Girl Who Knits

I love surprise packages.  How can you not? Especially when they are sent from a far off place and from a much beloved person.  Tonight I received this from the Best. Mom. Ever:

11 skeins of 100% Bamboo Eden Madil in a pink/coral color.  I love it.  So soft and luxurious.  Now I have to figure out a project.  Anyone worked with this or a similar yarn before?

Kara got some too, a pretty yellow/mustard color.  My Mom is not a knitter but she is very attentive to our hobby.  She goes to her LYS (she even calls it that) and compares yarn prices online to make sure she is getting a deal and that the yarn is quality.  She has learned all about yarn and fiber just because she loves her girls.  I don't know anyone more thoughtful and supportive then my Mom.  We are lucky girls.  Only thing that would make me happier is if my Mom could have brought the yarn to me herself.  Hong Kong is too far away.

In other family news, little non-knitter sister Briana had a birthday recently.  One thing about us and birthdays is anything can be celebratory as long as it is a surprise.  So to up the surprise factor this time, we went on a treasure hunt.  Clues were left mysteriously throughout the night--our activities driven by whatever was written on the paper by "the benefactor."  At least that is what we called him.  Oddly, the benefactor forgot to pay for the evening.

We started the night by meeting at the outlet mall in Park City.  Our first clue led us to dinner at Hapa Grill, where we indulged in delicious Asian fusion food.  Here is the group of us, from left to right: Bri, me, good friend Amanda, and Kara.

Our next clue was cleverly slipped in the dinner bill.  After some deduction we headed to the Alpine Slide for some adventure in the mountains.

Bri and Kara look nervous don't they?  Okay, only I was nervous.  But willingly sliding yourself down mountain on a slick track justifies it right? 

I am a bit of a coward.  It was fun though. 

The next clue mysteriously appeared in a flower bed while we were looking the other way.  Bri picked it up:

She read the clue while the group tried to work it out.

We are a smart bunch and so we soon were on our way to Chimayo for dessert.  We ordered fondue, smores, and caramel pots du creme.  Oh how we feasted. We look full don't we?

We made it through the hunt and nice girls that we are, we let Bri have the treasure in the end.  The benefactor was very good to us.  He may be cheap but he was extremely clever.  Very, very clever.  Just like my Bri.  Happy Brithday babe. 

You guys are the best do you know that?  Thanks to all the blogland suggestions and help I figured out what to do about the question of shaping I had about my Anna socks.  Knitting the first half using size 3's and then switching to size 2's for the rest worked perfectly.  See:

I think I love it.  Off to cast on for the second. 

I hesitated showing you this.  Indeed, I am still a little weary.  Just don't judge me folks.  Don't judge.

So I went away to a cabin for a fun weekend with 6 amazing girlfriends.  This is the second year we have gotten together like this, we plan activities, eat good food, and share stories and ideas with each other.  It is a great time. So there is the set up.  Now onto the slightly embarrassing part...

An activity was planned for Friday night.  A tongue-in-cheek crafty exercise that was ridiculous and fun...we created paper doll men for each other. 

We were each given a bag filled with all kinds of supplies (popsicle sticks, beads, thread, yarn) and shared a bunch of stickers, paper, markers and such to create everyone's dream come true.  I know, it is silly.  I loved it.

So how did I start?  Well, I mentioned there was yarn right?  Only problem, no needles.  But there were popsicle sticks...so I cast on.  Everything else flowed from there.

Meet Dr. Peter Jacobsen, a professor of English at the University of Idaho and future husband to my friend Angie:

What professor doesn't need a striped sweater vest?  And notice how the colors match on both sides...see, I am even OCD when I knit for paper dolls.

Interested in my man?  I was too.  Until I met him:

Why oh why did I ever mention my new obsession with the show Dog the Bounty Hunter?  At least my Dog has a sensitive side.  I know this because he is holding a chef's hat in one of his hands.  I guess men who cook are sensitive?  At least this is what I was told. It doesn't really matter though, it is not like I have ever gone for the sensitive ones.  Perhaps this is my problem.

So I started them. 

The oh-so-elegant Anna socks from the new Rowan.  Of course, my picture is ever so slightly less elegant.

Last week I picked up the book and yarn at a LYS I don't often go to.  They have a great selection of Rowan yarn so I usually make it there at the beginning of each season.  For the socks I am using the suggested yarn, Rowan 4-ply Soft.  It is black, a nice crisp black.  I love this yarn, it is the same stuff I used for Rambling Rose so I am very familiar with it.  I am going to make sure to use some reinforcement yarn when doing the heel since I have heard some say the yarn is not traditionally used for socks and may be a bit delicate.  I think it will be fine though. 

The pattern is clear and I memorized the lace part quickly.  But I have an issue...there is no shaping for the sock.  No decreasing for the lower leg and ankle.  None. 

Um...I should be worried right?  I know it is a stretchy lace pattern but could the same size material really fit my calf AND ankle?  I don't think so.  This is very vexing indeed.

See, I love these socks.  Love them.  But I don't think I would love them quite so much with saggy ankles.  I brought this up tonight at SnB.  The ladies there were also surprised about the knee socks with no shaping.  We talked a little about how I could add some shaping in so I have some ideas that I am trying to work out.  Any suggestions you all have would be appreciated too.  Problem is, there is no back seem and the lace pattern doesn't lend itself easily to decreases.

I just don't get it.

Here she is... 

I had several concerns with this sweater the more I knit it.  I was worried that the color would be too hard to wear and that I would have a hard time finding anything to wear with it.  But I found this shirt in Kara's closet and she has graciously now bequeathed it to me.  Got to love sisters. 

Here are the details:

Pattern: Molly Ringwald

Source: Knitscene Fall 2006

Yarn: Classic Silk by Classic Elite Yarns, #6947 Colbalt, 4 balls

Needles: US 6 Straights

Size: 37

Mods: None

Notes: I love, love, love this yarn and would definitely knit with it again.  It comes in great colors and has a really nice feel and spring to it. 

Overall, I do like this knit.  It is a specialty sweater and not one I see me wearing often but it is something fun and different and I am glad I knit it.  Plus it is fast.  Just took me a couple of weeks and would have been much faster if I had solely knit it. 

Only thing left to wonder about is, who came up with the name Molly Ringwald?  What an odd name for a sweater.  I guess it does evoke a bit of 80's teen drama.  Sort of.  But hey, the 80s are back right? 

I am a fan of reality shows.  You know how they always have certain archetypes?  Like the "cute one" and the "annoying one"...or is that boy bands?  Either way, I think it is safe to say I when it comes to the Amazing Lace, I am the "one that got voted off on the first episode."  I was always so embarrassed for that person on Survivor and now I can empathize.  Of course it is worse for me because no one actually gets voted off the Amazing Lace.  Yup, I did it to myself.

I don't know what happened.  The concept was awesome and I thought the challenges were cool...I think it comes down to the lace.  For me, it was not a summer inspired by lace.  Sure I finished Hedera and the cool hemp ponchette, but let's be honest shall we?  I joined the amazing lace with visions of an intricate scarf or shawl.  After I finished the edging of the trellis scarf, I completely lost interest.  Do you ever feel like you have to knit a project?  Like once you cast on you are obligated to I don't know who (the yarn, the pattern, your blog) to finish?  I just need to remind myself that I will knit what I want and when I want.  It is my choice.  So will I finish Trellis?  Maybe.  I just don't know.  Depends how I feel.  There are some other lace projects I would like to make too.  But right now I have to be true to what is inspiring me.  And I am all about the sweater right now. 

So I do feel a bit like a loser that didn't fully participate in all the Amazing Lace challenges, but I just have to be me.  I simply wasn't feeling it.  Just keeping it real folks. 

P.S. I worked late last night and missed SnB but now I have the rest of the week off work.  Know what I am doing?  Yup.  Knitting.  And cleaning my house, but mostly knitting. Maybe even visiting a couple LYSs that I don't normally get to.  So. Fun.  Next up on the blog, a finished Molly...stay tuned.

While road tripping with my family, my Dad often used the term relentless to describe my knitting.  Code for obsessive I guess.  I was knitting all the time.  I wouldn't let up while in the car.  I just loved all that free knitting time and didn't want to waste it.  But it is true, when I get it in my mind to work on something, I am relentless. 

Last weekend I casted on for Molly Ringwald.  After a day of relentless knitting, I have a front.

I really like it.  Sad thing is I haven't touched it since.  I have been knitting Glee ever since I got the happy news about the yarn (yea!) and have sadly ignored Molly.  This must change.  I want Molly to be done.  But I want to finish Glee too.  And then there is Somewhat Cowl.  Not to mention all the projects I haven't started yet.  It is just too much sometimes.  Why aren't there more hours in the day?

And why does there seem to be a constant stream of new and gorgeous knitting patterns?  I can't catch a break.  What am I supposed to do when faced with such temptation...? 

First, from the new Rowan:

Anna Socks.  So elegant.  I love.

Kay Jacket.  Very nautical?  Military?  Either way, I like it. 

From RYC Alpaca:

Exmoor Jacket.  Simply stunning.  But will it be as pretty without the horse?

From RYC Classic Style:

Belt Bag.  I have seen several bloggers call out this pattern and I can see why.  LOVE IT.

I am just praying there will be no other patterns that catch my fancy.  You hear that?  No more.  I have enough inspiration.  Okay? 

Life is hard.  At least for us relentless types.

So in case you read about my yarn crisis for Glee, I thought I would share the happy news.  I just got off the phone with Grace at Larkspur Funny Farm and she was able to wrangle up 4 more skeins of my yarn!!!  Four more--the exact amount I need.  I know!  She tells me I am very lucky and I have to agree.  I won't have to pay for my stupidity this time. 

You know what this means?  No frogging for Glee.  No needing to find new yarn.  And most exciting...knitting may now resume. 

I am thrilled.  Thank you Grace!  You have made my week. 

Ah.  Happy.

Last week I started a new project.  It is a project I am very excited about and am hoping will be quick-ish and a fun stylish sweater for early fall.  As soon as I saw Glee on Rachel's blog I knew I had to knit it.  I bought the yarn for it at Estes Park Wool Market in advance of the pattern being available.  The yarn is 100% alpaca from Larkspur Funny Farm in the orange color Yam.  I thought the yarn color choice was a risk because it is a really bright orange but I knew if it worked it would really work.  I love the color.

As soon as the pattern became available I bought it and then cast on within days.  I had blissfully knit over half way through the top portion with the sleeves (it's a top down raglan) when it dawned on me...

I don't have enough yarn. 

I am so dumb.  What was I thinking?  I knew when I bought the yarn that I would have to knit double to get the right gauge on the sweater.  I knew this.  So I bought 12-100 yard skeins: 1200 yards of yarn.  Seemed like plenty to me.  But after knitting double, really it is only 600 yards (about 200 shy of what I need.)  I am so annoyed at myself.  Why didn't I figure this out correctly when I was buying the yarn?  Why not before I spent hours knitting and loving the beginning of the sweater?  Why?

Grrr.  You would think the solution is easy right?  Order more yarn.  But now, the Larkspur Funny Farm website is down and my phone call and email to them has not been answered.  I am beginning to suspect that they are out of business.  Does anyone know for sure?

It is just so tragic...and stupid.  Mostly, it is stupid.  That is, mostly, I was stupid.  I think I must have been in a yarn haze at Estes and wasn't thinking straight. 

So I have put a hold on knitting Glee until I can determine if I can get the rest of the yarn.  If not, I will have to frog and find new yarn.  Sigh.

So I needed a pick me up to make me feel better.  After reading a post this morning by the clever knitchick, I became consumed with a desire for new yarn.  There has been a project I have been thinking a lot about, so at lunch time I went to my fav LYS Black Sheep and bought this:

for this.

Molly Ringwald here I come.  I know I have plenty of other projects and I promise I am still working on Somewhat Cowl and I am even picking Forecast back up to finish for the fall (Trellis is another story--I will share my feelings soon) but I think I am going to cast on for Molly tonight.  Sounds fun.  And distracting.  Oh the tragedy.

The cuteness doesn't stop there...

• She asked me to take a photo of her knitting for her website.  (She doesn't have a website.)
• When I asked her about the non-existent website she said she would have one soon and that it would be called "Knitting Tree"...yes, my 6 year old niece already has the name for her blog.  She even has a design in mind...she told me that the leaves would be knits.  Seriously, she came up with that all on her own. 
• After the photo shoot she says, "Erin, you are like the knitting master." Then she corrected herself and said "You and Kara are the knitting masters."  So diplomatic even though I am the one teaching her.  Technically I should be the master, but, whatever.

I have been teaching Emma to knit and while in Canada we picked up some fun bulky yarn in bold orange, pink, red, purple, and yellow colors and she and I are making a scarf.  She hasn't quite been able to do it all herself yet, we switch off with one of us wrapping and the other doing the rest but she is getting there.  I assume if I was around more it would go more quickly but we just have our lessons on Sundays. 

She told me once, "Erin, I am going to grow up to be a knitter just like you and Kara."  She kills me.