an adventure in sock knitting

Our knitting group is doing a sock knit-a-long during February. We're having lots of fun with this adventure, and are excited to see how they all turn out. From a knitting perspective, socks have intimidated me for a long time, but they're not as challenging as I thought! Tonight I got through turning the heel. We'll see if I'm feeling adventurous enough to conquer the gusset this week, or if I'll just wait until next week's gathering.

In other (non-shocking) news, I am so done with winter and ready for spring. The weather today was sunny and in the 40s... it was glorious. I almost didn't need a coat when I left knit night. They're predicting 60s later this week... yippee!

Finally! Another Finished Object Post!

Facebook has informed me that today is officially "I LOVE YARN" Day! Whoo hoo! We all know how much I do indeed love yarn, and I know many of you do as well. I'm excited to celebrate a little later today by working on some of the projects I currently have on the needles. But first. It's time for another finished object post!

I've actually finished with this shawl a while ago, but haven't had time to write up this post and get all the pictures together in one spot. This project was a Christmas present from my wonderful husband, who went with me and let me pick it out the kit. I love the way it's turned out, so soft and warm and squishy... :)

Pattern: Classic Elite Yarns Alpaca Sox Lace Shawl Kit (by Romi) [Ironically, I can't find it linked on Rav anywhere... although the pattern really does exist!]
My Project Page: BiblioBleez's Wisteria Lace Shawl
Mods: None

Here it is, pre-blocked. Love the way the colors turned out!

After blocking, the transformation was remarkable! I'd never blocked anything seriously before, and I admit I was scared to try it. I made sure my sink was rinsed out super well... I didn't want any bleach stains to mar my new shawl. :)

Ta-da! :)

Please don't mind my spring-themed wreath. Turning it into my fall wreath is on this week's project list.

Can't wait to wear it this fall and winter!

This morning brought to you by:

- Chocolate Caramel Nut coffee (A birthday present from the Historian, so yummy! Incidentally, her first day of classes for her Ph.D. start today -- so excited for her!)
- the newest September/October issue of Midwest Living (FALL! YAY!)
- my lovely new finds from Hillcreek yesterday (a last minute trip to Columbia for my computer which coincided with a 75% off end of season/moving sale? of course! It's amazing what $30 can get you.)

4 skeins Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in Gold
2 skeins Debbie Bliss Amalfi in Mauve
2 skeins Debbie Bliss Amalfi in Pale Pink
2 skeins Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in Rose/Violet (not sure of the colorway. It definitely looks more rose than violet, but there's a different number called Rose)
2 skeins Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in Buttermilk
3 skeins Ella Rae Rimini in Brown

This afternoon, I do believe I'll knit....  Happy Tuesday!

Flash the Stash!

Things like this make me happy:

I love 75% off sales. And today was one of those days. Got there first thing, and made it out within an hour with all this loot. Plus I got a few freebies unexpectedly, which is always a nice surprise when you get home and start unpacking the goodies.
Good thing I actually have projects lined up for most all of this!

Knitter for All Seasons - 3KCBWDAY4

{the whole year through}

According to Ravelry (my ultimate knitting memory!), I've been knitting since 2005. Thanks to M and my former Saturday morning co-volunteer Kathy, I learned how to knit back in high school, casting on for numerous scarves and.... scarves. I've really been knitting seriously since about 2008 or so, at least as far as I can remember, expanding my skills and talents (although I still have so much to learn). I've lived in the midwest my whole life, and in these past 4 years, I've discovered that my knitting really reflects the seasons and their changes.

Spring and summer?
Small, portable projects.

Spring comes, and I look toward cottons, linens, smaller projects that don't require as much heavy fabric sitting in my lap, because let's face it. Once summer comes, that's just downright unbearable. Come summer, I try and keep up with my knitting, but it definitely becomes challenging as the temperatures (and subsequent humidity) rises. I usually start planning out Christmas gifts, Mom's birthday gift, and anything else I know will be coming up in the next few months. [To be completely honest, I'm also kind of glad for the quietness of my knitting mojo during these months, because it gives me more time to engage in one of my other hobbies -- reading.]

Brother-the-younger's touque, a la voyageur

Once fall arrives and the leaves begin changing, nights and eventually days are cooler, and the smell of woodsmoke and pumpkins are in the air, my knitting fever usually returns -- and with gusto! As I mentioned on Sunday, my color preferences usually change with the seasons. The same is true of my yarn contents. Come fall, I'm back into wools, wool blends, cashmere, anything soft and squishy and warm and luxurious. I'm thinking about sweaters and vests, shawls and cowls, hats and mittens. With the return of football and homework, so returns my knitting, keeping me company on Sunday afternoons as I cheer on the Pack, and waiting patiently as I read yet another article to discuss in class.

Endless Purple Baby Blanket!

And then comes winter, and I long to curl up in front of a fire, under a blanket, with a cup of coffee and my knitting to keep me company. This past winter, the big project was the Baby Blanket of Purple, which took up most of my winter knitting but was so rewarding. Winter also ushers in the frantic last-minute Christmas knitting, unfortunately accompanied all too often by the sinking realization that it probably won't be done on time, but IT'S OK! Mom's birthday is only in a couple more months... and New Year is right around the corner. All will be well.

Every year, my goal is to knit ahead for the next season, but that rarely happens, despite my best intentions. This summer, I've got a few projects that have been added to my queue upon request of some very worthy recipients, and some quite unsuspecting recipients. Yay for surprises! Some of these projects will do their best to defy my usual temperament to seasonal knitting, and they'll definitely expand my knitting techniques (lace shawls, picking up stitches, and double knitting, to name a few) so I'll definitely keep you updated on my progress.

{Photography Challenge Day!} - 3KCBWDAY2

{High Fiber: The Breakfast of Knitters.}

The Beauty of Color -- 3KCBWDAY1

Today marks the beginning of the Third Annual Knitting and Crochet Blog Week, and I'm very much excited to participate this year! I'm looking forward to the challenge of blogging each day about a different yarn/knitting related topic, and today's topic is a great way to get my feet wet in this challenge:

{Color Lover}

Growing up, having a favorite color was a huge deal for me. Mine was red. Then it was green. Next was purple. Then hot pink and green together. Now, I'm back to green... or am I? As I think about my color preferences though, I find that as a whole, I always gravitate toward warm colors... you remember the color wheel from elementary art classes, right? Reds, oranges, yellows, pinks, purples.... ironically, my favorite color is still green. But I think I like green so much because it's such a natural base for all the other colors. Think about it, what color doesn't look good with green in some shade? I like green so much, and how it makes other colors pop that I even picked it for my bridesmaids' dresses last summer when D and I got married. See how pretty they look? (Please, ignore the fact that they're trying to beat each other up!)

Thinking back to our wedding, color was huge for me. Every bride has her colors and sticks to them ("My colors are blush and bashful!" "Your colors are pink and pink."), and I was certainly no exception. Hot pink, orange, and yellow-- lovely bright colors, and I was so pleased with the results. Bright colors make me happy. :) And now that we're in our own place, I find that colors are still a huge deal. I've got the same hot pink, orange, and yellow in our apartment, which really pops against the white walls, and I love it. Wouldn't have it any other way.

For all my love of the same few colors, I find that my color preferences change with the seasons. (So I suppose I could be considered a seasonal color lover?) Warmer tones in the fall, deep reds and greens in the winter, and bright, cheery ones in the spring and summer. Color, to me, is one of the biggest things that makes life beautiful. I was having a browse through my stash the other day, as I bought a new basket to contain some of it, and realized that one of the reasons I enjoy decorating with baskets of yarn is because of the color it brings to the room. I can combine different colors and textures, all in one place and create this beautiful-looking and functional piece of art. As I look at my stash, I realized that the seasons affect not only what type of yarn I purchase, but also the colors I select. Many of my darker browns, greens, and greys I purchased in the winter months; vibrant colors in the warmer months.

When picking colors for a project, often I'll browse through others' project pages on Rav and see what colors they came up with. Sometimes I'll stick with the original... others I pick because I associate that person with a color. Take the baby blanket I knit earlier this year. The pattern picture is pink. Mine was purple because I always associate purple with the recipient. The same is definitely true for other gift knits as well. And I'm more than ok with that (unless they request any specific colors -- I'm more than happy to oblige). For me, color makes or breaks the project. I find that I pick simpler, less complex colors for knits where I want the pattern to show through. I'll pick attention-grabbing colors for patterns that are more basic when I really want to focus on color. Does this mean I'm an all-color-opportunity knitter? I'm ok with that.... because I love color, and the beauty it brings to both my knitting, and my life.

January Knitting

Here we are, already done with the first week in January! Which tells me two things:
1.) I need to finish that baby blanket soon.
2.) Classes are starting again in just a few weeks.

Although I'm looking forward to my outreach class, and am ridiculously excited for my cataloging class (nerd alert!), and still wondering about my fieldwork placement.... I'm still not quite ready to head back into school mode. I know most of my friends who are in school/teachers have already gone back, or are going back within the next week or so. But still.... I'd like to enjoy break a bit longer, please.

The blanket which must be complete by February is half-way done! I'm ready to be finished with it, but hoping the last half will go fairly fast. Almost ready to add the 3rd skein..... almost. And after that, I have a test knit to work on, a neck warmer and pair of mittens for brother-the-younger, and then another big project which is still in the secretive planning stages. Although I may have just bought a ginormous amount of yarn for it last night. :)

Seriously.... does my knitting and yarn buying know no bounds? LOVE. IT. :D

Also, I made a loaf or two of pumpkin chocolate chip bread this morning. And we're having stuffed peppers for supper. AND, some friends are coming through town today on their way home and we're meeting them for lunch. Which means I should probably get ready.

One of those Days...

Today was just one of those days. Seemed like everything that could go wrong did go wrong... and I hate it when that happens. My poor husband had to deal with it when he came home for lunch, and I felt so awful about it. But things slowly got better as the afternoon went on.

It may sound silly, but I took some time while cataloging my Christmas presents in Rav (can you tell I'm a librarian at heart?!) to sit and pet my new alpaca yarn. :) It's soft. And it's pretty. And then it's even more soft. And those two things combined make yarn worth it in my book. :)

Since we got married earlier this year, I've been struggling with my weight. It's been a struggle for me over the past few years: first to learning how to love myself and my body, then accepting the fact that I was losing weight, and then enjoying my new self that felt (and looked) better. And then we got married and bam. Factor in the week of eating out on our honeymoon, eating others' cooking and portion sizes, moving to a new city, learning how to cook for two people's entirely different palates, eating out more often than what I was used to, full-time grad school, and the holiday season, and hellooooo pounds. :( I hate that despite my best efforts (sometimes, I'll admit that other times I just didn't care), the pounds came back. So today, instead of moping around about it and sitting on the couch, I went for a walk. Some two miles later, I was back at home, feeling somewhat better about myself. Hopefully I'll be able to keep this positive attitude up!

Bible Study tonight also helped lift my spirits. It's always amazing how God uses His word and some fellowship to help me regain some perspective. I'm really enjoying the topic we're studying, and learning how to better communicate my faith and theological training with those in our congregation.

And then I came home and made some tea. Thanks Megan for that idea. Honestly, I've got some of the greatest friends I could ever ask for. :) I love how we've all stayed in touch post-college and continue to support each other during the good and bad. What a huge blessing that's been to me, especially in the past few months of life changes.

So overall, I guess today didn't end as poorly as it began. :)

What a yarn of a tale...

Why yes, I am moving in a week.
Why yes, I do have more things to pack than I realized.
Why yes, I am worried about everything fitting in our new apartment.
Why yes, my nearest Jo-Ann's is moving to a larger location, and consequently having a HUGE "Everything Must Go!" sale.
Why yes, I did find yarn at 50% off.

Why yes, of course I needed to buy the 8 skeins of yarn I found.....

[Not to mention the 5 I picked up at Michael's yesterday, plus the 4 I ordered for my brother's requested projects! Or the yarn I received as bridal shower gifts.... or the yarn I bought on our honeymoon.........]

Grand total added to stash within past month and a half: 24 skeins.

Why no, I don't need help!