At Last: Kiri. So Long, Kiri.

Okay, so I've been remiss in a few things, one being writing up the finishing specs and posting some modelling shots of Kiri.

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Pattern: Kiri (free pattern courtesy of All Tangled Up: see sidebar for the PDF)

Yarn: Peruvian Baby Cashmere from Elann; six balls used of color 3724 (camel).

Needles: US 6 circulars

Modifications and Thoughts: No real modifications. A straightforward, and enjoyable pattern to knit. The lace repeat is easily memorized, and so the shawl was a calming project to work on. I really enjoyed the Baby Cashmere, and would recommend it. I used the Elann's Baby Silk previously on this shawl. My preference is the Baby Cashmere for the simple, but important, fact that the cashmere is much softer against the skin. In fact, I find the Baby Silk shawl itchy to wear, but I am extra sensitive to wearing wool next to my skin (I'm trying to work through this; EZ would want it that way.)

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I've actually sent this shawl off to my mother, who is in charge of a church auction. They're trying desperately to raise money to keep the United Church of my very small town going. I hope that Kiri finds itself in the hands of someone who will love it as much as I (briefly) did. I guess this constitutes my first real act of charity knitting. I liked it.

BTW: What good news for Crazy Aunt Purl. Her book, not even released yet, is already climbing the charts.

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Spread Peace. Spread Love. For Virginia Tech.

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Something Old. Something New. Something Blue.

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So here's an updated photo of Forecast. I have half a sleeve to go, then the buttonbands. Until then, check out Carrieoke's recent beautiful version of the sweater.
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These lovely skeins of sock yarn were brought back by my lovely Guido who was in Boston at a conference recently. The yarn is Mountain Mist Jubilee Merino sock yarn made by Blue Ridge Farms. It seems all the academics descended upon Newbury Yarns for some good yarn shopping while in Boston.

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Finally, thanks to all of you for your advice regarding the knit skirt possibilities. I soaked and blocked the swatch that I had made for the Eyelet skirt. The gauge changed from 18 st/4 in to 16 in/4 inches. The swatch itself really softened up, and is quite lovely to the touch. It also has lovely drape now too, so I think I'm going to go ahead with it. Oh, and I misspoke when I said the yarn was Classic Elite Provence. It's actually Classic Elite Flash. In any case, I suppose I'll go down to US 5 or US 6 to make up for the change in gauge post-blocking. I'm also thinking that I'll knit it the EZ circular way, and therefore avoid the seaming at the end (the pattern says to knit two identitical pieces and then seam it together but my finishing skills aren't that great.)

Now back to the knitting--something that always brings comfort and calm into my life.

Best to all of you.

Eye Candy : A Swatch : A Cheer-Up Link

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Before the weather took a sudden turn, and became really quite nasty here (see the ice photo of the previous post), spring had sprung.

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This meant that on my way to the library each day, I would pass by this amazing "burning bush."



The Southwest is such an interesting region: so hot and dry in many ways, and therefore, without color. But then there are moments--intense sudden bursts of color and life--such as this bush. I'm quite fascinated by this region, really.

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Now, to switch gears, let me just say that NO ONE tried to guess what I was swatching for in this photo. So let me point you in this direction.

What do you think? I'm really uncertain about knitting one of these--thinking about all of the misshapen "bum" fabric that might occur. But then I saw Julia's and have been thinking of making one ever since.

The yarn that I made the swatch out of is Classic Elite Provence. I did get gauge (but I have yet to wash and block it....) but I'm worried that it isn't drapey enough--that it'll be too stiff. And I really do have nightmares that a knitted skirt will stretch and warp and hang like a potato sack off of my bootie. But then again, there's Julia's, and it's just so dang beautiful...

(ETA: I mean Julia's *skirt*, not her "bootie" [though I'm sure Moxie would attest to her having a beautiful bootie!]. But upon reviewing my post of today, I thought I better edit this part so it doesn't seem like I'm lusting after Julia--I'm lusting after her knit skirt!! Ahem. Hope that clears everything up!]

Any feeback? Andy sage words of wisdom or advice?

While you're thinking of those wise words, you might want to go here and watch this video. It'll put a smile on your face, I'm sure, and leave you singing the song all day. As DJ Kodachrome, I send this one out to MellowTrouble who's feeling a bit glum today, it seems.

Container Wednesday--Sorta

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For Carson's "Container Wednesday," I took the above photo last week. But I also took the photo to demonstrate the difference between myself and my neighbours. The bike shown above is "my container"--my "wheels". This is how I get to campus, which is about ten blocks away. Below, you'll find the photo of my neighbour's "container"--his "wheels": this is how he rides to get to the campus which is, again, ten blocks away.




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I'm not sure what he encounters on his drive that requires such big tires, but apparently, he's gotta be ready for the extreme--that seems to be the Texan way (for many, anyways).

The photo is taken from our porch, and you can see the school yard that is across from us. Notice there are no play structures in the school yard. A litigious culture gets you this type of school playground. Seriously, it's an elementary school (where a very famous singer went to school in fact) and there isn't a single play structure because parents sue the school board.

You'll also notice that in the photos above, taken last week, you can see some of my geranium and marigold blooms. (I choose geraniums and marigolds this year because these are always the flowers found on my parents front steps, and it makes me think always of home-- :)

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In any case, that was last week. Below, is this week:

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Yep. That's right. In Texas, you don't get snow in April, you get ice rain. How pleasant. It seems that between the dust storms and the ice storms and the 90 degree (35 degree?) weather of the past week or two, the Apocalypse is fast approaching this place.

So with that, I wish you all a very Happy Spring.

Now let me go look outside to see if the Black Plague and the locusts have begun to mark their arrival yet....

Happy Birthday Marj

Today would be my Aunt Marj's birthday. She passed away a few years ago, but I always honor her on this day by eating her favourite candy bar--a Mars bar (or a substitute since coming to the US)--and by having a Kahlua & milk (or a substitute if no Kahlua is on hand). So, while chewing on Milk Duds, I raise a toast (of a gin & tonic) tonight to a wonderful woman who was the grandmothers I never had a chance to know. * I love you Aunt Marjorie, my lovely grandmother.

ETA: Now look down to give me some flannel advice in the next post-- :)

Look Up! Look Up!

Do you see it? Look up. That's right: my banner has been fixed, and boy does it look better. My thanks go out to Carrieoke, who both designed the banner and then uploaded it to my template. Thanks also go to Megan and her partner for trying to help upload the banner earlier. You girls rock, and I mean it when I say that I am grateful for your help.

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So last summer I began a blanket for my nephew, inspired by The Brown Sheep's blanket. I finally dug it out and blocked it this past weekend. It's been sitting in my WIP pile far too long.



What's been giving me trouble is deciding upon the backing. So, inspired by yet another fabulous blogger, I'm going to try to back it either with this "I love you/Je t'aime" flannel...
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...or with this crazy monkey flannel...
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I personally like the monkeys the best, and the colors match so well. But I'm letting my sister give the final decision; ideally, I'd leave it up to my nephew, but if I wait until he learns to talk, well then this blanket really will sit in the WIP pile far too long.

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In other news--I find myself torn these days: like all of you, I have not a lot of free time (or so it feels, but I obviously have much more than others given I do not have children nor am I a brain surgeon), and so I want to spend that time knitting (and gardening...YAY spring!), but I also am really attracted to sewing. So (sew?!) I've started collecting fabrics whenever I stumble across them at the thrift store.



But all I've really been creating so far are piles. Lots of piles of fabric.
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I also found this pattern at the GW, and though it's for kids, I think I can tweak the largest size by a few inches to fit me. So this might be my first piece of clothing (the red top on the far right) that I try to sew.



The only thing is is that I probably won't be getting around to this project until the summer months arrive. But until then, I do love just looking at the pattern, restacking the fabrics, and wondering if they'll ever be enough time in one's day...

Write Letters! * Play Ball!

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So as you baseball fans know, yesterday saw Opening Day for the baseball season. And as you Domesticat fans know, yesterday also saw the start of the Knitterly Letter Swap.

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And here's my first letter recieved--from Domesticat herself!! YAY! It was both exciting and strange to find the fancy, sealed envelope in the mailbox, one because of the beautiful stationery found amidst bills and ugly flyers, but strange too because when I first saw the handwriting on the envelope, I thought it was a letter from a long-ago, now estranged, friend. Domesticat's handwriting is just like the handwriting of that friend I once knew, and so it was an unusual moment of thinking that she (lost friend) was suddenly contacting me. I was quite relieved, in fact, to see it was Domesticat, and then I was just plain enthusiastic to read my first letter in the great Knitterly Letter Swap. See the Rowan yarn strand she included? Only knitters would understand the pleasure of receiving snippets of yarn....So thanks Domesticat!

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Other wonders showing up in the mail have included Megan's fragrant, delicious soap (yum!) which I'm too busy smelling as it sits on my desk rather than using it yet. (I don't want it's yumminess to be gone too soon--)
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And next wonder of the etsy world--this print by Black Apple. It sits above my crafting table, spurring me on to make the world--through my mind and then through my hands--a better place. My crafting table is where I banish bad thoughts, and dream the world a better, more beautiful one through fibre, textiles, a string, a needle, etc... I always feel quite calm and settled when I sit down here to practice some of my new sewing skills or fondle different fabrics, or just sit and gaze at the beauty of my knitting needles and yarns knowing that great possibilities reside in them all.

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And in me.

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So for a girl who tends towards the pessimistic, I look up at the Black Apple girl (for whom I am finding a frame this weekend!), and am reminded that crafting is a way for me to be optimistic, and that in this crafting corner of my life, I firmly can and do believe that we are leaving our marks on the world in a very good way for handmade goods are powerful in their ability to connect to people in what increasingly feels like an alienating, crazed, consumerist world.

But hey, I don't need to tell you people that! The Yarn Harlot's experiences in NY is all the evidence we need (as if we needed more, but I'm just sayin')...

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And so create I will...
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Now, whatever might I be swatching for?????