Ahhhh....

I give you ...



spring!

And thankful am I to finally see it.

So, being fickle and constantly lured by the siren song of new projects, I have momentarily abandoned these --

wool socks. Because on Monday, I went to Thread Bear and got this --

As promised, Rob had asked Jillian and Amy to sign a personalized copy for me, which was waiting at the counter with a chocolate cupcake/mocha buttercream frosting. The perfect lunch!

After licking my fingers clean, I went to fondle yarn. (Just kidding about the fingers, Rob. Really.) I was pretty sure I wanted to make Lisa Rowe's Mirage pullover from the book, so I actually bought the recommended yarn --

Classic Elite's Classic Silk in a pretty salmon pink. I think this may be the first time I've bought the yarn specified in the pattern. As soon as I got home, I abandoned my poor woolly sock and cast on --

The color is better than the picture, really. The yarn is a silk and cotton blend, which I'm liking a lot better than 100% cotton. I really am all about the wool.

The pattern is easy, and I'm knitting it on size 5 needles. After all the socks and lace, these things feel like broomsticks in my hands. It's probably hand-healthy to change back and forth -- preventing cramping and carpal tunnel, right? Yes -- this is my justification for having many projects on many different needles.

I'll be on the train to Chicago on Monday morning, so I'm sure I'll be back to the sock for the trip. And I get in to Union Station about two hours before my meeting --hmmm, I wonder how early Loopy Yarns opens?

Peapod Finished!

I finished the peapod sweater and hat for my sister-in-law's baby shower tomorrow. I love the pattern, and I designed a pair of baby socks to go with. Leaves on the ribbing and a little leaf on the heel.
And tomorrow, before I go to the shower, I am going to Threadbear to see Franklin! Scott laughed a couple of weeks ago when I saw Franklin's post that he was coming to Lansing -- because I squealed like a middle-school girl with a crush. Who'd have thought knitting bloggers would make me swoon?

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to meeting him -- and I would LOVE to be part of 1,000 Knitters. But I'm not sure how that process works.

So, I may be late to the shower. But hey, I could get a chance to meet Dolores.

Sometimes I love winter

Like many people in the Midwest, we had a few inches of snow on Sunday. Fortunately for us, we had none of the negative power outages or tragedies that many others experienced. Instead, we are left with this ---

It looks like Christmas!

I finished the felted tote for Kathy. Remember that I did not buy nearly enough yarn for this when I was at Fingerlakes Fibers in Watkins Glen, NY? So, I had Matt from ThreadBear in Lansing order me some. Not only did it come in time, it was the SAME dye lot. I felt like Julie Andrews singing, "Somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good."

Since Scott was around all weekend (which is a good thing and yet makes gift knitting so hard), I got a chance to knit up a pair of felted mittens for Caroline

I just need to add cuffs and they can go in the stocking on Christmas morning.

Now, if I can just get back to Scott's vest.

It would help if I read the pattern ...

I was busily knitting away on a felted tote for my sister-in-law, when I realized there was no way I was going to have enough yarn.


I don't mean I was a little short -- I mean I only had about half of what I need. I have no idea how I did this. I bought the yarn (Lamb's Pride Worsted) and the contrasting yarn (Noro Kureyon) and the pattern (Fiber Trends) all at the SAME place -- Fingerlakes Fibers in Watkins Glen, NY.


At first, I thought maybe I just started knitting the wrong size. But no, I don't have enough for even the smallest size and I know that wasn't what I intended anyway. The Kureyon will be fine -- it's the Lamb's Pride I'm woefully short of. I think I need about 1400 yards, and I have 600.

Obviously, I did not read the pattern.

At all.

So it was off to ThreadBear in Lansing today. GREAT place, if you haven't been there. Matt is ordering my yarn. And with any luck, I'll get it in time to finish the bag.

If not, my sister-in-law will be really happy with her "make your own felted bag" kit, won't she?

Stash Enhancement

My brother-in-law and sister-in-law are going to have a baby -- yessss!

A baby to knit for that I get to hand back when its diapers are full. Perfect.

Since I have to work all weekend -- poooooor me --- I took a little time off this afternoon and went to Thread Bear in Lansing. I'd say it was like being a kid in a candy store, but candy stores have nothing on yarn stores.

If you haven't been to Thread Bear and you live anywhere within a couple hour's (heck, within a day's) drive of Lansing, you should definitely go. Go now. It's a little yarn mecca.

I was hoping to pick up a Dream in Color kit for the Tulip baby sweater. I read in Franklin's blog that they had some at Thread Bear, but alas, there was only one left -- in the original colorway. Now, I am pretty enchanted with this sweater, and I love the original colorway, but it's got a little too much pink for a gender-neutral sweater. (At least, I'm pretty sure my brother-in-law will think so.)

So I opted for this yarn instead --

It's wool, it's washable, and best of all from Scott's point of view -- it's Norwegian! The photo really doesn't do it justic -- the colors are clear and springy, perfect for a baby due in March. I think I'm going to make EZ's baby surprise jacket with it -- I love the way it magically comes together at the end.

I will wait until the Christmas knitting is done before I begin. I will.