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January 31, 2006
Birthday Boy!
Today is my wonderful husband's birthday! And to celebrate, I finished his scarf! Isn't that nice of me.
Please excuse the look on his face. He was mid-sentence; explaining to me the hardships that male models like him have to face everyday. Oh my.
The specs...
Pattern: Brioche Scarf from Weekend Knitting
Started: November 12, 2005
Finished: January 30, 2006
Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted in Tahiti Teal and Wild Oak
Needles: US 13 (i-cord edging) US 9 (body)
Size: one size
In other news, I did cast on for Butterfly this past weekend but have made little progress on her because of Geoff's scarf and the gift knitting I'm working on for a friend. But I hope to be able to work on her some more in the next few days and get a progress pic up.
Also, this past Saturday I was fortunate enough to spend a few hours with some fellow knitters at a local coffee house. It was organized by a friend of a friend and I got to meet new knitters! You know how I love meeting new knitters! Thanks ladies for a wonderful time! Of course, if I were a good "knit blogger" I would have taken my camera and gotten pics but like I said, there were people there that didn't know me and I didn't want to frighten them with my blog madness! Hee hee! Next time... yes... next time there will be pictures.
Anyway, Geoff and I just got back from dinner and I can't think of a better way to celebrate his birthday than to let him read his book while I knit. I know, I know, I'm such a selfless wife...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABE! I LOVE YOU!
Posted by allison at 09:45 PM | Comments (4)
January 24, 2006
Thanks Mr. Mailman!
Well, I must have knitted enough on Geoff's scarf to appease the postal gods because yesterday I came home to THIS...
(click to make pics bigger)
My yarn for Butterfly!! Yay! Isn't that color yummy? Today after work I headed straight to the bead store with my yarn in hand. It was a tough decision! I mean it's a store full of beads! Beads, people! I went in thinking I was just going to get one color of beads that would stand out a bit but not too much. Then I saw the multicolored sets of beads and decided on these...
They are beads of blues, greens, purples and golds. They look really great with the blue color of the yarn. Maybe I'll be able to cast on by the weekend! But first I need to get more done on Geoff's scarf and cast on for some secret knitting with this...
It's going to turn into a gift for a friend of mine and that's all I'm sayin'!
Better go and get some knitting in before bedtime!
Posted by allison at 09:12 PM | Comments (5)
January 21, 2006
Making Progress
First of all, THANKS to everyone for the wonderful comments about Trellis. I really am glad that I finished it and that my nephew can still fit in it!
I've been working diligently on the Brioche Scarf from Weekend Knitting
Hoepfully the next time you'll see it will be when it's finished and maybe even modeled by its recipient.
The post office is forcing me to be productive and finish Geoff's scarf because they refuse to deliver my yarn for Butterfly. I think they're watching me and once they feel I have accomplished enough on the scarf they will gift me with my yarn. See the progress, Mr. Mailman? Can I have my yarn now? No?
This afternoon I bought this sock pattern from Anna (aka Amelia). She has other sock patterns for sale here so go check them out. They are only £2 each ($3.62 USD) or you can get all three for £4. And send her and her mother some love, too. Her mother's cat Harvey passed away this afternoon after a very long and loving life (almost 20 years!). Losing a pet is never easy. Especially when they've been a part of the family for so long!
On a happier note I discovered another knitting friend last night! Look at me! Making new friends! Liz and her husband Alex invited us over last night for an impromptu get-together. Geoff knew Alex from his former job and we would run into the two of them all the time at the grocery store, etc. They live just a few blocks away so we were always saying "we need to get together sometime!" Then life would pass and a couple months later we'd run into them again. "We need to get together sometime!" and on and on. Well, we finally got together! After Geoff and I arrived at their place I noticed a basket filled with knitting books and mags and I quietly pointed it out to Geoff and he said "Oh my goodness..." Yes, he knew that Liz and I would have a special connection. Knitting does that!
And speaking of knitting, I guess I'd better get back to it. I know the mailman is keeping an eye on me...
Posted by allison at 03:01 PM | Comments (4)
January 15, 2006
Trellis!
Yay! I finished Trellis! (click the pics to make them bigger)
I love it! But, I hate that it took me so long to finish. I guess that's what happens when you don't concentrate on one project at a time. Here's a close-up of the pattern...
And here's pic of the front with the buttons I decided to use. If you remember, I had bought some buttons for Trellis during a trip to Charleston but it dawned on me the other day that they were made of leather and were therefore NOT machine washable. Not good for children's clothing! So I got these instead and I think they look great.
And do you want to know the BEST thing about Trellis?! IT FITS!!!! Here is my nephew Carter showing off his new duds...
Here are the specs:
Pattern: Trellis from Knitty.com
Started: September 18, 2005
Finished: January 14, 2006
Yarn: Rowan All Seasons Cotton
Needles: US 7
Size: Baby: 18 months
Pattern notes: Overall the pattern was ok. Things could have been written more clearly but I got through without any major hiccups. One thing to note for those making the 6 month or 18 month size (the smallest or largest), when you start knitting the sleeves, start your seed stitch border with a purl stitch instead of a knit stitch. I started the border rows with a knit stitch (like I had on the other borders in the sweater) and when I started the chart, the seed stitch in the chart didn't match up with the seed stitch in the border (knits were on top of knits and purls were on top of purls). So I had to rip out the border and start over with a purl stitch as the first stitch of every row. Overall, not a huge setback since the border is only 8 rows but still. How hard would it have been to add the line "For 6 month and 18 month sizes, begin your seed stitch with a purl stitch." Oh well, hopefully I'll save someone out there from having to rip those rows and re-knit!
Now I am trying to wait patiently for my yarn for Butterfly. I just got an email saying it isn't going to ship until Tues/Wed of this week! ACK! But this is probably for the best because I really need to finish Geoff's scarf and I know that once I start Butterfly, all works in progress will be overshadowed by it. I feel like a man... dumping my old projects for newer, younger, prettier ones.
I'm such a bastard.
Posted by allison at 05:47 PM | Comments (9)
January 12, 2006
Pile O' Trellis
Yay! A pile of Trellis! I've finished all of the pieces and all I have left to knit is the collar and then it's seaming seaming seaming!
I should be finished by this weekend! Yay! This is very good because guess what is arriving in the mail any day now. Yarn for Butterfly!
I'm not going to knit it in the recommended Rowan Kid Silk Haze. I don't think I want a mohair dress. I read everyone's post at the Butterfly Knit-a-long on Craftster.org and a lot of them used the wool lace yarn from handpaintedyarn.com. So that's what I'm using in a dark blue. And what a deal! One skein is more than enough to make the dress and it was only $5.95! I can't wait until it comes so I can go to the bead store and buy some beads!
Will I ever finish Geoff's scarf? Yeah... someday...
Posted by allison at 09:48 PM | Comments (4)
January 07, 2006
Back in the saddle again...
It's nice to be back in the land of the living! That sickness kept me out of work for two days. I don't think I've ever missed two days in a row for being sick. It tried to kick my ass but I prevailed! The saddest part of it all is that I didn't knit one stitch during all of it. In fact, Thursday night was the first time I had picked up my needles since Christmas Eve. I think the all-day-every-day Christmas knitting extravaganza was to blame for my little break.
I still haven't finished Trellis but there is a definite renewed interest in it. I thank High Energy Jenny for that. She, too, had a project that was languishing and decided to switch out the needles with metal ones. Voila! No more struggling with the yarn and therefore no more putting it aside for other projects! I was knitting Trellis on bamboo needles and the yarn just wasn't a good fit with them. The stitches didn't slide along the needles easily and I was constantly fighting with it. Because of that, it wasn't fun to knit! But after switching to metal needles, everything is progressing very nicely (and much quicker, too). I hope to have it finished by the end of the month at the latest so that my nephew can at least wear it for a little while!
I've also been getting excited about knitting projects for 2006. My knitting list is endlessly long but here are some things that I really want to knit this year: (click the pics to make them bigger)
1. Butterfly (the dress) from Rowan 37
I've seen so many beautiful camisole versions of Butterfly (check out Eilene's and Becky's)! But I'm not sure if I'd wear the cami version. And I think it would be great to have a really nice dress that I can say that I made! We'll see if I get up the nerve to try it!
2. The Hourglass Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts
I didn't think too much of this pattern when I first saw it but the more I saw people knitting it the more I wanted to, too! It's a very simple and flattering design. I love the flared sleeves. It's a quick knit, too! What more could you want?!
3. Minty Fresh from Rowan 36
I fell in love with this pillow the first time I laid eyes on it. I was thinking of doing one (or two) for our couch in a dark burgundy color. And wouldn't one of these make a great gift?!
4. Aran Tree Skirt from Handknit Holidays
I loved this pattern when I saw it. It's simple and understated yet beautiful. And it will be something really special to bring out during the holidays every year. I can't wait to get started on it so that I can leisurely knit it throughout the year.
I'm so excited!! It's going to be a great knitting year!! But right now I must concentrate on Trellis (and Geoff's scarf!)...
Posted by allison at 09:02 PM | Comments (3)
January 02, 2006
I resolve...
Well, first I should resolve to survive this week. I'm sick sick sick. Coughing sneezing sore throat. Yuck. And it's RAINING and YUCKY outside. No fun. Keep the hot tea coming...
So, assuming that I do indeed survive this week, I resolve to do the following in 2006:
1. Lose 10 pounds (or more!)
This is probably at the top of the list for 90% of America. I've gained a bit in the past few years (I blame it on Geoff. I call them "love pounds") so before it gets any worse I'm going to nip it in the bud.
2. Run a 10k
Well I'm already registered for it so there really isn't too much backing out of this one. I'll be doing the Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston, SC April 1. A bunch of us are going to do it together. My dad runs it every year and the rest of my family walks it. This will be the first run over the new bridge so I'm sure there will be tons of people. Last year, Geoff and I went down just to hang out at the beach with my family. We didn't run/walk it because of all of the crowds (it was the last run on the old bridge) and it was just 1 week before our wedding and I didn't want to risk falling off the bridge. :P The old bridge was very old and scary and wobbly. The new bridge is sleek! And the new bridge is just one big hill instead of two. Of course we'll be running about 1 mile uphill. That sounds like fun!
3. Keep a very clean and very organized home
Geoff and I are working on this one together. We made a lot of progress with the house over the holidays with our cleaning and organizing. I got us a Black & Decker ScumBuster for Christmas and I busted all the scum out of our bath and shower last week! Woooooot! Geoff thought that maybe the fumes from the cleaning products caused my sore throat and cough. Hmmmm... maybe I should agree with him and thereby get out of doing it again! But actually, I kind of enjoyed it. Busting scum is fun!
4. Be the best wife I can be
Geoff and I are both continuing to learn how to be great spouses. We do slip up now and then but we are committed to do our best for each other.
5. Eat healthier
Geoff and I are guilty of eating out a lot (hmmmm... could be the culprit behind my "love pounds"). We are going to make it a priority to eat at home more and thereby eat a bit healthier. We already have a few tried and true recipes that we love and we're going to try some new ones so that we'll have a collection of healthy meals that we can make.
6. Meet new people and make new friends
I don't really have too many friends. And the ones I do have I don't see regularly and sometimes wonder if we have anything in common anymore. I don't enjoy going to bars every night or seeing bands that don't even start playing until midnight. So a lot of my friends have just gone on without me and I don't really feel like I have anyone to confide in anymore, ya know? I guess Geoff is my best friend and well, he isn't too girly so talking or gossiping with him is sometimes futile.
7. Be a better friend
Sometimes I don't think I make a good friend. Like I mentioned above, the friends I do have I don't see or talk to regularly. I need to do that. Many are from college and while there have been a few "uncomfortable" issues brought on by things in the past, I realize I need to either get over the hurt or say goodbye to them. And well, I just don't want to say goodbye but it's also very hard to get over the hurt. So I keep hanging on, mostly in the peripheral. And my best friend from elementary school... she was in my wedding and when was the last time I spoke with her?! My wedding day!!!!! HORRIBLE.
So there you have it. My plan to become a better person in 2006.
Before I sign off to make more hot tea, I want to say a big congratulations to our friends Suzette and Allen! They went up to Asheville, NC and secretly got married just before Christmas. SNEAKY! Yay for sneaky lovers and secret weddings! Very romantic...
That marks the seventh wedding (including ours) in 2005! 2005 was a very special year for Geoff and I and so many of our friends who got married. Here's to an equally special and wonderful 2006 everyone!
Posted by allison at 01:40 PM | Comments (3)
January 01, 2006
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I wish everyone a happy and prosperous 2006!
Tomorrow... my resolutions.
Posted by allison at 11:56 PM | Comments (0)
