American Wool Series

Saturday, November 29, 2008

We just installed the carseat in the backseat of our car. This, along with the 11 days left until my due date, are making me realize that this is really happening. I mean, REALLY happening. Hope everybody had a good Thanksgiving and is sufficiently overloaded with leftovers to get out of cooking for a while. We're still working on ours.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Mittens!

I finished another pair of mittens last week. They're Bird in Hand by Kate Gilbert. This is an unblocked picture since I missed my sunny-day time frame yesterday which helps my camera capture the real color. These were fun to knit, the gauge was not (worsted weight yarn on size 1 1/2 needles) and they're nice and thick. I've heard that sizing has been an issue for some people but mine fit nicely although I had some issues getting the floats loose enough on the thumb. The yarn combo is Malabrigo worsted in Azul Profundo and Lanaloft Worsted in white. Good match, they're both singles.

I'm feeling a tad under the weather today since I finally went and got my flu shot yesterday. It's not something I normally do but apparently girls who get knocked up have to do some things they don't want to do. The baby is due soon. Really frickin' soon. I'm in the viable baby stage which means that her lungs are developed and she could arrive with no problems right the hell now. The due date is 2 weeks from tomorrow and I'm hoping for some good nights sleep and a swift recovery from whatever happens. My doc told me I've been 'really mellow' about the whole thing. I told him it's a little late to change my mind, why worrry?

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Episode 12

It's up for your listening pleasure.

Mmmmmalabrigo


I ran by the yarn shop yesterday to pick up another skein of Malabrigo worsted to finish my mittens and left with this pretty trio of the new Malabrigo Sock. Left to right - Persia, Abril, Tiziano Red. It feels good and is a pretty good price, comparable to Dream in Color smooshy with about the same yardage. They want to be something right now but I've got plans so they're going in the stash chest right now. Yes everyone, Malabrigo sock does exist and it is beauteous.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

You're awesome! No! You're awesome!

Dear knitting peeps,
You're awesome! Thanks so much for the lovely surprise on Thursday night. Yes, I was a bit put off by the sudden arrival of so many of my knitting compadres. But not angry (as was suggested by some) and happy that you thought enough of me and my bump to knit such a great gift! She'll love the blanket once she's at a rolling and crawling stage and in the mean time it's draped over the edge of the crib awaiting her arrival. For those of you not 'in the loop' my friends knit up a beautiful baby blanket out of Blue Sky Alpaca organic dyed cotton in yummy colors and then whisked me away for a scrumptious dinner at Oliver's Twist in Seattle. Thanks especially to Amanda who organized and seamed the whole thing. You all really are awesome!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Sticking Together

You know you're sticking together when after 5 years of living together, 2 years of marriage, and a baby on the way you're significant other finally decides it's time to combine your separate record collections.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Pure Imagination

I was just sitting down to a late breakfast when I heard the faint strains of accordion - or was it a concertina? Mind you, this was not something I heard every day even though the Man sometimes sequestered himself in the spare room to work out an accordion part for his band. Where was it coming from? I peered through all the curtains as the sound got louder. There it was - a young looking guy in fisherman's hat, hoodie, and too big pants topped off by a huge backpack was strolling up my street playing one of those little kid accordions. You know, the shiny red plastic rectangular ones? I giggled to myself and watched him wander further up the street. The tune put me in mind of the one at the end of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory which has now firmly planted itself in my head. I love living in Seattle.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Hooray!

I'm so glad Obama is going to be president. I feel much more optimistic about the next four years and now everyone who bought a t-shirt can get their full dollars and cents out of it.


And totally unrelated but completely awesome - Jessica sent this to me. Yes. Ken as David Bowie found here. I foresee a whole series of these. A Ziggy Stardust Ken would be AWESOME.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Fulfillment!

First off, these really aren't the crazy purplish color in the picture. More of a hot pink/coral kind of color. My camera just freaked when presented with this specific shade of pink. This is the first mitten of my Selbuvotter craze. I love it. I want to knit more of them. Good thing I've got lots of stash to knit from in this particular yarn. I'll be swimming in mittens by this time next year. The second one is going pretty quickly (the first took three days) and I can envision a finished pair by the end of this week unless the election results drive me into bed to cry myself to sleep. I highly recommend the book - Selbuvotter by Terri Shea. Directions are straight forward and full of charts and patterns don't have funky names just things like Annemor #13 (which these are). There are also a lot of glove patterns but I'm not so happy about knitting separate fingers - I'd like to morph the ones in the book into mittens somehow. I love it.