Monthly Archives: August 2015

Inspiration: Shark Attack!

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Remember a couple months ago when I was mildly obsessed with these mermaid tails?

1962699_10153195383503330_642696267624178778_n[1]Well, I’ve gotten a new obsession, and I think it’s even cooler.

SHARK ATTACK BLANKETS!

Bulky & Quick Shark Blanket by MJ’s Off The Hook Designs003_medium2[1]So fun, right?

Someone posted this to my Facebook wall a while ago, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about them for weeks.

Fast and Easy Shark Tail Blanket by Sheila Hunt11781678_10153449629468632_5745988423847236629_n_medium2[1]They’re essentially the same as the mermaid tail blankets, but much more bad-ass.   (Just look at those sharp, sharp teeth!)

Can I justify spending the time and money on something as silly as a shark attack blanket and still conciser myself a grown-up?

Maybe.

An Ode to Knitting Slow

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turtle[1]Take your time.

Go slow.

Feel.

Each.

Stitch.

The rasp of wool

on wooden needles.

Soft alpaca

against tired fingers.

Sip tea

and work

oh

so

carefully.

No deadline.

No pressure.

Just wool and needles and lots of time.

I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but…

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Christmas is 4 months from yesterday.

maxresdefault[1]You have been warned.

You are now free to panic.

Yarn Spotlight: Island Fibers

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So last week, when I told you about Lopez Island, I kind of buried the lead.  Sure, there were seals, and beautiful scenery and all that.  But what about the yarn?

Lopez is home to flocks and flocks of lovely island sheep.

And where there are lovely island sheep, there is lovely island yarn.

Island Fibers, to be precise.

We stopped at a farmer’s market and I picked up a huge (I’m talking gigantic) skein of gorgeous hand-dyed single-ply wool in subtle shades of blue.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI spent a couple hours winding it into a ball this weekend (it’s that big).  So now, I’ve got a fantastic nearly-head-sized ball of yarn that’s itching to be used.

I’m thinking it might have to end up being a cropped cardigan to be worn over my favorite summer dresses.  (When you live in Seattle, you get used to wearing cute sun dresses with thick tights, rain boots and winter coats.  Otherwise, you never get to wear them.)

I made up a swatch, and it is just the prettiest!   Look at those colors!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAAnd at 4-ish stitches to the inch, I bet the sweater will just fly off the needles!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWhen’s the last time you bought a skein of yarn on the spur of the moment?

Knitting Fast: A quick poem

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flat,550x550,075,f[1]Deadlines and patterns and projects to do,

Notebooks and printouts, I’ve more than a few.

More than ten projects that need to get done,

But into my free time, I can fit only one.

I push myself, make my needles go faster,

 Hope that this sweater won’t be a disaster!

Husband Sweater: Finished… Well, sort of.

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It’s done! It’s done!

Well- mostly.

I cast off the last sleeve last Friday, after months of stagnation.  (Sorry, husband!)  It’s done!

I wove in the ends and, miracle of miracles, it fits!  Woo Hoo!

11905401_10105373908271560_3140276053640019237_n[1]It looks great, and fits like a glove, and the cotton is so lovely and soft.

WP_20150815_002And it only took me 8 months.  (Oy!)

Of course, it’s still missing one very important thing:  the zipper.

I went to get a zipper at Jo-Ann’s over the weekend, but they were closed due to a power outage from a thunderstorm(!) earlier in the day.  So my husband has been wearing the sweater sans zipper for the last few days.  At least he likes it.

The moment I get a chance to go back to Jo-Ann’s I’m zipping over there as fast as I can!

What’s the last project that took you way longer than it should have?

Inspiration: Lopez Island

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This weekend, my husband, my pup and I went on an impromptu trip up to the islands, and it was amazing!

We visited Lopez Island, which sounds like it should be in the Carribean, off the coast of Mexico, but is actually a tiny farming and fishing community in the Straight of Juan de Fuca, north of the Olympic Peninsula and just south of Canada.

11855703_10105373881011190_512339032138616691_n[1]We took the ferry early Saturday morning and got thoroughly windblown.

11892211_10105373886694800_5031709288030769796_n[1]But I think Ollie enjoyed himself.  So many new smells for him to sniff!  He’s actually still recovering.

11899871_10105373918605850_8950944109210116740_n[1]We hiked along beaches and clambered over rocks.  We saw seals and schools of tiny silver fish and jumping Pink Salmon.

It was a lovely break from the city.  Cool, overcast and perfect PNW weather.

It makes me want to get out my needles and make some island-appropriate gear for when I move up to the islands.   Which definitely is going to happen.  Someday.

Island Wools Swirl Hat by Julie Packard

swirlhat_medium2[1]Bandana Cowl by Purl Soho6235518543_46ba4d5d58_z[1]Fiona Coat by Justyna Lorkowska

Swans Island yarn Fair Isle hand knits

Where is your favorite place to visit on a day trip?

Inspiration: Twin Trouble

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One of my dear friends just gave birth to not one, but two adorable little baby boys!  So, let’s all say a big warm welcome to the twins!  (And congratulations to their amazing (and probably exhausted) parents!)

In honor of the boys, let’s take a look at some double-trouble patterns!

This lovely afghan features entwined twin trees is so beautiful, a real heirloom in the making… but you’d have to make two, one for each of the boys… and that’s a lot of work.

Twin Trees Afghan by Shirley Rhyne

2658826195_46f7a3b49e_m[1]

These fraternal twin hats are completely darling!

Twin Baby Hats by Shayna Bright

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These sweaters are freaking fantastic!  Twin Power!

Twin Power Sweaters by Sarah E. White05.01_medium[1]Welcome to the world, baby boys!  I can’t wait to hang out with you and teach you how to knit (you know, once you master the language, sitting up, and all those little skills).

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner

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Oh man, you guys.  It’s time!  Time to give away those free copies of Twist & Tweed!  I’m so excited!

75206DBut, before that, I just wanted to say that you’re all making me very wistful for autumn.  I can’t wait to do all the apple-picking, cider-sipping, forest-hiking and sweater-wearing that everyone has been talking about.  It’s just about killing me that it’s going to be in the 80s again today.  Oh well, I suppose we’ll get back to lovely rainy autumn days soon enough…  but patience was never my strong suit.

In the meantime, let’s get the drawing underway!

As of right now, 72 people entered the drawing, and I’ve got 2 copies of Twist & Tweed to give away– one e-book and one paper book.

Let’s go to the random number generator:

For the e-book:Capture 1Kristen!  You’ve won the e-book!  You can look at it while your apple pie is baking in the oven!

 

And for the paper book:

Capture 2Lana!  You’ve won a copy of the paper book!  You can take your book up north to your favorite apple farm and read it while sipping hot cider!

Congrats, ladies!  Keep an eye out for an email from me with the details!

If you want a copy of your own, head over to the Knit Picks website here!

For the Dogs

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So, you know the Woven Stitch I talked about last week?  Well.  I worked up a nice big square of woven stitch in big squishy Biggo yarn.  It measures about 2 and a half by 3 feet.  It’s thick and squishy and warm and lovely.  And it was going to be a fantastic new bathmat for the guest bathroom.

But Ollie had a different idea.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA(These are the best pictures I could get with him wiggling around and carrying his blanket around the house.)

So, it looks like Ollie has a new blanket.  (How could you say no to that face?) Whoops!

***OH!  And the Twist and Tweed giveaway has been extended until Wednesday!  Be sure to comment here to enter!***