Saturday, May 26, 2007

Bubba Lou's Hoodie

I did it. I took out the trim around the hood and re-did it. Huge sigh of relief. It looks so much better now, and didn't take me as long as I thought.

Went to Lowe's today with my Dad. He very nicely bought me 2 azaleas and a bunch of different annuals. It's nice to have some color in my yard! The apple blossoms are gone now, but the lilacs are perfuming the whole yard! I wish someone could figure out how to bottle that scent and not screw it up.

Still inserting the sleeves into the rowan sweater. Hopefully I can finish the damn thing tomorrow and move on. Now that it's gotten too hot to wear it, I really don't care when I finish it, but I have to have it done by next Tuesday for display in the shop. For a better discount, I promised to have it done in 1 month and on display for 2-3 weeks a month while we're busiest (june-october.) At least I got the yarn at a good price!

Speaking of a good price, I just scored a bag of Rowan Cotton Rope in cyclamen for $2.99 a ball! With free shipping! That's cheaper than wholesale in the US! Yes, I did the happy dance in my kitchen when it arrived. Still haven't decided what it will become....suggestions?

Thursday, May 24, 2007

More Pics!



Here is the one and only Bubba Lou modeling her new hoodie. Blue Sky Alpacas Organic and Dyed Cotton. I picked up too many stitches around the hood and it ruffles. Everyone loves it but me. I haven't decided if I'm gonna frog it and redo it or not.



Aaahhh, Spring!

It is 80+ outside today and sunny! When I step outside I can smell the apple blossoms (we have 4 very old apple trees). Next week I'll get to smell the lilacs. Our wild strawberries are flowering, I have wild violets everywere, and Sy found forget-me-nots yesterday. The rhubarb patch is growing like crazy, too bad I don't care for it. Last summer when we moved into the house, it rained so much that almost nothing bloomed or had already gone by. It's nice getting these pretty surprises this year!

My Rowan summer tweed sweater is almost done, I just have to set in the sleeves. My Noro daria bag is almost done, I just have to sew up the lining and put it in. Bubba's hoodie is done, unless I decide to rip out the trim around the hood. Ugh. A lot of "almost". I think that's worse than having miles to go..
...
This is the sweater front, and the trim before seaming. The seaming I did on this sweater is AMAZING! My mom couldn't find the seam at first glance, and even then she had to feel for it. Hooray for me!! I can't wait to wear this!



This is the bag. Noro Daria is a rayon wrapped cotton cord. Very stiff and slippery. A challenge to work with on a good day, but so pretty when it's knit up. Very shiny and slick. The photos don't do it justice. The color way I picked is pale pink, aqua, and several shades of green. Instead of seaming the sides, I'm lacing them with aqua ribbon. Very girly, especially with the lucite handles!

Makes me want to cast on something new. Right Now. Socks? White sweater? I should do Abbie's little baby kimono, but that won't take me but a couple of days to do. Hmmmm, I think I could go for a little instant gratification right now.

Did I mention I work in a yarn shop? Yep, like an alcoholic working in a brewery, taste-testing. At least I can buy a few skeins and still drive home! It's crazy, I now have home projects and work projects and they never (read:hardly ever) get knit up in the other.

Okay, I'm off to knit in the sunshine and bugs.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Hello, my name is...

Amber.

I decided to start blogging to share things that interest me with other people. The love of my life can only listen to so much chatter about yarn and patterns before he melts down. My little Bubba Lou thinks everything I knit is for her. Sorry Bubba, I knit for me, too.

Currently I'm knitting in Sunapee, NH in an old farm house that we're slowly remodeling. Now, when I say slowly, I mean ssslllloooowwwllllyyy...like a slug or a 2-legged turtle. On the bright side, I'm not paying for any labor costs (unless you count housework and cookies.)

I've been knitting for several years, but really got into it after my daughter was born. She would only sleep partially upright on my chest, and so I didn't die of boredom, I knit around her. When she got a little older, she would sit in my lap and stare, transfixed, at the colorful yarn moving around. Then she got a little older and had to be taught that pulling the needle out of live stitches was not a good way to get attention. Now she has a great appreciation for expensive yarn and knit goods..."What you knitting for me, momma? I need new hats."

Note "hats" not "hat"...one is never enough. Nevermind that she just got a new jumper and a new sweater, she needs hats. So, I knit this up one day and you'd've thought it was candy, or pirate booty. This smile is why Bubba Lou gets "hats." Thankfully she's got a small head!
Well, enough outta me for the moment. I'll try and post some images of WIP as soon as I can find the camera in the stash....