Jason's Socks

I finally finished these socks for my husband! He really likes them, although I think he will be stashing them in the drawer until it cools off a bit! Thankfully, he's a good sport and was willing to wear them outside for a few minutes for me to get some pictures!

Willie!

I finally finished the cuteness that I couldn't disclose earlier...the Willie Sweater! Designer Pamela Wynne sold this pattern to raise funds for her tiny dachshund puppy who needed surgery. When I saw it on her blog, I immediately thought of a little boy who needed such a sweater.

It only took me about a month to knit up, and it was my first try at colorwork. It's not perfect, and I learned a bit for next time, but overall I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. I have yarn to make a girly one for my daughter! There are more details here on its Ravelry page.

MDSW 2010!

Well, for the second year in a row, I headed up to Maryland for the fiber festival of all fiber festivals, Maryland Sheep & Wool. It was pretty frickin' awesome.

Like last year, I drove up on Saturday morning, so by the time I drove from Durham to Alexandria to pick up Laura P., drove to the Howard County Fairgrounds, and parked (yikes!), it was about 2:30. By this time, we were famished, so our first priority was eating. Lamb.

After round one of eating festival food, it was time to fight the crowds and buy some yarn!

I'm not kidding when I say "crowds." Below is the main exhibition hall around 3:00 pm on Saturday.

It was worth it, because we saw a lot of this:

And this:

But it was hot out. Just ask Laura.

So it was time to get a little of this:

Thirty seconds later, my peanut-butter-dipped-chocolate-soft-serve-cone looked like this:

Then we met some of the locals:

After dropping a bunch of money on yarn to make things I don't have time to make, we headed back to the hotel. Laura P.'s cousin and aunt had come down from Delaware, so we had ourselves an awesome little girls night. You know you're going to have an awesome time when you just go ahead and call a cab to get to where you're going!

On Sunday, we headed back out to finalize our MDSW stash (to be detailed in my next post). We did have time to check out the sheep dog demonstration.

Border collies are amazing. Dogs in general are amazing. I love dogs. (Click photo to view entirely.)

To summarize, we ate, we bought, we conquered. And we got sunburned.

Can't wait until next year!

Knitting endeavors

So, it's like totally been forever since I've posted here. I've been a little busy--having given birth and started to raise a daughter and all. I've tried to make some time for knitting though.

I've started a really comfy pair of socks for Jason with my Socks that Rock superwash marino from last year's MDSW.

I've also completely fallen in love with Sarjeet's booties. I made these two pairs for a friend expecting twins. I also made a larger pair for my daughter, and they are SO adorable. Just adorable.

Been a while...

I've definitely been neglecting this blog! Our life has been full of home renovations lately, including those that have rendered my craft area unusable. I am going to try to get to those "She's All That" cards like I promised, especially because I need one for a baby shower this weekend!

However, my knitting guru, Laura P., was in town this weekend, so I thought it would be an opportune time to cast on my February Lady Sweater. I am using Brooks Farm Solana that I purchased last May at MDSW. It's difficult to describe how much I love this yarn and how lovely it's knitting up. Just scrumptious!!! I'm trying to get this finished by the end of the month so I can wear it as the weather cools off.

Miscellanea

Sometimes I feel a bit unaccomplished when I post knitting projects that aren't finished, but I figured it was time for a progress report nonetheless.

I recently cast on this Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. I'm using the two skeins of Socks that Rock mill ends that I purchased last month at MDSW. This stuff is a lot of fun to knit with, and I'm really liking how this is turning out. I think it will work with my mostly jewel-toned fall wardrobe.
My other knitting project is a pair of socks for my husband. I'm nearly finished with the first one (below). The k3p1 ribbing is getting a bit tiresome, which I why I had to go ahead and start the above scarf. I'm trying to make these socks the official knitting project of "Riding in the Car." I bought the yarn for these before I became a complete fiber snob, but I think they will still feel nice and be toasty warm for my hubby. I didn't even realize this yarn was self-striping when I bought it (Berocco Comfort Sock).

In the meantime, I've tried not to neglect my other favorite medium: paper. I made my friend Laura P. some thank you cards for her birthday utilizing my new Big Shot and some embossing plates. This card took about 5 minutes to make, and is one of my favorites, ever....

Sorry the pics in this post are so dark. My flash wasn't cooperating with me, and it turned out the details could be seen a bit better without it. Someday I will get that DSLR!

There should be more interesting posts to come. I'm really trying to ramp up the knitting right now. Also, Laura D. and I are taking Wilton Cake Decorating Course 3 this month, so surely there will be lots of posts just from that.

On a related note, I'm super excited for tomorrow's release of Martha Stewart's Cupcakes. Mine is pre-ordered from Barnes and Noble. I can't wait to try some new recipes this week!

Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival!

This blog post is several weeks late, but I wanted to put out the full report from my recent trip to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. I met up with my friend Laura from Alexandria, and together we headed to the Howard County Fairgrounds for two days of fibery goodness. It's a good thing I was going with a previous festival attendee, or else I would have been completely lost. There's a lot to do and see, and you really need to know where to go.

We really sort of lucked out with the weather. On Saturday, it was threatening rain most of the day, which I think made the festival a little less crowded. When we got there around 2:00, we had no problems getting parking, walking around, or approaching the Koigu mill ends! Sunday was nasty and rainy, which wasn't a whole lot of fun, but again I think cut down on the crowds. All in all, it was a really fun festival and I have already started saving for next year!

Here's one of the furry guys that we met in the barns.

This was a picture of some sheep butt at a showing. Actually, a lot of sheep butt.

One of the highlights of the festival is appreciating the animal and what it can provide not only in fiber, but in sustenance. We did enjoy lamb sausage with peppers and onions (and it was from Gettysburg, too!).

Below are Saturday's purchases. From left to right: three skeins of Brooks Farm Solana for a February Lady Sweater, two skeins of Dancing Leaf Farms Bee Bop for some fingerless mitts, two skeins of Claudia handpainted for socks, one skein of dark blue for socks, the orange guy is more sock yarn (will update when I remember what they are), and four Koigu mill ends (each of which should be enough for a pair of baby booties).

Of course, I went back for more on Sunday. From left to right: Carolina blue Zen fiber arts sock yarn for some NCAA tourney sock knitting, Brooks Farm DK weight, most likely for baby hats or a baby sweater, two skeins of Socks that Rock mill ends that are currently being knitted into a Chevron scarf, two skeins of brown Socks that Rock for my husband's next pair of socks, and finally, one skein of Socks that Rock Silkie that will be a lovely Lace Ribbon Scarf for me!

After all this, I decided I needed a ball winder. I ordered one from Knitpicks. Let's just say that without a swift, the yarn winding has led to special quality time with my husband. I think he's ready to buy me a swift now ;0

First sock almost finished!

I'm very proud of myself, as I have nearly completed the first sock of
my first pair of socks! I just have a little bit of the ribbing to do
at the top, but overall, I'm very pleased with how they came out. Now
I just need to make another one....

Yay for socks!

Here's a little more progress on my sock! The foot is finished, and
I'm starting the heel!

First Sock!

I finally (with the help of Laura P.) cast on these socks for our
Crazy Monkey Knit-a-long. The toe is done and I'm moving onto the lace
pattern!

New Year's Resolution--Blog on the Procrastination Blog

So, here's the thing. This is a blog set up as a tool for procrastination. But, with my carefree non-graduate student life, I just don't have that many things that end up "waiting for tomorrow." So now I feel like the blog has turned into a bit of a responsibility...hence the lack of posts. But at least the lack of posting has been due to me doing fun things, and not killing mouse babies.

But, I'm going to try to be better about posting, especially because I have quite a few crafty endeavors in my life right now.

I've been trying to get my Ravelry page caught up. I recentnly got pictures of this market bag that I finished back in September for my friend Laura D. Also in the works are some baby things (for OTHER people's babies) and a warm and cuddly "shoulder cozy." The shoulder cozy is nearly finished, and I should have pics up soon.

I also promise to put pictures of my Christmas cards up soon. Here's a sample of one that I did with Laura, Jen, and Jessica.


I'm also looking forward to tomorrow, which is my first Wilton Cake Decorating class at Michael's! I don't think we'll do much at the first class, but I will try to remember to post pics of my progress!

Anyway...till next time, happy crafting!

Baby knitting....with pictures!!!

Not too much time to go on and on about things....but I did want to put up some pictures of some things that I have been knitting. I've been spending almost all of my bus time with 100% cotton yarn....I was really in a book thing for a while, but I just got stuck on Life of Pi. I'm going to have to pick somthing else soon....

I have been pretty busy with school lately. The pressures on, and I hope to defend my dissertation at the end of July or beginning of August. I did take some time this past week to update my "stash" and "projects" on my Ravelry page. Here are a few of them:

I'm Back!!!

Well, I suppose this is one of those strange scenarios where I haven't felt like I have been under a lot of stress, so I haven't really needed to "procrastinate" in the more traditional sense. Therefore, I really have had to waste time by writing about wasting time.

We did get the reviews on my paper back, and I have a few more experiments cooking right now. Once that puppy gets sent back in for its second review, I'm sure I'll get that introduction for dissertation cranked right out! I'm an "under the wire" kind of girl. Ugh...that's enough science talk.

Things I have been doing: BAKING! We got a new oven a couple weeks ago, and I have been using it to try out new recipes from the Martha Stewart Cookie Book. It works great, and I have had the chance to try out the convection feature. Last week (in one night!) I made the Peanut Butter Cookies from the book--which were awesome, chocolate chip cookies (off the back of the Nestle bag, there is just no substitute), and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies--recipe courtesy of Nicole. Yum! I should have posted some pictures of those, but I thought that would be mean. I'm started to collect cupcake ideas for my graduation party--yes I think I have spent more time thinking about the graduation bash rather than writing my dissertation.... Check out this blog for incredible ideas--they update it constantly: http://www.cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com/. I'm going to try to remember to add that to my favorites.

I have also been try to knit as much as possible. Now that TV is back on, it leaves me with a lot of quality multitasking time--i.e. make a burp cloth while watching the office. I've decided to work on a bunch of burp clothes and bibs for the babies that are coming up in the summer--I don't think the mamas are going to want to put the new babies in little sweaters on July--sounds cruel.

Speaking of baby knitting--
My friend Laura was in town this past weekend (that's knitting friend Laura from D.C., not to be confused with paper-crafting friend Laura who lives here in Durham). Together, we made an important discovery which is that Peaches 'n Creme 100% cotton yarn (as their label suggests) is way softer than the Sugar 'n Creme yarn that is sold at most craft stores. We found the Peaches 'n Creme at my Wal-Mart in Durham, but it is also available online at http://www.elmore-pisgah.com/. Totally the worth the shipping. Laura also turned me on to a totally sweet website called Ravelry. It is an online knitting community that just looks awesome. I am on the waiting list for an invitation right now...but from what I can tell from their online tours it looks like it is extremely useful/addictive, so I am looking forward to some quality procrastination time once I get on there.

N.B.--the Baby Kimono pattern from Mason-Dixon knitting fits on 10lb. babies. I found that out twice in April!

Ok--I'll get some pics up this week to make this thing a bit more interesting.

Candles, Sour Cream Containers, and Sweaters.....Oh my!

Well, my accomplice in crafting (Laura) and I had a lovely afternoon of hungover crafting a few weeks ago. I am very impressed that we started out with just materials, and came away with a very cute variety of favors.


Exhibit A: Sour cream container. We got this idea from our Stampin' Up Demonstrator Paula. We had originally done this with vellum card stock with heat embossed red hearts for Valentine's Day (filled with Hershey's Kisses, of course). After searching around on Splitcoaststampers, we saw that people were doing this with transparencies. Laura used Versamark ink to stamp the image (which, by the way, is the best baby stamp ever) and opaque white embossing powder. This was kind of tricky, as we quickly realized that if the heat tool got too hot, it would melt the transparency. We used sticky strip adhesive (the stuff that comes on the orange roll) to adhere the edges. Laura then filled with impending baby boy-appropriate blue and white Jelly Bellies. You just can't even order stuff this cute. Way to go Laura!Exhibit B: I also made some sour cream containers from some light blue patterned scrapbook paper that I had around. I would suggest using card stock, because they will be a little sturdier. I made these just a smidge bigger, and used the paper crimper to give the edges that authentic "can I get chives and sour cream with my baked potato?" look. They're not as cool as the ones that Laura made, but they do have chocolate inside, so they can't be all bad.Exhibit C: All of this sour cream container making was actually in addition to our original favor idea, which was hand-poured jar candles. A couple years back, while savaging through the rummage of a closed, run-down, out of NIH funding lab, Laura found this box of jars that we thought would be potential snow globe vessels. Unfortunately, the lids that came with them didn't actually fit the jars. We then decided that they would be adorable for little jar candles, and when our friend Jessica announced that she had a bun in oven.....GAME ON!


All of the favors together, in situ.

I have been spending a lot of time on my 25-minute each way bus ride knitting with my new favorite yarn -- Sugar and Creme 100% cotton worsted weight. Right now, I'm trying to make it through Pillars of the Earth, but for the past few weeks I have been hard at work on these, taken from Mason-Dixon Knitting.

As soon as I finish Pillars...it's back to quality TTA knitting time. I need to get a couple more of these busted out before April!