The Knitting Nurse

Another one...

I'm not really creative right now.  Plus, I don't have much to show for myself.  I finished Demi but, given that I've put on a considerable amount of weight this year, the measurements I*thought* would fit do not.  Plus, apparently, I don't pay any attention to gauge and think that side ribs will cover a multitude of sins.  Trust me.  They don't.  So, Demi became a Christmas sweater for Bridgette, who petted it reverently whenever she was at my house.  And when she put it on, it fit her life a glove.  It seriously looks like it was made for her.  So, thats' that.  It's hers.  I hope to get photos of her in it soon. 

I've also finished the Shetland Triangle shawl from Wrap Style using Rowan Yorkshire Tweed 4-ply in Enchanted (a gorgeous grey/lavendar). I have some blocking photos on Ravelry but want to wait for pretty photos to post here. 

So, all that said, I don't really have anything to say for myself.  So intead, I'm stealing YET another meme.  This one from Ann's site. 

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
I truly struck out on my own.  I put my dream for my life first.  I really hope I’m right.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I never end up keeping them fully, but I always hope resolutions will keep me on track towards living a good life.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Maeve, just under the wire for 2008.   Lots of girls at work. 

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No one in my immediate family, although one of them certainly gave it the ol’ college try.

5. What countries did you visit?
None in reality, several in my head.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Financial stability. 
A better sense of self.
A new, uncracked iPhone. (they can’t all be serious, right?) 

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
June 20.  The day my sister tried to commit suicide.  Sorry to be so blunt.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Becoming a really good nurse.  I’m pretty damn proud of that.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not being able to make the longest relationship of my life work.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
A really nasty viral thing that landed me in the hospital TWICE with some knarly invasive tests involved.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A new iMac.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Barack Obama.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Sarah Palin.

14. Where did most of your money go?
I have NO earthly idea.  Rent put a big dent in it.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My job.  Saving someone’s life nearly every day.  That’s a pretty amazing feeling.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Like Ann, Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” was a catchy little ditty I’ll remember.    “If You’re Out There” by John Legend is also pretty memorable.  Especially in reference to the election.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?  Happier.  More at peace.
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter, unfortunately.  20 pounds so.
c) richer or poorer? That’s always relative with me. 

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Seen David Michael more often.  Been a better friend.  

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Crying.  Eating junk food.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Spent with my dad, stepmom, sister, brother (& girlfriend) and nephew.  We had a huge meal, opened presents, sat on the back porch and went to Sullivan’s Island and walked on the beach.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
Mad Men.

25. What was the best book you read?
Pillars of the Earth (and only 10 years late!)

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Amos Lee.

27. What did you want and get?
A new job with a great sense of satisfaction.

28. What did you want and not get?
I wanted my partner to want to get married and start a family.  He wasn’t ready. 

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Didn’t see many.  I can’t even think of one in the theater that I loved!  Juno was probably the best I saw all year, but I didn’t see it at the movies.  Plus, I think it came out in 2007.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
33, spent with great girlfriends at PX Lounge in Old Town Alexandria.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
See no. 28.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
How to get by on what you have without buying anything else.  Not always successful, but attempted.

33. What kept you sane?
Wonderful, thoughtful, loving friends.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Huh?  Really? 

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
That occasionally you have to do something really scary to get the life you want.

36. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
It kind of has to be the whole song…

"Both Hands" – Ani Difranco

I am walking
out in the rain
and I am listening to the low moan
of the dial tone again
and I am getting
nowhere with you
and I can't let it go
and I can't get through...
the old woman behind the pink curtains
and the closed door
on the first floor
she's listening through the air shaft
to see how long our swan song can last
and both hands
now use both hands
oh, no don't close your eyes
I am writing
graffitti on your body
I am drawing the story of
how hard we tried
I am watching your chest rise and fall
like the tides of my life,
and the rest of it all
and your bones have been my bedframe
and your flesh has been my pillow
I am waiting for sleep
to offer up the deep
with both hands
in each other's shadows we grew less and less tall
and eventually our theories couldn't explain it all
and I'm recording our history now on the bedroom wall
and when we leave the landlord will come
and paint over it all
and I am walking
out in the rain
and I am listening to the low moan of the dial tone again
and I am getting nowhere with you
and I can't let it go
and I can't get though
So now use both hands
please use both hands
oh, no don't close your eyes
I am writing graffiti on your body
I am drawing the story of how hard we tried
hard we tried
how hard we tried

In lieu of a real post...

A meme.  Christmas meme, specifically.  Unapologetically stolen from Dani over at Knitting Knascar.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?  I'm not the greatest wrapper - my edges look funny and bunchy and sometimes the patterns don't line up perfectly.  But I do love pretty Christmas wrapping paper.  I have a stash of it.  I'm very picky about it - I don't like anything with cartoony Christmas characters.  And it can't be in any non-Christmas colors.  Which to me means it should be red, green, gold, silver or bronze.  Or white.  The one year I did gift bags I decorated plain brown paper bags with metallic markers and raffia.  I'm a little Martha that way...

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real, damnit. It must be real. 

3. When do you put up the tree? The weekend after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down?  12 days after Christmas, just like I'm supposed to!  Yes, my tree is a tinderbox waiting to happen, but that's not the point!! (do you hear the shrill undertones in my typing?  there are very rigid Christmas rules to be followed, in my book)

5. Do you like eggnog?  Most definitely. But I like mulled wine much better.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?   When I was young, it turns out we didn't have any money.  Not that I knew that because when you're a kid, do you really get that sort of thing?  We had food on the table.  We had a warm house.  We had a car and three cats and I got toys.  Plus, everyone around me was living the same country existence we did.  So I had no idea. 

Anyhow, I absolutely loved Barbies (what girl didn't in the early 80s?).  So, the Christmas morning I woke up to the Barbie mansion all set up in front of the Christmas tree is the best, most vivid gift memory I have.  I played with that thing for YEARS.  I didn't know until I was in my 20s that my mother had searched yard sales for months prior and finally found one.  That thing was ridiculously expensive and a yard sale was the only way we could have afforded it.  I absolutely loved that Barbie house. 

7. Hardest person to buy for? Paul, hands down. 

8. Easiest person to buy for? Me.  Um... yarn?

9. Do you have a nativity scene?  I do not.  Sometimes I want one but mostly, they look silly to me.  Nothing really compares to the story in my head of how that whole manger scene played out.   It's almost like seeing the movie version of your favorite book.  I don't want to ruin it. 

Plus, did you see The Office last week?  Phyllis completely annihilating Angela's nativity was hilarious.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mailed.  Which is on my list of things to do today.  Emailed Christmas cards are like getting a fruitcake from someone.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?  A denim purse with a bottle of Vaseline Intensive Care lotion in it.  Yep.  I got that for Christmas. 

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It's not a Christmas movie, but I always watched The Sound of Music at my Grandmother Ward's house every year.  I also love A Christmas Story (Oh, fudddddddddggggggggeeeee....), A Christmas Carol (the one with George C. Scott), It's A Wonderful Life, Charlie Brown Christmas, White Christmas...    Also Little Women.  The one with Katherine Hepburn.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I SHOULD start shopping much earlier than I do.  I usually don't start until after Thanksgiving.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Don't think so.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? There's not one thing.  Just many, many things. Oysters and oyster stew, a good Christmas ham (I'm really southern, aren't I?), cookies (sugar with icing, thumbprint with jam, cranberry oatmeal...), I miss my Aunt Betty's fudge, now that she is gone.  I make Chex mix ONLY at Christmas (mainly because the butter content would clog my arteries if I ate it year round).  I'm sure there are many, many more if I thought about it any longer.

16. Lights on the tree? White.  And lots of them.

17. Favorite Christmas song?  The former musician and singer cannot decide on one song!!!  So, I love Handel's Messiah and Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britton.  My favorite Christmas standard is The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole.  My favorite church song is O Holy Night.  And In The Bleak Midwinter.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?  I'll be traveling.  But I look forward to Christmas at my house some day.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Um, YES.

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?  Eve is for rookies!

21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?  People who become so overwhelmed with finding the perfect toy or the best deal on a television that they are willing to hurt another person to get it.   And people willing to get into fist fights over parking spaces.

22. Favorite ornament theme or color?  My tree is done in white lights,  gold ornaments and red and gold plaid bows.  Plus, some special ornaments.  One is a small tractor.  It's for my grandfather, who died on December 23, 1998.

23. What do you want for Christmas this year?  There is nothing I need.  I'm quite content.   I have a steady job that I love and family and friends I adore.  In that Tiny Tim way, for Christmas I want a world where 300,000 people don't lose their jobs a month before Christmas and welfare rolls don't rise for the first time in 10 years.  A world where Lashkar-e-Taiba  isn't a new phrase we have to learn and where The North Pole hasn't lost 2 trillion tons of ice due to global warming.

24. Angel on the tree top or a star?  I have a star, but it doesn't fit on my tree this year.  My tree is topless.

25. Favorite Christmas dinner?   At my dad's, it's file mignon and lobster tails.  At my mom's, it's a huge ham and lots of pie.  Both are equally awesome.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?  I'm not the greatest wrapper - my edges look funny and bunchy and sometimes the patterns don't line up perfectly.  But I do love pretty Christmas wrapping paper.  I have a stash of it.  I'm very picky about it - I don't like anything with cartoony Christmas characters.  And it can't be in any non-Christmas colors.  Which to me means it should be red, green, gold, silver or bronze.  Or white.  The one year I did gift bags I decorated plain brown paper bags with metallic markers and raffia.  I'm a little Martha that way...

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real, damnit. It must be real. 

3. When do you put up the tree? The weekend after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down?  12 days after Christmas, just like I'm supposed to!  Yes, my tree is a tinderbox waiting to happen, but that's not the point!! (do you hear the shrill undertones in my typing?  there are very rigid Christmas rules to be followed, in my book)

5. Do you like eggnog?  Most definitely. But I like mulled wine much better.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?   When I was young, it turns out we didn't have any money.  Not that I knew that because when you're a kid, do you really get that sort of thing?  We had food on the table.  We had a warm house.  We had a car and three cats and I got toys.  Plus, everyone around me was living the same country existence we did.  So I had no idea. 

Anyhow, I absolutely loved Barbies (what girl didn't in the early 80s?).  So, the Christmas morning I woke up to the Barbie mansion all set up in front of the Christmas tree is the best, most vivid gift memory I have.  I played with that thing for YEARS.  I didn't know until I was in my 20s that my mother had searched yard sales for months prior and finally found one.  That thing was ridiculously expensive and a yard sale was the only way we could have afforded it.  I absolutely loved that Barbie house. 

7. Hardest person to buy for? Paul, hands down. 

8. Easiest person to buy for? Me.  Um... yarn?

9. Do you have a nativity scene?  I do not.  Sometimes I want one but mostly, they look silly to me.  Nothing really compares to the story in my head of how that whole manger scene played out.   It's almost like seeing the movie version of your favorite book.  I don't want to ruin it. 

Plus, did you see The Office last week?  Phyllis completely annihilating Angela's nativity was hilarious.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mailed.  Which is on my list of things to do today.  Emailed Christmas cards are like getting a fruitcake from someone.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?  A denim purse with a bottle of Vaseline Intensive Care lotion in it.  Yep.  I got that for Christmas. 

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It's not a Christmas movie, but I always watched The Sound of Music at my Grandmother Ward's house every year.  I also love A Christmas Story (Oh, fudddddddddggggggggeeeee....), A Christmas Carol (the one with George C. Scott), It's A Wonderful Life, Charlie Brown Christmas, White Christmas...    Also Little Women.  The one with Katherine Hepburn.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I SHOULD start shopping much earlier than I do.  I usually don't start until after Thanksgiving.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Don't think so.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? There's not one thing.  Just many, many things. Oysters and oyster stew, a good Christmas ham (I'm really southern, aren't I?), cookies (sugar with icing, thumbprint with jam, cranberry oatmeal...), I miss my Aunt Betty's fudge, now that she is gone.  I make Chex mix ONLY at Christmas (mainly because the butter content would clog my arteries if I ate it year round).  I'm sure there are many, many more if I thought about it any longer.

16. Lights on the tree? White.  And lots of them.

17. Favorite Christmas song?  The former musician and singer cannot decide on one song!!!  So, I love Handel's Messiah and Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britton.  My favorite Christmas standard is The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole.  My favorite church song is O Holy Night.  And In The Bleak Midwinter.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?  I'll be traveling.  But I look forward to Christmas at my house some day.

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Um, YES.

20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?  Eve is for rookies!

21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?  People who become so overwhelmed with finding the perfect toy or the best deal on a television that they are willing to hurt another person to get it.   And people willing to get into fist fights over parking spaces.

22. Favorite ornament theme or color?  My tree is done in white lights,  gold ornaments and red and gold plaid bows.  Plus, some special ornaments.  One is a small tractor.  It's for my grandfather, who died on December 23, 1998.

23. What do you want for Christmas this year?  There is nothing I need.  I'm quite content.   I have a steady job that I love and family and friends I adore.  In that Tiny Tim way, for Christmas I want a world where 300,000 people don't lose their jobs a month before Christmas and welfare rolls don't rise for the first time in 10 years.  A world where Lashkar-e-Taiba  isn't a new phrase we have to learn and where The North Pole hasn't lost 2 trillion tons of ice due to global warming.

24. Angel on the tree top or a star?  I have a star, but it doesn't fit on my tree this year.  My tree is topless.

25. Favorite Christmas dinner?   At my dad's, it's file mignon and lobster tails.  At my mom's, it's a huge ham and lots of pie.  Both are equally awesome.

Etsy, you enticing harlot...

I couldn't resist.  Two days after vowing to not buy yarn for awhile, I caved.  But, you would have, too... I *promise.* 

How could I resist when I stumbled upon Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm, with their humanely raised, organicly fed CORMO SHEEP.  Again, I say... CORMO SHEEP. Apparently, if I'd been really cool and in-the-know (read: at Rhinebeck this year),  I would have found them in time to join the Yarn CSA for spring. 

To make it incredibly easy for me to fall off the wagon, they have an Etsy shop, where you can buy yarns, quilt batts, photographs and other cute stuff.  I splurged on two skeins of sportweight Cormo and a sweet photograph of Truman, the cormo ram lamb.  

Etsy, you are my nemesis!

Mojo acquired... or at least located

Radio silence here lately.  Sorry about that. Knitting has continued, but blogging has fallen by the wayside.  I've been working a LOT.  For several reasons - one is that I'm trying to get out of debt and nurses make BANK for overtime.  The other is that I'm really loving my work.  I feel a fierce loyalty to my unit in the hospital.  And we've been going through a tough time - our head nurse (read: boss) moved on to another position in the hospital and we've been floating around without an anchor.  But MY nursing mentor has accepted the job and he'll be starting next week.  I'm really excited to have him as my boss.  And I'm looking forward to the changes he'll bring to our group.  So, that's that.  Sorry for the non-knitting discussion, but a lot of my focus has been there over the past several weeks. 

When I have the chance, I AM knitting a lot.  I've got two projects right now that are swiftly growing on the needles -  Demi and Stricken. 

Demi, as nearly everyone knows, is the Kim Hargreaves cable jumper from Rowan Vintage Knits.  I was moving along really well, with both sleeves and the back complete.  Then, for some reason, I had trouble with the cables on the front.  (ahem - it should be noted that the sweater has nearly identical fronts and backs.  This is not new ground being forged. I'm not sure why I'm such an idiot about it.)  So, I put it down in a huff and picked up a new  project to get my brain back in focus.  But, before we get to that, here's the progress on Demi:

In my effort to surpass this knitting funk, I did not pick up a simple stocking stitch project.  Instead, I turned to Cookie A.   My love of Cookie is well-documented (and no, I'm not providing the link to my post about my drunken profession of love for her patterns).  And my Monkey socks are beloved (thanks, Fidget Ann!!) so I thought I'd give another pattern a shot.  When the patterns came in at Knit Happens, I might have purchased a few (cough *five* cough).  And after hearing me wax sentimental about never having knit with Sundara's yarn, Michelle graciously gifted me with a skein from her stash.  From that, my Stricken socks have been born... well, make that 1/2 Stricken sock thusfar.

 

The pattern is SO well-written.  And it keeps my interest.  And the Sundara yarn is so very, very lovely.  The colorway is Lenten Rose.  I think Michelle said it was from the Sock Club.  I can't wait until they're finished.  I figure I'll finish this sock, then work a bit on Demi, then finish the second sock.  That should keep it interesting, right?

Also, I've decided I own a LOT of yarn.  And I love all of it.  So, instead of acquiring NEW yarn, I'm going to knit with some of this for awhile.  This does not, however, prohibit the purchasing of patterns and books.  My Kim Hargreaves book is on its way across the pond and I have a few small projects lined up from other patterns I've gotten. 

During one of my MANY time-sucking trolls of Ravelry, I came across this adorable tea cozy pattern - the "I'm a Little Tea Pot" Cozy.  It is a fair-isle pattern that spells out the words of the song on the cozy.  AND, you steek the handle and spot holes, sometime I've not done before.  So, all in all, a good project to tackle.  Since I own all the Harrisville Shetland in the world, I won't have trouble finding two skeins for the cozy.  Here's the pattern:

And finally, though I've not yet received the book, I have a very good idea of which Kim Hargreaves pattern I'll start.  Ginny - a cardigan in Felted Tweed.  I have 10 skeins in Treacle.  I think that'll work nicely.  Prudence runs a close second - and I have more than enough Bamboo Soft for that.  There's also Whisper, for which I have enough Kid Classic.  My goodness, the decisions...

See what I meant about owning all the yarn? 

You will be mine...

I can't count the number of patterns in this book that I want to knit . Like... NOW.

And, since I'm a bit of a Rowan freak, I own enough of the yarns to knit nearly all of them.

**** Update: Ordered 8 minutes later. ****

Secret Pal Revealed!

My Secret Pal has revealed herself - Angela is the greatest!  What a great pal I've had.  Look at my gift:

She's outdone herself.  TWO Alice Starmore books - The Celtic Collection and Fishermen's Sweaters.  A wacky grilling cookbook (which she clearly knows I collect), addi turbo lace needles size 6, a LOVELY fiber trends pattern for lace scarves, two pair of fantastic little nurse socks, a skein of Araucania Ranco in beautiful greens and browns, a wonderfully cute collection of note cards with sweet kittens on them and a collection of candles in my favorite smells.  Oh, and when I picked up one of the books, another pattern fell out - a Vermont Fiber Designs pattern for a fir cone lace shell top.  

(And I completely forgot - a bag of snack-sized Reese's Cups.  I can't photograph the bag itself so I photographed a sample.  Ahem, I've eaten a few.)

Boy, am I lucky.  Thank you so much, Angela.  You've outdone yourself.  I, on the other hand, have been less than giving to my pal.  I need to get together a big gift box of things for her as well.  I sent a nice box near the beginning of the "give" but have been negligent in spoiling her.  I need to make up for that this week...

I've also been a negligent knitter AND blogger in the past month.  I spent the month of September working my bum off - both at the hospital and the yarn store.  I do have extra dollars to show for it, but most have already been allocated (Dave Ramsey style) to various savings accounts and debts to be paid. 

Speaking of Dave Ramsey - I did purchase a great organizer a few weeks back that I've been using to separate out my money and my coupons for shopping.  I bought it on Etsy from a woman who also digs Dave.   Here it is:

It's so cute - and it makes it less embarrassing to pull out your enveloped dollars for "groceries" or "yarn." I'm liking it.  If you do too, buy one for yourself!  The woman sells under the name BabyBeJeweled and her organizers are custom-made based on fabrics she offers.  Love it.   It was a great $20 spent to organize and assist me in budgeting my money, which is something I'm really focused on right now.

And on the knitting front, I've been focused solely on Demi.  I'm using the Cormo I purchased last year at Rhinebeck.  It's such a lovely yarn.  So soft.  Such a yummy sheepy natural color.  I can't wait to wear it.  I'm plodding along - I've had stretches of time where I haven't been able to knit at all - but I'm enjoying every stitch.  I think I'll finish the second sleeve today.

So, now that I've updated the internets, off to knitting. 

Moving along...

I'm continuing to work on the Fir Cone shawl.  Boy, is she lovely.  I'm really enjoying watching those little fir cones come to life.  And this is the first time I've been able to go real live lace with real live teeny yarn!  Any "lace work" I've done in the past has been with DK or worsted weight yarn, so it didn't really seem like lace.  This is fingering - not as teeny as you can get, but teeny for me.  I'm almost done with the ninth of 12 repeats on the inner lace panel. Then you have to pick up stitches around the entire edge and knit the rest in the round.  I'm preparing myself for very, very long rows in my future... In the meantime, here's how it looks:

So much fun... 

I'm still on the fence about Eunny Jang's Autumn Rose vs. Venezia.  If you'll remember, I swatched for Autumn Rose....

... and I love how it looks.  The pattern reminds me of a rose window (which I'm sure is no coincidence) and I adore rose windows (aside - during a time in college, at age 19, of "what do I want to do with my life that's completely different from anyone else," I actually thought of majoring in art history to focus on... rose windows).  I started a swatch for Venezia in the same colors but the chart is making me absolutely insane.  Because it has so many colors, even if you copy it in black and white, it's hard to differentiate between the background and the design.  I love that boat neck, though... maybe I could incorporate that into AR? 

Hmmm... well, at least I have enough time to think about it.  Plus, there's always Faroe, which I have a soft spot for.  And it would continue the tradition of my Autumn Alice sweater... (see 2007 version below)

Anyone want to buy some yarn?

I've got yarn for sale on eBay - my stash is just too ridiculous.  If anyone is interested, let me know and we can talk prices.  I'm selling it all for WAY less than it's worth.  

I have:

Debbie Bliss Superchunky in color 23 (robin's egg blue) - 16 skeins

Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed Chunky in color 23 (fuschia) - 17 skeins

Debbie Bliss Silk Alpaca in color 05 (dark teal) - 12 skeins

Noro Transitions in color 13 - 9 skeins

Rowan Handknit DK Cotton in color 277 (turkish plum) - 9 skeins

Send me a note if you're interested. 

SP slacking and new knitting...

I'm such a slacker.  My Secret Pal is fantastic.  She sends me emails - I haven't even responded! (I'm really sorry, SP.  I've had my mind on a gazillion things lately and am a big fat dork.) Also, my poor pal, who I'm supposed to be showering with affection and gifts, has gotten one package, a few comments on her blog and Bob's your uncle.  

I've been exceptionally tardy with  answering my weekly questions, so here's a recap of what I've missed thusfar:

Where is your favorite place to go for vacation/holiday?

I love trips to my family's home in Charleston, SC.  I love the town and being at my family's house is really comforting.  I don't really have a favorite place of vacation spots because I've been to several places once.  I love national parks - last year's trip to Olympic National Park was pretty fantastic.

Where is one place you’d like to go?  

I really want to visit Scotland, particularly the Highlands.  I want to see the lochs and bag a few Munros.  

What is your favorite type of project to take along on holiday/vacation?

It really depends.  When I visit my family, I just take whatever I'm working on.  For trips like the one to Olympic, I took socks and St. Brigid.  Yep... I took her.  But, I only worked on her on the plane rides (6 hours each way - that's a lot of cabling).  

What is(are) your favorite place(s) to knit? 

At home, I have a favorite spot on my couch in my living room. I've also started carving out a little time in my rocking chair by my computer, listening to podcasts.  Particularly Dave Ramsey.

I also spend several hours a week knitting at Knit Happens, where I work part-time.

What supplies (besides yarn & needles) make the setting perfect for knitting?

Alcohol and my girlfriends. :)

OK... onto current knitting.  Last Saturday, after finishing the Lady Sweater, I decided to pick up a languishing FO, after seeing Elspeth's in progress.  I started the Fir Cone Square Shawl from Folk Shawls.  I'd gotten kind of annoyed with it before - I was having trouble with the lace.  Yeah, I don't know why because now, I'm sailing along pretty swiftly.  

I don't think I'll use it as a shawl - it's going to be pretty substantial.  But I think it will make a beautiful throw.  I'm working in the Harrisville Shetland in Natural.  I love Harrisville's yarns.  They're economical, they come in a zillion colors, and they have a great spin on their yarn.  It's a lovely, sturdy wool.  

It's getting to be the time of year when I want to start my fall/winter knitting.  I think it was roughly this time last year I embarked upon St. Brigid.  So, after the Fir Cone, what's next?  I'm still trying to decide.  I chose two colors of Harrisville for a fair isle - I'm trying to decide between Eunny Jang's Autumn Rose and Venezia.  I've swatched Autumn Rose.  I tried with Venezia but have had some trouble translating her chart into two colors - it kind of makes my eyes bleed.  We'll see.  In the meantime, here's my swatch, washed and blocked:

And now, I need to get back to knitting.  And cooking.  And cleaning.  Oy...

Virus conquered...

The February Lady Sweater virus, that is.  As many have pointed out, the response to that pattern has been nothing LESS than viral.  See index case here.  Kel did a fantastic job of describing the "knitdemic" she saw sweeping the knitting world.  WIthin a month of the publication of the adult-sized pattern, it had made its way into the queues of more than FOUR THOUSAND Ravelers.  That's a lot of lady sweaters, I tell ya.  

I'm not normally one to jump on the bandwagon of such things.  I'm actually more apt to NOT make something that everyone else is making, even if I like it (re: Wicked, Green Gable).  Sure, I've fallen prey in the past - I do have a completed Rusted Root (is anyone sensing a theme in these?).  Even a Klaralund (going old school, pre-Ravelry mania on that one!).   

But what am I working on now?  The Fir Cone Square Shawl from Folk Shawls.  Not a common knit (besides the one being knit by this lady - The Wry Punster - who also knits to the beat of her own drummer)*.   A mere 53 projects on Ravelry.  Eunny made one.  She rocks.

This is not to say there is anything wrong with knitting things that lots of other people are doing.  They find all the mistakes in the pattern.  They can tell you "this looks great with your chest" or "there's not enough shoulder in the world to be knit that would make that look good on you."  They can say "you'll never get gauge" or "you need 200 yards more than they call for." Also, people knit things because they're pretty.  Because the pattern IS well-written, it is complimentary to many body types, the gauge is spot-on for everyone... the yarn is PERFECT.  So, if you're knitting something a bunch of people have made, or want to make, you can rest assured that it's likely really lovely and something you'll wear frequently.  Which leads me to this:

Isn't she lovely?  Yeah, she is.  That's Fibre Company Organik, by the way, in colorway Atoll.  So perfect.  And the buttons? Yes, they're mismatched.  I kind of liked the whimsy of it.  Suggested by Kel.  The buttons were in some samples sent to Knit Happens.  

Will the weather please drop 50 degrees so I can try this on outside?  And take pictures?  How is it that Elspeth looks so cool and refreshed in these photos?  

*It should be noted that, upon clicking over the The Wry Punster's blog, you'll see a completed FLS as well.  No one is safe from this thing.   It's in the air, the water, the very core of the universe.  It will get you, too...