Holy Moly!

Has it really been 6 months since my last update?  Where have I been?  What have I done? How can so much time pass in (fill in some cliche about time)??

My precious....

Two weeks ago I made my annual pilgrimage to Stitches West.  I took Barry Klein's "Complete from the top down" class yesterday. He is one of the best knitting teachers I've had! I learned new things even though I have knitted a few top-down sweaters before. If you ever get a chance to take one of his classes, DO IT! He is worth every bit of your penny and time.

This year I also saw more weaving and crochet related classes and items on the market floor. There were also spinning, felting, and peripherally related things like irons, shoes, and makeup (I know, when I saw that I thought makeup?! boy....).

Lastly, the market, ah lovely market. Definitely the traditional favorites were there (like Webs, Yarn Barn), as well as many of the local businesses (like Carolina Homespun, Purlescence Yarns, and many I didn't even know existed!). Personally I lost all budgetary control at the Drops yarns booth. Their Delight sock yarn were on sale and of course I NEEDED all of it. Purrrrrty...yummy...

Something is better than nothing (??)

Ok, I'm a blog slacker.  So sue me.  If I had one wish right now, I'd wish for Hermione's Time Turner.  Wouldn't it be neat to travel back in time?  (No, I'm not talking about "fixing" regrets, I'm talking about being able to do more because you can essentially be in multiple places at once!)

So to make up for my past blog-slackerness, here are some of the stuff I've done/am doing in the past few months (in random order)

 

My first mystery KAL (knit-a-long)!  I'm currently addicted to socks. SOCKS!

iPad cover for Tim (his design, I'm just the knitter)

My new hobby, boy it's a challenge learning a new craft/skill

Socks for Steven

Single-skein, garter-rib hat

My new hero....

Thanks to Sister Diane for sharing this picture from Allison Hoffman!

A few weeks ago I attended my cousin's wedding in Hawaii.  It was an elegant and touching celebration, with a bunch of fun sprinkled throughout.  To this day I'm still amazed by how gorgeous Stella is.  All right, I confess, I'm a little envious too.  I mean, look at her?  Who wouldn't be?

There was a special special photographer just for the guests during the reception.  This picture should give an idea of the mood of the occasion (I'm the one red, on the left).

Oh what fun we had!

Our friends Elaine and Craig just welcomed their first baby into the world. So cute!

Sweater so far

The pattern is a take off of Pink by Wendy Bernard. I added the cable down the front; most likely I'll do something similar to the sleeves.  The raglan sweater is knit top-down, in the round (read: no seams!).  Yarn is Malabrigo Merino Worsted in the Stonechat colorway.  (It is s SOOOOO soft. I kept petting it as I knit.)


I'm hoping to finish this in another couple of weekends.  The weather has turned and I can't wait to wear it!

Rows and Columns

Oooo.  It's been a while.  I've been knitting but haven't had time to put up pictures.  Here are 2 of the most recent projects.  The bunny is a gift, and the hat is unclaimed.  I made it on a whim to try a new technique.  Isn't it cool how the colors came out?  In knitting, it's easy to make rows of changing colors but columns are harder.  This "knit-one-below" technique I used on the hat allows me to make columns with relative ease.  Neat, eh?

But now I'm done,  I'm not sure what to do with the hat.  I'll probably donate it. 

Ruffles

About 3 weeks ago I had to fly to Florida for work.  The 7+hours-each-way flight gave me plenty of time to knit. Prior to the trip, I had restarted a pair of socks I first tried to make 3 years ago.  Back then I didn't have the best of instructions and I messed up several times before finally putting it aside. But I never gave up. Recently I decided to try again, this time armed with a better understanding of socks and a good technique book. This trip provided the necessary opportunity to focus.

Result? Hee hee.  I learned lots and had lots of fun making up the pattern as I went.  Maybe I'll wear it out to dinner next time.  I mean, who doesn't love a bit of frilly ruffles on their feet?

Finally, a picture!

I finished Sandy's cardigan a while back but finally I have a picture to show!

Sandy looks so naturally cute!