To Frog or Not to Frog?

In between traveling and work, I have been working on the Vine Lace Vest pattern.  I'm on the fence.  I ripped back twice last week, and I just finished ripping back the lace pattern again.  Right now it is in time out.  I'm not sure I want to restart it.  It might just be frogged.

Life's to short to knit something that is just causing you angst, right?   I think that the pattern is lovely and I really like the way that the finished version looks, I just can't focus or get it right despite my best efforts and stitch markers.  This one may be frogged and the yarn turned into something else.

Another sweater?  Vest?  A lovely cabled green scarf?  I don't know, but it my concentration on it doesn't improve, it might be going.  Stay tuned.

Travel Results: Yarn, Good Food, and Great Company

Last weekend, I was down visiting in Birmingham, Alabama for a short break.  Although it was supposed to rain for most of the weekend, it managed to hold off and there was some fantastic weather and sunshine to be had.  I visited In the Making, a little fabric and knit shop and picked up some KPPPM sock yarn.  It's a delightful shop and if you are ever in the area, I would highly recommend it.  It's very close to The Summit Shopping with everything you could need, full of great places to grab a bite to eat.

I couldn't resist these colors.  I don't know what type/pattern of socks they will become, but they reminded me of Vincent van Gogh's The Starry Night.  I had to have them!

While visiting, I learned that the Birmingham metro area is quite the place for foodies/new gourmets.  Each time I visit, our list of places to try just expands.  We worked on the list over the weekend and tried:

• Friday night, we stopped by The J. Clyde for burgers and THE most extensive beer selection I've seen lately (12 pages!) where I tried some of the Innis & Gunn Irish Cask from Scotland (a must have again sometime). 
• Pizza cooked in a wood burning oven at Bottega Restaurant and Cafe just outside the Five Points area.  Lunch outside in pretty good weather, with good company and divine dessert.
• Dinner downtown on Saturday night at Cafe Dupont that came highly recommended and did not disappoint.  The lamb with the strawberry mint compote was perfect for spring and wine list encouraged me to save before our next visit.
• Finally, we had brunch in the bright sunshine at Dram on Sunday.  Their entire wine list is half off on Sundays and the restaurant was busy, but not overwhelmed with waiters that know their stuff.  Shrimp, scallion, and goat cheese omelet with fruit was perfect to start a relaxed Sunday.

p.s. - I miss the sweet tea already!

April Card Swap Results

This past weekend, I participated in a card swap.  I really enjoy these because you end up with a great variety of cards to select from.  I came up with the following designs to share with the group.

The first card used Stampin Up's new framelits to create the diecut in the center of the Certainly Celery background.  I used Marina Mist and Bashful blue inks and backgrounds.  The swallow diecut is a Sizzix die, but had to use it with the happiness always stamp.  I was thinking about the saying, "Bluebirds of Happiness" when I created this.  The top Certainly Celery note I finished by running through the Big Shot with the polka dot embossing folder.  I wish I would have made more of these to have on hand to mail.

My second card for the swap used the Just a Note set out of the Spring 2012 Stampin Up Mini Catalog.  I used So Saffron for the base, the Well Worn DSP (now on its way out!) for the background, and Early Espresso to type it all together.  I added a piece of the cork sheets to mimic a desk and tacked a little saying on there.  I tried to go for something a little less girly after the first card.

Pioneer Woven Scarf

The Pioneer woven scarf was a secret project....because it's my father's birthday present.  Happy Birthday Dad!

I finished this scarf a few weeks ago and really liked how it worked up.

Vital Statistics:

• Schachet Cricket Loom
• 8 Dent Reed
• 70 Ends
• 7.25” wide x 75” long (without fringe)
• 204 grams start - 32 grams remaining = 172 grams used
• Total yards: approx. 378 yards

It was my first experience using such a high silk content on the Cricket Loom.  I used Lorna's Laces Pearl, which is a DK weight that is 51% silk and 49% bamboo. Towards the end, the yarn pilled a bit on the shuttle as I was weaving, but you can’t notice it on the finished product. The silk/bamboo content was a bit stiff, but just enough to produce perfect selvages and still drape and be warm to wear. I’ll probably be experimenting with this yarn on the loom again.

Adeline Blanket Completed!

The Adeline Blanket is completed.  Whew.  A little over a year and a half later, it's done.  I started in June 2010 and thought that it would be a quick project - ha!  I finished it Friday and have been testing it out - and it sure is cozy.  I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out.  I think that my grandmother Adeline would be proud. 

 

I started with 1,096 grams (10 skeins) of The Plucky Knitter's Superwash Merino Fingering.  Two skeins each of the colorways Madeleine Elster (gray), Father Goose (green), Hey Cupcake! (pink), En Suite (purple), and Indiscreet (blue).  The finished blanket weights 928 grams and I have 168 grams remaining leftovers, which means that I used approximately 3,712 yards total.  Ironically, less than I thought I would.  The finished size 50” by 50” - just large enough to curl up with on the couch.  It is 81 rounds, including border, which translates to 81 colors changes and 162 ends to weave in.  I'm very, very glad that I wove the ends in as a I went.

Something that is not a blanket

New project in the wings.  Going to start on this as a KAL with a few girlfriends.  Stay tuned!

March 2012 Sky Scarf Update

Here's the latest picture of the Sky Scarf through March 31.  The one color that I seem to be using the most frequently is the medium blue color.  I'm going to see how things go, but with summer months (and blue skies) rapidly approaching, I think that I may have to order another skein of this color.

On to the blanket border

I am happy to report that I am on to the blanket's border!  With recent traveling, I haven't worked on the blanket as much as I would like.  (It is not a very portable project at this stage in the game.)  I can't believe that this project is almost behind me...maybe I should start another.  Or not.