Isn't She Lovely

My February Lady sweater is lovely. (I type with all humility.)

I love her.

And I finished her on time as well!

She isn't the first sweater I have made, but she is the first that is actually flattering. My last couple were all made from bulky yarns which, according to What Not To Wear, are not ideal for my body type. February Lady's worsted weight Cascade 220 is much better. Also, the fact that she was knit top-down in-the-round meant that I could make sure she was a flattering length. (An earlier sweater was woefully cropped, and knit in pieces so that the high-water nature was not apparent until I made it up.) She was divine to work with, and I know will be divine to wear.

In fact, I am headed out tomorrow to find appropriate matching garments with which to partner her for Easter on Sunday!

And It's About Time, Too!

THE BABY SWEATER OF DOOM IS FINALLY FINISHED!!!!

It only took me, what, two years to do?

I think it is adorable.

Now I just need to decide which baby this one goes to.

Unlike past years, everyone this year appears to be having a girl.

I am pretty sure it will end up going to Blossom since I used Ark and Fish for motivation.

Once I got past the mental block about this sweater, it actually was quite simple to knit. Also, fairly fast and appropriate for television knitting. The biggest hurdle was actually finding ribbon to use as ties. The color is too peach for most pinks, and too pink for most peaches. I ended up waiting to do the making up till I was home for grad school last weekend. (I had exhausted all ribbon resources in my area, so decided to try the ones in WA. Funny...I ended up knitting ties in the end anyway!)

I already have yarn in stash to make a couple more. But I will be smart, and make sure I can find ribbon for them BEFORE casting on.

Why I Love Grad School Residencies

1. I get a plane ride, plus all the lovely airport waiting time, in which to knit.


2. I get to visit new and exciting yarn shops that have opened since the last time I was home.


3. I get to buy stuff.


4. I get to knit DURING classes, and all the lovely breaks in between.


5. I get to visit yarn shops I have missed.


6. I get to buy stuff.


7. I get to spend time with former knitting pupils...


8. ...while knitting.


9. I get yarn as Easter presents.


10. I get to go to baseball tournaments, during which I can knit.


11. I get another plane ride back home, and all the lovely airport waiting time, in which to knit.


12. And I make a lot of progress!

Debbie Macomber's Shop

Not everyone may be aware of the fact that knitting books exist. (And by this I refer to novels about knitters, not instructional texts.)

People who are aware of their existence may not be familiar with the Debbie Macomber series about the "Shop on Blossom Street". I believe there are now 5 of them.

People who are familiar with the series might not know that Debbie Macomber is from Port Orchard, WA and recently opened a yarn shop there of her own called A Good Yarn.

I was aware, familiar, and knew. (Or at least, I knew once Mom told me.)

Since I am up in WA this weekend for grad school residency, Mom and I made the not-at-all-out-of-the-way trip to visit said yarn shop.

It was delightful.

I bought stuff.

Am I that obvious?

I received some lovely Christmas gifts from a friend.

They included sock yarn. Orange sock yarn. Self striping orange sock yarn.

Said friend and I had met via email through a mutual friend.

Apparently I talk about knitting often enough, and my love of all things orange, that he knew just what to get me. (Not just everyone would appreciate a gift that requires effort on their part. No-siree-bob!)

Here is the first finished sock:

Just my regular old plain jane sock pattern. 2x2 rib with a flap heel. Nothing super exciting since I didn't want to detract at all from the yarn's coloration.

I already cast on the second in an effort to stave off Second Sock Syndrome, and will take it on my trip this weekend...it will make a good purse project.

Baby Burp Rags

It is funny. The most praise and gratitude I ever received for anything I ever knit came from a pair of baby burp rags that I knit for Wake last year.

Honestly, just the other day, AVB remarked to my mother how useful and wonderful they had been. (Wake no longer needs them, but she had been packing up his baby stuff and came across them.)

The thing is, these were REALLY low-key, brain-free, super fast knitting projects. I used the genius baby pattern out of the first Mason-Dixon book, and two colors of Cottentot yarn by Bernat. They took me a couple of movies each. The main reason I went with burp rags instead of my usual quilt was that AVB, at the time, lived far far away, and I needed something I could mail for cheap.

Lately, with the huge spate of babies being born or about to be born around me, I have been frantically looking for cute sweater patterns, planning baby blankets, baby beanies...lots of teenie tiny things.

Really though, I don't have a lot of time on my hands between school and work. So, why mess with perfection? Baby burp rags may not be all that impressive, but they sure are utilitarian. And most important...they are FAST and EASY!!!!

One baby's down:

A zillion more to go!

Seriously?

Earlier today, I went with Blondie and +H to the Great Mall in Milpitas to shop for a dress for Blondie to wear as "guest book attendant" at an upcoming wedding.

Blondie is not shy. Neither is +H. Nor do they care what people think of them.

As we left Kohl's and walked out into the mall proper, Blondie began to sing. Loud. Top of her lungs loud. And dance.

I believe the song was "Do You Love Me?", but that might have been later. (She sang several times throughout the afternoon.

I on the other hand, trailed after the two of them. Quietly amused. Self-contained. Knitting a sock. (The yarn ball was in my purse.)

People, understandably, were turning to stare as we walked by.

That's when I heard a woman, with a shocked gasp, elbow her boyfriend/husband/brother and say:

"Can you believe her? She's knitting."

...

It might just be me, but in the above situation, which should draw more public censure and criticism? The quiet knitter, or the boisterous teenager?

People are so weird.