Sweet cherry

Another wonderful thing I learned about from Action Hero's blog, is this sweet little number called Cherry.

After a failed attempt to make the Eyelet Chemise by Therese Chynoweth using the Frog Tree Pima Silk I bought in Cannon Beach, I was determined to find something that would work for this yarn. When I saw Cherry, I was really hoping I could get gauge because it fit the bill - a simple yet interesting cardigan with short sleeves!

Here's what I got goin' on so far.
 
The Pima Silk is really nice, but not without its issues. It is really splitty, yet the plies want to stay together (if that makes sense). I just love how soft and silky it is. I wouldn't recommend it for patterns with k3togs or the like, simply because it is so darn splitty, but k2togs have been fine.

The ball band says 5 sts/inch on US #5, but I'm getting more like 5.5/5.75 sts/inch. Because of this, I'm using US 5s for the Cherry pattern, instead of the suggested US 6s. 

Grrr... BAD blogger!

I've been trying to post a few blog entries over the last few days, but blogger has been misbehaving lately. Thankfully, not much has been going on, just the usual rants and raves.

Rant of the day - I'm still upset over Roger Federer's loss at the French Open. I was really pulling for the guy, and I don't care what the win would have meant - I still think he's the greatest tennis player of all time.

Rave of the day - I finally finished the little crochet bag for the wedding! I made it a tad bigger than in the pattern, because I wanted it to be able to hold a travel pack of Kleenex tissues (I've been known to cry at weddings). I also made a different flower because I thought the one in the pattern was too simple. Here's the one I chose - thanks Melissa! I'm thinking of placing a nice button in the middle, just to dress it up a bit more.

  

Back from the farm

This past weekend, we went to the wine country and stayed at a neat little Bed and Breakfast on a goat farm. It was so great to finally get out of the house - the first overnighter since we moved here in September! The day started out a bit rainy, but it got better as it went on.

 

First, we had lunch at the Dundee Bistro. I had the rockfish served in a delicious saffron/tomato broth. Excellent place to stop if you're in the area. Then, it was on to do some wine tasting! We hit Lange Winery, one of our favs in the area. Then we went to Erath, which is one of the pioneer wineries in Oregon. We picked up several bottles between both.

 

One of the more interesting aspects of the trip was the Abbey Road Farm B&B, where we stayed. The rooms are actually inside of these silos, which I didn't think Mike would want to do because he has a strange fear of silos. But, it really doesn't look anything like a silo inside.

 

Being a goat farm as well, they had a lot of silly goats and lots of other farm animals. When we pulled up, I was really excited to see the donkeys and the chickens (my favorites!). They also had a few alpacas, sheep, dogs, and of course - the requisite guard llama. Their llama looked pretty friendly, but I wasn't going to push it.

 

It was such a nice place to get away. The B&B didn't have TVs, and I thought I'd go bonkers, but I just relaxed and played a little Sudoko. I brought along the crochet bag I'm working on, but I didn't have time to work on it. So, another blog entry sans knit/crochet.

PS - Just wanted to say Hi and Thanks to my Secret Pal, who's been sending me ecards over the past week! I just wanted to let you know that I did go and have a doughnut on Friday (per your suggestion). We went to Krispy Kreme and the "Hot Now" sign happened to be on, so we got a free hottie. And I also got a Chocolate Glazed with Sprinkles! Thanks so much for thinking of me - I really enjoy getting your ecards, especially ones that tell me to go eat a doughnut! 

Walk this way

It has always been our dream to be able to go for a walk with Gibson without some sort of drama. Heck, getting out the door is drama. The first sign of a walk, and he's jumping, spinning, panting, and generally acting like a crazy fool. Then once he's out, he's zigzagging like he's trying to avoid a bullet. If another dog approaches, he scrambles toward them and charges forward with hackles raised. If he can't meet them, he starts to bark and growl like he's the one who's offended.

So a couple weeks ago, I bought Cesar's Way and it opened up a whole new philosophy for us. We'd paid big bucks back in California to take him to a class for aggressive dogs, but it didn't seem to help. It was all based on positive reinforcement and treats, which Gibson isn't really interested in when he's outdoors. Cesar's Way introduced us to the idea that his aggression is attributed to his lack of exercise, discipline, and understanding of the family pack order.

Over the last several weeks, we've been walking him almost everyday. This is supposed to help tire him, allowing us to more easily assert ourselves and hopefully lessen his frustrations. But this dog's got way more energy than us. Enter in the dog pack - another one of Cesar's suggestions. We spent the weekend going on long walks and we weighed the pack down with two cans, about 3.5 pounds.

 

So, after a 3.5 mile walk and the 3.5 pound dog pack, you'd think he'd be pooped out and hungry. But no, he seemed normal for the rest of the day, and he didn't even finish his dinner! I'm amazed at this guy's stamina. Needless to say, he still has the energy to go loco when he sees other dogs, but he's a little better on leash (less zigzagging). 

Ahhh... silk...

I've been chuggin' along with the knits for Ann's wedding. The Tilli Tomas silk yarn is so incredible! Even though I have to go slowly and carefully due to the sequins catching, it has been such an enjoyable experience. This is my first time knitting with 100% silk, and it is so luxurious - soft and drapey with an elegant sheen.

 

I think right now, it kinda looks like a man's necktie, but I'm hoping it will take on a different look once I put the tassels on the ends. This picture doesn't do the color justice!

The silk has been spoiling me. I'm only about halfway done with the body of the drawstring bag, and I have to keep stopping because it's giving me callouses!

 

I've worked with the Louet Euroflax 100% linen before, and it was murder on my fingers. I thought the MerLin Camelot would be better because it's only 30% linen, but it is still pretty harsh. And what's up with crochet always curling on the ends?

So, it has been raining here for the past several days with no sign of it letting up for the weekend. Very depressing for this California native! We had planned on working on our fence, but I guess that idea is scrapped. I guess I'll just have to continue my research on our proposed Hawaii trip. Oh, why can't it be now?!!! 

I'm officially spoiled

Wow, check out all the stuff I got from my secret pal!!! I wasn't sure I could get everything in the frame for the picture! And what a nice note inside the fantastic sheep card. I am definitely going to frame this little guy and put him up on the blank wall next to my computer.

 

I just love everything - the yarn, books, bath goodies, Kitty stuff, and the stitch markers (oh, the stitch markers!). All are great, but I just thought the little robot guys with hearts were sooo cute. Thanks, secret pal, for making my day! 

Sorry, no pics...

I don't like posting without pictures, but it's been raining here for the last two days and I can't seem to get good lighting. I've made decent progress on Ms. Marigold, in spite of an error in the pattern which I reported. I also got the yarn for the drawstring bag I'm making for the wedding. It is crocheted, so it serves as a nice break from knitting when I get bored of stockinette!

The rain had started to depress me, but then I got word from my Secret Pal that something's in the mail! Woo hoo! And my Secret Pal is the queen of obscure "holidays" - who knew that today is Sea Turtle Day? It's fitting, though, because this morning I was researching trips to Hawaii. Am I being spied on?

New stuff!

So, what have I been up to lately? I finished the front of Wicker and started the second sleeve, but I just got so bored of all the (K2,P2) ribbing! And the cotton really started to hurt my fingers. They were yearning for something softer, something with some give.

My Knit Picks order finally arrived, but much to my dismay, the Alpaca Cloud I ordered to make the Tie One On shawl for the wedding didn't complement my dress. Serves me right for taking my husband's advice on color. So into the stash it goes...

So what now? After thinking about it some more, I realized that I probably didn't want to wear a wrap. I'd be better off with a really fabulous scarf, something I can keep wearing while eating dinner at the reception, or dancing afterward. I decided on a great yarn called Disco Lights from Tilli Tomas in the color Burnt Orange.
 

It's so pretty, I don't want to mess it up just yet. I just want to admire it for a while. So I decided to work on Ms. Marigold in the Elegance yarn that was also in my Knit Picks order. This yarn is really soft and pretty, but it's strange. It started out super splitty when I first cast on, then by the third row it was normal, and now on the fourth row the plies are overly twisted. Weird. But it feels so much nicer than cotton!

  

I cracked the code!

Years ago, when we lived in Texas, I picked up a new book called The Da Vinci Code. I don't usually buy anything when we go to Barnes & Noble, because up until that point, I couldn't remember the last time I read a book that I wasn't going to be tested on.

Since my degree is in Art History, Mike thought I might enjoy this one. He'd been trying to get me interested in reading, so I agreed to give it a shot. Once home, I couldn't put the thing down! I was even reading during the day, instead of watching TV or - gasp - knitting!

I credit that book for breaking me of my reading displeasure. Now that the movie is coming out, there's Da Vinci Code stuff everywhere. Google is running a promotion, whereby the first 10,000 people to complete the 24 games move on to round 2. The prize for being one of the 10,000 is a limited edition replica cryptex. Being a lover of games, and the book, I of course submitted my entry and hoped I would be a finalist. Check out what was in the mailbox yesterday!

 
  

Happy Mother's Day!

Since we consider Gibson our kid, we celebrate Mother's/Father's Day. If you know him, you know that he's less of a "dog" and more like one of those ill-mannered children on some TV show. Very out of control and hyper. Yeah, I know it's our fault - and we're working on that. I've been reading Cesar's Way. But enough about that. Here's what I got from him:

 

In spite of his craziness, he somehow managed to go out to Lush to buy me all these wonderful treats! The most unique item is the jelly soap in the container. Very strange to "pinch" off a piece of soap that feels like it could be a giant whale snot. And yes, you're reading that right - it's called Spank Me With Saplings. Thanks Gibs! 

I love spring knits

I love the knits for spring/summer; all the tanks and short-sleeved tops with lacey details and soft, flowy styles. Yes, I love them - but do I look good in them? Not really. I'm better off in a thick wool pullover, where no one will notice the (ahem) rolls.

Still, I can't help but want to make the Eyelet Chemise in the latest Interweave Knits magazine. Though, not in the called-for Euroflax linen. Can't stand to work with the stuff. Definitely something softer.

 

And have it reiterated lately how much I love having a yarn store less than a mile from my house? I trotted over to the Knitting Bee the other day to see what new goodies they had, and I picked up a couple of fun items. The aforementioned Interweave Knits magazine being one, and also 2 balls of Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora on sale for $2.99, along with a nifty new Mini Kacha counter.

 

Not sure what to make with the Cotton Angora, but for now, it's a great addition to my yarn shelf. And the little Kacha has been handy during my progress on the Wicker sweater. I still love my full-size Kacha, but I couldn't resist the little green guy.

And here's how the front of Wicker is going. You can see how I substituted the eyelet holes for cables.

 

I gotta give a shout out to my Secret Pal. Hiya! I just got an email from her (I assume it's a her, because the email handle is "knitmom" - not trying to be sexist here). I'm still waiting to hear who I get to be a secret pal to, and I'm just dying to know! 

Here comes the bride...

Not referring to myself, of course (been there, done that!). While shopping for my Ma for Mother's Day, I spotted this dress and had to get it for Trent and Ann's upcoming wedding.

 

It actually ties in the back, but I kinda like the way it looks tied in front. Anyhow, I ordered some yarn to make a few accessories. I just love any excuse to buy new yarn and make fun little projects!

Although the wedding will be in California at the end of June, it might be a little chilly later on in the evening, so I figure a light wrap or shawl would be a good idea. After perusing the million or so wraps/shawls out there, I really liked the blue version of Tie One On from knitty.



I had worked with Rowan KidSilk Haze before, and although I LOVE the yarn and the stuff made from it, it does require patience and a gentle hand (which I'm not in the mood for right now). I decided to use Alpaca Cloud in Sunlight from Knit Picks instead. Why? Because it's slightly less delicate, and costs next to nothing.

Of course, I'll also need a little bag to carry my essentials. I chose to make the square crochet bag from Leigh Radford's One Skein. I just placed the order for the yarn, Louet Sales MerLin Camelot in Sunflower. It was hard to find online, so I pretty much figured it would be impossible to find in stores.




Now I must wait for all the goodies to show up! 

Secret Pal 8 Questionnaire

As a former SPer (SP4 alumnus), I'm really excited to participate again in SP8! I'm going to fill out the questionnaire anew, since it might be interesting to see if my answers have changed over the last year and a half. Here goes!

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I like a lot of yarns, but my favs are soft wools with maybe a bit of angora, alpaca, or mohair... delicious! I don't care for "novelty" yarns or acrylic-y acrylics.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I made the Circular Knitting Needle Holder from Stitch 'N Bitch, which hangs in my closet, and my crochet hooks and straights are in a drawer in one of my "yarn towers". I don't use straights very often, as I prefer circs. I also have a set of Denise Interchangeables, which come in their own nifty case.

3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I taught myself to knit about 3.5 years ago, and I consider myself an intermediate/advanced knitter (but I'm not afraid to challenge myself!). Since I don't often crochet, I think I'm a beginner.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? I have an Amazon wish list, and my Knit Picks wish list won't let me add the books/patterns that I want (weird!).

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.) I love soft, sweet florals like jasmine and honeysuckle, as well as herbals like green tea and basil.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Oh boy, yes! I love desserts, all kinds, and my favorite candies are salt water taffy, nougat, various Japanese candies, and anything cinnamon flavored.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? Sadly, I haven't made time for other crafts lately, but I would love to learn how to spin.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I have a very eclectic taste in music - specific artists, not music genres.

9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand? I like most colors, but my favs are reds/pinks and olive/sage green. I don't like bright colors like hot pink or grass green.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I'm a married housewife, and my husband works from home, so we are together all the time! We've chosen not to have kids, but we have a spoiled dog and want more canine kids in the future.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I occasionally wear scarves and hats (though not this time of year), and I don't wear mittens or ponchos.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? This really depends on my mood. Sometimes I like small projects, other times I'll dedicate myself to a real sweater. I like knitting things with lace, aran, or rib patterns because it keeps things interesting.

13. What are you knitting right now? I'm working on Wicker from Rowan 37, and I'm currently researching new projects as well. I generally like having more than one project at a time, so I can switch between them if I get bored.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? If they're well-made gifts, sure!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Bamboo circs all the way!

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes on both accounts. I even have a yarn meter, but I don't think it's calibrated correctly, so I don't use it.

17. How did you learn to knit? I sat in front of the computer and looked at a website, and also consulted a book I bought from Michael's.

18. How old is your oldest UFO? Too old to recall! I have a whole bin full of UFOs - I have completion issues, partly because I hate finishing with a passion.

19. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas! I'm not ashamed to admit I love the presents, the cookies, the dinners, etc.

20. Is there anything that you collect? We collect things with funky/fun chickens on them. I also have a lot of Hello Kitty things.

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I've been wanting to make the Rockstar jacket from Alchemy Yarns, but to do it with the original yarn would cost like, a kajillion dollars. I also want a pack of Rowan Calmer, but again, it would cost like, half a kajillion dollars. I used to subscribe to Interweave Knits and Rowan International, but both have expired and I've been too lazy to renew. I do, however, still get the Yarn-of-the-Month goodies.

22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I want to practice more fair isle. I want to make the Electra vest from Rowan 38, but so far I only have the main color yarn, Yorkshire Tweed dk in Cheer. I'm trying to get more balls of the same yarn in different colors, but I can't decide what would look good.

23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I don't like knitting socks because I have a hard time working with small needles, and I can't stand knitting in the round. I do, however, like wearing socks and my feet are really tiny - US size 5.5!

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) February 17.

Out with the old...

...in with the new! Our new deluxe high-efficiency washer showed up yesterday, and boy is it a huge upgrade from our scrappy one. Check out all the buttons! I love buttons!

 
After moving from Texas to California to Oregon over the course of 2 years, our old washer got really jacked up. It would get so off balance that the entire thing would shake violently and make horrible noises, as if we had some hostage in the room and s/he was trying to break the shackles. Last week, it got so bad that the lid was popping up during the spin cycle. The time had come.

The new kid was the only top-loading HE that we saw at Sears. Since our laundry room is pretty small and the door is right in front of where the washer goes, I didn't want to deal with a front-loading washer.

This puppy is so weird - there's no agitator, but it somehow manages to turn the clothes around. I know this, because the lid is glass and we watched the entire process! It makes a lot of strange (but quiet) robotic noises, and now the loudest sound coming from the laundry room is the water. I'm a happy little homemaker. :)  

The Canon's back!

I've been working on Wicker from Rowan 37, and I'm almost done with the back. I think the original pattern calls for lace on the the entire back, but I carried over the center ribbing from the front because I like the way it looks.  














Here's a closeup of the lace, which I think looks like fish back bones.  















And I'm getting closer to finishing the Apricot Jacket (aka Iceberg Jacket). I know, I keep saying that, but I really mean it this time. After sewing up all the seams, I realized that I should have knit the darn thing on US 8s instead of US 7s. It felt too loose when I swatched on 8s, but I really regret it now because when I tried it on, I couldn't get the fronts to meet across my boobs!

So, I came up with the idea to add an additional band of ribbing along the front edges. I simply knit a long band and sewed it up along the original selvedge. You can hardly tell! I just need to do the finishing crochet and I'm going to do only 1 button in the center because I don't think I'll ever wear it closed.

 
















The other day I was at Michael's (with my very own Michael, no less) to pick up a bottle of Tacky Glue, and I stumbled across a bin of ribbons on sale for a buck a piece. I really could have gotten a few more, but I didn't want to look like I had a ribbon obsession in addition to my yarn addiction.
  

I do more than just knit

Even though this is primarily a knitblog, I really ought to talk more about other stuff once in a while, don'tcha think? I neglected to mention in my last post, the impetus for last weekend's coastal trip. For our 4th wedding anniversary, my in-laws got us a gift certificate to EVOO, a cooking school in Cannon Beach.

Of course, they insisted on tagging along, so we had to choose a class that would work for all our busy schedules. I think we totally lucked out, because our class rocked! We attended the winemaker's dinner featuring WillaKenzie Estate in Yamhill. All the wines were incredible, and their representative, Neil, was a wonderful speaker/host. The food was awesome, and we came home with some kitchen gadgets and 2 bottles of wine.

Not a bad day, not bad at all...

Ew, that STINKS!

Yeah, the picture quality sucks because it's from my camera phone, but it was all I had. We spent Saturday afternoon in Cannon Beach, which turned out to be a really nice day.

 

I'd heard that some purple jellyfish were washing up on the beach and I really wanted to see them, since jellyfish are one of my favorite animals. Well, I neglected to figure that washed up sea creatures + 70 degree weather = nasty stink! Boy, it was ripe I tell ya.

I even came home with some yarn from the newly opened Coastal Yarns (it's in the same location as the previous yarn store in Cannon Beach). I bought six balls of Frog Tree Pima Silk, but I don't have a pic because the camera is in Raleigh, NC.

I knit up a swatch and discovered that this stuff's super splitty. Not the best choice for lace patterns, particularly when you're trying to k3tog - good luck getting the needle through all the strands...

So, I decided to whip out the Gedifra Fifty-Fifty I bought on eBay eons ago, to make Wicker from Rowan 37. I've only done the first two rows of ribs, but I'm thinking of running two cables along the front panels instead of the leather string.

I also finished (mostly) the Apricot Jacket from Rebecca. Since mine's Rowan ASC in Iceberg, I suppose I should call it the Iceberg Jacket. I wanted to pick out the buttons before I crochet up the button holes (so I know how big I need to make them). So, it's not 100% complete, but close enough. Again, no piccy since the camera ain't here. 

A very merry unbirthday

I'm pretty sure my sister isn't aware of this blog, so I think it's safe to post a pic of her birthday present here.

 

As soon as I saw the knitted cupcakes in Leigh Radford's new book, One skein, I knew I wanted to make one for my sister's upcoming birthday. Also in the book, is a pattern for little "candy wrapper sachets". I made two of those as well, to create a dessert plate of sorts.

Here's the lowdown on the project:
Cupcake base: Knit Picks Shine worsted in Coral, less than 1/2 skein, US 6 dpns
Cupcake frosting: GGH Amelie in White, small amount, US 10 dpns
Ribbon flowers: Pre-assembled from Jo-Ann fabrics
Candy wrapper sachet (diamond print): Rowan 4-ply soft in 391 Folly, small amount, US 2 dpns
Candy wrapper sachet (ribbed): Rowan 4-ply soft in 378 Day Dream, small amount, US 2 dpns

Intead of filling the sachets with lavender flowers and dealing with hunting down the special tea bags Radford used, I opted to use vacuum beads I purchased from Restoration Hardware. No mess, and I could simply throw a few in with the polyfil stuffing. I used Lavender Rosemary for the sachets, and Meyer Lemon for the cupcake. Oh, and the plate is from Anthropologie. 

Huh, whaddaya know...

I received a really nice comment on my blog the other day from this guy. I paid his blog a visit, and noticed this "Life Quiz". I'm a sucker for questionnaires, so I had to check it out. Here are my results:

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	7.2
Mind:	6.8
Body:	6.6
Spirit:	7.4
Friends/Family:	5.2
Love:	9.1
Finance:	6.6
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

My Love score was so high, they asked me to comment further on it in hopes that I might inspire/enlighten others. To be honest, I don't know why I scored so high except to say that I chose "strongly agree" to the happily married question. I wasn't lying, either (for all you cynics out there).

What I thought was strange was the fairly high Spirit score. Huh? Me? Spiritual?! The only spirits I believe in are those in my cocktail. I suppose in spite of my lack of religion, they gave me points for being at peace with my lack of religion.

Well, thanks for sharing the Life Quiz, Steven. At least they didn't tell me I was miserable!