Duncan

This is Duncan.


We rescued him from Pet Refuge. He's between 3-4, and the vet said she'd bet everything that he is a full blooded english lab. He is pretty awesome... even though he looks at me like he is so much wiser than me.

A Year of Knitting

Well, I would say 2009 has been fairly good to me so far. Knitting-wise, of course. :)



Next year... sweaters!

Finished Things are Fun!

Warmest Mitts for K.


Yarn: Cascade Pastaza & KP Wool of the Andes doubled
Thoughts: AWESOME. Took me two and half days MAYBE to complete these. He loves them. I love them. I'm pretty jealous of their coziness. The pastaza seems like it would be itchy but it keeps his hands very warm.

And a Gretel hat for me!


Yarn: KP Wool of the Andes
Thoughts: Favorite. Hat. EVER. Seriously.. I never want to take it off. It is so perfect. I thought the cabling would be terrifying but it was actually fun. I even learned to do one of the cables without the needle.. I just forgot which one now. Oops. Everyone should have one of these hats. In every color. Would love to make one up in something yummy like malabrigo.


Ok, Moo is not finished. She is just cute and I thought she deserved a guest appearance in blog land. :)

Awesome

Knitting is sort of awesome. It's my way to escape and relax. Getting so wrapped up in charts and yarn and needles (ok, maybe not needles) is an awesome feeling. Especially when you end up with something that is finished and well... awesome. So, to catch up on all the things I never post.. let's start with the most recent..

I made a shawl. Woo hoo! This blog makes me look like that is all I make. But this is not true. I just seem to feel like blogging when I accomplish something that large. I bet it will take me a very long time to post anything about the mittens that took me three days to make.





So, the pattern is Springtime Bandit(ravelry link) and it was very enjoyable. Even though I messed up on the edge charts and forgot to really LOOK at it on the purl rows... hey, no one notices if I miss that single knit stitch in the middle of all the purls. Right? :) Of course not. The yarn is Patons Classic Wool Merino. It's warm and cozy and I love it. I would most definitely make another of these. Perhaps when my blocking skills gain a bit more patience..

I also made these amazing blue socks quite a while ago.



The pattern is Child's First Sock in Shell pattern from Knitting Vintage Socks. The yarn is ShibuiKnits... and the yarn rocks. I love it. I actually bought myself another two skeins of it in a honey color when I took a trip to my favorite yarn store this past weekend. But that's a whole different story...

Three Years Old

Happy Birthday to Miss Moolatte with Cream! :)  Or just Moo...  

You were once tiny and cute.

Let's look at your puppy photos today and remember how tiny you really were.  1 lb, 4 oz the day I brought you home.  Now you are a cow.  But I love you.

Happy third birthday, Moo.

(Yes, I may be lame for celebrating her birthday on my blog.. but.. she's my baby!)

Alpacas

Alpacas are cool.  Especially when you randomly stumble upon an alpaca shearing while driving around looking for houses for sale.  I must say that the shearing process seemed very unpleasant for the alpacas.. being chased down, stuck in a small area until haircut time.. then being strapped to a giant board/table and laid out for everyone to see your everything.  *sigh*  If I didn't enjoy the wonderfulness of their coats, I almost might feel bad for them. :)  

In knitting world... still working on Child's First Sock from Knitting Vintage Sock.  I completed the first one last night and am in the middle of the first pattern repeat on the second.  I think it will go pretty quickly.  Unlike most sock patterns, I actually have memorized this one quickly and enjoy it.  Can't wait to have another pair of pretty socks to wear!

FO: Shetland Triangle

Hooray.. the purple shetland is finally out of my life. :) I didn't get very many finished photos of it. I think it was received well, which is good news. Amy seemed to like it.. and the older ladies in her family definitely liked it. I think I am done with shawls for now. Although I am really enjoying all the finished Ishbel shawls I keep seeing on Ravelry... hmph. I don't think I want to torture myself with knitting with such fine yarn for a while. Wait.. the only thing I'm working on at the moment is socks. Dang it.

I am planning on knitting the Garter Stitch Swingy Sweater or Favorite Cardigan from Custom Knits next. But knowing me I'll start something else instead. I would like to make a few bags to use for grocery shopping. Or for one of those rare occasions that we actually go to the market..

I don't have much news outside of the knitting world. It's no wonder I haven't shared this blog with anyone yet. I'm so lame!

Just My Luck

Who would've guessed that my fountain pen shawl would take a turn for the worse after I said that I really should put a lifeline in. Yes, that evening.. after writing that last post.. my (knitting) world fell apart. I blame Freaks and Geeks. The show, of course. I've been watching the one and only season of it. And I got way too confident in my knitting abilities and paid more attention to the show than to my project. I tried fixing it for hours. I cried. I called it a few choice words. I cried some more. Then I began ripping it out and trying to figure out what my next move would be. So.. it came down to another Shetland Triangle. I know the pattern. It's easy. I could crank one out in the brief amount of time that I have before the bridal shower. I'm using Bristol Yarn Gallery Buckingham in "Grape." This yarn is so soft and wonderful to knit with. Amy is a pretty lucky gal..

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Progress

so, as i said in my previous post.. i've been working on the fountain pen shawl from interweave knits spring 2009. i also have a deadline. before april 19th. well, it has to be blocked and wrapped and amazing before april 19th. can i make it in time? we'll see.

i'm not sure what i was thinking with this large shawl in this teeny yarn. alpaca with a twist fino? uggh.. the thinnest yarn on earth! i'm debating whether or not i'll do all ten repeats of chart two. i'm almost through my fifth repeat and it's taking me forever to do the purl rows. (evil, evil purling) i'm keeping my fingers crossed that nothing devasting happens. i haven't put in a lifeline and i'd hate to mess it up and have to tear it all back. (i shudder just considering that) perhaps i should put one in..

after this is finished up, i have to make something for my swap partner in color swap 3. i'm looking forward to it.. it's my first swap! how fun. :) i am having a bit of trouble deciding what color to choose for my swap partner, but thankfully she is quite the chatterbox and posts a LOT on ravelry. so, that is very helpful!
i guess that's all i have to report. better get back to work!

FO: Shetland Triangle

Hooray, my first finished lace shawl! :) I loved working on this and now am a little irked that I decided to use KP Palette for it. I would love it in a much nicer yarn. But this was good for practice.. can you imagine how mad I would be if I ruined beautiful yarn? Agh. What a nightmare.


I'm sure I will make another Shetland.. the pattern was super easy and enjoyable. I am very happy with it. :)

Now I am starting the Fountain Pen Shawl for a wedding gift in Alpaca with a Twist Fino. I don't think it will be long before I'm sick of lacework!
That's all for now.. happy knitting!