Whoa.

Pretty Sweater:



Not so pretty:


I wish I could show you just how complicated this pattern is! But I don't want to infringe on copyright - hence the fuzzy pic. I guess the key with Japanese patterns is that any information that can be reduced to a symbol or a short series of numbers is presented that way. There is no text, just lots and lots of arrows, lines, numbers for measurement, stitches and decreases, and...Japanese. I think if I saw a similar pattern in a language I speak, it would be daunting. But throw the Japanese in there and it's - just -

whoa.

Once, twice - nope, just two times an FO.

I had a great weekend! Two friends of ours were married on Saturday. It was a happy occasion and one that called for new duds. For the Friday night get-together, I went with a patterned dress - but needed a little shoulder covering to make it an "outfit." My fellow KIPpers saw the Glampyre One Skein Wonder come together and near completion. Well, I finished! Here it is with the dress:


The color of this yarn is incredibly difficult to photograph - but suffice it to say, the color coordinates very nicely in person. I used Handmaiden Sea Silk in Berry - held double to achieve the worsted gauge. The pattern is fab - if you haven't made one, hop to it already!

Also, you may recall that I was working on a shawl while I was on the West Coast - I finished it last week. Continuing my Cavalcade of Bad Hair Days:


I used Lorna's Laces Lion & Lamb in Ravenswood. I wasn't sure I liked the colorway, but I LOVE this yarn. So soft and smooth to knit with. This aqua-colored tank top seems to go pretty well with the shawl colors; I may have to get creative to coordinate the shawl with other clothes this fall/winter.

Anyway - I'm just working on some baby sweaters now. Two friends have recently delivered, and another reminded me that she was "still waiting" for a sweater for her second child, who is now five months old. Better get knitting! Yes, ma'am.

Hope everyone is well and looking forward to the Labor Day holiday!

Variety is the Spice of Knitting

Lately, I have been focused on knitting through my stash. I haven't decided not to buy any more yarn, just to try to knit up what I have. This is mostly because I'm tired of looking at the same yarn, not because I don't want to have a stash (although a smaller one would be preferable). Also, it's been a little demoralizing to keep looking at things that were (to me) bad purchases - the 'what-was-I-thinking-I-don't-wear-this-color' skeins, the 'it-looked-good-in-the-store' yarns, etc.

I went to a yarn swap at Arcadia last weekend, where my goal was to get rid of everything I brought and not bring anything else home. Given that the yarn store owners also planned to donate the leftovers, I figured this would be easy to do. Not so. The yarn swap was very formal (I thought): everyone laid out their items, and then walked around to see what they might want from others. If you wanted something, a bartering process would begin and the yarn would be traded.

Since I had brought Koigu and some other name brand-y yarn, lots of people wanted to trade with me. So - I ended up with some new-to-me yarn! I got some Noro Silk Garden and some Misti Alpaca Sportweight in these colors:


It was such a fun experience, because I never could have predicted getting these yarns! And although I love them both, I never would have picked these colors. Now I will have to think of something I can make with them. (just not together!) I think I will use the alpaca double-stranded and make a cozy hat. Any ideas for 300 yards of Silk Garden?

My West Coast Booty

You may recall that I was planning a serious yarn crawl while Hubby and I were on the West Coast. Well...as you might expect, I didn't end up doing that much yarn shopping.

While in Portland, I visited Knit Purl. What an incredible store! It struck me as a very "zen" yarn shop - soothing sage green walls, calming music and minimalist design. They carry a lot of local yarns, which means the current fave Blue Moon Fiber Arts, Loom In Essence (colored with natural plant dyes) and Oregon's Own (can't seem to find web sites for those last two). They also carry Handmaiden kits - which I have admired from afar but never seen in person. Here's what I chose:



On the left is the Angel/Rumple Scarf Kit from Handmaiden - on which I've already made great progress! It comes with a silk boucle and a thin kid mohair, hand dyed to match. The fabric they make together is SOOOO soft! The colorway is a blue/periwinkle (although it looks sort of aqua on my screen).

The item on the right is very interesting. Knit Purl has a store brand of yarns called ShiBui. I think they are working on distributing the brand more widely, since I saw an ad highlighting ShiBui Knits in the last Interweave. (I also overheard an intense meeting in the store leading me to believe this) I bought the sock yarn in a moss green color, which has a twist and sheen like Koigu, but in saturated, nature-inspired, elegant mostly-solid shades. There are other ShiBui yarns available too, from DK to bulky weight.

And lest you think Knit Purl is not fully stocked - they have Noro, Rowan, Debbie Bliss, Koigu, Brown Sheep, lots of cashmere and tons of other things. They also have their own line of beautiful patterns, which have a modern, somewhat Asian feel.

So, although I can't speak for Portland's (many!) other knitting stores, I can say Knit Purl is REALLY worth a visit.

The weather in Chicago is beautiful today - so I'm going back outside! Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Knitting where you least expect it

Thanks, everyone, for the kind wishes on my blogiversary and honeymoon. I really appreciate all your good thoughts winging their way to me through cyber-land.

At one point on our trip, I was trying to look for sea glass to take back home. We had been on the same beach the day before, where I'd seen tons of it - but this time I just wasn't finding any. And then - I saw one piece. And then I couldn't STOP seeing it!

Knitting is kind of like that. If your eye is looking you'll find it. Like this item at the Lewis and Clark National Historical Site, which we visited last week - a knitting kit for a historically accurate hat.

And then sometimes when people know you're a knitter, they show you knitting stuff. My husband's aunt showed me this:


A book called "Make it with Mademoiselle," as in the magazine, circa 1977. The intro is pretty entertaining:


I, too like designs that don't "demand a lot of coin." Still, it's pretty cool that the editors came up with all of the patterns themselves. There are tons of cool patterns for knitting, crochet, sewing and crafting projects. There are even instructions for cool ways to tie a head scarf. I'll leave you with two of my favorite patterns from the book:





The bottom photo is labeled "Crunchy Sweaterjack and Cap." Never heard of a sweaterjack, but I like it!

You can get your own copy at www.abebooks.com. Leave me one, though!

Later, y'all!

My Blogiversary

Today's my blogiversary! I missed it last year, so I wanted to be sure to post about it this time.

Blogging has added so much to my life. I've met people from all over the U.S. and other countries, read about knitting projects and life's work, visited places I may never see in person, and learned about recipes and cultural traditions. I've given and received encouragement and support on knitting and beyond, from careers to family to life's twists and turns. The more I share through blogging, the more the world and all the viewpoints and people in it keep expanding.

None of this would be possible without those who write blogs, and those who read them. I am so grateful for getting the chance to be a tiny part of your lives and to share part of my life with you.

Hubby says it's time to stop blogging and get back to honeymooning. So, here's a pic from Portland, with my latest project. (for the sticklers among you, it's a shawl in Lorna's Laces Lion & Lamb in the Ravenswood colorway)


My best to all of you!

Tidbits

Hi all! It's been a while since my last post. I don't have pix to share, so I guess that's the reason.

Last night my husband and I went to see The Roots (and Talib Kweli) in concert. Aside from the poor sound quality at the venue it was jammin'. It was a late night for a Monday but well worth it. I was even tempted to go to the aftershow, a DJ set with ?uestlove - but given how tired I was the next day I guess I was kinda glad we didn't!

I've continued to work on my Ribby Shell - it looks pretty much the same as my last pic. I've also been working on a ribbed wool hat from some Morehouse Merino Chunky wool - it turned out pretty well, though a little small for the hubby. No matter - for some reason, hats are a challenge for me, so every time I make one I just hope to get a little better at it.

Fall Interweave Faves

Did y'all get the new Interweave? I LOVE this issue. There are so many things I would like to make, and even the things that don't suit me personally are still really good patterns. (I don't always think this about Interweave.) I made a collage of my favorites.

Two more days and we're off on our honeymoon! It will be a much needed break from work, as well as some bonding time with the hubby before he gets busy with the fall semester. I'll try to keep the yarn store-hopping to a minimum (grin), but Portland is just overflowing with them! I've picked out a few that seem neat and that also have local yarn brands: Lint, Knit Purl, and Mabel's Cafe and Knittery.Not to mention the one at the beach, Siren Song Stitchery (love the alliteration). Anyway, I'll try not to overdo it.

I may not get to post before I leave, but I plan to blog at least once while I'm away. In the meantime, happy knitting! Ciao bellas!

Weekend, Part II

I've already said there was no knitting last weekend - but did you honestly think that meant no YARN??!? Before we left on Friday, I scoped out the yarn store options in Moorhead, MN. Turns out there's this awesome store, called The Knitty Gritty Cafe. It is, in fact, a cafe as well as a yarn shop. It's BEAUTIFUL. See for yourself:



One of the store's employees is an artist, and her work is all over the walls of the shop. Plus, there's yarn everywhere (see that lamp in the far right of the picture) - including the bathroom! (don't worry it's not for sale, just decoration)

It's a pretty compact store, but don't let that fool you - there were a bunch of things in this store I've never seen before, such as: Mango Moon Mohair and something called Bali Sky, and another one that's like hand-dyed strips of t-shirt; Ironstone Yarns of many fibers and hues; patterns by Lucy Neatby; and all kinds of smaller brands whose names I can't recall (I should have taken notes!).

The store was super friendly as well - I had a nice chat with Tricia, who was working that day. I also talked to these ladies, who knit but who were actually in for a coffee! Plenty of space to sit, knit and enjoy a latte...



...so if you're ever in Moorhead, check out The Knitty Gritty Cafe! And now, for my goodies:



I knew indigirl had patterns, but this was the first yarn store where I've seen them. If you can't make it out - the bag has a houndstooth pattern on the front and back. The yarn is Ironstone Yarns Harmony - again, never seen it before, but Tricia says it's great for felting. It's reasonably priced and soft, so I got enough for the purse and some in a beautiful heathery dark teal/navy (in the foreground). I'll let you know how it works out.

So that was my weekend. Now that I'm back all I can think about is the next time I'm going away - we are going on our honeymoon a week from Saturday! I'm very excited. Anybody have any yarn store/alpaca farm-type recommendations for Seattle or Portland/Oregon Coast? Let me know! Later y'all...

Things I learned this weekend

1. Floating in a swimming pool is truly relaxing.


2. Lots of people, not just knitters, like handknit dishcloths.


3. Marriage, if done right, really does give you a second family.

I spent the weekend with my husband’s dad’s family in Minnesota. I spent two days with almost no internet, knitting, email or watching TV – that would never happen at home. Instead, I hung out with my new relatives, drank margaritas, played in the pool, and just generally relaxed. It was a wonderful and unique weekend.

Stay tuned for more about my trip.

P.S. July

Thanks, everyone, for the kind birthday wishes! They were a nice surprise and very much appreciated. It's been a busy year, what with the moving, job search and new job, wedding planning and wedding. After all that, I plan to focus on relaxing this year. :)

The Norah Gaughan lace hoodie is in time-out right now. I just don't have the heart to try the lace-flipping again for a little while! I've already ripped out my mistakes at least three times.

So I decided to work on a quicker project, and bust some stash:



The lovely Bonne Marie's Ribby Shell! And in a snappy lavender color to boot. The yarn is Classic Elite Provence, purchased from last year's Webs Anniversary Sale. If you've never knit with this yarn - run out and track some down...it is so beautiful. You know how when you use fabric softener on your clothes, and they come out of the dryer all soft and cushy feeling? That's how this yarn feels when it's knit up (although it feels pretty normal in the skein). It's multi-plied so it evens out your stitches too. The only bad thing is that it retails for $12.50 a skein - ouch! Maybe Webs will put it on discount again.

Anyway, that's all I've got for now. Thanks again for the good wishes - here's to another great year.

July 8

July 8 was my birthday! And it was indeed a kick-a$$ birthday.

It started on Friday with a surprise delivery of flowers, and Garrett's Caramel Crisp popcorn - my favorite treat and a Chicago tradition!


I treated myself to a manicure and pedicure on Saturday morning. So relaxing! I now have hot pink toes. Later in the day, my husband and I did something I've always wanted to do: we went to afternoon tea. Check out these treats!


They really did taste as good as they look...wow.

Lest you think the day was over, we had dinner at a great authentic Mexican restaurant called Maiz - they have been written up as having the best margaritas in the city! So being a 'rita lover, I had to check them out. See for yourself:

The food at this place is wonderful - so fresh and flavorful, as well as reasonably priced. We had chicken with mole, and lots of other things whose names escape me now.

A few months ago, I found out that my favorite musical artist was going to be in Chicago on my birthday! So naturally I had to go. Her name is Nanci Griffith - and the fact that she was headlining the Chicago Irish Fest did not stop me from seeing her! (yes, you may chuckle) Actually, the festival thing worked in our favor - the tickets were only $8 for a nearly two-hour performance. Later we waited by her tour bus, in the hopes that we could meet her and get her autograph - I did get her autograph (her manager took my liner notes - and Sharpie - to her on the bus), but didn't get to meet her. Anyway, it was still a special moment!

So that was my day. I'm 31 now! Wee.

No knitting progress, as I keep screwing up the flipping lace. (Flipping as in minor curse word, as well as the maneuver where the lace flips from one side to the other to go up the other half of the sweater's front.) Hopefully I'll get the rhythm going again soon.

Later, y'all! Hope everyone had a nice weekend.

Challenge: Week 4

I missed doing a week 3 update, so it's week 4 now. I'm doing pretty well on the sweater, but it's pretty clear that the pieces won't be done in four weeks. Here's where things stand:



On the left we have the back with two sleeves on top (2nd sleeve is nearly complete), and to the right we have 50% of the front. You can see the part where I flip the lace to go the opposite direction; unfortunately, the ribbing for the other side of the front is on the wrong side, so I have to frog back. I did what I thought the directions told me, but - as Elizabeth pointed out - the RS becomes the WS, and vice versa, so I'll have to read them again in that light.

I still think that had I not had two weeks of work from H-E-doublehockeysticks, I could have at least finished the knitting in 3-4 weeks. But I'm still proud of my effort, and even more proud of my stick-to-it-iveness: this is the only thing I've knit on in the last month! I never have that kind of focus, so it's been refreshing. I should try being a 'one-project woman' more often.

Have a great weekend, everybody! I have some special activities planned for Saturday ...more on that later.

Oh, and P.S. - y'all know Webs? Well, they have launched a full line of yarns under the name Valley Yarns, and it's similar to KnitPicks in that they source them direct from the mill and sell them for low low prices. And Webs is a great company - family run, community-minded...very cool. Check it out!

Saturday

Today was all about me! I had a great day being on my own schedule, doing what I wanted to do for as long as I felt like. The best thing I did today was go to the Marimekko exhibit at Illinois Institute of Technology. There was a brief period in my life in high school when I wanted to be a textile designer – so this was a great thrill for me.

I knew a little about Marimekko, but I learned a lot at the exhibit. The vision guiding the company came from a woman, Armi Ratia. In 1949, her husband bought a company called Printex that made plain old cotton fabric. In order to help market the product, she hired young designers to design new prints for the fabric and make a small collection of clothing from them. Beginning with a 1951 fashion show of these designs, Marimekko was born.

I’m no historian – so go here to read more about Marimekko’s history. Unfortunately, the exhibit doesn’t have a catalog – so that’s the best I can do. For Chicago folks (or visitors! come visit!) - the exhibit will be open until July 28.

I've made a set on Flickr of some of my favorite images from the exhibit. Enjoy the feast of color!

Up next in 'day of me' day activities: Tivo'd episodes of Knitty Gritty.

Challenge: Week 2

Well. Those sticklers among you will note that this is technically week 3, even though this is the week 2 update. My progress to date:



From left to right: one sleeve, one teeny-tiny bit of a sleeve, the back, and (gulp) half of the hood and a teeny bit of the front. Clearly, I have my work cut out for me! But I haven't given up hope yet - at least to have the pieces done by June 30. I've finally gotten the hang of the lace pattern, so it's going more quickly now - and having a stockinette sleeve to work on is great stress-relief knitting. (not that I need stress relief knitting or anything...ha!)

Well, it's back to knitting for me. But before I go, I want to plug a new magazine that you should run out and buy: Adorn Magazine. I bought the premiere issue, and it's a really fun magazine. Perfect for you multi-craft multi-taskers out there! Lots of stitching, sewing, paper arts and beading. Plus, I love the tag line: The Crafty Girl's Guide to Embellishing Life.

That's what I need: some embellishment.

Later, y'all.

Challenge: Week 1

The sweater continues...I've finished the back piece and have started on the front. It starts at the middle of the hood, and you knit down to the shoulder, then down to the hem - you turn the lace border (it's reversible), cast on more for the other side of the front, and continue back up the other side. I guess I'm being so descriptive because what I have so far is this:


Kinda small!
It's a little bigger now, since I took this picture yesterday. It's going okay, but it's pretty time-consuming. Also, I realized that this is my first real lace pattern, and I have no idea how tightly or loosely to knit the lace section so that it stays the right size once the sweater is finished. I don't think it's supposed to be blocked very much, if at all - so it's anyone's guess.

Work is kicking my butt this month, so finishing the sweater will be even more of a challenge than I anticipated! But I guess that's why I don't decide to make a sweater a month, every month. I love seeing it take shape, so that keeps me going. I might also cast on a sleeve to carry around, for those times where I can't break out a chart and concentrate but want to knit.

Anyway, that's all I've got for tonight. I'm tired! Hope you are all well. Thanks for stopping by...

Big Post!

BLOG POST PART 1: In which I recap my Mass. trip and stash flash.
I'm back! I had a great time at my college reunion, in spite of myself. Everyone was so happy to see each other that the competitiveness vibe seemed to have worn off...leaving us free to have fun and reminisce about our younger days. As for myself, I had a number of happy reunions with college friends, and a few that left me wistful - and still more that showed me how I've grown as a person since college. I always think that seeing old friends is a time to evaluate where you are in your life, and even more importantly - how authentically you are living your life. Are you still the person your friends once knew? Is that good or bad? Are you living in a way that reflects more or less of who you really are? Big questions...

...on to the yarn. I made it to Webs! In fact, I drove there straight from the airport. Believe it or not, I was not the only person attending my school's reunion who had done exactly that! Webs was all I hoped it would be. Everyone talks about the warehouse, which led me to believe that's what the whole store was like. In fact, it has a beautiful, large "retail" space before you even get to the warehouse part. I think they have just about every brand of yarn there is (except for Rowan). Anyway - you can find any color, any fiber, any weight of yarn in this place. And the friendly staff will help you do it. Here's what I got:



Tahki Willow in a mottled beige-y color, and some Debbie Bliss Wool/Cotton. The Tahki Willow is becoming the Norah Gaughan hooded pullover from VK Spring/Summer 2005. I've already started; this cotton/linen blend makes a beautiful fabric. (here's a closeup.) The DB w/c is for a hat for my little bro. The Tahki was discontinued - combine that with the Webs volume discount and it was a super deal. The DB wool/cotton is also discontinued - a very nice yarn; too bad. I also got some ebony wood circulars - they are so smooth. It's like they're not even wood. And the best part about these is that they are recycled remnants from the manufacture of musical instruments.

BLOG POST PART II: In which the Gauntlet is Thrown.
So I was waiting for an appointment the other day, and decided to knit for a few minutes. The receptionist noticed what I was doing.

Nice Receptionist Lady: What are you making?
Me: A sweater. This is just the back, not too exciting.
NRL: How long do you think it will take you to finish it?
Me (thinking): Maybe about 3 weeks. But it all depends on how much time I spend on it, how busy I am...

We continued chatting. NRL told me how she had tried knitting, but didn't have the patience for it. She went on, "My grandmother did embroidery - oh! she did the most beautiful work! And my aunts, well - they can look at what you're wearing and go and sew something just like it. My daughter crochets, my sister and my nephew both knit; and then there's me." Apparently she's the only person in her close family who doesn't do anything with needles.

So I was listening and talking, but then I was also thinking: how did I come up with a timeframe of three weeks? What went into this calculation by gestalt, as it were? And - could I do it? Would I get bored? Would my hands cramp uncontrollably? Would I have a finished garment by June 30?

You're about to find out.

Knitting Reading

I have a fairly healthy library of knitting books. (this might be a gross understatement.) It started about eight years ago with Vogue Knitting and Debbie Bliss’ Knitting Workshop, and has continued at varying degrees of frenzy ever since. I’ve bought my share of titles lately, so I thought I’d tell you what I think about a few of my newest reads.


Knitting Nature
Although I always gravitate toward Norah Gaughan’s designs in VK and Interweave, I didn’t even know she was writing a book until I read about it over at Lolly’s. I ran out to get it after work the same day, and it did not disappoint. It is full of unique yet eminently wearable designs, from tanks to sweaters to skirts and accessories. There are at least five patterns I would start right now, if time permitted. I loved reading about the patterns in nature that inspired her designs. I was a biology major in college too – but I never thought about it this way! It just goes to show that there is always a way for a person to blend her passions and talents. I’ve read at the knitalong that there are problems (some minor, some major) with some of the patterns. I haven’t tried any myself, but I kind of hate to hold that against the designer. Maybe that’s crazy. It’s also crazy how hard it is to find out anything about Norah Gaughan on the internet. Berroco recently posted a Q & A with her about the new book, for subscribers to its KnitBits e-newsletter, but as far as I can tell, she flies below (or above) the radar. Her book was a window into her mind – I only wish she had a blog or website to continue the story.

Yarn Girls Guide to Beyond the Basics
Okay, I’m a sucker for buying this book. Or am I? After all, the patterns are all the kind of thing you could come up with by using The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns, a worsted gauge, and body-conscious measurements. But the Yarn Girls do the hard work for you! The book is filled with classic yet modern, simply constructed garments with easy-to-follow patterns. There are winter weight sweaters (a beautiful cabled turtleneck is at the top of my project list), summery tanks and short-sleeved sweaters for in between, as well as accessories and throws. The yarns are fairly common - Berroco, Karabella, Filatura, Blue Sky, to name a few. This book has many more patterns in smaller gauges as compared with their first book - a welcome change for those of us who shudder at the sight of anything bigger than 4 sts to the inch. But, some of the patterns are a little too simple – for example, there’s one for a moss stitch scarf. There is also a section of patterns for ponchos, and personally - I think that ship has sailed. Still, if you want patterns for wardrobe staples you will actually wear, I would recommend it.

The Purl Stitch
I think I was the last knitter on earth who didn’t how to increase in ribbing, but not anymore! In the two weeks since I bought this book, I have found answers to knitting problems I could not find anywhere else, or that I could not understand in any other book. Sally Melville has a way of explaining things that makes them seem so logical and easy. And even though the book has a fairly instructional style (not to mention the fact that I usually just look at the pictures), I enjoyed reading the short anecdotes between the patterns and lessons. I apologize to all the Sally Melville fans, but I really only bought this book for the great Kersti ribbed pullover pattern! So it has been the surprise knitting book hit of the year for me.

I’m at a little bit of a project crossroads, so forgive me for the lack of knitting progress stuff! I’m headed to Mass. this weekend, so hopefully Webs can help me embark on a new zingy project.

Awww....

So, I think a certain someone won't like this very much, but it was too sweet not to post. I got home from SNB (can't say the full name!) in Wicker Park last night, and found this on our message board at home:


(name erased to protect the cute)

It's always nice to know you've been missed...

Anyway, projects! I've been working on a baby sweater, for my coworker who is about to be a dad for the second time. The pattern is from Reynolds, but I'm using Blue Sky Dyed Cotton which is sooo soft. It will look pretty much like this sweather I made last summer. Hopefully I'll be done tomorrow.

Also, I just discovered that there's a knitalong for Norah Gaughan's book, Knitting Nature. I looked at some of the projects people have already started, and it makes me want to start on a big ol' wool sweater instead of making summer knits! I've been feeling a pull toward Manos, Cascade 220 and other wooly yarns...maybe I should just do it! I can always save a cotton project for Knit in Public Day (June 10). My wrists get a little sore with the cotton, so maybe a wool project would be just the thing.

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

...Actually, it's THIRTY-EIGHT DEGREES AND RAINING! I have to say, for the first time since we moved here in July, I would like to revoke my Chicago residency. This is just TOO COLD for May. However, I did break out my Lara sweater today, which was a nice suprise since I thought I wouldn't see her again until next fall/winter. Sadly, no Orange Peel outing this week.

Speaking of Madame Orange Peel - thanks so much for your compliments! It's great to get the feedback. This was my first top-down raglan (really!) and I'd love to make another. Probably not for a while, though - all the stockinette hurt my hands.

I've settled on my next project. Although I bought the new Norah Gaughan book, I've picked one of her older patterns, from Vogue Knitting last summer. There's a photo here. The only dilemma is, which yarn to use? The pattern calls for Trendsetter Spiral, which is a) discontinued and b) acrylic. I'm hoping to find a reasonably priced cotton (or linen or silk) blend that has some texture (or variegation) but won't stretch out too much over time. Tall order! I'm thinking of something like Classic Elite Flash, Artful Yarns Olympic, or GGH Linova. Linova is really hard to find online in a color I want, and the Flash and Olympic are both multicolored (or "marled,"I guess) but you can't tell from the photos online how they'll knit up.

What's a girl to do? Well, that brings me to my next topic: my college reunion. This summer is my 10th college reunion and for some crazy reason I have decided to go. All of my friends are going too, so that will be lots of fun...but then it hit me: I can go to Webs! My alma mater is very close to this yarn mecca, but I've never been there! But I read Stephanie's post and saw her photos - so I think this will be just the place to find some awesome summer yarn for this project.

There may be more angst about the reunion as it approaches (at the end of the month). But for now, there is only anticipation about the fibery goodness and friends in my future!

One last thing - I put up a few wedding photos on my flickr account here, in case anyone is interested. (There are none of my sweetie, though, because he likes being anonymous in the blog-o-sphere.)

Ta Da...

I give you...

Orange Peel!



Why the name? Because after seeing this photo - the shirt looks so tight, you'd have to peel it off!! Ha ha. It's actually not tight, just very fitted. I was trying to make it as fitted as possible, in case the yarn stretches out.

Project Specs:


• Green Gable pattern, for sale at Zephyr Style
• Yarn: 4 1/2 balls of Lang Lyra, 54% Cotton, 46 % Silk - purchased at Loopy Yarns
• Gauge: approximately 5.5 sts=1" on US 6s
• Modifications: I added waist shaping so the shirt would go over my tummy! Also, I made the torso a LOT longer. (Note: I am 5'8''.)
• Time to knit: About 3 weeks

All in all, a fun knit! I would recommend this pattern. I would also recommend the yarn, at least to knit with - we'll see how it holds up.

Hmmm...what's next? I have sock yarn for May Project Spectrum - but I need another larger project. I like the idea of having a sock (or other portable) project and a big project going at all times. I'm still finishing the shrug project from the last Interweave, so I have some time to think. There's some cute tops in the new Interweave, but I need to check the stash first. Plus, the lovely Shobhana has a GREAT sleeveless top pattern out...that might be next on the list. So many possibilities! It's a fun dilemma.

Happy knitting, all! Check you later.