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I Heart the Hodgepodge

Posted on February 15, 2012 by auburnchick

Wednesdays used to be ho-hum…until Joyce started hosting the Hodgepodge!  Whoop Whoop!  Join in…link up with Joyce!

1.  George Washington-Abraham Lincoln-Thomas Jefferson…who would you most like to meet and why?

Oh my…what a tough choice!!  I minored in history, so I’ve done a lot of reading about all three incredibly brilliant men!  Every single one of them would be a pleasure to meet!  I’d love to meet Washington and find out if, in fact, he was the humble guy some have described him as.  I’d love to meet Lincoln because I’ve read that he was quite the story teller.  I’d also like to warn him to stay away from that crazy woman he eventually married.  She was psycho, I’m telling you!  I’ve read a biography about her!  I’d love to meet Jefferson to chide him for not clarifying the whole “Separation of Church and State” thing.  Sheesh, but politicians have certainly made a mess of his words, now haven’t they?

Oh, what wonderful insights I’d get if I could meet any one of these brave, trailblazing men!

2.  What’s your favorite chain restaurant?

I’d have to say Panera, with its Black Bean Soup and fresh bread!  Yum!

3.  When you look back on your life, do you imagine you’ll think about the goals you failed to meet with regret? Or will you look at what you accomplished and say: it was good?

I will most definitely look back and see all I’ve accomplished.  I’ve worked very hard for everything I’ve gotten.  I was never given anything, including my education, which I had to work for and pay for myself (am still paying for it, in fact).  I can, at this time, say that every single goal I’ve set for myself has been realized.  Years ago, I dreamed of finishing college.  I did it twenty years after graduating high school.  I wanted to be a teacher.  Six years later, I am teaching.

Now, for my last goal…winning the lottery.

😀

4.  Grapefruit-take ’em or leave ’em? Given the choice between an orange and a grapefruit which would you choose? Would you prefer it served as is or squeezed into juice?

I love grapefruit.  What a yummy, sour fruit!  Honestly, I’ll take it however it’s served up!

5.  When was the last time you cleaned out a closet? Is there a closet in your home that currently needs cleaning? What are you waiting for?

I helped Rooster clean out his closet a few weeks ago.  I periodically “rearrange” the closet in my bathroom.  Really, aside from a bit of straightening, I think my closets are alright.

6.  You get to have lunch with three famous people…who would you like to see round your table?

Do they have to be dead or alive?  Is it the table in my house or a fancy restaurant?  Details, details.

heeheehee

Let’s see…famous people…hmmm…

I’ve gotta go with my knitting ladies…Stephanie McPhee (aka the Yarn Harlot), Cookie A, and Anne Hanson.

I need to meet Stephanie so we can plan our children’s wedding.  I know this sounds stalker-ish, but it really isn’t.  See, we’re both from Canada, even if I am a naturalized U.S. citizen.  Her hubby hails from Newfoundland, where I was born, and everyone knows that Goofy Newfies, as we’re called, must stick together.  Thus, with so much in common, I find it quite natural that she and I discuss the wedding plans of our children.  See, I have this dream that Rooster will marry her daughter, and then we’ll have lovely get-togethers where I can sit under Stephanie’s wise knitterly tutelage and soak up all of the knowledge she has about all things yarny.

Did you know I found this on Wikipedia?? She's definitely famous if she's on Wikipedia. Wait. She could have put the information in hersel. Still. Nobody's taken it down yet.

Cookie A…well…she’s the queen of sock knitting, and I simply MUST meet her.  I test knit for her last book.  My name’s even in the back.  She’s brilliant, I tell you!

Anne Hanson is a divinely gifted pattern designer.  Her shawls are g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s, and her blog posts are filled with beautiful pictures of the trips she takes, knitting, gardening, and cooking.

Oh yes, I like to party hard with the stars, do I not?  😀

7.  On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate your ability to parallel park?

Hmmm…I’d say about a five.  Down in south Florida, we only had parallel parking in front of our house, and I was quite good, when I wasn’t gently tapping the fronts or backs of the cars in my way.

:::cough:::

No dents happened, I can assure you.

I’m a bit out of practice these days, but I’m sure it’s like riding a bike.

8.  My Random Thought

With yesterday being Valentine’s Day, I thought I would share photos of what I sent to my sweet Chicky-Poo, who is in her second year of college.

Before you scroll down, please keep in mind that I am the same mother who sent her soccer cleats after she left them at home during the holidays.  I included a “surprise,” which I blogged about here.

Um…yeah.

Valentine’s Day was gonna be fun.

First, she got one of those giant cards…the kind you get at Walmart.  Dang, but I took a picture but must have deleted it.  On the return address part, I put, “From the Ones Who Love You Most.”  On the back of the envelope, in LARGE letters, I wrote, “Someone cared enough to send the very best.”

Yeah.

The post office is across campus, and she had to walk all the way back to her room with that huge envelope.  She said that no matter which way she turned it, there were embarrassing words on it.

heehee

I also sent her a box with the following…

Isn’t that the cutest thing?  It does more than just sit there…

I purchased it in October when a vendor came to my school.

Also included in the box was this…

What?  Haven’t you ever gotten anti-itch cream for Valentine’s Day?

See, I found it under her sink the other day and thought that I’d send it along to her…just in case she got the itch to ditch school.  This will fix that right up!

heehee

I also threw in two boxes of yogurt bars, which I happened to spy on my one and only trip to the grocery store in the last couple of weeks.

All in all, I’d say she received a FINE package…

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , , , , | 13 Comments »

Gifts for a Baby

Posted on December 17, 2011 by auburnchick

My friend, Kim, decided to have a baby.

Well, actually, God decided to bless her with her fourth child.

As soon as I found out, I purchased yarn and got to work.

The work was slow.

The pattern was, initially, tedious.

My teaching responsibilities often interrupted my progress.

And then something happened.

I finally “saw” the pattern in my mind…”got” it, if you will.  If you’re a knitter, you understand what I’m saying.

Then, the knitting began to fly.

Before long, I had a finished product…

Priceless Diamonds Baby Blanket…

 

The pattern is in the Leisure Arts #3219 book.

I completed twenty pattern repeats and added 44 tassels on each end…

The yarn is Loops and Threads Snuggly Wuggly Sport.  I used 2.5 skeins on size 5 needles.

 

I have made or worked on more blankets than I can remember.  This is, by far, my favorite one thus far.  After I blocked the blanket (it’s acrylic, but those diamonds needed to be stretched out to show them off better), the blanket had a beautiful drape to it.

I’m going to have to tuck this pattern away.  In a few years, I’m going to make another one.

Now, the fun in gift giving is in surprising people.

Kim had messaged me on Facebook and asked if I would make her baby a hat.  She had seen a pattern that she liked.  It was, however, crochet.  I’m not very good at crocheting, so I found a knitted pattern that was very similar in style.  She liked it and requested a brown and blue version.

I went with the Big Wool Little Hat pattern, a free download on Ravelry.  I used Lion Brand Wool Easy Thick and Quick in Wood and Sky Blue.  My needle was size 13.

This pattern originally had long, braided tassels hanging from each ear flap, but I decided not to make them.  I was concerned that they would be a choking hazard.

One other thing I decided to do was make the toddler version.  I had read that the infant size was too small, and Kim’s baby, who was by then out of the “oven” had weighed in at over nine pounds,

The only thing I didn’t like about this pattern is that it was knit flat.  I suppose that I could have knit it in the round, but I didn’t feel like thinking too hard.  So, I went with it.

It was a quick knit, as promised, and I finished in two hours.

Fun stuff, I tell you!

The pictures really do not do this hat justice.

I gifted both items yesterday.  I had to leave the wrapped package on Kim porch.  She and I were like strangers passing in the night…both of us had crazy schedules.

The text she sent me after she got home indicated that she was touched by my generosity.

It truly is an honor to make things for people.  I often get told that I should sell my knitting, but that would take the fun out of it.  I knit for people I care about.  That’s where the payoff comes.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Six Magic Words

Posted on November 27, 2011 by auburnchick

“Teach me how to do that.”

These are the words that hobbyists love to hear.

Super Sis uttered them after watching me knit on my latest Super Secret Project after Thanksgiving dinner.

Oh.

My.

Word.

I couldn’t run to my bedroom fast enough to retrieve a skein of yarn and needles.

I also grabbed THE book from which I learned how to knit…

She’d indicated that she’d like to make a cloth, which is why I pulled out the Peaches and Cream.

I grabbed a set of wooden needles and cast on the necessary stitches.  I didn’t want her to lose hope completely…casting on can be challenging for new knitters who don’t understand how stitches are constructed.

We then proceeded to have a little lesson.

I showed her the knit stitch first, let her watch me knit a few as I explained the process, and then had her give it a go.

She.

Did.

Well.

Actually, she was a natural, although holding the yarn and needles was a little awkward for her.

I assured her that we all feel that way at first.

After knitting one row, I taught her how to purl.

I figured this stitch would blow her mind…moving the yarn in front of the needles…basically doing the knit stitch backward.

She surprised me by saying that she actually LIKED the purl stitch better!

Who does that?

I watched her purl one row and took a look at her work.

It was pretty good.

On to the pattern, which is a basic checkerboard type…knits alternating with purls.

I wondered how she’d make the adjustment between the two stitches on the same row.

She did MARVELOUSLY!

However, by the second row of the pattern, I could see her furrowing her brow in concentration.

She needed to stop.  She was trying to remember how to execute the stitches along with how to count.

I took another look at her work…

It was actually quite good.  The stitches were even, and they were also loose enough on the needle that she’d be able to continue without using muscle power to get the right needle into the stitches.  New knitters are notorious for knitting way too tightly.

Throughout the process of watching her learn, I marveled at how quickly she was taking to the knitting.

I remembered, though, when we were young children and we “knit.”  Someone somewhere had showed us how to do the knit and purl stitches, but they never gave us patterns, so we just knit endlessly until we tired…never learning how to bind off.

I also just discovered another reason why Super Sis and I seem to be naturals at knitting.  My French cousin (who am I kidding…all of my cousins are French) posted on my FB wall that our grandmother used to knit all of the time.

I don’t remember.  In fact, I only recall visiting my grandmother twice.  She lived in Canada, and the trip was expensive.

So, it would appear that the talent for knitting runs in the family.

Look out Chicky.  One day, you may find yourself uttering the six magic words.

I’ll be waiting…needles and yarn in hand.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: | 3 Comments »

Comfort Shawl for Heather

Posted on October 7, 2011 by auburnchick

You might remember a couple of posts in which I mentioned the passing of my friend’s husband.

A couple of weeks before he died, God had put Steve’s name on my heart.  I had felt a gentle nudge to knit a shawl for his wife, but I insisted that I would make it…in time.

I even mentioned the shawl to my friend, Christina…even going so far as to find a pattern…this free one…on Ravelry.

Well, Steve passed away very unexpectedly, and I got busy.

First, I queried Christina about the yarn I should use, and she said, “Hold your horses.  I have buckets of yarn in my basement.  I’m positive I have the perfect skein.”

She dug around a bit and named off a few colors of Bernat Baby Sport Solid.  I told her to surprise me with a color, and she generously sent a skein to me in the mail…

As soon as I received it, I got to work.

It took me about three weeks to finish it…school obligations interfered with a speedier completion.

But, finish I did, and although acrylic yarn is rumored not to have a “memory,” I blocked it anyhow.  I needed to uncurl the edges of the seed stitch border.

What resulted was a shawl that drapes nicely over the shoulders.  The sport weight yarn coupled with the size 10 needles made this a less-than-bulky shawl…perfect for nippy days.

The style is simple but sweater-like, with seams running down both shoulder blades…

I really wound up liking this pattern, even if I did have doubts along the way.  I love the seed stitch border, and I love the arrowhead lace pattern that adorns the bottom of the shawl.  Quite honestly, I love everything about it!!

My prayer is that God will use this shawl to bring comfort to Heather during the difficult days ahead.  I don’t think that we ever stop mourning for those whom we’ve lost.  But if we allow Him, God will use us to give comfort to each other in our deepest time of need.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , | 5 Comments »

Shetland Triangle Lace Shawl

Posted on September 8, 2011 by auburnchick

I have another finished project!  I’m telling you…there’s nothing quite like the feeling of accomplishment!

I began with this yarn…

That, my friends, is a little bit of heaven on earth…Malabrigo Sock Yarn.  The colorway is Ravelry Red.  I treated myself to this divine stuff when I went yarn shopping after I finished EPI.  Needless to say, my splurge was substantial only equaled by the stress level I had endured for those long, six months.

I used 1.31 skeins of yarn, leaving enough leftovers for a small project in the future (I’m thinking fingerless gloves).

The pattern for this shawl came in the book Wrap Style, which I’d won on a New Year’s Eve Knitalong that Sandy, from KnittingHelp, hosts each year…

I began working on the project July 14, and I cast off on September 4th.  Of course, progress would have gone much faster, but I was a little busy getting my new classroom set up.  Priorities must be in proper order, don’t you know.  😉

I knit this project on size 5 needles and completed twelve (12) body pattern repeats…four more than the pattern suggests.  I had seen this shawl in all of its glory in the yarn store where I had purchased the yarn, and it was a large version.  I wanted something that wouldn’t fall off of my shoulders.

Ok…now that I have described the particulars, I’ll move right along to the pictures…

Here are a few close-ups of the pattern…

I can tell that I am going to enjoy wearing this shawl.  The drape is so lovely, and the additional pattern repeats allow this shawl to sit comfortably on my shoulders while still being able to move around.

Molly kept a close watch on me during my little photo shoot from inside the house…

I don’t exactly blame her…especially since I decided to pose my shawl on the bushes in my flower bed…just for fun, you know…

This was a fun, easy knit.  If you’ve ever wanted to make a shawl, I highly encourage you to give this pattern a try.  It’s deceptively simple, and the result is FABULOUS!

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , | 8 Comments »

Showered With Love

Posted on August 21, 2011 by auburnchick

You might remember the Tree of Life Afghan that I made when Kat and Tyler got married a year and a half ago…

As the saying goes, “First comes love, then comes marriage.  Then comes baby in the baby carriage.”

Yes, this lovely couple is having a baby!  Yesterday, I attended their baby shower…

I was eager for Kat to open her gift because, despite my hectic schedule this past Spring, I had been busy.

You see, simply running to Target would have been way too easy for me.

Oh no…I always have to put a special touch on my gifts, and this special occasion was no exception…

This is the Patchwork Pleaser blanket.  I used a little over half of a Pound of Love yarn (Lion Brand) in Antique White on size 11 needles.

I liked the pattern because it looked a bit vintage and reminded me of the afghan I had made as a wedding present.

I worked five complete repeats and ended with one final row.  This blanket really was a piece of cake to knit.  I began working on it between two of my EPI terms, and worked on it sporadically, finishing it up a month later.

I wasn’t done with my baby knitting, though.  After all, this couple is expecting a girl, so I bought a skein of Bernat Baby Jacquards in Orange Blossom and began working on the Ruffle Hat, a free pattern that I’ve made before…

I love, love, love the way this yarn knits up…self-patterning as the project gets larger…

The hat only took about 1/3 of a skein of yarn.  I knit it on size 6 needles, and it only took me two days to finish…

I always like to model my projects, so I grabbed some stuffed animals out of Chicky’s closet and went to town…

Can you believe that EPI was going strong, but I still wasn’t satisfied with the gift?  Of course you can.  I am, after all, AuburnChick…overachiever extraordinaire.  Besides, I knew there would eventually be a shower, so I was trying to get ahead…have stuff ready.

So, I searched and searched for one more pattern before settling on the Mary Jane Booties, another free pattern…

Oh my word, but these are just too cute…itsy bitsy and perfect for a precious little baby girl…

I used the same skein of Baby Jacquards…being so anal that I believe I measured the yarn to make sure the color scheme would match on both shoes…

I used size 3 needles and about 35 yards of yarn.  The buttons came from Joann’s.

What I liked about this pattern is that it was knit as one piece.  I did have to seam up the bottom, but I found these instructions, and seaming just seemed to click for me.

I was quite pleased with the hat/bootie set when it was completed…

Baby J is due in a couple of weeks.  It’s safe to say that she, along with her parents, will continue to be showered with love for years to come.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , , | 7 Comments »

Thelonious Socks

Posted on July 22, 2011 by auburnchick

While I was busy blogging about my fabulous trip to Alaska, I was also busy doing something else…

Finishing up the socks I had started during the onset of my trip.

First off, the yarn.

I don’t remember if I shared with you the story of my friend, Susan, who sent me a gift certificate for my birthday.  I used it to buy this skein of Blue Moon Fiber Arts Silkie Socks That Rock.  The color is Hoofle Foofle…

It’s a glorious blend of merino and silk, so you can imagine just how soft the stuff is.

The pattern is from Cookie A’s newest book – knit. sock. love.  You might remember that I test knit for this book and have my very own autographed copy…

I cast on June 28th, originally using size 1 needles and going for the small size.  After knitting the cuff, I encountered a problem.

I was a little confused about the pattern’s instructions, which involved adding stitches to the ribbing.

I do not know why, but I could not wrap my head around how to knit those added stitches.  I guess it had been so long since I’d done any knitting that required thinking that my brain simply froze.

I headed to Ravelry for help, and I wasn’t disappointed.  I found this forum, posted my questions, and within hours had the answers that I needed.

After doing a few rounds, I tried the sock (the cuff) on and discovered something.

It was too big.  I knew this because of my sock knitting experience.

Rats.

I frogged and started over, going down to size 0 needles and down one sock size to the XS.

I am a loose knitter, and I keep forgetting this.  I’m glad I figured it out before I completely finished the sock!

Fortunately, the second cast on was much easier, and by the end of my vacation, I had made a lot of progress (check out yesterday’s post for that picture).

When I got home, I resumed my knitting in earnest, finishing sock #1 in no time flat.  I immediately cast on the second sock and knit it in its entirety in 24 hours…a new record for me.

I wound up using a total of 75 grams of yarn, leaving 25 more for repairs or some other random project in the future.

On to the pictures, which I’m sure you’re dying to see!  😉

This is the picture I snapped when I completed the first sock…

And here are the pictures I took during the little photo shoot I had the morning after I completed the second sock…

First, a teaser…

When I take pictures of my knitting projects, I always use the self-timer feature on my camera, which means I take a lot of crappy pictures before I get the camera zoomed properly and at the correct height.  The next picture is a little better…

This one is much better…

After this, there was no stopping me…

So, why do I pose for my sock projects?  Well, you see, I know that when I am working on socks, I often find myself stuck at parts or needing confirmation that my socks are turning out the way they are supposed to, so I go hunting for pictures of other peoples’ projects.  I really appreciate those that show close-ups.

Plus, if I’m looking for a new sock project to start, I like seeing good pictures of finished patterns.  Hence my hard work in taking good pictures.

Can you see how the ribbing continues into the flap?  Lovely, I tell you!

You can also see where I had a dilemma in the rib changes…

The pattern looks complicated, but quite honestly, it was one of Cookie’s easier ones, and it resulted in a gorgeous pair of socks that fit my feet perfectly!

I put more details on my Ravelry project page…just in case you decide to make yourself a pair of these socks.

So, what project should I work on next?

Well, I’ve already cast on and am about halfway done.

If you’re not on Ravelry, I guess you’ll just have to wait and be surprised!

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , , , , | 5 Comments »

Chinook Lace Shawl

Posted on June 30, 2011 by auburnchick

A couple of months ago, I purchased the Chinook Lace Shawl kit from Knit Picks.  This kit included the yarn and pattern I would need for the project…

Because I was so busy with my EPI classes, I did not get to cast on until June 2nd.  I figured that even though I was still working on my classes, I deserved knitting breaks…being so close to the end of my program.

After I finished my classes, two weeks early, I devoted most of my evenings to finishing the shawl.

See, I am a monogamous knitter…meaning that I usually do not cast on more than one project at a time…unlike my friend, Christina.  *cough*

By the time I started working on the edging, I had over 1,600 stitches on my needles.

Did you just faint?

Yeah.

I wanted to as well.

The bind off took me six hours to finish.

I’m not exaggerating.

Near the end, the unthinkable happened.

I ran out of yarn…with two triangles left…

I was not happy.

I have big plans for this shawl, you see.

I debated what to do.

God intervened (He’s good like that…even to knitters).

He reminded me that I have a substantial stash of yarn scraps.

I dug through my closet and pulled out what remained of a skein the Regia yarn I had used for my Guided By Love socks…

The color wasn’t a perfect match, but it was close enough to suit my needs.  I figured that I would be the only one who noticed or cared.

So, I finished the shawl and gave it a bath.

The blocking was easy…

As you can see, it took up my entire dining room table, which is quite large.

I got a lot of ribbing about the size.  Chicky’s Guy Friend suggested that it was perfect for a pregnant woman to cover her belly.

I reminded him that he has yet to ask my permission to marry my daughter.  I’ll get my revenge when he does.

Anyhoo…

I allowed the shawl to dry for two days and then had myself a photography session, complete with tripod and self-timer…

Yes, it is quite large, but the blocking opened up the fibers of the yarn, allowing the shawl to be thin and drape nicely across the shoulders.

I love the fact that I can wrap this shawl completely around me.  It’s going to keep me very warm on chilly days…

Here’s a close-up of the stitch pattern, which was deceptively easy…

Now, let me explain what I think is the reason for my running out of yarn at the end.

This pattern calls for the knitter to go up in needle size when completing the border (the triangles at the bottom).  Well, I’m already a loose knitter, so when I went up in needle size, I think my fate was sealed.  I do not believe that most people will run out of the given yarn.

Besides, I always like to do things the hard way…or so my mom always told me.

If you’re looking for an easy knit, I highly recommend this pattern.  Not only does it come in the earthy tones, but it is also available from the Knit Picks site in a green/blue/purple kit.

So, what will I be cooking up next?

Well, you’ll just have to wait and see!

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , | 4 Comments »

Patriotic Hodgepodge!

Posted on June 29, 2011 by auburnchick

It’s time for the Hodgepodge!  Joyce, as always, has done a great job coming up with the questions.  Thanks so much, Joyce!  Now, on to the questions!

1.  What makes you stand on your feet and cheer?

I cheer my heart out when I watch soccer.  I’ve watched Chicky play since she was six years old (she’s still playing too), and I’ve even been known to hoop and holler when watching it on TV.

Chicky's College Team

Speaking of soccer, did you know that the women’s World Cup just started?  The U.S. team beat North Korea yesterday by a score of 2-0.  Go USA!!  (Pictures can be found at the Denver Post’s site.)

2.  What’s your favorite patriotic song?

I love Lee Greenwood’s Proud To Be an American

3.  Do you believe that opposites attract?  If you have a significant other, are you opposites?

I think that opposites and likes attract.  There’s no rhyme or reason to what draws people together.  The Mr. and I are opposites in many ways.  One thing we agree wholeheartedly on is that we both love Auburn football.

4.  You’re going to get a behind the scenes look some place…where would you like that some place to be?

I’d love to see how “magic” tricks are performed.  I am particularly interested in the trick where the magician holds up a sheet, flips it up, and when it comes back down, in a nano second, someone else is standing there.  Interesting indeed!

5.  How far would you have to travel to ride a carousel (merry-go-round)?

I have no idea!  I don’t really care about carousels, so I don’t know where the nearest one is!

6.  When was the last time you saw fireworks?  What was the occasion?  Do you enjoy fireworks?

Gosh…another question that requires me to remember something.  My memory is just not working very well right now.  Let’s see…the last big show I saw was last summer, when I attended the Christian concert series at the beach (blogged about it here).  Michael W. Smith gave a concert on the final evening, and it was followed by a fireworks show that was amazing!  There’s nothing like fireworks over the Gulf of Mexico.


7.  Of all the ‘beauty products’ you own, what item do you consider to be the most overpriced?

Would perfume be considered a beauty product?  If so, then I’d have to answer this way.  I don’t own expensive perfume simply because it costs an arm and a leg.  I suspect that consumers are mostly paying for the marketing associated with this product.

8.  My Random Thought

I just finished knitting a rather large project, and it is currently sitting on my dining room table, pinned and blocked out.  It’s drawing the most interesting comments from my family…not the nicest comments either.

As a knitter, it would be so nice to be “understood” and “appreciated” by those closest to me.  It can be discouraging to hear comments that are disguised as “teasing.”  Call me sensitive, but that’s how I roll sometimes.

I think that as humans, we should try to look for positive things to say to each other, even if we don’t “get” the things that other people are passionate about.

Sigh.

It’s frustrating.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , | 8 Comments »

A Yarn Celebration

Posted on June 24, 2011 by auburnchick

So, as you know, I am officially finished with my alternative certification program.

In fact, I danced the afternoon away a few days ago.

Well, I wasn’t finished celebrating, oh no I wasn’t.

See, such a milestone as this one deserves a BIGGER indulgence.

For a knitter, this means YARN SHOPPING!!

So, on a somewhat rainy morning that turned more and more sunny the closer I traveled to the beach (which isn’t far from my house, by the way), I headed to the two “real” yarn stores closest to me.

By closest, I mean over an hour away.

Hello, my name is AuburnChick, and I transverse great distances in pursuit of fine yarn.

The first yarn store on my route was not my favorite of the two.  The place is nice enough, but the selection is a wee bit limited compared to the other store.

Still, I found myself lovingly petting a skein of Tilli Tomas Rock Star…

Although the yarn desperately wanted to come home with me, I resisted.  The $40 price tag was a huge reason for this.

I decided to check out the other yarn store, which is my favorite.  I know.  I keep repeating myself, but I have to.  See, the other yarn store is my first love.  It is the place where I purchased my very first skeins of “real” yarn.  It is where I bought my first set of “real” knitting needles and pattern book as well.  The shop is small but very inviting and packed with a GREAT assortment of very nice yarns.  I really wish I lived closer, because I would love to attend knit nights with the ladies who run the shop.

Anyhoo…what I saw when I arrived this afternoon did not disappoint…

That is a basket of Frog Tree sock yarn.

Now, if you’re not a knitter, you must understand something about yarn shopping.

It.

Is.

Fabulous.

It is an experience that requires the interaction of sight and touch.

When I go yarn shopping, I can’t even think about projects until I walk around and touch everything.  I simply refuse to knit with or wear yarn that is not soft.

So, that’s what I did…enjoying the peace of the day…my mind free from the concerns of assignments.

My only assignment of the day was to buy nice yarn.

The store had a couple of knit shawls hanging over the shoulders of mannequins.

What a great way to sell some yarn!

I fell in love with the Shetland Triangle shawl that was made in a red, DK weight yarn.

Ok, so that’s not the red one from the store, but my head was so much in the clouds that I didn’t get a picture of it.  I am showing you the above picture because it really shows off the stitch pattern.

The gal working in the store explained that the original pattern calls for a lace weight yarn, but that she had used seven skeins of a heavier, glossier yarn that provided a nice drape and more stitch definition.

As she pulled out the book that is home to the pattern, I realized that I already own the book, Wrap Style…a giveaway I had won during a New Year’s Eve KnittingHelp.com knit-along that I had participated in a couple of years ago…

Although I didn’t buy the yarn for this project, I have tucked the pattern away in the back of my mind.  I will definitely knit it in the future.

Meanwhile, I continued to shop.

The other shawl that was hanging up was the Ishbel…

Because the sample was knit in just over one skein of Malabrigo Sock yarn, I decided this would be a good way to go.

For some reason, I am finding myself drawn to shawls.  Chicky thinks they look like things that old people wear, but I counter her contention by saying that a shawl adds a touch of class to an outfit.  I think shawls are beautiful accessories that can be used to dress things up a bit.

With the Ishbel in mind, I picked out the following yarn…

Isn’t that just divine?

Sigh…

Can you say happy?

But the happiness did not end there.

The Frog Tree yarn kept calling me back.

I kept touching the yarn.

Finally, I made up my mind.  What kind of knitter would I be to leave those frogs there?

Here’s another picture…

Cookie A. didn’t know it, but she was with me when I made my decision…

You might remember that I test knit a pattern for Cookie’s book last summer.  I have not had a chance to knit a pair of socks since.

I intend to rectify this situation.

Immediately.

One final item that kept calling my name in the store was the following…

That, my non-knitting friends, is a shawl pin.

I have found myself in need of one of these do-dads in the past, and it looked lovely against the red shawl in the store.

It came home with me too.

And home I am…happy as can be.

Final thoughts on my shopping adventure:

As I composed this post and researched the shawl patterns, I decided that I am going to use the red Malabrigo to knit the Shetland Triangle Shawl.  I looked up the pattern on Ravelry (yay for this web site) and discovered that other knitters had used two or fewer skeins for this pattern.  I will probably knit eleven or twelve repeats.  More research will be done, but I am pleased with my plan.

The Mr. knew of my shopping adventure because I went ahead and told him about my plans yesterday.  When he walked into the house this afternoon, he asked to see the stash because, in his words, “I know it’s here somewhere.”

LOL

Then, he asked me how much I spent.

I balked.

He then threw out a number.

Dang.

He’s good.

He got it, spot on, minus the price of the shawl pin.

His eyes bulged a bit.

Then he left the room…to recover, I presume.

Either way, his reaction was much better than I had expected.

At this point, I sincerely doubt that I will ever get my Master’s degree.

No, it’s not because I think I’m not smart enough.

It’s because every time I complete a set of college courses, I spend all of the future proceeds I would have been earning…ahead of time.

teeheehee

Celebrations are definitely much better when there is yarn involved!

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