She Knits By The Seashore

A Fine Romance

Starlight, starbright, first star I see tonight..." -- Nursery Rhyme, or "Lucky Star" by Madonna.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the Rowan Romance yarn I couldn't live without, in the Starlight color. The yarn is more gray in the photo than in person, but at least you can see the glinty sparkles. I'm thinking Stolen Moments Wrap by Amy M. Swenson if I can get gauge.

 

The afghan in the background was crocheted by my mom, for our wedding. It is one of the few blankets the cats are not allowed to sleep on, which intensely annoys them.

 

Robin tagged me for a meme.

The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

1) What was I doing 10 years ago?

Ten years ago next month, I started my current job. I also celebrated my third anniversary with Chris, and we began to plan for buying our first house.

2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today (not in any particular order):

To get party supplies for my grandmother's birthday this weekend, find a frame for a new print for our kitchen wall, reply to some emails, finish the laundry, and get this post up.

3) Snacks I enjoy:

Officially: potato chips, which I don't buy from the grocery store because I can't ration them sensibly. Unofficially: the wee little Dunkin Donuts habit I've developed on the way to Chris' bike races. And sometimes on the way to knit night. I don't know if tea is a snack, but I drink pots of it.

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire: Build my dream house, not large, but by the ocean. Build my parents a new house, put money aside for my dad's chemotherapy treatments, take care of my grandmother. Give up the day job and have more time to volunteer at the cat shelter, maybe even fund a building for a cat shelter in a place that needs one. Give money to other causes as needed, especially those sponsoring research for things like cancer, human and feline. Travel to all the different places I want to see, like Australia, Italy, islands, with my dear husband. Take art lessons, learn Italian, ride my bike regularly. Hire a training coach for Chris for racing. Hire a landscape designer and have them help me design the garden of my dreams, to go with the house. It will have a heated pool. Sponsor one pro bike team for men and women each. I better stop now...

5) Places I have lived: I've lived in the same state all my life, but four different towns. 

6) Who I'm tagging: Anyone who wants to join, since many people have already been tagged!

I hope you all had a good weekend, and, unofficially, for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere: WELCOME SUMMER!!

Birthday Mail

Some birthday treats from last week that I wanted to share with you:

Jennifer sent me some beautiful yarn, including her own sea blue handspun that I'd admired in one of her posts. I am so honored -- I've never worked with handspun yarn before. If I had spun yarn, I don't know that I'd be able to give it away.

My friend H in Australia treated me to some 1920s mystery novels, recommended to me a long time ago by Erika. She also sent a copy of Yarnstorm's "The Gentle Art of Domesticity," which is only available to US readers through the UK's Book Depository. I've started to read it a few pages at a time -- the photos are lovely and so inspirational. And Chris treated me to the genealogy book in the middle.

While not birthday mail, it arrived during birthday week -- my special swap spa package from Keri. The sheep slippers are absolutely adorable. Keri created a "pedicure" package of spa items for feet, and included tea, cookies, and the softest yarn I've held in a while, a lace weight Malabrigo. I've never knit with this yarn before, so I'll need to find a special project for it.

I feel so indulged. Thank you so much everyone. It really cheers me up and provides much-needed inspiration. A recent project I was working on did not turn out as I'd hoped, and I'm not feeling that   "invincible summer" from my previous post right now. But we are on the verge of spring (at least in the northern hemisphere), and daylight savings time starts this weekend, when all things are made new.

Sweet Notes

Our mailperson has delivered some fun things to the Seashore this week.

Because I didn't have enough pink yarn, or any pink ribbon yarn, I had to have this:

It's Yvonne's fault. She knew how to speak to my weaknesses: "This ribbon yarn is named Rosebud. When I created it I thought of the sweet rosebuds of spring and summer. It varies from deep pinks to subtle soft pinks. The yarn has a beautiful luster to it that shines in light and sunshine."

Rosebud. Summer. Sunshine. Yes, I will click and add to cart right this minute!!!

The yarn comes with a free pattern for a headband. I love headbands, but some of the fabric ones I've gotten at the store keep creeping to the back of my head. Does that happen to you? It will be nice to have one that is made to fit. If you would like to see more of Yvonne's yarn (I want her kit for the pretty ribbon swimsuit bag next), you can click here.

For a Project Spectrum contest, Heather at What's Cluttering My Couch made these CDs. I am one of the lucky recipients:

All of the songs have a word or theme relating to the PS colors. It is such a cool idea. Thank, you, Heather!!

About a month ago, the Domesticat blog posted a note about a Knitterly Penpal Swap that I couldn't resist. I used to have lots of penpals in high school, and loved writing & receiving letters, but then email took over. I missed seeing pretty envelopes in the mailbox. Now I have met two new knitting friends, Shannon and Amy (Amy is a brand new blogger!). It is really fun getting to know them, and the cats who love them, through their letters. I do read their blogs too. :)

The mystery gift is about 3/4 knitted. It is so hard not to talk about it here! I'll try to make progress on the Helen's Lace shawl too, so that I can at least post photos of that. And I still have to wind that pink and green yarn for the other project. Good thing I have a lot of episodes of Rosemary & Thyme left to watch!

Our basement is close to dry now. We were fortunate not to have more damage; some local towns were under water and families lost a lot of furniture and personal belongings. What a tough beginning to spring! As I was racing around in the car doing errands at lunch time today, I had stopped for a red light, and heard the most beautiful little bird song. Despite the cold, gray, non-springlike day, and the destruction that the rain had wrought, this sweet bird was singing his heart out, and I could have sat and listened to him all afternoon. He reminded me that there is always a bit of beauty to enjoy if I just stop long enough to look and listen for it! I hope the birds in your neighborhood are singing to you too.

A Yarn Valentine

Look what came in the mail:

The perfect knitter's Valentine! It's a postcard from Bella Yarns advertising their sale for knitters in the Ocean State.  If you visit, please let me know what treasures you find there.

A Valentine package also came in the mail, from my dear friend H in Australia:

The summer issue of Yarn magazine, and...

Creative Knitting [site has not been updated recently]. There are some really nice patterns in both issues, a knitted choker made from Noro Daria and some lace shawls in Yarn, and a tie-front cardigan pattern and unique sock pattterns in Creative Knitting.  I have not seen these magazines for sale in my local stores, but if you would like a copy, you can order them through Ozeyarns. Creative Knitting reminds me of the U.K. magazine Simply Knitting, but I'm not sure what is comparable to Yarn magazine. Meg, Donna, 2paw, and Sharon, what do you think? Another Australian knitting resource I enjoy is David Reidy, who does his Sticks and String podcast. He has two cats, Tigger and Tiger, and a very soothing voice, perfect to listen to while navigating tricky patterns.

Last eye candy, for the Cycling Knitters group: Bicycling Australia.

A Happy Valentine's Day to everyone, whether the objects of your affections walk on two legs or four (more than that, and I'm not sure I want to know).

Yarn Mail -- Pink Mohair!

When I arrived home from vacation, look at what I found waiting for me! Pink Mohair (two of the loveliest words in the English knitting language), and sweet sheep buttons. Kristen had a birthday contest last month, and she treated each of her recipients to something special. Her package made my returning home much nicer (thank you again, Kristen!), and the best part is that she included a pattern for mohair mittens.

I'm one of those knitters that starts with a pattern first, and then will choose yarn for that pattern. Oftentimes, I'll see yarn I like in a knitting shop, but have no idea what to make with it. If I can't find a pattern in the shop to use, and I'm not sure how much yarn I might need, I'll leave the yarn. Does this happen to you too? It happens to me most often with the hand-dyed sock yarns -- I'll fall in love with the colors, but you can only knit so many scarves! Anyway, I have passed up a good amount of mohair for this reason.  I had never thought about mohair mittens until I saw this pattern, but now, I'm completely captivated by the idea. They seem so luxurious (if a little hot at the moment), maybe a sort of 1960s Audrey Hepburnish accessory? If I can't move to a tropical paradise just yet, they will definitely make the w-word more cheery. Now, to hurry and finish my summer knitting!!

Even More Pink!

My new Knitkit arrived in the mail on Monday (click to enlarge photos):

I ordered this from a wonderful seller, Aurora_ann, on ebay. She sews knitting totebags as well as needlecases in all kinds of great fabrics. I love the retro cat print on a blue kit that she has up for sale, and asked if she had one in pink...she specially made this for me from some fabric that she already had, not yet sewn up. Now my knitting needles will not fall out of the project cabinet every time I go in there for yarn!

Did you do a lot of knitting this weekend? I spent many hours in the car, and so the cat bed is flying off of the needles. The base is finished, and I've started on the wall:

One of the car trips was back to Yarns Down Under, for help with this:

This is the cotton swatch for the picot camisole from Spring 06 IK, down two needle sizes, from 4 to 2 (US). I can't begin to explain what is going on with the gauge, but the current plan is that I finish the swatch, wash and dry it (I have never bothered washing a swatch before!), and then go back for another check. If it sizes out as the women in the shop think it will, I'm going to knit a smaller size garment than I normally would, knowing the gauge is going to come out larger, and it should come out to be the size that will fit! This is certainly the biggest challenge yet that I have had with gauge, but a good learning experience. I can't say enough good things about Yarns Down Under too -- their time and patience and positive attitude makes it worth the long drive for me!

I'm going to join the September Knitalong, hosted by Confessions of a Misplaced Southern Belle, for the Central Park Hoodie, as seen in the new issue of Knitscene. But I know this project, in the same issue, is meant just for me:

It's called Molly Ringwald. She's the lead actress from my all-time favorite movie... you guessed it... Pretty in Pink!

Yarn Mail

Don't you just love receiving a surprise in the mail? Mixed in with the usual bills and advertisements today, I found this:

Three skeins of hand dyed Superwash Merino in the Monet Colorway, from Live 2 Knit. The best part is that they came all the way from Australia! If you are looking for some special yarn, I highly recommend a visit to this website. [Note to American knitters: the exchange rate is favorable to our dollar, which absorbs the extra cost of international postage -- the yarn will be no more expensive than any hand dyed yarn you purchase in the U.S., and you will have something special that no one else in your knitting group has! How fun is that?!]. When I saw the Monet, I just had to have some. (The color names always get me). Katie did an amazing job; it is just as gorgeous in person as on my computer screen. Since I can't knit socks, I'll be making a winter scarf with this.

Also in the mail from Australia (my friend H spoils me!!):

An issue of Yarn magazine, and the latest Creative Knitting. I'm not sure we have any knitting magazines here in the U.S. that I could compare them with for you. Yarn is a shorter magazine, than, say, Interweave Knitting, but it is very fun to look through. In issue 2, above, they have an article on blocking lace that arrived just in time for my summer lace project! I also love looking at the advertisements. There are all sorts of Australian yarn shops advertised that you can explore online, like Ozeyarn and Calico and Ivy. Yes, they both sell many of the same brands that we can find in the U.S., like Jo Sharp and Rowan and Debbie Bliss, but Calico and Ivy also has Heirloom Yarn and Ozeyarn has Rainbow Wools. I am dying to try both. You can order back issues of Yarn from their website via paypal, but I'm not sure about Creative Knitting.

Shazzas Knits gave a little mention of The Knittery in her post titled "Michelle's Socks." Guess what will be the next Yarn Mail coming to the seashore from Australia?! Thank you Sharon for the link!!!

It is so nice, in such a global knitting marketplace, to still discover unique things that I can't find where I live. Now, if I could just convince the postal service to create an inexpensive media-mail-type service called Yarn Mail...yarn, and knitting magazines, are a lot less heavy than books, and we want them to arrive much faster!

P.S. Links were fixed 6/28/06.