I Make Progress When I Focus!

Nartian and I realized that we were working last Friday so I made my first trip to A Verb for Keeping Warm in Berkeley!  Adrienne was tending shop and Kristine was working in the dye area but popped in to visit and chat. So many beautiful fibers and yarn!

I purchased 2 oz. of Blue Faced Leicester in the Mermaid colorway and 2 oz. in Magic Bean.  LOVE these colors and decided I would spin and ply them together to us for Leethal's latest Knitty pattern, "Buttonhead".  And look what I got done!



I finished and gifted a cabled brimmed hat for my cousin and gave it to her a couple of weeks ago.  No finished pic, but here it is, 1/2 done...
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Finally, I've made progress on KnitQuest's "A Little Something".  I think the length is just about done.




Just for fun?  Take a look at this...

I saw this piece of hair in the trash and wondered where such a long length of hair could have come from.  I called Lil Emp in and asked, "Did you cut your hair?"  Yes he did.  He had gotten some fake 'tar' in his hair; realizing it wasn't coming out, he cut this piece off!  He has a tuft about an inch long on the top of his head, but it blends in well with his long hair!  Amazing how he got through his younger years when self-delivered haircuts are not unusual only to do something like this at age 9!  He seemed a bit embarrassed by it.  I'm actually rather amused, but you can imagine how seeing this in the trash threw me for a loop a bit!

As an aside, it was a very strange day at work for Nartian and I.  During our usual Monday lunch knitting, there was a loud sound and screaming.  A co-worker had chosen to end his life at our work site by jumping off the top floor of our building into the atrium which it opens out to.  It was disturbing and unsettling to say the least.  My thoughts go out to his family and I am saddened by the hurt he must have been feeling to do such a drastic thing.  It just seems so strange and unreal.  I didn't add this part in to be a downer but at the same time it seemed like I couldn't ignore acknowledging that this happened today.  It was real and a real life is now gone.  I didn't ever work directly with him but after 20+ years of working at this same job, I'm sure I would recognize his face, though his name is not familiar to me.  But maybe not.  For now, I can only send out thoughts of healing and comfort to his family, friends and to my other co-workers who had to see or witness more than I and suffer from the horrors of what they observed.

And we have pictures!

Yes, camera issues still exist, but I managed these...proof that knitting had occurred!

In honor of the Blue Moon on New Year's Eve, Tina of Blue Moon Fiber Arts thought we should all cast on a project during that time.  My choice was easy-I had planned on making a February Lady Sweater to wear at the Blue Moon Fiber Arts booth at Stitches West in February, so I had a project, I had purchased the yarn-and well, I had a DEADLINE!

I had first wanted to knit the FLS with "Fall on Tap" and purchased three skeins of Socks that Rock Heavyweight in that colorway.  LOVED it, but when I saw the special club colorway for December, I changed my pick to BLACKBIRD!  I love Blackbird and the way it turned out, but I actually mourn the two skeins I exchanged out for the Blackbird!  I think I may just have to buy more Fall on Tap and make a different sweater as a consolation after I get my tax returns back! ;) (ACK!  Was just going to link-up Fall on Tap and it has been 'rested'!  OH NO!  WHAT HAVE I DONE?!)

 

 I didn't like my finished FLS pic, so here is the button-pick photo I took.  I'll try and post a finished pic in the future, but as for buttons...I settled on the center ones-somewhat plain but interestingly shaped shell buttons with highlights of many of the same blackbird colors in it.

But look at the red buttons with the BRICK Blue Moon Fiber Arts Peru yarn!  I'm thinking that one of these red buttons will be perfect with this yarn for KnitQuest's "A Little Something".

I swatched it with two needle sizes, but because I fall between sizes, I need to decide whether to go with a larger gauge and knit the smaller size, or go down a needle size and do a larger size. 

 

I haven't had to decide yet, since I've yet to start "A Little Something".  Well...actually, I started casting-on, but then had to consult with Nartian.

 Then I got all focused on finally finishing Solly's sweater and other giftie projects.  But look-I finished it!  AND the Botanic hat I had mentioned in my earlier post!  The Botanic Hat is actually not the same Mainline Blueberry yarn-it is knit with Socks that Rock Heavyweight "In the Navy" together with "Carbon Dating", which was used for Solly's Baby Racer Sweater

And here is what I love so much about this hat...

It is reversible and I love how the slipped stitches form this awesome pattern on one side!

And then there was inspiration from Lara (Buried in Fiber) to make some "Plain Vanilla" socks.  Something I could just pull out and knit...and knit...and knit...!  But it came to a stop at Stitches West when I decided that since I was working the Blue Moon Fiber Arts booth, I should knit ONLY Blue Moon Fiber Arts fibers! 

So I put my Plain Vanillas away to rest...but wouldn't you agree that the perfect pick for Plain Vanillas would be my Flat Feet that has sat in my stash, being ignored?...

 

And here is my Stitches West-Inspired (or more accurately-Cockeyed-Inspired...?) knit: 

Traveling Woman. 

 

After all, Cockeyed says all the cool kids are kntting it!

 

I thought this Rare Gem was too irresistable and though I would agree that this lace pattern may have been better knit with one of the more nearly-semi-solid Rare Gems I got at the Once in  Blue Moon Sale, I know I will still love this!

Off to work on a hat (with a brim, please!) for my cousin.  Yes, another quick project to focus on-and has taken my focus of the others...for now.  Luckily hats are quick knits (if I have the time, that is!-but of course, I will have to hunt down that needlepoint canvas for the brim!).  But yes, no pic of the hat...yet.

A Picture is Worth 1000 Words...

And since I've had some camera issues, I guess that is why I haven't blogged much these days.  Blog entries don't seem as interesting or fun without PICTURES.  We all want to see, don't we?

Though I haven't blogged much, I have been knitting!

Last week, I finished a pair of fingerless mitts for my cousin's daughter.  It was a cute Drops pattern, but I must admit I didn't enjoy having to figure it out for myself!  I can, somewhat, but the beauty of patterns is that you don't have to take the time to do that.  You just pick it up and GO!  Yes, I know...for experienced knitters who never learned to read patterns, what's the problem?  You just pick up your work and GO!  But for me, as much as I don't consider myself 'planny' or 'anal', I have my limitations of free form.

I also finished Solly's sweater right before Stitches West!  I purchased buttons while I was there but was disappointed in my spending $42 at a button booth where I was supposed to only purchase buttons for the baby sweater.  The purchase should not have been more than $6, but I'm pretty good at pushing up the budget!

Stitches West-Inspired Knits...

And while I was at Stitches West, an old camp buddy, Erica, was showing us her Botanic hat.  VERY CUTE!  So I had to make one to match Solly's new sweater.  Got the pattern and just finished the hat last night!

So while I am talking about Stitches West inspiration, while unwinding after the market, Cockeyed started up a Traveling Woman shawlette.  CUTE.  So she gets back from SW, and Tweets a photo of it.  Done!  Just like that.  And soooo pretty!

I had to start one, too!  I chose a Rare Gem medium STR that I purchased at the show.  It is a bit more variegated than is probably best for this lacy pattern, but I decided I'm ok with that.  I will be happy with a shawlette in these gorgeous pinks (from Hot Flash pink to Peek-a-boo pink) with splashes of Puck's Mischief green and other assorted lovely hues: golds, olives, burgundy...

And yet-no pictures to show you! 

I'm hoping I will get some up soon, but yes, I am still knitting.  I am still a knitter.  And I am hoping to have better camera options soon!

Seriously Good Fun!

I really can't offer much by way of a Stitches West report, since I was mostly hanging in the Blue Moon Fiber Arts booth, helping out the lovely Sockateers, Cockeyed and EttaMae.  I so enjoy spending the time with them and IrishGirlieKnits, who was also working the booth.

Funny how working the BMFA booth will keep me out of OTHER trouble, but only enables the BMFA desires!  Also 'funny' is how on such limited time, I still manage to spend WAY more than I should!

I'm hoping to have time to get some pics taken of part of my goodies tomorrow, and I only got one pic while at Stitches West.  But it is the best pic of all...

SOCKATEER ROYALTY!

 Seriously.  Look how good and color-coordinated the Queen and Goddess are!