Honey Cowl for Megan

I finished Megan's replacement scarf a couple of weeks ago but had been too busy to post it here until now. The pattern is the fabulous Honey Cowl I found on Ravelry and had started making on my day off last month.

Rather then knit in a single color like the original pattern shows, I decided to edge her's in purple so it had a little more life and I really like how it came out. A little pop of color to break up the off-white of the rest of the scarf. I also added about 20 stitches when I cast on making it about 6 inches longer so it wasn't quite so snug around her neck.

I love the finished project, and I think Megan does too! I don't know if it's fortunate or not, but we're still having some bi-polar spring weather here and I think she'll be able to get some use out of it before the warm weather really shows up. 

So Long Shrugs

I really like shrugs. They're the halfway house between "I'm bored with scarves" and "I think I can make a sweater". I have made several in my almost 4 years of knitting, including a purple one worn to my sister's engagement party two years ago.

   

The first one I ever made was red and so easy to make. It was just a square that got sewn together at either end to make the sleeves.

I also made these two from the same pattern, although the sizing was a bit off. The white one I made first and was so tiny I couldn't even get it on to model it for pictures. I gave it to a friend's daughter and then had to make the blue one one for her older daughter.

That one I was able to squeeze on for a picture but what you probably can't tell is I am losing feeling in my fingers because the shrug is cutting off the circulation in my arms.

I have several more shrugs in my favorites at Ravelry, but I think I'm going to have to make them for other people or else not at all. The reason you ask? I have no shoulders. There, I said it. At 5'-5" I am a "normal" size, but I have a very petite frame and shoulders that can't even hold my purse straps, let alone an article of clothing meant to be held up solely by them.

It makes me a little sad, because they are easy to make and a really nice layer to add on a fall day when you need a little added warmth. Or, as I've used them before, a great addition to a strapless or summer dress to make it a little more weather appropriate when it's cooler out. Perhaps someday I'll have to find and/or design one that will fit me well, but for now, I think I'll let them remain in other people's queues.

Yarn Bomb...

...takes on a whole new meaning in my living room.

New WIP's

As promised, here are the new projects I started last week. They are both scarves so I was obviously craving the simplicity of a project that required no shaping and could be quickly worked. Similar to the unfinished green sweater, the first scarf is also using yarn I got two Christmases ago, and the pattern comes from the same Vogue Knitting magazine. I had started several projects with this yarn and was never very impressed since I didn't ever get far. I believe I have finally found the perfect project for this yarn.

I love the broken rib pattern at the beginning and have a feeling it will be showing up again as I have started itching to design something new! I can’t wait to see this scarf finished, I'll let you know how it turns out.

The second scarf is the Honey Cowl and I am hoping it will be an acceptable replacement to the infinity scarf I gave Megan for Christmas that makes her break-out. No more acrylic yarn in her gifts! 

I think the pattern is beautiful and love that it won’t need to be blocked since it's basically a modified garter stitch and won't curl up on itself. I am, however, slightly worried that it will not be long enough. I an trusting, for now, that it will be as long as it looks in the top picture once I get it off the needles, but I still have a hard time gauging my stitches for projects that are bunched up on a circular needle until they’re done and you can really stretch them out. 

On the plus side, you can see after only one day of knitting I was nearly halfway done so even if it doesn't end up being as long as I’d like, it won’t take long to whip up a second (or third, or fourth!) once I've got the stitch count right.

Nothing to Show for Christmas

Last year was extremely busy for me. The teaching gig I so enjoyed last spring has morphed into an actual job, in a good way, and I am currently tackling my third subject in three semesters. Basically what that means is I haven't had the pleasure of re-teaching a course, for various reasons, and have been unable to re-use all of the lectures/quizzes/projects etc I've developed for each class. Some were more work than others, and fortunately this semester's class requires less of my time to prepare which means I've had a little more time for knitting!

So for the past 9 months or so I have been teaching as well as getting back into an architecture firm that has been more or less keeping me busy on an hourly basis so I can maintain my teaching schedule. Throw in the typical end of the year holiday craziness that is buying gifts, baking cookies, making handmade presents, and decorating the house, and I regret to inform you that I failed to take a single photo of my handiwork this year.

I can tell you that despite the time crunch, I did complete a gift for everyone on my list, and for at least three of them, there is at least a pattern I can reference to show you.

Socks for Aunt Mary came from the Quick Sneakers pattern and were really cute in a green and blue colorway.

  

I made these headbands for several of the ladies on my list after a friend raved about the matching ones I made for her and her daughter.

I then proceeded to make myself one once the holidays were over since I’m not really a fan of hats but needed something to cover my ears when walking through the city to get to work on an especially chilly (or windy) day. After taking a bunch of pictures of myself I realized that I look like a cancer patient in mine, but that's better than having cold ears.

My favorite project to make had to have been the giraffe I made for my niece, Lilly, which had been in my favorites folder over at Ravelry for a while. It went together faster than I imagined it would, but was much tinier than expected, standing only about 6” high when complete. But he was adorable, and I will definitely delve into this pattern again if for no other reason than to share pictures of my own work. Maybe even to use fun colors that are a little less true to life. J

A few other crafts I made included an apron for my mom, made with the sewing machine she gave me for my birthday, a necklace and bracelet for Aunt Anita, and an infinity scarf for my sister who appears to be allergic to the yarn and has asked for another since she loves it so much and is sad she can’t wear it without breaking out. All-in-all, a successful holiday crafting season, aside from the lack of picture taking. 

Windy Wednesday

This past week was spring break for both of the schools where I teach so I took  Wednesday off with the intention of spending the day with Mom, Megan, and Lilly. Unfortunately the weather had other plans and while we didn't get any actual snow, as the seeming trend this year is to call for it, plan for it, make all the crazy people stock up on bread and milk, then proceed to NOT snow. I wonder if there are any weathermen who invest in wonderbread. Anyway, Lilly was at her home and not with my Mom, and Megan was at home with bronchitis, so I ended up staying home as well and instead listened to the crazy wind try to take me to the land of Oz. No snow but we did get rain and 20 mph winds with gusts of up to 50 mph!

Even though my original plans had been rain-checked, I wasn't about to let a perfectly good day off go to waste. I gathered all of the WIP's I have lying all over the house and dumped them in the living room in front of the fireplace and Netflix along with several knitting books, magazines, and new skeins of yarn I had been stashing for just such a day as this. I snuggled under the blanket with the cat and being the rational person I am, proceeded to completely ignore my WIP's and start two (yes, two) completely new projects.

I know what you’re thinking, because Chris has already said it to me. Why don't you finish what you've already started? (asked in that tone of voice that doesn't try to hide the fact that he believes he's married to a crazy person). In reply I just shrugged knowing he wouldn't understand my reasons.

The first WIP to get the shaft is a green sweater that I've been working on for over a year now. You may recognize this yarn, given to me two (yes, two) Christmases ago, and while that alone is a good reason to want to get this thing done, I just didn't want to get into it yesterday. 

The pattern is from a Vogue Knitting magazine and for any of you who have attempted a Vogue pattern, that’s enough said. For some reason, their sweater patterns seem to be unnecessarily complicated and in an attempt to simplify it, I seem to have created more work for myself in modifying their complicated pattern. On my day off, I just wasn't in the mood to read, interpret, write down my variation, and then knit.

WIP #2 is an adorable sweater from my Brave New Knits book which will eventually be gifted to Lilly, but being more suited for spring weather, there didn't seem to be a sense of urgency as I waited (in vain) to see snowflakes out my back door. 

I will also need 8 buttons to complete this project once I get it off my needles that I have yet to purchase, so even if I did complete this WIP it still wouldn't be 100%. On a side note, I did find an adorable yarn shop a few blocks from my office that in addition to some fantastic looking yarn, and a social knitting night, has lose buttons. I will be going back there often, but not too often as I can see it being a dangerous place to spend too much time in!

So, those are my excuses, and I am sticking to them! More on the new WIP's later!

A Job Well Done

One of the jobs I've been working on for the past several months has been furniture and finish selection for a residential addition. It has been a lot of fun, exhausting at times, and a very interesting break from the design work I'm used to doing.

Tonight was the final piece of the puzzle; installing the window treatments my awesome Mom made to complete the job. Chris gave up his day off to help me because the install included putting up a 188 inch cornice box. That's over 15 feet people!! It took us 4 hours to get everything measured, drilled, installed, and hung, and he didn't even complain once! I definitely owe him big for this one.

So here is a little progression of the job and the finished results, let me know what you think!

 The family room before it got expanded (the addition got built to the right of this room off the back of the house)

Some under construction pictures; the framing pics actually came in very handy when trying to figure out where the studs were for the install. Header beams make everything easier!

Getting ready to install, that large red box behind the sofa is the cornice box to go over the 5 windows.

4 hours later, it was a beautiful thing!

I was so excited when the clients took my advice to install the tile floor in a herringbone pattern. They were skeptical at first, but it came out gorgeous!

And a view from almost the same spot as the before picture was taken. What a difference! It really was a fun job and the clients were wonderful to work with and thrilled with everything, so a success all around.