Right under our noses

Has anyone else ever noticed that despite how long you've lived in an area, there remain to be things that just pop up out of the blue to remind you that you don't, in fact, know everything?

For example, a few weeks ago, my sister-in-law discovered that there is an Alpaca farm less than five miles from where we live. Say whaaaat? Armed with mapquest directions and a hesitance to this place actually existing, we set out on our way. Not only does this place exist, but it ended up being pretty darn awesome. Behold, a few candids from our trip to Apple Orchard Alpacas.

ohymygosh.

why, hello!

uh. dorable.

Friendship transcending species.


Sneak attack!


HAH!

The highlight of my week. No, make that summer.

As you might have guessed, we had a great visit. Not only was the farm gorgeous, but both the animals and owners were [very] patient with us as we snapped all of these pictures. As if playing with the cute animals wasn't enough, I also made my first fiber purchase--but more on that in weeks to come. For now, I hope the abundance of cute things above will distract you from the lack of knitting photos. I promise, those are coming soon!

A winter hat in July

It is no secret that I'm a big fan of Ysolda's work. One might even consider me a groupie. I think her patterns are ingenious and that her style is unique and always fresh. Like most, I have been eying up several of her new patterns and dreaming up when and how I'm going to make everything with only two hands. Fast forward to last weekend. While my fabulous roommate was overseas in Scotland this summer, she brought a little something back home with her. Realistically, I don't think it would have been possible for her to have picked a more perfect souvenir to gift--it's obvious she knows me far too well.

What did I receive you ask? I'll give you a few hints: It came complete with a booklet copy of the pattern, the yarn suggested (in my favorite color), and a nifty tote bag-- all purchased from K1 Yarns in Edinburgh...

Oh enough of this suspense! Meet my latest fling:Pattern: Rose Red
Designer: Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Orkney Angora St Magnus D.K. in Aqua
Needles: US #7 & US #3 Addi Turbos
Time to Knit: July 20-July 25th
Level of Love: wishing I could wear hats at work.I really love this hat--in fact, I'm going to go ahead and say with confidence that this is my favorite hat yet (And just for the record, that's quite a few hats!). This pattern has just enough variety to keep it interesting but was simple enough to knit with a movie going in the background. The chart made it incredibly easy to follow, and it was fun watching the pattern grow as it got bigger.
As for modifications, I really only made two: I decided not to add the i-cord section on the top center, and I went down to US 2's for a simple 2x2 rib for the brim. Again, I'm incredibly pleased with how this turned out.

In other news, apparently, I'm not allergic to angora as I had previously thought! Though I was hesitant about it at first, the recommended yarn was a perfect choice for this pattern.

So yes, It's official-- I mark this hat mission a success.

When Life Hands you Lace...

You hand it a mindless stockinette project. Though admittedly I'm still basking in the glorious afterglow of the Shetland Triangle, I needed a project to clear my head. You know, to wipe the slate clean and start it fresh with something else. More importantly, to start it fresh with something easy.

Enter the hat: A straight, 90 st stockinette beanie style man-hat with stripes just to keep it interesting. I'm not joking when I say that this hat is a project that you'll blink and miss--it's that good (and that fast!).This project satisfied my urge to knit something useful and mindless--a perfect combination in my opinion. As for the recipient, he's a great guy who just happened to be at the right place at the right time. Just as he was mentioning his need for a new hat, my fingers were itching to start one. A few episodes of Daria later, a new hat was born. In a nutshell, this project gave me the mindless break I needed...and it also gave me an excuse to use my personalized tags--yeah!

So in conclusion, I urge you to go out, cast on, and knit something obscenely simple--you'll probably be happy you did!

Sneaky.

So we're just going to go ahead and not acknowledge that I've fallen off the face of the earth for the past month. Step one in pretending it never happened? Introducing yet another surprise project!

Yeah, I have a PhD. in Sneakiness.Yup, that's a Shetland Triangle you see!
Yarn: a little less than 1 skein of Malabrigo Lace. Yummm.
Needles: 47" US 8 Addi Turbos
Time to knit: June 26-July 19
Level of love: Off. the. charts.

Today was the day of my fantastic roommate's bridal shower and, afterward, I was able to snap a few pictures of her wearing her new item. Seeing as Jamie's the one who got me re-interested in knitting (hear, hear!), making a special project for her was the least I could do. I had purchased the yarn on a whim during a trip home; when I brought it back with me, I specifically remember Jamie handling [lusting after] it quite a bit. Little did she know that she'd get it a few months later.
In other news, I love the pattern. No really, I love the pattern. I absolutely will be making this again. The only thing that didn't work like clockwork was my first attempt on the bind off (waaay too tight). 2nd time around, I ended up going up to size 15's to make sure it was loose enough to make those characteristic points. As for modifications, I only did one extra repeat than the pattern called for, but it stretched to a decent (and wearable) size due to the size 8's. Oh, and as if this a shock, the Malabrigo was heaven to work with.

So there you have it! What's yet to come? Perhaps another hat (shocking?), a fun-filled trip to an Alpaca farm, and finally learning to spin? Ohhhh the possibilities!

I love my job.

case in point.

I started my internship about one month ago, and I can say wholeheartedly that I do indeed love my job. Every day is something different and every day I come home smiling. The ladies you see above are truly a priceless bunch--each of them has specific strengths that they bring to the office each day, and together I think that our office is pretty much unstoppable. This is true "girl power".

So at our work, we each take turns leading our weekly staff meetings--the beginning is usually something fun and applicable that serves as an icebreaker of some kind. Long story short, this past Monday was my turn to run the meeting, and I thought of no better icebreaker than inflicting my love of knitting onto a captive audience (wouldn't you?). I provided yarn, needles, and instructions to each, along with this article which I find to be 100% accurate. Some initially were hesitant but warmed toward the end. There are now several of the ladies who knit during the day to unwind. Even the diehard crocheter of the bunch agreed to put down her hook and picked up two needles as a gesture of inter-crafting sisterhood.

Now, knitting for work doesn't just end there- let me introduce you to a speedy little project:

Pattern: The Beer Sweater
Designer: Melissa Martinsen
Yarn: Heart & Sole (A new self-striping sock yarn with Aloe!)
Needles: US #3 Addi Turbos
Time to knit: obscenely short

This week our staff was taking turns leaving fun surprises on our director's (lower center above) desk. I thought it would be only fitting to knit up something up for her.

I love the self-striping sock yarn for this pattern-- It made a fun looking fair isle-ish yoke that I think is really unique. I also think that the cozie looks like a miniature version of the sweaters found all too commonly buried in local thrift stores waiting for someone to love them. It has that "so ugly it's cute" quality about it, which I think is why I love it so much. In my opinion, this pattern was again a success.

So in conclusion, I have established that crafting in the workplace not only makes sense, but it makes for happiness too--three cheers for that! I love my job.

I get by

with a little help from my friends.

One fun thing about blogging is that you instantly become part of a worldwide community of fellow bloggers and readers. When a blog is about a topic as specific as knitting, it's common to find lots of fun, kind-hearted people who share the same passions you do. Often these friendships stay as casual as leaving an occasional comment on a blog and having that person eventually return the favor. Other blogging friendships, one way or another, lead to actual friendship (gasp!). That was the case with Michael.

*ahem*

Fast forward to this afternoon. I came home from work to find an internationally shipped package waiting for me. Inside? A gorgeous hand-knit shawl, a flawless pair of socks addressed to my mom, and yummy looking regional chocolates for us to munch on. What a guy. So without further ado, I introduce you to the pinnacle of inter-blogging generosity. No, scratch that- just generosity in general. Meet Laminaria

as well as the Hedgerow Socks

I still can't believe I have these gorgeous items in my possession, but now that they're here, I couldn't love them more. I think it's true that a fellow knitter appreciates a gifted item more because we know how much time, care, and diligence went into each piece. I can't stress enough how thoughtful this is, and despite him not being crazy about gifts, I plan to pay him back royally somehow.

Thank you, friend!

Puppy Love

I'm busily knitting up a new project but since the progress shots wouldn't be exciting, I'm sharing photos of my little bundle of joy(and ENERGY!) instead. Brace yourself: Her name's Gracie, and she's a cutie!

I've been spotted.

weeeeeeeee!

Pretty.

mischief.

All in all, I've determined that it's called puppy love for a reason...

Instant Gratification

In reference to my last post, I will try to post more photos once I can have a proper photoshoot with my mom modeling her new shawl--we've both just been crazy busy lately. In the mean time, cast your eyes on a glorious piece of instant gratification knitting -boy did it feel good!Pattern: Jenny Cloche [rav]
Designer: Julia Madill
Yarn of Choice: 1.1 skeins Malabrigo Bulky in Bobby Blue
Needles: US 10 Addi Turbos
Time to knit: probably about 2 hours
Level of love: high

I seriously can't handle how in love with this hat I am. I was taken by the pattern since the day it was introduced, and boy- it pains me that I waited as long as I did to make it. And yes, the side bow really is that huge (Put it this way, it's sized a la Carrie Bradshaw). The cool thing is, it can be removed easily and worn with decorative pins or a knitted buckle-like option that Julia included in the pattern. This hat will be a staple among staples for holiday knitting in the upcoming years--bravo Julia!

Oh, and...

Puppy in T minus 13 hours (!)

Lets Play a Game

A game called........."Guess what I finished!"

For starters, it involved these...

and these...

and this.

No luck...?




Oh who are we kidding, it turned into this:
Oh, and this
Success!
(more details to come soon)

Riding on

Finals are done, grades are in, school has been left, and my heart is healing. Hello world, I'm back--thanks for waiting. Also, thank you for your words of encouragement in getting me through this rough patch. It's been a while since I've done the whole "single thing" and to be honest, it's still feeling pretty foreign to me (3.5 years is a long time to suddenly be without a +1!). I'm finding that taking things one day at a time is helping and that spending quality time with friends and family is making this transition bearable. Gosh, does it hurt though. It's especially hard because I use knitting for general relaxation and think time--and think time is the exact opposite of what I need right now. I have resorted to only knitting with other people or with something very distracting on in front of me. It's not ideal, but hey, it's a start.

Now, I've never been one for rebounding, but sometimes a rebound is the best medicine. Please meet the new love of my life:

"Hello, I'm adorable."


"*yawn* being cute makes me sleepy..."

Meet Gracie-- the soon-to-be new addition to our household. June 8th will be the official date that she joins us, and let me tell you--I can't wait to have her for keeps. Forget chocolate, nothing heals a broken heart like a cute & cuddly puppy. Seriously.

In knitting news, I was finally able to attend my first 'knit night' of the season and I got quite a bit of work done on my mom's shawl! I finished the 17 repeats and I have moved onto the edging portion. dare I predict completion within the week? I dare. I have proof of said progress as seen here:

Say hello mom, you're famous!

More fun photos of knit night have been chronicled here on my fellow knit blogger Sarah's site! We had a fantastic turnout (9 people!) Including some of my close family & friends. It's fantastic to see how the group has grown since it's humble beginning last winter. Being there was therapeutic to say the least, and I can't wait to go back again next week. To all of you considerate readers, thanks again for your support through this all--knitters are certainly a caring breed!

Sigh...

Finals week, work, packing and a breakup--I will try to get back on my horse soon, but please bear with me in the meantime. This knitter is especially unhappy today.

Hopelessly Devoted

No knitting to speak of; financial accounting is consuming my soul (of all things!). Trying to not think about the 30-page portfolio I have due tomorrow, and instead looking forward to this Saturday when my brother will be marrying this lovely woman (yup, she's one of us!). Joel is my only sibling so this wedding will be extra special! For those curious, I will be a groomsmaid.

Let me introduce you to Sandra Dee: my mom's cruiser that she generously donated to my commuting cause-- Thanks, mom!
"But blue Schwinn don't you see? There's just no getting over you...I'm hopelessly devoted to you..."

Bittersweet

Let me tell you, this week has been unbelievably hectic. I know I'm not alone in feeling this way, almost every person I know here is feeling the end of the year crunch. But guess WHAT? Despite everything I have going on all at once, I have an FO to show you! No second mitten syndrome for this gal, I count two!The second mitten went significantly faster than the first; that certainly was a pleasant surprise. I'm very happy to have them finished (just in time for 60-degree weather!).
Are any of you being drawn to that gorgeous pink peony in the back? You're in luck! My fabulous roommate, Jamie (pictured below), recently purchased a crepe paper peony set a la Martha Stewart. It was such a cool process to watch--the kits are highly recommended!

Lastly, I have a sad bit of news that has added to the stress of this past week. Do you remember when I said I knit the special side thumbs on my mittens in order to be conducive to biking? Apparently, I spoke too soon...Last week Thursday, my vintage blue bike was stolen and I'm still mourning its loss. I recently remembered these photos which were taken last fall for my friend Kevin's product line (he sews a fantastic line of messenger bags and accessories). I wanted to share them with you in an attempt to help me grieve. Sigh. You will be missed bicycle, I hope we meet again.**Afterthought: I did knit the hat I'm wearing in the picture--it's my chevron newsie hat. I've never written the pattern for it, but it certainly wouldn't be that hard to do. Thoughts?**

Okay Okay...

I suppose I owe you an actual blog post hmm?

First of all, thank you so much for all of the kind birthday wishes!--it certainly made my day that much happier! (Those of you who are interested: yes I had a fantastic time that night!)

Moving on in knitting news, I opted to make myself a new pair of mittens after I was dubbed "a bad little kitten who'd lost my mittens," earlier this month. After it randomly (and I mean randomly) snowed 4 inches in one afternoon about a week ago, I decided that this replacement needed to happen sooner rather than later. Enter Mitered Mitts:
These mittens really need no introduction, but for those who are interested, it's EZ's Mitered Mitts from Knitter's Almanac. This probably has to be the easiest mitten pattern ever. Since these mittens are going to be used while I'm commuting via bike, I opted to do the standard side thumb shown a la Grace Schnebly. These are such a quick knit my only excuse for not having them finished is that I've had my mind blown by college this past week. Here's the progress on the second one...I've just cleared the thumb which means nothing but clear skies and smooth sailing here on out!

Lastly, I've decided to start a secret project which I'm incredibly excited to begin. (Observant readers will note that this yarn originally debuted here). What on earth could I be doing with 2 skeins of Tahki Cotton Classic and one GIANT crocheted chain?? (*hint* the chain will be for a gigantic provisional cast-on). Yikes! You won't be kept in the dark too long, more updates to follow in a more reasonable fashion!

A Love Story

There once was a chilled bottle of soda who lived alone in the kitchen.

"Brrrrr, I'm cold!"

Then, at that very moment, she received a toasty sweater from a secret admirer!

"A secret admirer?....me?"

The sweater kept her warm, but she soon grew lonely...

"*waaaaaaahhh*..."

Chicklet was rushed in to cheer her up

"Awww, Thanks for the hug Chicklet--I needed that."

Feeling a little better, she decided to get gussied up to go out that night...

...and she ended up meeting the bottle of her dreams!

"Did you like the sweater I sent you...?", he asked. "It's perfect!" She replied.

And they lived cozily ever after-- The End.