ocean waves

The best start to a day:



The end of March was our 3rd 'spring break'/my birthday getaway. This year, T let me pick the beach. I can spend hours just walking along the coast. The weather was a bit frightful (lotsa chilly wind,) but the sunrises were perfect. Warm enough, calm air, and I usually had a long stretch of the beach to myself.




Of course, I had to do a vacation LYS tour. First up was Island Knits. The owner was pleasant, and I picked up some Mirasol for Beth to thank her for the sock cast-on, and a ball of Linen Isle for myself. I decided I don't need stash, but expanding my fiber exposure for a washcloth was necessary for educational purposes...

Our second yarn store visit was Joyfilled gifts. T found some cuff links by a local artist, and I got 3 balls of Hempathy in ocean-y colors for a towel (again, purely for fiber experimentation!)

Back home, the SnB gang checked out the latest digs for Fiberge followed by a trip to OPH. I picked up some Lantern Moon ebony straights...it only seemed right to have the vacation yarn knit up on yummy needles!




After a lot of searching for ocean-themed washcloths, I finally picked this version of feather and fan. I love the feel of the waves, and the pink with sandy tan flecks takes me back to my sunrises.

We left the cats at home with this critter...they deserved some ocean fun, too!

(olly the octopus from The Book of Yarn.)

Finally, just in case I forget my mornings, I brought home 12 seconds of bliss.

ways to cope

This was one of the worstest weeks ever. (wow, how's that for a chipper intro....)

T got me these. (so beautiful. so me. so sweet.)



I got me these. (photo stolen from World Market site since my pic wasn't so hot.)



My room has always been green/blue/purple/yellow, soft tones. My life is changing; I'm ready for a red room.

And a yellow hat. (pic to follow as soon as there is some light.) Using a sunshine-y (read:oh-so-bright-yellow) smooshy soft lovely Malabrigo. My secret weapon to 1/1 cables? A toothpick, baby. Yes, a toothpick. And it works just great. My lust for this hat was a product of seeing Beth's lovely orange one.

I promise I'll try to use real words and real sentences as soon as the world feels real again. Thanks to all who have been sweet, supportive, and encouraging. I'll be really darn grateful to have you around in the coming days/weeks/????.

Happy knittin'.

reclaimed!

I need a nap.
I spent the past week just trying to remember my blogger login.
Finally found my way in from my flickr pics.
New knits are there, and I try to keep up on Ravelry (whimZknits.)

Friends/family have hounded encouraged me to blog, tho, so I'll try to get this going again. Miss y'all anyway.

see you soon.

I'm in.

I couldn't resist.

I'm awed to find out there are more knitters in the Knit Olympics than athletes in Torino.
Wow.
I'm in.
The games have begun.




The supplies are ready.
1. Yarn is KnitPicks palette. Not pictured is their pattern for Northern Lights mittens (see below.)
2. Aluminum US3 DPNs. Took advice from locals and went up a few sizes. Thanks, Beth. The stitches aren't as pretty, but having a mitten that fits is...well...practical.
3. Wine. duh.
4. Chocolate. Again, duh. Junior mints are my fave movie candy, and the DeBrands chocolates from Fort Wayne, IN are the best in the world, IMHO.
5. Munchies. World Market's Lime and Salt Cashews are irresistable.
6. Reading Glasses. sigh. I know.



6 p.m. 02.11.06
18 rows done. 180 or so to go. Plus thumbs. No ends to weave in, tho! I'm taking the pattern's advice and just catching the new yarn on the back before I need it. If I still had finishing to do after knitting, we'd be looking at the 2010 Olympic finale more likely...

Think I'll have my own version of these before the 26th?!?



Post your own progress pics on the new Flickr group Keli started! (Thanks, Keli!)

Happy Knitting, fellow Olympians and all!
---
sigh. I'm really happy. I know I finished the last post with that, too. There are frustrations in my world for sure (work is insane and an old problem popped up with a Hi, I'm back!,) but there are oodles of good things going on. My family rocks, my coworkers are a joy, and I'm seeing a guy that's pretty darned swell. Add in my knit pals (thanks for the great notes Karen, Nancy and others that I've also neglected writing back,) a couple cats, and the basket of knitty goodness above...
well...
I'm smiling.

and a Red Scarf in a pine tree.

Last week's post, had it happened, would have been all about this scarf.



yarn: debbie bliss SoHo, color 09, 2.5 balls
pattern: Multidirectional Scarf with alternate ending
needles: Denise US9
dates: 1.25.06-1.28.06

I mailed it off for the Red Scarf Project last week. I was so happy working on this; I love the concept of the project. I hope the student that receives it really enjoys the wearing as much as I did the knitting. I had started another scarf in Manos, but knew I wouldn't make the deadline. Quick trip to LYS and the SoHo was a good sub for a similar look with an easier pattern.

The scarf is my first completed project for the group I recently joined. (button over yonder in sidebar.) I really like the idea of using the joy knitting brings me to add a little something extra to someone else's life.

I started a baby hat after that, but the word on the street is that I have no idea how large a baby's head really is. All the mothers that saw my wee knitting laughed hysterically and assured me newborn heads are BIG. I was just following the pattern! (but, um...maybe not the gauge.) So...doing my usual...I have the cuff of an adult sock started, not a baby hat.
The baby gift is now going to be the thumbless mittens from the 2006 page-a-day calendar. Moms have assured me these will fit the li'l hands. sheesh. I'm doing them in Cascade fixation. Funky yarn, there. It's stretchy!

New logo time for me. I need to work up the graphics a bit, but it's done enough for a gift tag:

Swoosh time for whimZknits!

Life is good these days. Working like crazy, but happy. Definitely happy.

(I'm trying to make up my mind about the Knit Olympics. The northern lights mittens are my obvious choice. I'm just not sure I can commit to the timeline with the other things going on those weeks! We'll see.)

When my modified patterns start going awry, I let the object morph.
I finished a scarf today.
It's now an earwarmer.
It's a cool pattern, and maybe it works in the intended yarn. It was twisting too much for my taste and was pretty skinny. Ends together, it's a dandy headwrap to keep the ears toastie.


pattern: cable scarf
yarn: zitron loft 500
needles: US9 brittany DPN (didn't need DPN, tho easy to work with for this.)
dates: 01.19.06-01.22.06
note: I knit this almost entirely continental!

and one hand can stay warm, too. Other mitten to follow. and a scarf, apparently.


The sweater has had its public debut, and even tho it doesn't rival Mindy's first sweater, I'm pretty darned happy I finished it.



pattern: cropped mega chunky cable sweater
'big needle knits to wear' booklet
yarn: lion wool-ease thick and chunky, sky blue 106, lot 30332B
needles: bates plastic circ US13
dates: 09.13.05-01.07.06

Yeah, maybe bulky sweaters don't warrant sriking a pose, but...gimme a break...first sweater 'n all.

---

If you look over in the sidebar, I'm hoping to crank out a scarf this week for the Red Scarf Project. The mailing deadline is the 28th. To encourage myself, I got Manos like Rock Chick's, and am gonna try the So Called Scarf. Charity knitting, yes. Selfish yarn lust, yes.

I'm getting into a knitalong mood. I joined the hatalong (does my earwarmer count??) and have a few others bookmarked to join this week. I was explaining to a friend today the community aspect of knitting. Being a part of the online (and face-to-face) knitworld is so heartwarming. It makes me wanna spread the joy with charity knits and joining others working toward the same goals (be it patterns or themes.) Awwww...we're just a big ole happy knit family, eh.

Knit on.

Romance Is Random

Any boy that survives me gets that and doesn't waste cash on roses (don't like 'em) or chocolates and jewelry (do like 'em.)

Yesterday I was a bit moody, thinking Boy was ignoring me. Turns out he'd lost his cell and didn't get my message. (ok, messages.) He calls at 12:30 a.m. (knowing that sorta thing is legal with me.)
"hey, sleepyhead."
"hey."
"mad at me?"
"nope. mad at me?"
"nope."
He's in car driving, we jabber, he's hungry, 30 minutes later he's on my couch with White Castle burgers for him and a milkshake for me.
I agree to help with the burgers.
I require ketchup. I'm wrapped in an afghan that requires 1 hand, the other hand is trying to keep burger off afghan. Opening the ketchup packet is challenging. I pitifully request help. He opens it.
I'm finally persuaded to go for a 2nd burger. It's sitting on my lap. I'm looking at it.
He reaches into the bag and silently opens a ketchup and hands it to me.

It's romance, baby.

15 minutes later he's on his way home, and I'm back in bed with a full belly and a silly grin.
I really need to relax and let the world spin on Faith.
---
A romance of another kind...



Made a hat this week. Love it. Wearing it.
It goes with PJs at 2:30 in the afternoon.



1. Cotton Ease stash, anyone?
2. Aromatherapy heating pad teddy bear from Bro/Kids this Christmas.
3. 2 sleeping cats (only top of Murr's ears.)
4. PJs. Luscious wear-all-day Karen Neuburger PJs.
5. oh yeah, the hat. With charming camera over the head in mirror pose.



yarn: Zitron Loft 100% wool. soft soft wool. color 500, I think.
pattern: Chunky Cable Beanie with modified decreased top that I figured out on my ownsome!
needles: Denise 10.5/16" cable, brittany US9 DPNs or 10 3/4. I forget.
dates: 1.9.06-1.12.06

I had to modify the pattern a bit for different yarn gauge, my big head, a desire to cover my ears, and to create a rounded top.
(cast on 1 extra repeat of pattern, knit a few extra inches, and kept decreasing in pattern down to 3 stitches. Yes, I'm gloriously proud of the cute top the hat has.)

The Denise needles were great for this. I used my ShopHop winnings to get the set. (oops. I never blogged that I got 2nd place in ShopHop! $100 GC to LYS!!!) I was able to switch to smaller cables before resorting to DPN's. Nice. I hadn't expected to like plastic needles and got the set for convenience. Have ended up using them more often than my Addis lately!

I plan to make mittens and a scarf to go with the hat.
I wasn't sure I bought enough yarn.
Planned a trip to yarn shop. Was delayed a day.
The yarn had been there for over a year (thus me getting it on sale.)
It's not there.
NOT THERE.
"Someone came in this afternoon and got it to finish a project."
No, I needed it to finish my project.
Fume. Sorrow.
voicemail from (blogless)Karen the following morn "hey, was at yarnstore yesterday and grabbed the rest of your hat yarn so you'd be able to finish."
I fell off my chair laughing.

keep the faith, folks.

*added 02.11.06: romance truly is random; it strikes and leaves, heh. No complaints, tho. I think I've found something even better than midnite burgers.