Off to OFFF

Naomi and I will be off on a road trip to Canby tomorrow morning to visit the sheep and sunshine-y, fibery goodness offered this weekend at the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival. I went two years ago with the twins for the day and had a great time.

This time we will spend the night and hopefully get to check out Woodland Woolworks on Saturday afternoon, the parking lot sale Sunday morning (I really would love a grey color shetland fleece!) and maybe a few other local shops on Sunday.

I'm bringing my Rose to spin on, the Rivendell socks and the February Lady Sweater. Hopefully one of these projects will progress along!

What did you guys think of Grey's Anatomy last night? I felt like it sort of dragged on a bit - like it didn't really need to be two hours long. Overall it was good, but not much drama. Another point - why was it snowing in September in Seattle? We also don't get huge icicles like that here... I know there was a small reference to global warming, but seriously? I didn't buy it.

I spent today trying to find a baby outfit/dress or something for a baby shower. My niece Lisa will be having a baby (girl) at the end of October, and I wanted to find something. I'm just frustrated more than anything right now. I don't like the styles that are out for baby girls right now. Call me a fuddy duddy, but I don't think it's cute to have babies look like small teenagers or grade schoolers or whatever. I really just wanted a simple dress that I could knit a coordinating sweater and booties for. You know, cute, non-fussy, traditional. Argh. So I came home. Went through my baby patterns. Trundled off to one of the LYS's and they didn't have any good colors for a baby girl. I don't want mint green or yellow or hot pink. I don't want acrylic.

Hopefully something will show up on my fiber adventure this weekend! Otherwise I'll be checking out more stores in the general area on Monday.

Oh, check out Amy's shop blog. She's selling some of her stash.... and there is some great stuff there! Malabrigo, Socks that Rock, Noro.....

Grey for Grey's

I'm going to a Grey's Anatomy "party" tonight. I felt like I needed something grey to work on for this event, and that would then be a Thursday night project for Grey's watching. Now I know there are special Grey's Anatomy colorways out there, but I really truly need to use up stash yarn. Seriously. Remember my contest about how many pairs of socks I could make with my stash? I think it's grown from there....sad but true.

I did however remember that I have a great grey from Sarah at Plucky Knitter. It's Madeleine Elster from the movie Vertigo and is from the Plucky Classics Hitchcock series. What do you think? I like it for a patterned sock. I had thought about using Yarn Harlot's Earl Grey Socks, intending them as a gift, but I think it's more a feminine grey rather than masculine. Then I considered the Charade socks. Naw, I'm planning a different yarn for that. Then I remembered The Eclectic Sole. Oh. Janel Laidman's book is splendiferiously fantastic. Browsing through this gem I found I pretty much love all of the patterns. My favorite right now though is Rivendell. I think the grey will really make the cables stand out. Okay, I'm set.

In sweater news - my next project will be to finish my February Lady Sweater. I started this on August first, and had a few setbacks in the increases. Yep, it does make sense to actually pay attention to the pattern as written, not be too busy chatting to realize what's going on. So, I actually knitted the bodice twice. Humph. Last night I put the sleeves on to the waste yarn. Now things will start to come along much faster. The body is a simple 4 row repeat and no shaping. Easy peasy! I guess the most surprising thing for me is that I'm posting about it before I'm done. Need to get better about that....

If you are wanting to make this sweater, I know that Village Yarn and Tea is doing a knit along using this pattern starting January 1st, I believe. Oh, my yarn! I didn't tell you about the yarn I'm using for this. It's Beaverslide Dry Goods Mule Spun Yarn in the Lake MacDonald colorway. I really like this yarn. It's sort of rustic looking.

What are you knitting for fall?

Fall? Bring it on!

*warning: picture heavy post!*

I've been really trying to get some projects off the needles lately. Sort of my own personal "reclaim the needles" movement as this post will prove. It's been definitely chilly around here - this morning Sara announced to me that her room is a brisk 62 degrees. Brr! It's almost time to pull out the wool!

I guess I've been blogging so sporadically, not everything is really up to date. Sara moved home Sept. 1st to live here for her last quarter at the UW. Yep, we'll have a college graduate in December. She looked for an apartment late summer, but at that time she didn't know where she would be working or what would be happening after graduation so it was really hard to decide on a year long lease. That, and the fact that she wasn't sure about the job part of her life (she has since been offered a full time job for after graduation) and it didn't make sense to get a loan to help with her rent. So she's home for a bit and we're having fun having her around. We don't really see her much (work, boyfriend - noted from here out as "BF", and other friends) but we enjoy what we get.

We/She decided her room needed to change from one we decorated when she was 10, to her current tastes at 22.
There were hand stamped hummingbirds, butterflies and morning glory vines. It was cool for a 10 year old!

Now the room is a very sunshine-y yellow, still with the dark green trim. We changed to a full size bed with the intent on using this room as a guest room in the future. Our biggest problem was/is finding a comforter to match. You just don't see this color combination much! I have this quilt (below) that is really one of my favorites that I made from a kit a few years back. It works for now! It's really not her style, (and I want it back in our room)but we are planning on checking out Amy Butler's new August Fields line and making a duvet cover with that.

Patrick is back at school - we took him over towards the end of August. This year(sophomore year) he isn't in the dorms - it's the apartment life for him. He and his roommate have a very spacious apartment and it seemed very quiet when we were there. I think he's enjoying it well enough. Sara and BF went over and visited him last weekend and had a good time. It's really nice that our kids enjoy each other so much - especially if you knew how much they fought when they were younger! Now they call each other quite often, and genuinely enjoy each others' company.

Let's see... a new buddy came to live at my house. Can you guess?

If your guess was a Schacht Double Treadle Matchless Wheel, then ding ding ding, you are a winner! I will be selling my Majacraft Rose hopefully to a very good home (Tava - are you out there??)

Soon after my wheel arrived, another friend came - just for a visit though. It was Sarah - of Plucky Knitter fame! Naomi, Amy and I picked her up at the airport on Wednesday, whisked her off for a ferry ride over to Bainbridge Island for lunch, Churchmouse Yarns and Tea, and Mora Ice Cream. We took the ferry back over to the Edmonds Terminal, had dinner at Anthony's Beach Cafe and then dropped her off with Naomi for the evening. She was so tired! We have a 3 hour time difference, and she had gotten up at 2 in the morning (her time) to get ready for the airport. Ouch! Anyway, the next day was more yarn shopping, shoe shopping and cupcakes at Trophy Cupcakes. Dinner was at our house - fajitas and margaritas. Fun!

That's Sarah, waiting for the ferry to arrive. (She's working on her Ingenue sweater from Wendy Bernards' Custom Knits)


Friday, we had been all invited with a few other friends to gather at Naomi's family vacation home for the weekend. We spent a fun weekend of chatting, good food, knitting and spinning. I brought both of my wheels so that Amy could have a chance to try it for an extended amount of time. She got hooked! She is officially now a spinner and even has purchase her own wheel. Here's what I ended up working on - From left to right: 1) Vesper socks in Muddy Waters colorway. Love my Vesper (apparently so does my daughter...she claimed them for herself. At least I know she does really appreciate the handknit socks!) 2) Body Hugger Raglan in Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock (BMFA STR) med. weight the color is Rooster Rock (more later) and 3) a cute baby hat kit from Fancy Image Yarns.

After that whirlwind week, more fun ensued. Naomi invited me to a Mariners game with her, her sister and a friend. It was such a great afternoon - warm and sunny and the boys even won. Her is Ichiro, up close and personal. You could even see the muscles in his arms!

Doug and I then took a little 3-day weekend down to Cannon Beach. What a great weekend - warm and sunny pretty much the whole time. This time we stayed at the Tolovana Inn - just south of Cannon Beach, it gave us a little bit different view of the rock. Lots of fun, shopping (really didn't buy much though) great food (Bill's Tavern - the best!) and walking on the beach. I did pick up a skein of BMFA STR lightweight in Rook-y to make some gloves and one skein of Noro sock yarn, color s150 - I haven't been able to find it around town.


Haystack rock - view from the south.

This would be Mr. Middlename, aka Doug.


Remember this sweater? I actually made it once in 2000, out of a merino that pilled terribly. I ended up getting rid of the sweater (it was too big too) and restarted it in the yarn called for in 2004. Uh yeah, that would be four years ago - officially my oldest project on the needles. In February of this year I revisited it and managed to get through one cable repeat and then something happened that made me abandon it. I don't remember why, but I just know I hadn't touched it since then. About two weeks ago I decided I was sick of looking at it and it just needed to be finished. So, I picked up the needles, figured out what row I was on and went to work. I knit and knit and knit - 32 rows worth. Until this. I really couldn't get a great picture of the problem - can you see it???

The gauge was totally off. I couldn't figure out if my gauge has drastically changed over four years (possible) or what. I checked the pattern for needle size. Size 8 - I would have written it down if I had changed the needle size. Got out my needle gauge. Huh. Guess I needed that size 8 needle for something else at some point. Silly me exchanged the needle in progress for a size 6 needle. No wonder the gauge was so tight! It would have been nice if I had taken the two minutes and made myself a note at least! Anyway, I did rip those rows back and forced a finish. Here it is, all ready for crisp fall weather.

Pattern Specs:

Pattern: Aran Sweater from

Two Sticks and a String by Kerry Ferguson

Started Spring 2004, Finished Sept. 21,2008

Yarn: Creative Yarns International Hearty Worsted

4 sts/inch. 166 yds., possibly 8 balls? I have two leftover - this yarn doesn't seem to be available - but any aran weight would work fine.

Needles: Size 5 and 8

Remember Mystery Stole 3 from last summer? I did finally decide to go with the wing, and I had been waiting until my blocking area (Sara's room!) was unoccupied to block it. I don't have any great way to photograph it - just say I'm glad it's done and I'm looking forward to a new lace project - I just don't know which one yet!

When Naomi, Sarah, Amy and I went to Churchmouse, I spied this sweater as a model. I really like the simplicity of it - great with jeans, comfortable to throw on, yet could be dressed up too. Naomi has the story of it on her blog - check it out there. Anyway, I picked the Rooster Rock colorway, not my usual colors, but definitely ones I can wear.

Pattern Specs:

Pattern: Body Hugger Raglan from Sally Melville's The Purl Stitch

Yarn: 3 1/4 skeins BMFA Socks that Rock med. weight, Rooster Rock

Needles: Size 6

Started 9/5/2008, finished 9/20/2008

The only changes I made was to make the body longer by about 3 inches. I'm not too into the cropped look!

I tend to forget about these books (The Knit Stitch, The Purl Stitch) There are actually some pretty cute things in these books that need to be addressed at some point I think.

Where have you been?

http://bighugelabs.com/flickr/map.php

Now I don't really think we purposely avoided Nevada. Sure looks like it though, yes? Guess we need to get some more travel in. I really would love to visit Colorado sometime, and also the New England states.

What I did on my summer vacation....

I didn't realize it had been so long since I'd updated. Hmmmmm.....

We did go to visit relatives in North Carolina in June. A very fun trip. Finally got to see fireflies, we ate North Carolina BBQ (we also learned that there, BBQ is a noun, where we live in the PNW, BBQ is a verb) got to visit with quite a bit of family, saw groundhogs (they are big!), lots of brick houses, many cemeteries, drank gallons of sweet tea and bought some pottery. We flew in to Charlotte (Doug has an aunt and uncle there) and then drove to Woodleaf and stayed there with more family for a few days. We did do a day trip to Asheville, but really didn't see much beyond scenery. I made a valiant effort to find yarn, but there really wasn't too much to be had. Besides that, none of the relatives knit, so it was deemed "'quaint" that I do.

So what have I been doing since quitting work at VYT? That will have to wait for the next post. I just checked the clock and I'm running late. Sarah of Plucky Knitter fame is flying in to Seattle this morning and spending a few days with Amy, Naomi and I before her husband, Mr. Plucky, meets her later in the week. Plans for today include Bainbridge Island (Churchmouse!) and Trophy Cupcakes. We are then talking about the possibility of Fremont and Ballard tomorrow with fajitas and margaritas at my house in the evening. Friday we head to Naomi's family cabin outside of Shelton. Should be a great few days!