thirty

It's nice to be home again.

I was in North Carolina for work this week, and I had a great time. Well, I had a great time working. Also, I had boiled peanuts! They were... interesting. Boiled peanuts are the state snack food of South Carolina, but we found them in Raleigh. I guess I'll try anything once. Also, there was some extreme weather and hot sticky days, so I'm glad to be home where it's sunny outside and 75 degrees today.

I'm still working on my second sock, but I should be done sometime this weekend. I only have about 30 rounds of the foot left, and then the toe! This was going to be my airplane knitting, but I had other things on my mind...

On June 1, Natural Stitches (which y'all know as my FAVORITE LYS) started their second annual summer bingo. Everyone gets a bingo card that's filled not with numbers, but with different knitting challenges. Last summer, I didn't get a bingo, but that's already changed this year! This morning, I became the first bingo winner this year! As an added prize, they gave me a skein of Zen Yarn Garden's Serenity Worsted in the Bronze Age colorway. The yarn is a merino/cashmere/nylon blend aaaaand it's divine.

While I was at NS this morning, I decided to take the plunge. Well, sort of. I've been going back and forth in my head for a few months about a certain knitting challenge I've yet to tackle. Today, I got one step closer... I bought yarn for my very first sweater. Ever. Like ever ever.

2200 Yards of Yarn!

I bought a little more yarn than I thought I would need, because this is my first sweater ever, but I'm not worried about ending up with a little extra. I picked up 10 hanks of Cascade 220 in Greystone Heather. I really enjoy 220, and it's a great (and economic, *ahem*) yarn for a first sweater, I think. Now, I haven't set a starting date, and it may take some time for me to actually swatch and prepare, so don't panic if you don't see this yarn again until September. After all, summer is just beginning.

Also, I'm still working on my Stash Dash goal of knitting 4,375 yards by August 5. Things are going slow, but who knows when I may decide to knit 20 hats. So far, I'm at 775 yards, but when the socks are finished, that'll be an additional 400 yards towards my goal.

So, that's all I have for the moment, but you can expect a total CAPS LOCK MOMENT when this second sock is off my needles.

Stay tuned...

twenty-nine

I am 31 today.

So, even though it's only been a few days since my last post, I thought I'd throw a few words out. Just because it's my birthday.

So far, 31 feels just as good as 30 did (yesterday). Ten years ago, there was a bit more excitement surrounding my birthday... There was also a bit more alcohol... While 21 may have been more obvious excitement, my enthusiasm still hasn't wavered. This year, I'm just excited about different things. My grandmother (or "Nan" as she's known around here) flew out here on Monday, and she's staying at my family's house (just down the road) for a few weeks. Growing up, I spent many weekends with my Nan, and we always had the best time. She's warm and kind, and a little wild. Also, she can crochet like the wind! These days we have just as much fun as we did then... We just sit down more.

Tonight we're going for dinner at a little Italian restaurant that my family has loved for the past 20 years; Vincent's. They've catered many parties for my family, and my father used to fly 2500 miles smelling like an entire field of garlic, so I could enjoy my favorite sausage and cheese bread when I lived in California. It's no surprise that I'm pretty serious about food. Mmmm....

What am I knitting on my birthday, you ask? Well, I'm working on my first second sock (that's right, the SECOND SOCK!) since the first first one is done, except for the kitchener. I've only grafted a few times before, and I'm still a little iffy, so I may ask for a little help at Natural Stitches tomorrow. As it turns out, I'm really loving sock knitting! My favorite part is the portability, and the different pattern components. Once you're bored with one section, you're on to the next! Here's a quick pic of my progress on sock two.

Speaking of socks, I'm using the Addi Turbo Sock Rockets to magic-loop this pair. If you haven't tried these needles yet, I would totally recommend it. So much so, that I wrote a review for the latest Natural Stitches Newsletter, which came out today! Check it out!

Okay, before I finish I do have something to confess... Last time I posted, I mentioned a new hat that was on my needles. Well, said hat is no longer on my needles. As it turns out, I wasn't compatible with the yarn. He just wasn't that into me. After a good bit of work, and a quick shot of bourbon, I frogged the entire hat the other day. This yarn just wasn't for me. Needless to say, I'll be looking for a good home for this yarn, as we are really not doing well together.

It's like Taylor Swift says...

PS - Check out the blue wallpaper in that video!

twenty-four

This morning, the house smells like chocolate.

I love it.

Earlier today, I was busy making brownies. Now the brownies are on the counter cooling, but they won't be ready to eat until tomorrow at the earliest. Not only is this an exercise in will power, but it's totally part of the brownie ritual in our house. When I make brownies, they need to cool to room temperature after they come out of the oven, then they get refrigerated overnight before I cut them. This makes for a nice clean edge, and a much tidier brownie. Thanks, Ina. You're a diva.

I know it's been a few weeks since my last post, but I didn't have too much knitting to show until today. I was in Arizona (for business) last week, so I didn't get much knitting done (with the exception of my mile-high knitting). This past week at work has been a bit busy, and also, I've been totally exhausted. Not sure why, maybe I'm just a little dramatic. Probably. Maybe...

In any event, I have finished a couple items in the past few days. The Piewhacket Shawl was what I knit during my cross-country flights on my Arizona trip. It's a shawl done entirely in garter (I know, I know, when's the last time I knit a shawl that wasn't completely garter??) with lots of short rows, which I really love. The short rows are used to create three triangles, that are then bordered by a little more garter stitch. I used one of my favorite yarns for this shawl, Sweet Georgia Yarns Tough Love Sock in the Peashoot colorway. Sweet Georgia really has the most amazing colorways. You should go check them out. Sadly, I don't have any left in my stash... at the moment. This shawl won't be blocked for a while, as I'm going out of town (again) next week. Here's a quick (unblocked, unwoven, and quite sassy) photo of the shawl, and the project details are raveled here. I'll post a photo on the project page once it's blocked, because the shape is really going to change once I get it pinned out. My goal is to make the triangles a bit pointier with blocking, so we'll see...

Also, I finished a hat for James. It was a quick knit (as most hats are) that started with ribbing and ended with broken ribbing; the pattern is "Graham." I used Berroco Vintage, which I think is a great, affordable wool/acrylic blend. James may or may not be crocheting an afghan out of Vintage in the near (or not so near) future. The hat is green, as are most items that I knit for James, but it's a really great shade. The colorway is "Fennel," if you're wondering. My husband was gracious enough to model the hat for about 18 seconds while I scrambled to snap a picture last night. If you'd like the details and pattern info, it's over on my public project page.

That's all I have for now, but hopefully it won't be so long before I post again. On Monday, I'm headed to North Carolina (for work again) for a week, which is where the brownies will be as well. I'm planning on bringing brownies into the office, but there's always a chance (slim as it may be) that they'll never leave my hotel room. Here's hoping I have enough will power to share them...

twenty-three

I'm going to wear shorts this week!

Well, at least I'll wear them tomorrow.

Tomorrow, I'm flying to Phoenix for work. Work will be awesome, but also... It's going to be around 90 degrees every day! I'm excited for THAT! Especially since we just got more snow a few days ago (even if it is all gone now). Essentially, I feel like I'm going to visit the summer for a week. No, I won't be wearing shorts to work (I do work in an office, folks), but I'll be wearing them at night! If that isn't good enough, I'm going to In-N-Out Burger! Full disclosure, the Double-Double isn't the healthiest lunch you can have... Even fuller disclosure, I'm eating it anyway! I'll be back in Pittsburgh next weekend, and hopefully super tan.

Also, I know it's been a while since my last post, but I've been knitting and knitting, and now I'm finished. Well, I'm finished with this project. I knit a Stripe Study out of Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light, and this yarn is really becoming one of my faves! Honestly, I'm going have to start calling it my "stosh" if I keep buying TML every time I enter a yarn store. Not that I'm complaining...

 

The pattern was fantastic and totally easy to memorize  I really enjoy that in a pattern. I could pick it up and put it down and pick it back up again without even wondering about the next row. It's that simple. I used Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind-Off at the end, because this baby is going to grow when blocked. Now, I'm not 100% done, because I still have to weave in the ends and block the thing, but I'm getting up in 12 hours for a flight, so I'm calling this one done for now. Below is a quick photo I snapped in between loads of laundry, and the Ravelry project page has all my details right here.

Now, I'm in a pickle... I'm leaving tomorrow and I have no idea what I'm going to knit! I have 9 hours of airplane time, so you better believe I'll get some knitting done. What that will be, I have no idea. So, pleasantries aside, I gotta move it friends. Yarn to wind, needles to pack, etc.

Oh yes, I hope you have a lovely Easter.

Eat some ham for me.

Or not... if you don't like ham.

In that case, eat a peep or two for me.

Or not... if marshmallows ain't yo thang.

So in that case, have some chocolate for me.

Or not... if you don't like chocolate.

Now, if you don't like chocolate, I'm not sure what to say...

Call your physician.

twenty-two

Two months, two yarn festivals.

Yeah, I didn't mind that at all.

Yesterday was the Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet Festival! I went last year, and had a wonderful time. I bought seven hanks of yarn and vowed to use them all before the 2013 festival. I used four of them to make this Noro Scarf. The remaining three lovelies were used for this hat and this hat.

I only took a small bag, since Stitches West was just a month ago. I did some damage there, and I only posted a small portion of the haul from that trip here on the blog. Seriously, you have no idea. I was really excited about seeing all the indie dyers and especially excited for a few vendors in particular, more on that in a moment...

This year, I ended up with six hanks of beautiful yarn. Since I always immediately reach for the blues, I didn't let myself get any blue yarn yesterday. I need to start to knitting outside my color comfort zone a bit more... I've stashed them on Ravelry, and here's a quick shot below. I picked up three hanks of Zoe Sock from Shalimar Yarns, a hank of Superwash Merino Worsted from Unplanned Peacock Studios (the variegated yarn - top right), my very first hank of Fibernymph Dye Works Bona Fide DK in Golden Brown, and a hank of Ball and Skein Providence in Goldenrod.

And speaking of Fibernymph Dye Works, I got to meet Lisa, the owner (and host of the 90% Knitting video podcast)! She was fabulous and just so sweet. Her colors are so beautiful! Lisa lives right here in Pittsburgh, and it was so nice to finally have the opportunity to squish and squeeze her yarns. As if that wasn't exciting enough, when I got to her booth, I ran into Emily, host of the Whatcha Swatchin' video podcast, and we got to chat for a minute or two. Although, I can't imagine how weird it was for her. She was just standing there shopping politely, and I was like, "OH WOW! I feel like I know you, even though we've never met!" Emily was super fun, just like she is on her podcast, and we talked about her upcoming wedding and our dogs, of course. Here's a picture of Lisa and I (and my first hank of FDW) at the festival yesterday.

I finished my hat last night after I got back from the festival, and decided to take 18 hours without having anything on the needles. I really like the hat, and I'm happy it only took one ball of yarn. Now I still have one left for another hat. Here's a quick shot of the new hat, taken by James, photographer extraordinaire. And here's the project page with all the knitty gritty details.

I also stopped at Natural Stitches, since I hadn't been there in months! I know I've mentioned them before, but it really is the best LYS around. Seriously. What a fun place. Seriously. I would live there. Seriously.

Seriously.

So, after yesterday's yarn crawl and finishing the Bartek hat, I needed to cast on a new project. Seriously, I needed to. I've started a new shawl by Veera Välimäki called Stripe Study. It's an asymmetrical triangular shawl in garter stitch. I'm using two different colorways of madelinetosh tosh merino light (because it's fabulous!), French grey and stove pipe. This one may take a little time, but I'm determined to have only one project on the needles at a time... Probably. I mean, I'll try. Here's the project page, and a quick shot below.

That's all for now.

Oh, and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Seriously.

twenty

It has been a busy couple weeks.

I've been to the west coast and back, and my trip was fantastic!

Last Tuesday, James and I flew out to California for a "long weekend." It was a Tuesday through Monday trip; that's a long weekend, right? Anyway, our long weekend was riddled with needles and yarn, hooks and patterns, and books and knitting at every turn!

On the flight out, I finished a shawl that I had mentioned starting last time I posted. I don't have pictures yet, and I still need to block, so that doesn't really count today. Next time... However, after I finished that I made a few little Mug Hugs. This pattern was great for worsted scraps. Since I didn't really want to start a big project right before Stitches (even though I did... read on), I made a few of these on the second leg of our flight. Seriously quick knitting, and it's good for the environment, too! Raveled here and here.

We arrived in California and had dinner at my Grandma's house the next night with my Aunt and Cousin. Dinner was amazing, homemade French Dip Sandwiches!! My Grandma (or Nan, in my world) had mentioned to me that she had some of my Great Great Aunt Elsie's knitting supplies, as she had recently passed away. She called me a few weeks before we flew out and asked if I wanted her to hold them out there for me, or just donate them. Well, I'm sure you can guess what I said. "HOLD THEM RIGHT THERE, NAN!" Aunt Elsie was seriously crafty. She was a very skilled knitter, and she also loved needlepoint, crochet, and many other hand crafts. She even helped my Nan knit her very first sweater! Nan had quite a few goodies for me (and even a full set of crochet hooks in my Great Grandmother's old case for James) when we arrived. Here's a few pics.

There were needles galore. I especially love the giant bamboo needles and crochet hooks.

There were many different pattern booklets, the oldest dating back to 1945!! I haven't looked at them page by page yet, but I'm setting aside most of the weekend to pour over the collection.

There was a group of Workbasket Magazines from 1979-1980, and the cover models were enough to make me holler. Their shoulder pads weren't bad, either. I just love these vintage publications!

It was really amazing to see all this stuff, and just to hold the same needles that she held so many years ago. I'm not a great historian, or all about genealogy, but I do love using the same crafting tools that my relatives once used. This was the second time I've received "heirloom" knitting supplies, and I can't express how much it means. It feels quite special, really.

As we still had a few days before Stitches, mom took us to her LYS. A Yarn Less Raveled in Danville, CA is a fabulous store. We met the owner, Mindy, and she was so welcoming. You could tell the yarn selection was carefully chosen, and there were a few items I'd never actually held in my hands before. I bought some madelinetosh (shocking, I know) and decided to cast on a hat that night. I thought, "I can finish this in two days..." Under normal circumstances, that wouldn't be a lofty goal. You know how you get all busy on vacation, though?? Below is the Antler hat I finished on Saturday, out of tosh vintage in the grasshopper colorway. It's nice and bright, and I've already worn it a few times! Details are on my project page.

On Friday, with an unfinished hat in tow, we went to Stitches West in Santa Clara. It was overwhelming, in every sense of the word. There were so many vendors, so much yarn, so many different products, and tons of people. I'm painting this picture for you to try and explain why I only snapped a few photos during the entire event. I was just stunned. In a good way, though. James took a break about and hour after we arrived, as he had scheduled a tour of the famous Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, a mere 7 miles away. This gave him a good three-hour break, as he doesn't get as much joy out of staring at yarn as I do. Everybody wins.

Here's some amazing fair isle hats I spotted, at the Nelkin Designs booth. I love fair isle.

There were so many vendors that I loved, but I wanted to at least mention a few here. I met Karida Collins, owner of Neighborhood Fiber Company out of Baltimore, and she was a delight. Her yarns are just beautiful; you should have seen all the amazing colorways! I was quite impressed and am now regretting that I only grabbed a single hank of her yarn. The folks at Cephalopod Yarns were quite fun and exciting, and their yarns are scrumptious. I've been eyeing them up for a while, but never got to squish the yarn for myself... Until Friday. Also, I stopped by Miss Babs first thing, and that turned out to be the best move of the day. She had a line two booths back for most of the day!

Here's a quick shot of a few of the treats I picked up. From left to right, I got Miss Babs Cosmic Sock in the Mending Fences colorway, Neighborhood Fiber Company's Rustic Fingering in the Logan Circle colorway, and Cephalopod Traveller in the Goodnight, KY colorway. There's also some Tosh Vintage in Betty Draper's Blues and Pashmina in Charcoal from WEBS. I couldn't help myself. I will always need more madelinetosh. Peeking out from behind the yarn is Malabrigo Book 4, a great book with some patterns I will be knitting very soon.

California was wonderful, but any trip to see my mother never feels long enough. We always have the best time.

So, as of this week, my yarn stash has doubled to 28 yarns. I'm totally okay with that. However, the Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet Festival is only 16 days away, so I'd better jump on those needles. Well, not jump, but at least pick them up. And knit. A bunch. Not a problem.

Oh yeah, I started another shawl, but we'll talk about that next time... Promise.

nineteen

I'll be on a plane to California in exactly seven days.

And I will get to see my mother for the first time in five months.

This is some serious excitement, friends.

Among all this anticipation, I still managed to finish the Antelope Hat... and start and finish another hat as well. We'll get there, though. So, the Antelope Hat was really fun, and the pattern was well-written and straight forward. The only slightly fiddly part was the crown decreases at the end. I learned something new with this pattern... I learned that I'm not a fan of working yarn overs on double pointed needles. At least I know now. In any event, it's done and I blocked it over a balloon to let the eyelet pattern open up and guarantee sufficient slouchy-ness. I also used waste yarn (basted in a running stitch, and then cinched) along the ribbing to keep it nice and stretchy. I found this little tip in the finishing notes of the Brambles pattern I knit a while back. It really helped! Details are here on Ravelry.

Since I decided it'd be nice to finish more than one item this week, I knit another hat. This hat, named for a fabulous Broadway tune, is called For Good. If you haven't heard the song, go here immediately before reading the rest of this post. The pattern was designed by Megan Williams, one half of the hosts of a super fun knitting videocast, the Stockinette Zombies. Megan and Amy are a straight out of an owl's beak (A HOOT), check it out! Back to the hat... the pattern was designed in remembrance of Megan's sister Melissa, who passed away in 2007. All proceeds from the sale of this pattern are donated to the National Women's Health Network, in Melissa's name. It's great cause to support, and you get a fabulous pattern to knit as well.

I used Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Tweed in Prussian Heather, and it's definitely one of my favorite (super-affordable) yarns. PS - Does "Prussian Heather" remind you of "Prussian Blue" and then remind you of Bob Ross? That's what my little brain did just now. It's a nice, rich blue with some lovely flecks of black and white. Sadly (kinda), I don't have anymore of this yarn in my stash. Looks like some more tweed might be in my future...

I really loved knitting this pattern. It's not complicated, but the finished product is quite impressive. The fit is great, probably since I knit the large, and I will be wearing this tonight. Even if I'm just on my couch. Now, I didn't really care for the crown decreases of the Antelope Hat, but this hat was the exact opposite. The crown decreases (pictured below) were my favorite part of this hat. Kudos to Megan, because this pattern stays interesting until the end, and (in my humble-ish... okay, maybe not that humble... opinion, ahem) looks great! This will definitely be knit again, because it'll make a great gift. And I'm keeping this one. And I'm telling you... It's not going... anywhere. Raveled here.

Oh yes, if you're keeping track, my yarn stash is down to 14 yarns. OKAY?! I'm pretty excited about that.

Also, I started a shawl yesterday, but we'll talk more about that next time.

sixteen

My mother is always right.

On Saturday, I knit a hat, among other things. It just sort of happened. Now, don't go thinking I'm a hero. It was bulky yarn on US 10 needles and entirely in ribbing, but it did help with my stash down (25!). However, my excitement with finishing an entire project in a matter of hours was short-lived. Let me tell you why, folks. My mother told me when I was a little kid that I had a big head. I had a strange surplus of self-confidence when I was a kid and I think she was just trying to bring me back down to earth. Sadly, she's had my number all along. The name of this pattern... "Gargantuan Melon." As if that's not bad enough, the thing fits me perfectly. Well, she was right again. Ten points for mom.

Raveled here.

In other knitting news, I'm finally done with my Windward, and I think it's going to be great. The shaping of this scarf is like nothing else I've ever seen. It took me quite a while to pin out, but that's okay. I'm not worried. I love the process. Here's a little pic below (that really isn't that great, but I block knitwear in the guest room, so there) and it's raveled right over here. It's a little crazy, but so am I. Okay, maybe I'm a tad bit more than a little crazy.

I'm not sure what my next project will be, but I'm feeling something cowl-ish, or scarf-ish, so we'll see. Whatever the project might be, I've already chosen the yarn from my stash. After two big projects with sock yarn, I really need to knit something in a worsted weight. I have 3 little skeins of Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Tweed in Garnet Heather and that's what I'll be knitting. It's a warm, rustic red. I've used this yarn before, and it's a delight. So, here's a shot of the yarn below, and by the time I post again it should be an FO. I mean, honestly, it's only 330 yards. How long could anything take, really?

Oh yes, and ONE MONTH from today, I'll be at STITCHES WEST! Ergo... One month from today will be the first time I'll be shopping for yarn in a very long time. Since November 10, 2012, to be quite exact. Hooray!

fifteen

I do love a good road trip.

Especially when it means I get to knit... a bunch.

We went to the other side of the state this past weekend to visit my husband's family. James is from a teeny little hamlet of a town called Tower City, PA. The population (I'm pretty sure) is still less than 2000 folks, and there isn't a traffic signal in sight. He grew up with his entire family within walking distance of his house, and most of them have remained there. I've been to Tower City many times before, and we've always had a great time.

The drive is about 5 hours each way and I checked out the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows audio book to keep things magical. I love Harry Potter. Probably too much. I wish I was a wizard. At the very least, I'd like to be able to knit like Molly Weasley. She's fierce.

The jewel of Tower City, the gem of Tower City, the apple of Tower City's eye is a little restaurant that we always visit... Nino's. Now, I've had my share of pizza growing up. To be quite plain, I've probably had your share of pizza as well. Ahem. Like Joey Tribbiani, I LOVE pizza and sandwiches. My appetite is probably my most masculine feature (he sheepishly admits with a mouthful of cheese). Well, Nino's has the best pizza I've ever had outside of New York. It's not fancy, it's not expensive, and it's the best pizza (and sandwich) I've ever had. James introduced me to the Chicken Finger Sub many years ago, and I'm certain I haven't thanked him enough. Such a simple concept (chicken, lettuce, tomato), but at Nino's it's all in the execution. The bread and pizza dough are made fresh in-house daily, as is the sauce and everything else there. If you ever find yourself in Schuylkill County, PA you would do well to remember Nino's New York Style Pizza.

As if by divine intervention, we arrived home today right after I knit the last stitch of the last row of my 22.5 Degrees shawl. All that was left was the bind-off. After a wishy-washy exchange with myself (inside my head, for the most part) I decided to bind-off tonight and be done with it. This was the first time that I've ever use Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off and it was fantastic. Usually on a shawl bind off, I go up a needle size or two, but I didn't have to with this technique. That was convenient, as I didn't really feel like digging through my needles. I washed and blocked it, and now all I have to do is wait for it to dry. Ungh. I love the shape of this piece, and I can't wait to wear it. Hurry up and dry already!

In other news, I have a little stash enhancement to share... I know I've been making proclamations about not buying any yarn until a certain west coast fiber extravaganza, and you'll be happy to know that I'm still a man of my word. Leslie and Laura, the hosts of a fabulous knitting video cast, The Knit Girllls, were having a contest in December 2012 (Deep Stash Dive December) and my entry was the Fitful Head hat. When the prizes were drawn, my name came up!! Hooray!! I won a skein of Friday Studios Self Striping Sock Yarn (all the way from Sweden, y'all!) in the Monday Base (75% Wool/25% Nylon) in the colorway "Under the Sea." Have I mentioned that my favorite Disney movie of all time is The Little Mermaid?? It was fate. Kismet, really. Here's a quick pic so you can see the blues, teals, purples and pinks of this amazing yarn.

That's really all I have for now. Well, I did watch the Golden Globes (LOVED IT!) and was not surprised at all when Anne Hathaway took home the award for Actress in a Supporting Role for Les Miserables. Not. Surprised. At. All.

thirteen

Okay... Back to reality... For now.

The holidays were wonderful, and still not completely over for us. I know that the calendar says Christmas has passed, but we are going to see some relatives in a couple weeks so we're prolonging the magic. Well... except we'll be taking the Christmas decorations down. If the decorations stay up too long after New Year's I get a bit twitchy. And cranky.

In all honesty, I haven't knit a single stitch in 3 days. James' sister and her husband, along with our niece and nephew were at our house for an extended weekend. They just left this morning and are now back in Florida. Boo. We had a great time with lots of shopping, cooking, laughing and a couple movies. We always have the best time together. Speaking of the cooking, James and Kristy (his sister) made a few recipes from the new Ina Garten cookbook, Foolproof - Recipes You Can Trust. They surprised us with Amelia's Jambalaya and Straw & Hay with Gorgonzola. Mmm... Gorgonzola. Sadly, I don't have any pictures (gobble gobble), but they both looked amazing and tasted even better! If you're a Barefoot Contessa fan, and you haven't yet, grab this book. It's wonderful. Before our guests arrived, I baked the Chocolate Chunk Blondies from the same recipe collection. I did make a small adjustment, though. My nephew has a nut allergy, so instead of walnuts I used (drum roll, please) more chocolate. Sue me.

 

Today I thought to myself, "It's a new year... I should start a new project." My lovely mother gifted me a few patterns on ravelry for Christmas and it just so happens that my friends Aimee and Darren of the Knitting in Circles Podcast are hosting a Gifted Pattern KAL (Knit-A-Long) in their ravelry group. I've started the Windward Scarf by Heidi Kirrmaier and I'm enjoying the pattern so far. It's an asymmetrical scarf that uses a combination of simple stitch patterns and unique construction, that I think I'll enjoy. And let me just say, this pattern is very well-written. I love it when patterns are easy to read. I'm using two different colors of Knit Picks Gloss since I happened to have them on hand. As you may have heard, I'm still trying to stash down before I head to Stitches West next month. Here's my public project page, and a quick pick of the small amount of progress I've made so far...

Oh yes, and as of today, my yarn stash on ravelry is down to 26!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

eleven

Let us take our hats off (the needles).

This week, I finally finished my Sockhead Hat. Insert applause here. I'm quite happy with the look and feel of the finished object, and I'll be getting some use out of it this winter. The hat is quite slouchy, just like the pattern noted, and I'm happy with it. This was a great project for my weekly knitting group, as it was 4" of ribbing, followed by 9" of stockinette, and a crown. Mindless knitting kept alive by the wonderful company of friends and lively conversation. I also worked on it during a couple movies, and a few episodes of Frasier. And now it's done... Finally.

As if that weren't exciting enough, I (gulp) knit another hat this week. And not just any hat, I knit the Fitful Head by Aileen Ryder. This was knit in 6 different colorways of Knit Picks Palette, and the seventh color was Knit Picks Gloss Fingering in Jade. This was my first time using either yarns, and I enjoyed them both. Palette was nice for this project because I needed seven different colors, which can get expensive. I may have also mentioned that I just so happened to have this yarn in seven different shades of green. The pattern was wonderful as well, and I guess I have a thing for fair isle crown shaping when I work on hats. I mentioned the crown shaping details on the Norwegian Snowflake Hats in an earlier post, and I really like the six-pointed star that developed on the top of this hat as well. This was also my first foray into the world of corrugated ribbing, and the jury's still out on that. I love the finished look, but the process... eeshk. Suffice it to say, I've had my share of hats and fair isle to hold me over for at least a few months now. Weaving in 38 ends will do that to you. My husband was a good sport and decided to model the hat for you in the shots below... Or maybe I forced him because I just finished today and the hat now belongs to him, but that's neither here nor there.

Is it a coincedence that the two most complicated fair isle projects to come off my needles were both for my husband? Has this ever happened to you? He's 100% worth it, though. He supports my crazy knitting adventures and that is no small task. Can't help loving that man of mine...

Oh yes, and my next project, whatever it may be, will be worked from (mark my words) one ball of yarn.

nine

The weeks seem to be getting shorter.

This week has been quite busy. Not in a bad way, though. I was mailing Christmas presents, making marshmallows, enjoying two different holiday lunches at my office, finishing up the Christmas shopping, and of course there was some knitting and a Christmas movie or three.

First of all, let me take a moment to address the marshmallows. I've been making homemade marshmallows for years, usually sometime in December (when the Hot Chocolate really hits the spot), and they always get great reviews. However, I'm not a confectioner in any sense of the word. Anyone can make these. All I have is an excellent recipe from Ina Garten (or the Barefoot Contessa) in which my stand mixer does most of the work. Honestly, they are quite easy, albeit a little fiddly at the end. Patience required. If you thought you liked marshmallows before, well, just wait until you try these! In the picture below, there's a few pale pink marshmallows on the left, those are the peppermint... Thanks for the inspiration, Williams-Sonoma. The others are vanilla, and just as soft and pillowy.

I've also started a rather daring knitting project. Well, maybe not as daring as one I've done in the past, but certainly ambitious for me. I'm knitting a set of two hats. The Norwegian Snowflake Hat pattern is free on Ravelry and was designed by Tim Doran. I'm using the last three hanks of yarn from the 2012 Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet Festival that I mentioned here. I'll be knitting two hats, one blue with white snowflakes, the other red with white snowflakes. Here's my public project page for the first hat. I've started with the red hat, and here's my progress so far...

As if knitting two stranded hats one after the other isn't ambitious enough, I've just added another stranded hat to the mix. This week, Knitty released their Winter 2012 Issue. For those that don't know, Knitty is a completely free online knitting magazine. 2012 marked the 10-year anniversary of this publication, and it's a resource I've always loved. Anyway, anyway, back to the hat. The new issue had two stranded hats, and the one that caught my eye is Fitful Head by Aileen Ryder. It just so happens (cough) that I already have seven different balls of fingering weight yarn in my stash, all in different shades of green. Between the available stash, the pattern requirements, and the fact that I'm trying to stash-down, this was a coincidence I couldn't ignore. In any event, I think I may end up spending the remainder of 2012 knitting stranded hats.

I hope I'm not as crazy as I sound...

eight

I just love a good BLT.

Today's post is a quick one, and is coming to you following a delightful Sunday BLT brunch. I guess I'm using the word "brunch" a bit loosely here, though. All we really did was eat an early bird lunch. Not that I'm too worried about any particular time of day, since I've found through extensive research that bacon can be enjoyed during any hour of the day... or night.

Yesterday, I finished a hat. The pattern is called The Natural and you can take a look at my public project page, if you'd like the knitty gritty details. It was a great way to use up one of those single skeins of worsted, Cascade 220 for me, that most of us just have hanging around in our stash. The pattern was pretty straight forward, and would be a great project for the beginner that's never cabled before. Below is a selfie that took me about 10 minutes to capture, as it was a new angle for me. However, it shows the basic cabled detailing along the hat, so I guess that means mission accomplished.

I'll be casting on another item soon (of course), but right now I really have now idea what that will be. For some reason, I've been a bit wishy washy about what to knit next, and I'm not sure where it's coming from. Hopefully I'll figure it out soon. I'd hate to waste a whole Sunday without knitting...

seven

Photography can be tricky.

I finished a pair of Fingerless Mitts recently. However, the only picture I've been able to take is of the gloves on the table. I haven't quite figured out how to photograph gloves while wearing them, so this photo will have to do for now.

This is the second pair of mitts I've made from this pattern, and they worked up quite quickly. I think the total knitting time was somewhere around 5 hours. The pattern is in the book Knits Men Want by Bruce Weinstein. It's a great book, with patterns written for multiple sizes and gauges. This pattern calls for a diagonal purled pattern, but I just knit the hand in stockinette, for a simpler look. Also, this was my first time using Knit Picks Swish Worsted and it was a pleasure to knit with. It's not my favorite superwash merino, but you can't beat it for the price and array of colors.

I'm still currently working on the Sockhead Hat, but that's not really a surprise. Knitting 144 stitches per round on a US 3 needle in stockinette for 9 inches will take some time... and wine. This hasn't stopped me from casting on another project, though. I was a monogamous knitter for a few months, and I did enjoy the simplicity of it. However, I've been feeling creatively frisky lately, so working more than one project at a time has somewhat satiated my thirst for excitement. Wild, I know.

In other news, my yarn stash is down to 44 and I haven't purchased a skein since November 10th! Personally, I think I deserve a small reward. Yarn? No. Chocolate? Indubitably.

five

It might be just me.

I'm not sure what it is, but it always takes me about 15 minutes to put a pair of socks on. Seems absurd, right? Read on. It gets better. And I'm not talking fancy socks with tassels and fringe, or even hand-knit (he gushes) socks. I'm talking about plain old crew socks; the kind you get at Target in a six-pack for $10. I'm not a perfectionist, not really. It's not even that fact that I grew up in a climate where I only wore socks two or three times a year. Sure, sometimes I put a sock on and then I immediately have to take it right back off because there's some sort of fuzz ball in it that feels nearly as large as a fleck of dust does when it settles under your contact lens. The sock must then be turned inside-out, combed with one's fingers, re-prepped and applied once more. I'll admit, I'm probably making this process more complicated than it needs to be. We all have our strengths...

The answer is simple... Procrastination. I know that it's easy to procrastinate, we've all done it, but is there anyone out there that can make me sound sane by comparison? Here's hoping.

In fact, even as I type this entry, I have a sock on my left foot and it's mate strewn casually across my right thigh... just waiting to go to work.

I will put one sock on, and then a variety of things will happen. A text message. An email. A knitting pattern that I need to look up immediately. Online shopping. A show that I can't stop watching for even a second to confirm my right foot's exact location. There are things that just. can't. wait.

In other news, here's something that might be more interesting... Knitting! I'm excited already. Well, speaking of procrastination... I still have three hanks of worsted-weight Shepherd's Wool (pictured above) from Stonehedge Fiber Mill that I got in February at the Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet Festival. I made a pact with myself (so if I don't make it, I won't really be that mad at me... I hope) to knit with all the yarn I purchased before the next PGH K&C. Well, I've already used the four hanks of Noro Silk Garden for a scarf (shown below) and I'm planning to make two fair isle hats with the aforementioned yarn. Since the 2013 festival isn't until March, that gives me a good three and a half months to make it happen. I think I can do it.

As soon as I finish putting my other sock on...

Oh yeah...  Speaking of socks... Here's the progress on my sockhead hat. I knew that this was going to take a while, but I don't mind at all. It's perfect TV knitting!

two

Today is certainly a top-drawer day.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year, but I'm really not sure I can say anything that hasn't already been said by one person or another. I love the turkey. I love the cranberry sauce (before -  the jiggly can-shaped mass; now - the orange zesty homemade kind). I love the Olive-Cheese Balls. Wait, what? You've never had olive-cheese balls? Well, for my family, they're definitely a signature appetizer for any gathering where we all look nice and drink some sort of sparkling wine. I can't remember a party without them. Try them at once! They are wonderful. Trust me.

My sister Sara and our cousin Kheli took the train in from Boston and arrived around six o'clock this morning. I didn't mind picking them up that early, as I've become a chronic early riser. The other day, I woke up completely naturally at 4:30 AM. Nothing makes me feel older than waking up before 5 AM. Well, maybe back pain...

Thanksgiving with my family is always full of traditions. The turkey, for instance, is always cooked by my father on his Weber Grill that he's had for years. It's always delicious, and always a little bit different year after year. An adventure, really. We always get a pumpkin pie, even though no one really eats it. However, I always try one new recipe every Thanksgiving, and it usually includes pumpkin. This year was no exception. I made Pumpkin Cheesecake Crumble Squares from the October 2006 (*gulp* a little late to the party here) Bon Appetit Magazine.

Today I started a new knitting project as well. Since it's Thanksgiving, I wanted a project that would be (a) easy to pick up and put down, (b) something I could work on without a printed pattern and highlighter, and (c) a single skein project. I decided on the Sockhead Hat by Kelly McClure of bohoknits. Knit in the round with a lot of ribbing, followed by a lot of stockinette, this pattern definitely fit the bill. Since I have a few <cough> random skeins of sock yarn that I haven't really queued in my head yet, I thought this would be a great option. I'm using Malabrigo Sock in the 871 Playa colorway. This project is great for parade watching, telling stories, and everything else we like to sprinkle in between snack breaks on Thanksgiving.

I hope that your Thanksgiving was wonderful as well!

one

This is my very first blog post.

I've decided to start a blog about my knitting adventures, yarn exploits, and whatever else happens to stitch it's way into my life. I wouldn't say that my world is consumed by knitting and yarn or whatnot, but I definitely find time to knit every single day. I guess it's my own form of meditation; the repetition really seems to even me out. That's not to say there haven't been times [clears throat audibly...] where my screams of frustration could be heard from outside the house. At the end of the day, I really do love to knit. Don't you?

Over the weekend, I started a new scarf. I guess I should really call it a shawl, but I feel like scarf sounds more masculine. Maybe it's because the word "scarf" contains the word "arf" and if any dog's bark sounds like that, it must be a manly dog. In other news, I have a Chihuahua. Totally butch, I know.

Back to the scarf shawl... The pattern was just released today by one of my very favorite knitwear designers Stephen West and it's called Geysir Stretch. The shawl calls for three different colors of DK weight yarn, and he suggests alpaca because of the drape. However, worsted could also be substituted. Since I'm trying to knit completely from my stash these days, I've chosen three different colors of Lion Brand Wool-Ease Worsted. If you'd like, you can check out my project page for this shawl right over here, folks.

Here's my progress so far...

Is anyone else knitting this pattern? Are you enjoying it so far?