Isn't April Fools Day next week?

So I realize it's chilly outside. But I also realize that technically, it's spring and it's also the end of March. So imagine my surprise at the ability to take a picture like this:
This is the view from my office window about an hour ago. Yes, that would be snow on the ground, and yes, that would be snow you see falling. It's almost April for goodness sake. Riley did get the opportunity to find out what hail feels like on our walk on Wednesday. He didn't enjoy it. He did, however, enjoy snuffling about in the slush on the back deck instead of going to do his business. He liked chasing snowballs when it snowed earlier this year...in January, when it's bloody supposed to snow. Itty bitty flakes are coming down now, and it never stuck to the roads. I'm going to go join the dog in front of the fireplace and drink my hot cocoa and peppermint schnapps...maybe put on some Goonies for old times sake (my father, random question man, asked me if I knew who Chester Copperpot was without looking it up online. Please. Amateur. Took about 2 seconds to answer. I wanted to be a Goonie. I am a child of the 80's).

I know...I'm a slacker

I finished the Bellatrix sockies. I took Monday night and sat and knit and listened to an audiobook. It was a lovely evening with the dog and a fire. They turned out well. I like the pattern. I used size 0 on the foot, and I wish I had used it on the rest of the sock too. I cast on 6 fewer stitches than the pattern called for which helped, but it was still a little loose. Maybe knitting on US 1 but taking out an entire repeat. But I love the colorway and in fact, ordered more of it today. I heart blue moon.The progress on the feral gloves. I'm only knitting on them on feral mondays, which I missed last week. This coming Monday there will be more progress.

And the Tapestry vest. The back is done, I'm planning on starting the front tonight. It's pretty soft, but fairly fluffy. It keeps getting caught on itself. It is striping fantastically though.
and yes, that's Riley's nose on the left. He's so curious.

OOH, got the March Rockin Sock Club shipment...it's gorgeous. I wanted to knit it right away. But I'm being good. For awhile anyhow :-)

I haven't forgotten...

I meant to post over the weekend, but the weekend got away from me. It was rather harried, and while it was greatly productive, I didn't get any pictures of anything, so that will have to wait. I also went on a business trip to So. Cal. Monday and Tuesday and was expected to work (honestly). We did get to the beach and 70 degree weather after a day of meetings on tuesday. Margaritas just taste better by the beach...why is that?

In productivity news, the business trip allowed me to finish the legs of the Bellatrix sockies, and most of the back of the Tapestry vest. I'm hoping to finish the instructions for the back on the train ride home this afternoon. I met up with Jen on saturday, as we needed to buy yarn for our now canceled Bohus class, and so went to the Weaving Works, where I bought 2 skeins of baby bootie yarn (no, i don't recall what type, but i'm betting it's debbie bliss cashmerino) in yummy kerry green and denim blue. I also, and i'm rather excited about this, bought a CONE of 100% tencel (~3600 yds) that i'm going to make into this shawl from the knew knitty (yes, i know i'm punny). It's a gorgeous azure blue color that I kept picking up and putting down. Pictures to come, I promise.

In non-knitting productive news, I finally finished the kitchen cabinets. When I bought the house, the kitchen cabinets were normal, but POs (previous owners) had put in slidey balsa wood ugly things above them for storage, which I promptly ripped out and left the hidden area exposed and in need of paint and spackle. I'm proud to say i finally got to it. The entire kitchen ceiling got 2 coats of paint and now matches the living room and dining room ceilings and is much brighter. and the counters are clear of the empty wine bottles that are no on top of the cabinets. The kitchen looks larger. I wasn't going to allow myself to start a new house project (painting the bathroom) until the two I had started about a year ago were complete (kitchen and guest room). Both are done now, so the bathroom is gonna get it. It'll be turned bright apple green sometime in the near future.

I'll post progress pictures hopefully tomorrow, no guarantees though...I'm off to Lynden for a baby shower and to deliver the BB surprise jacket. Definitely saturday.

I also want to wish everyone a happy sweater day, in honor of the late Mr. Rogers...man knew how to wear a cardigan.

You may have noticed...

A project has dropped off the list. That's right, I finished the purple socks.I'm rather please with them. I like the look of the stockinette short-row heel (as opposed to the garter stitch i usually do). They need a hot vinegar bath. But they fit rather well and are snuggly warm.

I've started the Bellatrix socks...again. The first attempt had me casting on 60st. and the pattern is a little loose and it felt too big, so it got frogged and restarted with 6 less st. The pattern repeat is 10 st so I just took a st. away. Fits much better now. Although I'm not that far on it. I will probably try a different toe than the one the pattern calls for (which is a normal toe, nothing special, with kitchener at the end...we doesn't like kitchener, although we've gotten much better at it). It has become my traveling sock.

On Wednesday I went to the nearby starbucks where a bunch of tacoma ladies meet to knit. Had a grand time. Planning on making that a regular thing for me. Hurray, a local knitting group i feel i fit in. There was a wide range of skill levels, from scarves to fair isle sweaters, so I think it'll be a good fit for me. They're also planning on having a booth in the Proctor Art Fest walk in August.

In non-knitting news, I finally finished my lightbox. I did a sketch on it, and there are some changes I would make, like having more lights or having the two lights at the bottom and the single at the top, but overall, I'm quite pleased.

How I felt...

getting out of bed this morning:

Blocking Wires Rock

Friday came along at the end of what seemed a very long week. I had completely forgotten the DHL man would be coming by with package from Joanns containing my blocking wire kit. I was excited. It came in a long square box, that when stood on end scared the dog (he's skiddish around things that can fall over, like the vacuum, or a box with a golf club in it).
Inside the big box was a skinny tube, which sounded like one of those rain sticks. Riley was less frightened of that.
And inside were blocking wires, a yard stick, and t-pins. It's a beautiful thing.
I finished the work day and then soaked my Backyard Leaves scarf and then blocked it.
I have to say, I love blocking wires. They made life so much easier for blocking. No scalloped edges, no need to use a bajillion pins. Awesome. I think i'm in love. And the finished result, as modeled by a less than thrilled Riley:
I am pleased as punch. Yesterday morning, while the boys (BF and his brother) slept off a night of Halo debauchery, I finished both the scarf and the baby surprise jacket, getting the buttons sewn on last night. I only used 3 buttons, and just sewed up the other two holes. I think it's super cute. Haven't started anything else. I'm still struggling the heel on the purple socks. I finished one heel, but I'm always paranoid about the ankle being too tight, so I'll knit on that one for awhile before starting the other heel. I'm also planning on picking up some Tapestry tonight on the way to my folks for dinner so I can swatch some more for the vest. And there's still Bellatrix I wanted to start. And the BF brought home a new video game...and there's a kitchen project I'm in the middle of and...and...I need to win the lotto so I don't have to work anymore.

BSJ

The BSJ (baby surprise jacket) is mostly finished. All that is left to do is buy/sew on buttons and sew up the shoulder seams. I was rather surprised at how quickly it went. I think it helped that I had no idea where I was in the project. Anywho, pictures, before magic and after.



I really like it. I think it will be my de facto baby present. Super cute. I will post another picture when it's 100% complete.

I'm going to work on the Bellatrix socks instead of picking a new sweater project to work on. I swatched the Tapestry, and found it way off from what the pattern recommended...and then i decided not to knit the Cherie Amour sweater out of the Wool of the Andes as the weight wasn't bulky enough and I'm not letting myself buy more yarn. So I began hunting for a project to use the Manos Cotton Stria on...and haven't found anything that blows my mind. So i'm procrastinating. I did organize the stash...labeled boxes and everything. Super dorky. It is no longer exploding into the room and trying to run away. Silly yarn. Doesn't it know the dog likes it too?

Weekend Update

without Tina Fey.

I recovered from Saturday's insanity by finishing off the Backyard Leaves project. And by finished I mean completed knitting. It still needs to be blocked and sewn together. For which I am patiently (no really) awaiting my blocking kit from Joanns. Blocking is not my favorite thing in the world, although I did start to like the project again. And I have oodles of yarn left over. I will keep you in suspense and post before and after pictures together, so you can see the difference...actually it's just to torture you.

I've started the Baby Surprise jacket for my friend's bun. The pattern is not very detailed...apparently Ms. Zimmerman wants you as a knitter to think or something. My friend is due in April with a shower at the end of March, so I needs to get a-knitting. Rumor has it it knits up rather quick. This is what I have so far:



Not too far, but it's forward progress.

The travelling socks:



have apparently been traveling a lot. I'm almost ready to do the heel. I also swatched for a vest made of Tapestry (pattern actually out of the tapestry book). The yarn says it gets 22 st over 4 inches on US 6 needles...and it's a filthy liar. Since I only have a small amount of the yarn, I'm going to buy another ball in a different color (my favorite) and swatch from that. This will also tell me if I'd ever wear something out of that colorway. I've seen pictures, I wasn't impressed. So I don't know what my next big project will be. I have the yarn for this (cherie amour from knitty.com) so I might start that...or a pair of socks that I at least initially need the pattern for. So many options.

Insanity

What do you get when you have a shop fire, a 50% discount, and a large mailing list?

Insanity.

I wish I had remembered to take my camera, as it was absolutely insane. Hilltop Yarn in Seattle had an electrical fire that closed the shop. Due to insurance, they couldn't sell for profit any of the "damaged" yarns, or anything else in the shop. So they decided to have a 50% off EVERYTHING IN THE STORE fire sale. Somehow, they didn't realize the turnout would be as great as it was. They had 2 cash registers. I'm sure fire codes were broken. It was a madhouse. J and I showed up at 10 and there was already a line. It ended up stretching down most of the block to the corner before the store opened. People actually brought their children. It was difficult to move let alone once in the store and find a particular type of yarn. The only yarn I ended up getting I had picked up while waiting to checkout. I did stock up on needles and a couple books (including Cat Bordhi's "New Pathways for Sock Knitters").
I was hoping they'd have more bags, as I have had my eye on one of Amy Butler's Sweet Life bags, but no luck. I'll hold out for an Offhand Designs bag instead.