Knittiversary

This Thursday, a year ago, I learned to knit! Thanks Linda and Mom!

I've been working on the Give it a Whirl bag - here's a picture, but honestly, it doesn't really look like much yet.



Happy Knitting!

FFBE Question #3

How often do you change the purse or bag you're carrying? Do you change based on seasons? Outfits? Something else? What's your favorite bag in the world (and it doesn't have to be a knit/felted one!)?

I try to use a black purse with black shoes, and a brown purse with brown shoes. I have a blue purse too, but I haven't really been wearing blue shoes recently. I alternate between two woven bags in the summer, and a leather bag and nylony bag in the fall/winter. However, I have a few other non-neutral color bags, and I LOVE when I have the opportunity to use them! My all-time favorite bag is a woven, black evening bag. It sort of resembles the Saks bags, but it has some more detailing. Paired with a little black dress, I always feel super-sophisticated.

I'm so excited that bags are being sent out! I can't wait to see how my downstream partner reacts to the bag I made her, and to be surprised by what my upstream pal made me!

Happy Knitting!

I'm a Winner!

I'm so excited! I won this month's Knit the Classics project challenge. (In the interest of full disclosure, I was the only person who entered a project this month.) But, I'm still very excited! I worked really hard on the cowl, and I'm really proud of it! The prize is some linen/cotton blend yarn, and 3 vintage knitting magazines. I'm particularly excited about the magazines. I've been told they'll be in the mail tomorrow, so hopefully I'll have pictures to share with you soon. In the meantime, you can check out the prize here.

I am proud to report, I now have TWO mittens, and they're virtually the same size! I think they'll be a birthday present for next month. I've cast on for a cotton "Give it a Whirl" bag from Creative Knitting (a Christmas gift) and today, I worked some more on Big Boy's Scarf. For some reason I'm having a hard time being motivated to do this scarf - it's just garter stitch, and should be done in NO time! I dunno, it's just been that project I dread doing.

No pictures at the moment - I'm feeling too lazy.

My throat is still sore, but I do feel better. Thank goodness - the kids and I have an insane couple of weeks ahead of us!

Happy knitting everyone!

Mystery Project Revealed and More

Okay, the mystery project is my September project for Knit the Classics. We read Sylvia Plath's In the Bell Jar.



Sorry for the shadows across the picture. (Although, it looks kind of artsy, doesn't it?)

I've knit a lace cowl for Esther to wear while wandering around the Boston Common. Now, I know it's summer, but since she's feeling pretty off anyway, I didn't think it was a far stretch for Esther to be wearing one winter item. It's a fashionable item, but worn in an unfashionable way. I think the cowl is particularly appropriate for Esther because it's noose-like. She feels strangled by the fashion/expectations of women at the time. Furthermore, it's red, the color of blood. I particularly like that it's lace - there's little loops all over the place. The pattern is from One Skein Wonders.



I'm really proud of this project - I did A LOT of unknitting to make it look perfect. And, on close inspection, everything lines up the way it should. I tried to do a close-up, so you can really see how nice the pattern is - this is the best I could do.

I've also finished the mitten! Not sure that I'll have enough yarn to do the second, but I'm determined to find out by tomorrow. I have a 50% coupon at JoAnn's, and they sell Patons Wool! I know the whole dye lot thing might be an issue, but I've decided not to worry about it - they're only mittens.

Strep Throat - AGAIN!

So, I have strep, again! I just had it in the summer, and now it's reared up again. The good news - the kids don't have strep, although they've had low fevers most of the week. I went to the Drs. right away, and got on antibiotics quickly. Also, I'm on one of those super antibiotics - six pills in five days (last time I was on penicillin - 40 pills over 10 days!). I don't feel great, but it could be a lot worse. Of course, the weather is BEAUTIFUL, and I feel stuck inside!

Of course, since I don't really have energy to clean the house or anything, I've been knitting! I finished my second pay it forward project, and now I'm starting on some mittens. I know, I know, I'm supposed to be knitting hats. But, there's a slight chance I'll be taking a Fair Isle mitten class later this month, and I thought I should make sure I can make regular mittens. Plus, this skein of yarn just won't get used up. (Now watch, I'll only have enough for 1 1/2 mittens!)


If you live somewhere where the weather SHOULD be chilly, but it's really warm - run around outside for me, okay?

FFBE Weekly Topic #2

The colors of fall tend to be oranges, yellows, crimsons, and other 'leafy' colors - what is your favorite "Color of Autumn" and where do you see it?

This is rough. I LOVE when you see all those colors mixed together on the trees. And, in my mind, there's a beautiful yarn that blends all those colors into something perfect for a hat and scarf. But, I probably wouldn't wear it. I'm not a big fan of wearing orange, and I feel like that's a dominant color of the season. (I have to say though, my high school colors were orange and black - Go Tigers! - and I wore a lot of orange back in the day!)

Okay, I've got it - when they're outside playing in the yard, my kids' cheeks get apple red (for real, APPLE- I think it's the Norwegian in them). Rosy cheeks - that's my favorite color of autumn.

Their cheeks get really red when they're tired too - it's like a little meter. The more red, the more tired is the child!

Happy knitting!

Knitting is actually going on...

I haven't posted in a week. I wonder, does anyone miss me, the way I miss people whose blogs I read?

There has been knitting going on - I've finished the mystery object, and all will be revealed by the end of the week. It took a lot more time than I thought it would. The pattern repeat wasn't difficult, but it required paying attention. I think I unknit just as much as I knit!

I also finished little boy's hat in the "Americana" Superwash from the football swap. I'm so tickled with it! I plan on knitting several other hats this month as Christmas gifts for little ones' friends. I already have most of the yarn I'll be using in the stash, so I just have to get to knitting!



Today, I cast on for one of my pay it forward objects. I hope to be done soon! I also have received my partner for the Christmas Around the World Swap. I've made contact, but haven't heard back from her yet. I have heard from the person sending to me (I never remember - which one is upstream and which one is downstream?) I'm VERY excited for this swap!

Happy Knitting, all!