not a bad little baby set, although the hat came out a leetle bigger than i'd hoped. Oh well, babies grow!!!!!

What I am working on now:

Well... I have some socks im knitting myself. Haven't touched those in a bit...

Otherwise...???

Time for a new project! lol

Busy Bee

Sorry I havent posted in a freaking MONTH... but my life has suddenly become even more hectic...

on top of the impending wedding, we decided to MOVE to a new house TOO! Whew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I promise I will get a real post up soon... I have already turned the cotton yarn I got from the knit stop into a cute sweater, I have finished several booties and a baby hat, and hmm what else... not much else but thats pretty good!

Hope everyone is having a good week.

TIME FOR BED!

Here is a pic of some beautiful clematis growing in our backyard... just for a nice cheerful pic to end this post on....