Super Mitten

I have completed one of my Super Mittens from Weekend Knitting. They are a very speedy knit. The pattern calls for a bulky weight yarn, but I chose to use some Plymouth Encore (worsted weight) with 2 strands held together of 2 different colors. I like the effect that the 2 colors produced. These mittens are not snug around the wrist, but are quite warm and will do well for driving and dog walks.

Tonight was another nice knit time with the ladies. Natalie & Emily are still working on their Soakers, although Natalie has just finished a great cardigan---yay for sweaters, it is getting cool at night!

Tomorrow is the first day of the Advanced Knitting class I am taking. It will be a class for finishing techniques, seaming, learning new cast ons and bind offs. Should be good!

Projects

I am planning on spending some serious time knitting over the next week or so. I have been thinking that Veste Everest is not enough on its own (still loving the cables) to keep me busy. I am toying with teaching myself how to knit 2 socks at the same time with circular needles which looks like an interesting technique. I have started to work on some mittens from Melanie Falick's Weekend Knitting and once I have done a pair of the Super Mittens, I am tempted to move on to THESE .

What to do, what to do.....I am already thinking about my Christmas knitting. What is everyone knitting for holiday gifts? Socks, scarves, sweaters???

Bachelorette Party

Last night we threw a going away party for one of my best friends Jen. Well, not really a going away party, haha, it was a bachelorette party. We had some yummy goodies (thanks mom), played some silly games, ate fabulous food, and drank waaaaaaay too much.

Good night? Absolutely.

Sunday to relax? Thank goodness.

Soakers

Here is another finished project: Soakers for our Natalie-Along. Emily, Natalie, and I worked away on our soakers the other evening and voila! Natalie refreshed me on the kitchner stitch and I am happy with the results. I am loving the Sesame Street colors here. The yarn used here is Peruvian Highland Wool from Elann. This wool is very soft, I will definitely be using it on future projects (including my vest in progress).

Seamed and Sassy

Yes, that's right. I finally seamed my baby sweater! I am pretty happy with the results. I love the ribbing on the sweater/jacket and think that Debbie Bliss has done another nice pattern. Even my seaming efforts are looking gift-worthy.
Yay! Knitting success.

Chicago

I love the energy of big cities, but the older I get...the more I like to get home. Chicago was a good trip for work, lots of interesting things with that. I managed to get in a little shopping at Bloomingdales and the North Face Store (a whole store right across the street from where I was staying). I even had a fabulous dinner one night at Mortons. There isn't much that beats a great steak. I guess there are many Mortons around the country, but this particular one is the original...if you have never been to one and love steak, I would highly suggest going. The hotel was nice, but I don't think I would ever pay to stay there on my own. The location was perfect, but a funny thing happened with all of our bills. They randomly put charges on for food/beverages from our mini bars...probably to see if anyone would notice and ask for them to be removed. I thought it was funny when I saw it on my bill, but EVERYONE I talked to in our group had the same thing happened to them. Cheap hotel practice, for a supposedly high class joint. Things like that really bug me. Hotel was great otherwise.

No visits to local yarn stores, but that is ok as I was very happy stuffing my garment bag with some new duds.

Knitted Sushi?? Crazy Cool

So, I have stumbled across this before...but ran across it again tonight. How ingenious is this? Anyone up for making some knitted sushi? This makes me wonder about any other knitted sushi patterns out there. Hmmmm....something to strive for

The first version is crochet, but here is the knit

What a weekend

What a fab weekend. My team won....and I got to spend time with many good friends from college. There were about 15 of us out to tailgate and cheer on our team. The game was definitely a good one for Cyclone fans, but the best part was being around everyone again. Despite the heat, I would say we had a rockin' time. Good news is next month we will be able to see eachother again at Jen's wedding. Fab-u-lous!

On the knitting front, I completed the back of Veste Everest. I am digging the color and I keep telling myself the size will be right. Ribbing is so deceiving, it seems to cinch itself in when I am measuring. But, with a little bit of give, it should fit just right.

This will be a short week at the office and then I am off to Chicago and Michigan Ave. for our Regional Symposium. There has to be a yarn store somewhere in the area, right? Well, I might venture out to see, but I am hoping to make some time for friends in the area (sorority sisters) and my hubby's Aunt. My schedule will be swamped, but hey...what is time for if not to make a little for fun?

Gooooo ISU!!

Gotta love returning back to the campus for football.
Watch out HAWKS (yeah, yeah, we know the spread).....GO STATE!!!!!

Ok now, who knows the words? C'mon...join in with me former "YELL LIKE HELL" ers

O we will fight, fight, fight for Iowa State, And may her colors ever fly.
Yes, we will fight with might for Iowa State, With a will to do or die, Rah! Rah! Rah! Loyal sons for ever true, And we will fight the battle through. And when we hit that line we'll hit it hard ev'ry yard for I. S. U.

Knit Fit

3 day weekends are really nice. Time for outdoor activities, fun with friends, a little bit of knitting, and of course the dreaded housework that has been put off during the week (but we won't talk about that). I have made some real progress on my soakers for our Natalie-Along. I have come so far in them that I am actually going to put them to the side so I have some work to do on them when I get together with my Natalie-Along girls this week. I am enjoying these colors together, bright and cheery, but not too "girly". They have a certain amount of Sesame Street appeal...hello Bert & Ernie!

And how could I resist my new yarn? I have started Veste Everest (my first cable needle experience) and am loving how the pattern looks so far. The yarn I am using is thicker than what the pattern calls for, so my gauge is a little off. I am knitting a size smaller to compensate...we will see how that works out. Happy Labor Day everyone!

Big weekend

Ah...now for a moment of relaxation. So far this weekend has been go go go. We just got back from a 24-hour mountain bike race that hubby was doing with some friends. This is his third time doing this race (first year he did it solo, and the last 2 years he has done it with a team of guys). This race is always held over Labor Day and it has been a good time each year we have been. Everyone camps out with their tents, brings their brews, bikes, and good spirits. Last night they even had a local band from Boone that was pretty darn good.
They played some classic Violent Femmes & even covered 4 Non Blondes. Fun times...can you tell that Ein loved it? Lots of doggies there and bikes to watch racing by.
This year their team of guys rode their single speed bikes, talk about manly! Only one gear.....Great job hubby...way to go on the endurance racing!





I got home to find another nice little package of yarn. This again was from Elann.com and was their Peruvian Highland Wool. I was a little disappointed to find that the color didn't exactly look as I had imagined it to be from what they show on their website. I do however still love the color and think it will make a fabulous vest. What do you think? (this picture makes it look pretty grey, it is really more of a brown)

September, Fall is on the Way!

I love fall, absolutely my favorite season by far. I am not a summer person. I would much rather take the fall & spring...and probably even winter before the summer heat. Today was one of those crummy blah days until I got a call from hubby that I had something waiting for me when I got home---my yarn!

Lovely colors for Natalie's baby soaker. They are displayed with this beautiful glass pumpkin (another reminder of fall splendor) from Topeo which is my mom's friend's gallery in New Hope. Loooove it...thanks Mom!

Again, this yarn is Elann.com's Peruvian Collection Highland Wool....colors here are: Burnt Orange, Freesia, and Brilliant Blue. This wool has a nice texture, I am happy because this is the same yarn I ordered for my vest. Hope to see that yarn in a couple days too!