Californian Puddles

I love cables. And I love scarves. When Irishgirlie made this pattern, I was head-over-heels. The cables aren't too close together, so the fabric is fairly flat, and they look like little rivers, or waves on a (calm) beach. This scarf is made with Aslan Trends Artesanal. It's a tweedy, soft yarn, containing cotton and alpaca. It was quite a joy to work with.

This scarf is for display in Gabriella's yarn shop.

My plan is to knit up the Woobu (Obsidian) I bought at Stitches into this pattern, for Tommy, for next fall. In the meantime, I'll be looking for a good hat pattern to match.

Crochet, baby!

My first real crochet project.

Back in January, I took a class at Gabriella's (where I'm no longer working, btw) with knit and crochet designer Kristin Omdahl. As well as signing her new book, Wrapped in Crochet, she taught us how to crochet the Blaze scarf, featured in said book.

More crappy pictures from the video camera, sorry. I love my new glass head from Pier One. A bargain at only $15. And green too - made from recycled glass.

Lovely curly corkscrews.

And a closeup of the very simple stitch pattern.

I used Trendsetter yarns "Tonalita" - there's some acrylic content, but it was so soft to work with, and the colours are beautiful too. I really enjoyed it and am using it for another project I'm now working on.

Tomorrow, another FO - I know, I can't believe it either!!!!!

Happy Monday :0)

Cervical Cancer

Really sad news today from the UK.

Jade Goody was a contestant on the Big Brother show in the UK. Tommy and I watched that season when we were first together. It was his first experience of the show. The UK show is completely different from the US version. It's waaaaaaaay more fun and the whole country (almost) watches and loves it. Trainwreck TV at it's best :0) And Jade was the best of the best reality show 'stars'.

Jade passed today (Mothers Day in the UK) at age 27 of cervical cancer. She leaves behind two sons aged 4 and 5.

I'm really grateful to Bezzie for her couple of years of hosting her KAYE program. And tomorrow I'll be booking an appointment for myself again.

btw: is anyone else missing Bezzie's blog?

Yabadabadooooooooooooo.....

I'm so excited to have these socks completed. They were my first toe up and also first short row heel (don't look too closely). Part of the Leyburn KnitALong in the Socks that Rawk group on Ravelry, I chose Fred Flintstone as my colourway. It's not a colourway I'd usually choose - way bright. But I'm so glad I branched out.

Orange, red and yellow.

I love blue, although it doesn't appear too often in my life (wardrobe or home). I love green - that features heavily in my home decor (sofas, accents) and a little more in my wardrobe. Although, if you looked at my wardrobe, you'd insist my favourite colour is black - maybe it should be, it's very slimming ;0)

When my boys ask me what my favourite colours are, I always say blue and orange. Orange is just so lively and cheerful, I love it.

Having said all that, I've chosen Stormy Weather as my colour for the next KAL - Shur'tagal.

Anyway, back to the Leyburns. They fit like a dream. So snug. The only change I made to the pattern was to change down a needle size for the leg. They sure do look baggy, but they fit so nicely. I wore them the very next day after finishing them.

Happy weekend :0)

Chester

So, I've been camera-less for almost two weeks, but itching to take photos of the multiple FOs I have waiting to be blogged.

I finally gave in and pulled out our old video camera, which also takes photos. Poor quality photos, but photos none-the-less.

The first FO I have to show you is for my darling Teddy. The pattern is called Chester and you can find it in the organic cotton kids collection book by Rowan.

It is made with Rowan's "purelife" organic cotton. The yarn was nice and smooth to work with, although as with all cotton, a tad hard on the old hands. The colour is a sort of mushroomy brown.

I think Teddy likes it........ And he can't have his photo taken without his kid brother wanting some of the action too.
On the same day I took these photos, Teddy came home with his first piece of clay artwork. Like it? I do - it's my favourite colour :0)

When I found the video camera, there were some really old photos. Including this one. Teddy, aged one.

Oh, how they change ;0)

Words, words, words

I seem to have lost my camera. I'm upset. I always have it in my purse. For those kodak moments I'm always too busy enjoying, to get photos of.

It's a bummer because I have 5, yes FIVE, FOs to photograph and post. I guess they're like London buses - none for ages, then a ton show up at once.

To sweeten this pictureless blogpost deal, here's a link to a blog I always mean to do things with - Blog Giveaways. Enter to your hearts content, and let me know if you ever win anything. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for a new camera giveaway :0(

Stitches Haul

Dinner anyone? Here are the yummies I brought back from Stitches this past weekend (well, it would've been this past weekend, had I got this post up the same day I wrote it)...... My beloved. Everyone's beloved. Blue Moon Fiber Arts. Two STR heavyweight skeins in green. One a rare gem, the other a mill end. I think this is going to complete the collection for my special green blanket project - more to be revealed in the near future on this one. Irishgirlie gifted me this mill end of The Cookie Next Door - gorgeous, gorgeous. And a MASSIVE skein of Woobu in Obsidian - I have this earmarked for a winter combo for the hubby. I'm thinking hat and scarf, maybe....

Miss Babs. She was manning the booth and took my payment for these pretties. A full skein of Yummy Sport & Sock in Chocolate Roses and 3 pretty mini skeins of Yikes, Toes in Lilacs, Dahlia and Spring Lettuce.

Some randoms: A coin purse kit from pickupsticks. I really think Gabriella should be stocking some of their kits - they are adorable, especially the baby shoes, and just right for Florida's demographic (never mind the poinsetta wreath for Christmas). Another brown and pink skein of sock yarn from Chameleon Colorworks - their Bambino yarn in the Briar Rose colourway. And a big old piece of BFL fluff beautifully dyed the colour 'lichen' by Pigeonroof Studios.

Freebies were also out in force at the show. For Malabrigo Junkies, test skeins of their new Pearl Ten yarn. And Tapmouse generously shared some offerings from Painted Moth Fiber Arts. I have both the Blue Jay and Spring Concerto mini bits of fluff (my spinning terminology needs some work, I know) and they are both beautiful colourways. I just looked in her shop and she has both colourways in stock at only $16 a piece. I say that like I know that $16 is a bargain - I know nothing!!!

So that was my haul from Stitches West. I haven't knit a shred of it yet, but, some projects are in FO status right now, so who knows, there could be some handspun soon, or a new pair of socks in the works. Watch this space......

STITCHES, baby!!!

What a whirlwind this weekend was. I left home Friday night and arrived late, late, late to San Francisco airport. It must have been the hour of the day (or rather night), because I started chasing down complete strangers, whilst calling out "Irishgirlie, Irishgirlie". Only to see them hug other strangers and reveal themselves NOT to be Irishgirlie. Oops!

Big thanks go to Irishgirlie for hosting me in style a second time - I'm hoping this gig will become an annual get-together. Not only does this girlie give up her room for me, but she gets up at godforsaken hours of the morning to traipse me to classes, waaaaay before she has to start work at 'the booth'. Thank you dahlink ;0)

So. Many friends were seen, not many pictures were taken - too much fun for camera time. But here's a rare one: me, Irishgirlie, CPurl and Leftcoastknits. Fun girls, one and all.
Saturday afternoon I took an Introduction to Entrelac class with Margaret Fisher. Wonderful woman whose notes finally decoded the mystery. Now it's easy-peasy-lemon-squeezie.

Sunday morning, my class was Suitable Seams, with Judy Pascale. Boy, does that woman have energy! And now I have the confidence to go forward with my TKGA masters course and complete the seam swatches with matching length either side. Thank you Judy :0)

After another wonderful lunch, I stopped by the booth of some spinning guild and learned to spin. In three minutes flat! I immediately bought the dowel and CD demo spindle and headed back to the booth to show off my new mad skillz. See that disco-spindle fly, baby!
Main attraction: The Blue Moon Fiber Arts booth. All those gorgeous colours. See them all? No? Oh, that'll be a late Sunday afternoon picture then, when the booth had been stripped bare of all its wares. Man, those knitters love a rockin sock yarn :0)

Who needs to knit the stuff, just wear the skein as is. In the background is the lovely EttaMae. See what a blur of activity that woman is? And beautiful to boot. Love her!

And here's the whole blue moon booth gang (and me). Tapmouse, EttaMae, Irishgirlie, and Cockeyed. Wonderful ladies, all. Those west coasters sure do know how to show a girl a good time :0) I absolutely can't wait for next year.

...............................

I arrived for a plane change in Charlotte, you know, my favourite city. The one I want to move to. Soon. Here's a picture of the airport, with a few inches of snow on the ground. Don't know if that contributed to the loss of my carry-on bag, which had been taken from me at San Francisco due to lack of overhead space (liars, I got on the plane and there was plenty!), but I'm happy to say we are now reunited.

So, tomorrow, I'll give you a look at my new pretties. Sigh, so happy.