Redemption

You know you have a sweater in the bottom of your stash that you have banished from your sight, your thoughts. You pretend you have never seen the pattern or the yarn before and lie about it to that little voice inside your head. "Remember that red sweater? Yeah, that wrap sweater that didn't fit right and you tossed away? Don't you think you should get it out, see if you can fix it?" That's what the voice said to me. And guess what. I listened. I dragged out the sweater and I tried it on. (I had the everything done, and the fronts seamed to the back) I still hated how it fit. Too tight, the sleeves didn't sit right in the armholes. So I ruthlessly torn the whole thing apart. The yarn is now drying, I had to wash the yarn so that it got rid of its kink. The yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy, and has gotten noticeably softer after its bath. Now I'm waiting impatiently (do you know me to wait any other way?) for it to dry, so that I can re-cast on. I feel this. I'm going to do this. I've always loved the pattern, Arisaig, ever since I saw it when I was still unable to do ribbing. It's my dream sweater. It's time for redemption.

A surprise combination...

I think I must own this. Check it out here. Epic, no?

A Texan Snow Day

Pattern: Aeolian, Knitty Spring 09' Yarn: Fyberspates Scrumptious Lace Beads: Size 8

So today was a real, everything-closed-down snow day. Schools closed, the rink was closed. Texas doesn't have salt trucks, so the roads are complete sheets of ice. And this is what I have to show for the day. A beautiful red Aeolian shawl, fully beaded. I'm on the edge chart already (I cast on like maybe Friday) because I am hypnotized by the yarn, the beads, the pattern. The picture doesn't do this beautiful creation justice. The beads are brighter, the yarn redder... and yes, before you ask, it's a different red than my Juneberry and my Laminaria. I just really like red shawls. I have secret plans to wear this jewel to Cirque du Soleil's performance of OVO at the end of this month. (I have seats in the second row!! I can't wait!!) There's talk of another snow day tomorrow, so I might be done before long! Stay warm, and GO STEELERS!!

1st Sweater of 2011

I bought this yarn back in November, at the Ravelry event in Austin. When I got it home, I decided that I didn't have enough for any full sweater (long sleeves, non-cropped length) I liked, so I began exploring the possibility of stripes. I have a bit of a stripe obsession. I love them. I really, really love them. Thus, Skinny Stripe was decided upon. I have wanted to knit this sweater ever since I saw it, years ago when I was a novice knitter. I even attempted it, with worsted weight yarn on size US 5's and withOUT carrying the nonworking yarn up the side...sigh. It was a disaster. You can imagine, I'm sure, how many tails I tried to weave in. It didn't work.

Since I only had the Como blue from Austin, I needed to order the contrast color. I ordered Primaverra from Webs, and nervously awaited to see if it would look the way I thought it would with my existing yarn. I waited with baited breath; what if they clashed, or what if I looked awful in the two colors together??? I started to pay way too much attention to when the mail was delivered to my apartment.

Yesterday, the anticipation was resolved. I love the colors together! As soon as I get to the stripes, I'll post a pic for your viewing pleasure!

Noticing a trend?

Strago. Juneberry. Thinking about resurrecting my Green Autumn mittens from the pitiful bobbles that had them banned this fall. A coincidence? Unlikely. I think there is a definite trend. I am completely obsessed with Jared Flood right now. It might have something to do with how cold it has suddenly become in Texas. We got about an inch of snow and businesses -wait for it- lost power. My Northern soul laughs. My Texas neighbors shake their heads and steer clear of perfectly clear roads, for fear of ice. I don't think they know what it really looks like... I think the obsession with Brooklyn Tweed is due to how cozy his knits are. They are perfect for huddling up with; every one is beautifully simple to execute, the patterns never leave you scratching your chin and the end projects are effortlessly easy to wear. I particularly love his mittens. He's even made me change my mind about bobbles. Now that's something.

Welcome, 2011!

New Year's Resolutions are good to have, for the addicted knitter who sometimes doesn't know which way is up (not that I am one, of course, I just happen to know some like that... ). Having a resolution to not buy yarn for a year is crazy. Here's what I am resolving to do and they are all pretty nutty if you ask me. Nutty, but yet intriguing.

1) Dye yarn. Or, more specifically, learn how to dye yarn. I plan on enjoying making a mess of my apartment. Not too big of a mess though, my mother still has ideas of getting our deposit back.

2) Design something. A sweater, socks, fingerless gloves, anything. And, here's the kicker, actually knit the design.

3) Knit a sweater with a zipper. Interweave Winter 10' has an illuminating article on how to do this without a sewing machine. Simply genius and I want to try it now.

4) Take better pictures of my knitting. I need to figure out how better to work my camera.

5) Reclaim my yarn from never-to-be-finished projects and not feel guilty about it. I have way too much yarn tangled up in projects that I either made mistakes in, decided I don't actually like or simply had a "what was I thinking?" moment. I should just about double my stash if I liberate all that yarn...

I'm really going to make a huge effort on keeping my NYRs. I can, if I use my brain and my knitting powers, do everything listed. That's part of it, I picked stuff I have always wanted to do, just need the formal push of New Year's to write these things down and think about how to actually make them come true. Wish me luck as I go forth in this new year, in which things that I can never plan will happen, whatever those things are. It should be exciting.

Halfway There (almost)

So, being stuck on the couch because of my leg/hip/groin, I have been knitting. When the doctor said "You need to rest, let your muscle heal itself," I heard: "You need to knit, finish your Christmas presents and heck, go ahead and cast on anything else that catches your fancy,". Same thing, in my opinion. I have been making headway, at least on the knitting, leg still angry. I finished Amy's Present For Being A Good Friend and it's gorgeous. It's Abrazo by Susanna IC. I really want one in a deep plum color with shiny gold beads for myself. I think Amy's going to love it. You can't really see the beads from the pictures, but they add just the right amount of twinkle and weight to keep the fluffy alpaca grounded.

I started a Daybreak for myself (I know, and in the middle of Christmas crunch, no less!) which I am highly amused by.

I only have one more gift to finish, but I can't share details on that, now can I?