From the Simply Green blog on December 17, 2007.
You can also do a search for yarn ornaments on Flickr and see what comes up!
Like these:
Mini Mitten Ornaments
Mini Sock
Felted Tiny Peppermint Tree - genius
Mini Sweaters
Helping Sarah start her scarf inspired me to start a new project. I know it’s been a sad while since I posted any knitting. Finally, Sarah, proof to your friends that this is, in fact, sometimes a knitting blog :) The Ravelry site has also been mucho inspirational. It is so much more than I imagined it would be. It’s linked to Flickr, by golly! The internet at it’s finest, let me tell you. I even entered my circular needles into the needle organizer the other night. I have grand plans of taking pictures of my yarn for the “stash” section. I think that may inspire other new projects. There is no way I can detail all the amazing features of Ravelry. In fact, I don’t have to, you can click here to watch the video tour!
In honor of this occasion, I quote the song “Get’cha Head in the Game” from the movie High School Musical:
I gotta
Get my, get my head in the game
You gotta
Get’cha, get’cha, get’cha, get’cha head in the game
(repeat 3x)
But I did squeeze in a short visit to YarnCon Chicago!
A trip to the Pulaski Park Fieldhouse full of yarn was something I couldn’t pass up. Even though I am up to my eyeballs in yarn and projects waiting to be knit, I wanted to support the local yarn folk. Even if it only meant paying the $3 admission fee. OK so I bought a t-shirt, too (despite the eye-roll from my husband). The logo was just too cool. If you missed YarnCon Chicago, check it out next year!
My favorite was the mobile ATM outside the building. Brilliant!
I am so disappointed in my utter lack of knitting that I realize buying new yarn just isn’t acceptable. While on a trip to Galena, IL this weekend, I was able to visit a new to me yarn store. It’s called Fiber Wild, and honey, they know how to tempt a girl:
They were even giving away free kittens!
I didn’t even buy a thing, *pat on the back*. But it was inspiring to visit the store. My husband even seemed interested in spinning. We have enough hobbies we never get around to, so that probably won’t happen (and we really don’t need to buy all that equipment).
The Berroco “Joyella” sweater they had in the store was fantastic. It was knit in “Jasper” merino wool in the color copper silk. So soft and such purty colors. If you like the book Knitting Nature, you should check it out.
Fiber Wild is also going online, so I’ll let you know if I hear anything. I signed up for the newsletter. Since I visit Galena regularly, I’m sure I will also be visiting the store again soon.
Do not attempt to knit the heel of a sock after 9pm at night. Especially if the last time you knit (the first time you knit) a short-row heel was oh, a year ago. Especially if you are trying to *relax*. You may end up with a scene like this:
I threw it across the room. And it’s going to stay there. For awhile. The pattern, too. PunishED!
I have.
He could use a pick-me-up because he was one of the Cook County public defenders that was laid off in the recent budget cuts. His last day is the day before his birthday. Crappy!
I used larger needles than the pattern recommended because I wanted the hat to be bigger. I also knit an extra inch of stockinette. It might be a little bigger than I wanted it to be, but it should still be wearable. I’ll wait and see what the verdict is (he’s a lawyer, get it??!!) before I take out the top and re-knit it.
Yarn: Cascade 220, 100% wool
Color: Black
Needles: Size 8, 16″ circular metal, magic loop for the top (down with the double pointed needles!)
Pattern: Raglan Hat, click here for free pattern.
This past weekend we went to the local farmer’s market and picked up a lot of tasty fresh fruits and vegetables, including our first basket of strawberries of the season. There’s nothing like a basket of organic strawberries fresh from the farmer’s market. Seriously. They are the most delectible delight! We were hoping for cherries, but it must not be time yet. Also purchased: a variety of radishes, baby carrots, lettuce, asparagus, mushrooms, pork shoulder chop from a small farm. I would have pictures to share, but both camera batteries were dead from our last trip! Death Valley strikes again. You’ll just have to go to your own local farmer’s market to see beautiful food.
Sunday we went for a hike in Redwood Regional Park. This banana slug wanted to wish us, and you, a Happy(?) Earth Day:
The pattern is the Raglan Hat from the JenLa blog. Go to the linked website to download the .pdf or just click here. I think it’s a cool lookin’ hat, I hope it turns out well.
Since I didn’t have much knitting to blog about lately, I tried to fill in the spaces with other things, I hope it kept you amused and interested. I’m not dead-set on keeping this strictly a knitting blog, are you? I know some of my friends read along to keep up with what’s going on in my life, so I’m happy to oblige. Next item:
I caught a hummingbird on camera!
Not a great picture, but I thought I’d share. I wonder if it’s the same bird that keeps coming back (and it seems to come back VERY often in the last few days) or if they are different birds. Since the feeder is in the shade, it’s difficult to see the birds’ colors.
And now I’ll have to share some pictures from Death Valley. Despite forgetting both the BBQ pork tenderloin and brats in the freezer, despite losing the trail map, buying a new map, and finding the old one, despite the hours upon hours driving to different places in the park, despite listening to a noisy generator at the campground (apparently the quiet one was getting fixed) we had a wonderful time. Death valley is desolate and beautiful at the same time. It’s so gigantic it’s awe-inspiring. I highly recommend a visit. But don’t take my word for it, check out some pictures.
Oh I just can’t decide which ones to show you, click here to see the Flickr album. Oh, and just so you know, there are very long stretches of I-5 that have no gas whatsoever. We made it to the gas station with half a gallon left. *phew*
And if you don’t believe me, here’s the previous picture I took of it:
I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking it looks like some hoosier v-neck t-shirt with the sleeves ripped off. Be not afraid, I would never wear something like that in public with you. I would never put you in the situation of me asking “What do you think of my hand-knit sweater? It took me hours upon hours to complete” and you would say “… wow, it’s really… great.” Once I finish the body of the sweater I knit the sleeves on, and then I add a ribbed edging to the collar and bottom of the sweater. No worries. In the end it’s supposed to look like this:
A couple of observations:
1. Stockinette in the round for a sweater really is kind of boring
2. But at least it’s brainless and I can knit even while watching Lost
3. Knitting a sweater in one piece does get kind of heavy and unwieldy, I can understand why travelling knitters knit sweaters in pieces
Hey do you like the new della Q bag I’m keeping the sweater in?
Click here to see what’s for lunch today!
Thanks for the well-wishes on the blog-birth-versary! Just paid the renewals$! I guess I’ll keep it up for awhile :)