Monday, December 20, 2010

Teapot Cozy Detour

I took a small 2 week detour from Kelmscott to knit a tea cozy. I'd signed up for a tea cozy swap, actually a tea cozy swap in which I'd submitted this picture with dimensions of my mom's teapot. The picture, taken with an iPhone, and added measurements using an iPhone App called "Measures". Unfortunately, the arrows can't be bent, so I couldn't really show the dimension being "around".



In addition, my mom was very specific. She wanted a chocolate brown colored cozy with a hint of red, like a chestnut brown. This being the perfect colour to hide tea if spilled. I figured, since the cozy exchange didn't require knitting specifically, she might get some kind of amazing cozy that I couldn't provide.

For my part, the person I was making the cozy for was indeed suitably vague. "I like all colors", and as for size - "I have a 6" teapot". This seems intuitive at the time of receipt of the e-mail. Only later as I started shaping my kInitted cozy did i realize I had no idea which dimension she was referring to.

Mountain Colors Bearfoot is what I settled on; the yarn, a deep blue with purple bits, superwash wool and nylon. Held double so that I could knit the "Tea Mitten" pattern.
As it turns out, after knitting the ribbed base and beginning to knit for the spout, I didn't understand what the pattern said, and forged on anyway by looking at the picture and improvising. As I knit, I had the sinking feeling that the lady's teapot was smaller than mine, and that sadly, it might be too big. With the deadline looming, and my double stitches snagging, I sped towards the finish line.

In a panic, I decided to purchase an extra sewn cozy at Mattick's Farm. I settled on a lovely flowered option; kicking myself that I'd just spotted the thermal quilting material not a few days before and had tucked away the bag someplace unaccessible, so that sewing one myself became just a small passing thought. Luckily, fortune stepped in an determined that I still had a week to finish. It tooks me only a couple more days to finish the cozy, sew on the buttons, and snap a few pics.

The front:
Mountain Colors Bearfoot Tea Cozy Gift

and I'd knit a tab that swung around back, and settled in place around 2 small turtle-shaped buttons with a blue-purple finish on black:-

Mountain Colors Teapot Cozy Back

The exchange was at the Victoria Handweaving and Sewing Guild Christmas Party. As each teapot was unveiled, I grew more uncomfortable with the tea cozy I'd made. Each one seemed bigger than the last. Large rectangles of padded joy for covering over any sized teapot. Due to a clerical e-mail error of some kind, my gifter turned out to not attend due to sickness, and there was in fact a single cozy left over without a recipient. Sarah, the kind organizer decided I should have one, and so, I opened the bag and behold, a handspun handwoven teapot with sewn cushy insides, suitable to hide the largest of hideous teapots and keep it warm and cozy underneath. Luckily or unluckily the colors chosen were pinks, purples, just my colors...but never could be further from the reddish-brown my mother longed for. In the end, Sarah said we'd work it out later.

My blue tea cozy was suitably homed; luckily, wendy, the recipient claimed to have many teapots, and tested the cozy-ness of mine against a sample pot that Sarah had brought. A hug of reassurance later, I left knowing that it at least fit two teapots, the sample one that Sarah had brought, and my own, suitably tested on.

Friday, December 10, 2010

60% and growing

60% done and growing - Back finished and waiting, one sleeve done, and started the second sleeve, right front is bound off at the armhole, and working on neck right now.

Right Front Full

Looks a little rough I know, but it hasn't been blocked yet.
A very soft, and I'm loving doing the bobbles - esp. in such a soft flexible yarn.

Work has been busy busy the last month or more and finally coming to a successful end of my project. Still documents to write, but not the same crazy suck the brain out of your head busy I've been for the last few months. There's something to be said for planning.

Otherwise, keeping my hands busy and mind focused with this soft thing.
Turned out a teapot cozy for unknown 6" teapot and hope it'll be ok. If not, I will sneak it back and either use it on my pot, or on my mom's.

Saturday, December 04, 2010

December Snow Kelmscott Cardi

Started a new cardi in Blue Sky Alpacas Suri Merino, color Snow.
Pattern is the Kelmscott Cardi, a lovely long-sleeve cardi with lace front panels, and a long lace collar. The pattern calls for reverse stockinette on the sleeves which I've replaced with stockinette. The yarn has a lovely hand, and I'm enjoying the knit.

Kelmscott pic6

The back has the same design detail in the middle bottom as the sleeves

BSA Kelmscott back detail

Current status - Finished the back; at the cap shaping of Sleeve one; and knit the right front to the bo for the sleeve and doing the decrease for the neck.
Fascinating lace and very soft yarn.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Time change begins anew

Just past time change and it's November already. Back in the saddle after a low dip of life and doing a bunch of recycling of old papers and magazines. Finally went to my small storage unit and had the lock cut off (as I'd misplace the keys), and hauled through some boxes last weekend. Found my denise needle sets and some other treasures - a couple of woven scarves I'd bought at Art in the Pearl...way before I tried weaving myself. Still did not find my square wooden table. I guess I must have given that away at some point or the movers didn't unload it from their truck.

Work is letting up a bit - smoothing over. Still driving towards the end game in December but rolling along and manageable.

For knitting I decided I would try to knit up some of my lovelies. A skein of Swiss Mountain Sea Sock - Superwash Merino, Silk and Seacell, a luscious combination

Swiss Mountain Sea Sock

became a Pogona Shawl - just waiting to be blocked.

Pogona Handmaiden Shawl 1

After finishing, I decided to whip out a quick easy project just for the satisfaction of finishing something. These welted fingerless gloves from Churchmouse Designs were just the project - I call them my Ray of Sunshine Fingerless Gloves because of the way the golden yellow peeks through the blue of the Manos Silky Merino - these gloves are very soft. The patterns makes 3 gloves knit to the knuckle. I knit longer to clover my little pinky. It's quite amazing how many people in my group have larger hands than mine. Still musing about knitting a cap as we march towards christmas and predicted winter weather.

Manos Silky Merino Hank

to

Ray of Sunshine Fingerless Gloves

Ray of Sunshine Right Mitt

What do think - maybe my color tastes are changing a little ? blues and greens.

To top that, I've started a new project in mostly boring stockinette stitch but with a yarn with a lovely soft hand - Blue Sky Alpacas Suri Merino in Color Snow, an off-white. Not really my color but I think it will be able to wear it with a lot of different clothes. The pattern is the Kelmscott Cardi, which has an interesting lace front, and supposedly reverse stockinette on back and arms. Having knit with this cardi before I don't want to take the chance that the little loops of the reverse stockinette could be pulled so it's regular stockinette for me, and a small adaptation of the pattern - since when do I follow the pattern ?

Ahhhhh...the yarn -
BSA Suri Merino (close)

Detail of the back (which I will adjust before the bind-off, as I want to round it a little

BSA Kelmscott back detail

Notable ufos still on the needles -
-pink bamboo top - stalled for too few stitches at the neck - need to "try it on" to see if I can fudge it, as my count has probably been off awhile
-camelspin ishbel - ripped back to the stockinette section and waiting to be restarted
-Guinevere sheer top - finished the skein of the silk-mohair I was on; now, trying to figure out where I put the rest of the skeins.
-Seeking sunlight socks - still knitting on these. Tried on the sock (mal sock stonechat) and it's lovely just need to finish off the sock and start the second. I had re-knit the cuff about 4 times and just put it aside.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Warm yet Fall

October's come and it's Canadian Thanksgiving already. I don't know where the time flies to. I am so busy with work - I am in meeting after meeting, doing both project management and trying to handle the technical side, directing programmers and trying to minimize formal meetings. It's been crazy just trying to keep track of ever changing statuses, nevermind minutes.

In private life, I finally upgraded my pc. It was getting on, about 10 years. It had a mid-life rejuvenation about 5 years back when my hard drive crashed, and I put a new one in. It's just been so slow lately - always downloading updates. I gave up, and went to a mac. Weird learning curve, but I find I can do most things I want to do. Latest find is Dashboard widgets - almost as many iPhone Apps but free. Pretty cool. Too bad my dashboard is so small.

I am also getting startitis again on my projects. Trying to knit with some of my more luscious yarns as I would rather enjoy them now for knitting and wearing, than waiting.

Currently started a shawl in a yummy Handmaiden Swiss Mountain Sea Sock - this luxurious yarn is 51% silk, 29% Superwash Merino and 20% Seacell. Also trying to knit and finish up my Bamboo top in Hot Pink. Been a frustrating journey with the yarn - mid-way knots splitting that I don't discover until 4 or 5 rows later, and floppy yarn that tangles easily. Hopefully, just a few more rows til I'm done.

Weather is sunny but still in the 60s. Hard to believe November is just around the corner.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

September

I think it finally happened...I've lost the enchantment with Ravelry. It's sad to say, really, but I was going great guns with swapping there from March through July..then, took a swap break (diet) for August, and now I find my mind turning to other things.

The warm weather's gone, and I'm missing the sun. I spent a week at the end of August at a conference in Disneyworld which was blissfully warm. Had my pic taken with Mickey, and rode the Harry Potter ride at Universal Studios. Very fun. I spent the week away from tv, half the week away from the pc, and did not amazingly bring any knitting with me. Instead, I bought a book "Secret Daughter" to read on the plane, and caught up on general reading.

Since Labour day, I find I'm just re-focused at work as I'm doing dual duty - project management and working with the tech guys on the same project. These days, my days fly by. I don't expect to get much of a break until next month, at least that's what I expect.

These days, I find myself picking up projects to finish them. Thought the sun is gone, I find myself picking up those summer projects left behind. I restarted the Guinevere Sheer Top - I'm on the top section of the bodice. This is an earlier pic of the material.

Guinevere's Choice Panel

As per usual, I didn't swatch as I'm using different yarns than intended, so I'm just knitting it to fit me. Could be a challenge to adjust for the arm holes. I think I can find another sweater I worked on to work a cheat - we'll see.

Yarns are Lorna's Laces Lion & Lamb (50-50 silk-wool blend) in Gold Hill, and Loom in Essence silk-wool (70-30), and silk-mohair blend. It's wonderfully soft, and I'm getting a lot of compliments these days.

I'm also working on Socks- yep, a lacy eyelet pattern perfect for SUMMER...knit in soft malabrigo sock in color Stonechat. Ironically, the pattern is called "Seeking Sunlight". How's that for timing. I started knitting it in August when the weather was warm, and went to Orlando without knitting.

Stonechat Seeking Sunlight Socks (right)

I've knit and frogged back the cuff about 3 or 4 times now as I find that my mind wanders to other things, and I end up making some weird boo-boo. After knitting an inch, I find I can't fudge any longer, and end up ripping back and re-knitting.
hopefully, soon I can finish this sock, and start sock 2. Have a feeling I'll be wearing these inside 'til summer time comes again.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Second Bundle of Joy

So, I was just trying to dip my toe into the water on this spinning thing. Venturing in with just a spindle and trying to spin as much as I can. It's very soothing and relaxing and very slow. I signed up for Tour de Fleece on a whim. It's like a knitting olympics on Ravelry except for Spinning. The thing is that a lot of spinner have way more leisure time than I do to spin, so I'm proudly saying as we near the end (sunday july 25th), that I've learned how to spin on a spindle, how to ply on a spindle, and learned how to spin on a spinning wheel. Yes, a spinning wheel.

Here is my second bundle of handspun joy - 77g - that's about 250yds of handspun singles plied into a skein of ~ 125yds. Same base as I'm still working through the lovely pencil roving - alpaca, wool, and silk. Still spinning single between lace and fingering, and plied, it's more like dk weight this skein, rather than worsted on the first skein.

This skein has more of the pink and purple, and less of the burgundy that the first skein showed.

Front view:
Handspun 2 Plied (front)

Side view:
Handspun 2 Skein (Side)

I found that plying on a spinning wheel is much easier than on a spindle and quicker, but that unless you watch how you're laying the yarn onto the bobbin, it can ply not as tight as I want, and can fill up the bobbin too quickly.

Here's a close-up of the ply.

Handspun 2 Plied (Close)

The spinning wheel I sprung for is the Ashford Joy. It's a small portable wheel, just 11 lbs. I still need a bag and am thinking of getting the one from the Woolery as it has some extra pockets.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Fell off the wagon - first handspun

Although I'd been resisting for years to pick up a spindle, I finally decided at the end of June at the Victoria Fiber Festival that I was going to buy a hand spindle and learn to spin. Instead I bought roving - pencil roving - about 300g of Wool-Alpaca-silk blend (40-40-20) in pink-purple-blue colorway, and 200g of a lovely teal green in Wool-Alpaca-silk blend (64-25-10). I figured what I didn't knit (bulky weight), I could learn to spin.

My first effort at handspun singles using a spindle (which I traded for)

Handspun1

and

Spindle2_pic3

Then, this week, I learned how to handply these singles with a spindle. After winding them onto a ball winder (while a friend used a yarn counter to measure the feet of yarn I had), she wound it on a partially opened swift, tied little ties on to hold the yarn, and swung the yarn into a skein - yay! (reverse ball winding!)

My Handspun and plyed

I'm in love -

My skein is 58g (just over 2 oz) and measures 170 ft or 56.67 yards.

Saturday, May 08, 2010

Favorite Items from Swaps Past

Here are some of my favorite items from swaps past that I've participated in on Ravelry and privately:

Wow-Swap Pkg Irunnaked
(From above) - Lorna's Laces Lion & Lamb Yarn in colorway Vera (Pink, Green, Brown) - 2nd from left; and the Felted Sheep Notions Case.

Birthday Swap 09
From above - Wollmeise in Doernroeschen (Pink and red); Lindt yogurt eggs (fruit yogurt filled milk chocolate from Lindt); Hachez milk chocolate; Haribo Gummi Bears; Milka Tender (love these with chocolate filling and milk chocolate coating).

and from this year - the wollmeise in this lovely blue-purple colorway -Am Kalten Polar - 2010 Birthday Yarn

Wow-BSA Swap 3

(From above - Harney Tea - Pomegranate Oolong Sachets - I also love Hot Cinnamon Sunset, and would love to try Tilleul and Mint Tilleul. www.harneytea.com) Also loved getting the Knit Picks Harmony Tips/cables that I wanted to try).

Wow-Malswap 9 Package
(From above - Luna Bars in Chocolate Peppermint (a fave, also love Chocolate Raspberry which is a newer flavor); Knit Picks Harmony Tips and cables; Nicholas and Felice shawl pin; Malabrigo Tuareg; Haribo Gummi Bears) and packages wrapped in hot pink wrap.

MalSwap; Acorn; LavenderSachet; Jackeyo;

Several swaps ago - these little handmade acorns that are lavender sachets - they smell so good, and they are really made with acorn tops.

Love when items are wrapped in hot pink; this wrap with little holographic confetti bits was particularly fascinating -
Wow - Malswap9 Wrapped

Fabric Banana (approx. 7.25" tall):

Fabric Banana Pic2

Pics to follow:
-Row Counter Bracelet (Hide and Sheep)
-Row Counter Bracelet
-Handmade stitch markers
-Knitted Food - Sushi, Pie, and Ice Cream

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Fabulous Birthday Swap Package arrived

Woooohoooo! My 2010 Birthday Swap package arrived today.

Coincidentally, I was matched with the same partner as last year as she and I share the same April Birthday. I sent her my wishlist of items and we agreed to a slightly more expensive swap amount so we wouldn't have to worry about buying down. Lucky me, I received practically everything on my list -

2010 Birthday Yarn Haribo Gummi Bears

1 skein of Gorgeous Wollmeise in Am Kalten Polar colorway (Blue, Purple and that red-purple I love), 1 skein of Tausandschon yarn in a deep Black purple color. Two packages of yummy Haribo gummi bears, and 3 real German kinder eggs.

German Chocolate - Yum!
Also, my favorite chocolates - Hachez, Milka Tender roll, and Lindt Easter eggs in milk chocolate filled with a raspberry yoghurt. These were so so yummy last year (I was sad to see them go - can't have my cake, and eat it too, sadly). Also a new treat - dark chocolate with chili. Can't wait to try this.

Everything was packaged in this beautiful light purple drawstring celtic bag.

Uberaschungsei - Kinder Eggs

It's amazing how she got it all in the box; I couldn't get it all back in the bag after taking it out. The box itself was wrapped in a beautiful sunny yellow roses wrap. Normally yellow is not my color, but this was definitely a pick me up, sunny happy gift. Normally, I'm sending boxes to the US, and the Post office ladies turn me away when I have "advertising" or "wrap" on the box, so it's pretty cool to have received a gift package wrapped in real wrapping paper.

A Fabulous Birthday Package - Thank You Heike!

Sunday, May 02, 2010

Shop Hop Acquisitions

Weekend before this last one, I went to Portland, OR for the Tigard Knitting Guild's Shop Hop - It's a yarn shopping expedition. For US$40.00 (guild member price), I boarded a Greyhound Bus and went around to 6 shops - Wool 'n Wares in West Linn, OR; Make One in Milwaukie (a new shop for me), Yarn Garden, Happy Knits (a newer shop which opened up 2 blocks up the street from Yarn Garden!), Close Knit (one of my old fav lys) and Twisted.

20% off was our discount, and we had 45 minutes to shop at each place. There's quite an excitement in the air when this happens. A bell rings at half time so we can get in line, and at the 5 minute mark when it's time to go. Luckily, the bus waits while we climb back on board with our purchases.

On arrival at the start, we received this beautiful black and white knitting project bag from Lantern Moon called a Baroque Sling, a $50 value. The side pocket is so large, the organizers put a bottle of water and a snack for us in there! My pic is of it flat, but the website pic is much more stylish.
P1040863

Plus each attendee won a raffle prize on the bus donated by various knitting vendors. My prize was very cool "Cheep Bag" made of cotton, with a green bird printed on the front, and contained inside, 2 skeins of Blue Sky Alpacas Hand Dyed Worsted in a light tan color, along with a Baby Bobbi Bear pattern.

BSA Handyed Worsted Pic 2

The yarn is so beautiful and soft; a welcome addition to my BSA yarn collection. I'm not sure if I'll make the bear from this yarn as I think I would like to make something that I'll use for myself, but we'll see.

Mostly, I tried to focus on buying yarns that I could not buy in Victoria.

At the first shop Wool 'n Wares, it was a sweet hello to a new owner and goodbye to Marge, who has long supported our guild. She was discontinuing some booklets and magazines for $1, so I picked up a Jaeger Booklet there, along with a booklet I'd been meaning to get for awhile.

Next shop, Make One, was new to me. They had the most comprehensive collection of Cascade Yarn I've ever seen. I fell in love with Cascade Eco Duo in 2 colorways - one is a charcoal grey and white combination:
Eco Duo Charcoal Gray and Cream Close

which stripes pleasantly on a 4" swatch and makes for an interesting pattern when knit in the round, for the sample "PDX Hat", and a brown/tan "pecan" combination
Eco Duo Pecan pic 1

I think someone on Rav coined the color name). Also, one skein of Eco Alpaca in a rich deep chocolate brown color for a pair of mitts.
Eco Alpaca Choc Brown

I had selected more, but put it back as Alpaca is just too hot in this climate to make anything more than smaller projects.

Between the next 3 shops - Yarn Garden, Happy Knits and Close Knit, I purchased Malabrigo Worsted yarn in the colorway Tuareg, which Diamond Yarns, the Canadian Distributor has chosen not to import (too bad) - it's a beautiful colorway -

Mal Worsted Tuareg

It was a pleasant surprise at the last shop Twisted, to see Indigo Moon Yarns featured there. Fellow shop hopper grabbed up Trish's yarn, while the rest of us gawked at the wall of sock yarn - Blue Moon, Three Irish Girls, Hazel Knits and many more local indie dyers. I settled on 2 skeins - a Hazel Knits sock yarn in a lovely red-purple colorway (yes, my fave), called Lipstick:

Hazelknits Lipstick Sock

and a skein of medium weight in hot pink, a pastel-ish pink that I'm not too fond of, and the same lovely red-purple colorway (ahem, I couldn't resist):
BMFA medium Rhodonite Sock

After carrying it around most of the shop, the gals asked which one I'd decided on; I simply couldn't put it back, so I took book and added a skein of Mal sock in a lovely blue which cost only about $15 with the discount, and NO TAX (Yay!) compared to C$30 + tax here.

I had a great time and enjoyed re-connecting with fellow guild members and old friends. The icing on the cake for me was that the current president approached me after the Shop Hop was over and thanked me for coming up with the Shop Hop idea in the first place; saying that everyone had fun and enjoyed themselves. I'm happy (as is my stash) that they're still continuing with the tradition each year; it's come a long long way from the first year that's for sure.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

April Showers

It's mid-April and showers have started albeit only a day or two, so far.
I'm not much into the rain, although it was a necessity in Portland with the dry dry weather there, a welcomed addition to foster the dry crops. In Victoria, it seems like it's mostly wind here. Being surrounded by water lends itself to that, I suppose. Near daily, the wind whips down the road bringing dust into my eye.

Some things finished since March - I finished my Malabrigo Hat in Tuareg.
This pic is not a great one - but you can see the design.

Coronet Cable Hat

Here is the hat, on me:
Coronet Cable Hat

The Ravelympics Celebration went off without a hitch, well, mostly. We had a fabulous breakfast at Pagliacci's downtown. They were so quick and attentive that I didn't get much done in the way of the prize draws, but we had a great breakfast, and I circulated some lavender sachets, celebratory bubbles, and chocolate bunny ears. After breakfast, we headed over to Knotty By Nature and proceeded to draw for the prizes; prior to claiming, we each shared our challenge project, the outcome, and our lessons learned. A good time was had by all.

In recent weeks, I came down with a bit of non-creativity and disinterest, likely compounded by a lack of sleep. I finally finished the outstanding woven scarf that I started at the Ravelympics. I think the magic I felt for the knitter's loom has gone.

In order to jump start my creativity a bit, I started a new quick project called Turkish Bed Socks by Churchmouse Yarn and Teas in Seattle. These bed slippers can be made from 1 skein of Koigu KPPPM, which as I was knitting I discovered this yarn is not superwash, which is disappointing, since the colors are so brilliant.

Koigu KPPPM pic 1

The pattern itself has a very interesting construction - starts at the ankle, turns a heel, and then, knits a length which forms the base part of the foot. These 2 pieces are seamed, and then, knit in the round to form the foot, and decrease to the toe. One of the ladies who works at Beehive informed me this is the way the Turkish people knit these socks; she said they are available for just $1 a pair at the market.

At the moment, I'm focused on trying to finish my b-side cardi. I tried it on today and discovered that it fits quite well, I'm actually looking forward to putting the flappy collar on (which as you might know was a bit of a concern for me).
I seamed the sleeves into the body, and am currently doing the button band. I need to do a bit of calculation there as I have 6 buttons @ 1" instead of the expected 7@1-1/4", so I will have to space it a bit differently. Hopefully, pics to follow, along with pics of the cool buttons I picked out months ago and have been waiting to use with this. I've just been debating with myself whether to leave the cuffs down and put the smaller buttons on as a decorative note, or to fold the cuffs up and then, put the buttons on. I imagine my gauge is a bit off, as my knitted arms are a bit skinnier than I expected (or could be I put some weight on my arms). Perhaps this will work better to use this as an evening sweater for my summer tops, when the tops are thinner, or my arms are bare.

No big birthday celebration this year, as I felt more adjusted to life in Victoria, and frankly I was so focused on Ravelympics, it was there and gone before I knew it. For my birthday dinner, I had my choice, and went with my parents to Pescatores Restaurant, downtown near the Inner Harbour, for the first time. The restaurant has a very warm and cozy feel having high ceilings and walls painted a deep red-orange color with a few tastefully placed lamps with red shades which make it feel warmer.
I really enjoyed myself.

For dinner, I had a black cod special which was literally a "melt-in-your-mouth" meal, and substituted roasted vegies for the salad which were very yummy. For dessert, bananas foster - basically a big crepe filled with ice cream, and bananas flambed. Unfortunately, for me, not a ring-side seat to see the flambe part. I think that's something they try to do in the US. Here it's tastefully by closed doors, and you only see the successful sweet mush that comes of the bananas. Very yummy.

For my birthday, I received a swap package from the Uk with handdyed blue yarn, and some lovely chocolate treats - one a bar of chocolate with orange and cardamom which I haven't broken into yet, and some caramel drops which are very yummy from Hotel Chocolat (man, I wish I lived closer - I'd be there...well, almost every day).

This week the exciting news is that I won two tickets to the Young Life Home Renovation Tour this year. I went today with a friend and saw some fabulous homes and saw several neat ideas for organizing kitchens, and bathrooms. Most notably, tiling the entire area around wood stoves and glass enclosure showers seems very popular this year, and more people are adding tile accents using clear tiles on coloured grout. Interesting use of shades called "Sheer Weave" - basically, a plastic mesh on a roller that is used to shade a window, keeps 90% of the UV out, and lets the light in; while at night, provides privacy as people inside a lighted room show only as shadows.

Also, finally saw a house using the "Tilt and Tip" windows I saw in Germany 10 years ago, part of a MAC renovation. These ones were floor to ceiling deck doors, which when the handle was tipped up, the window could be tilted in allowing air to come in, without opening the entire window/door. I love these windows. Hopefully, one day I will have a house where I can install these and enjoy them.

Thursday, March 04, 2010

Wonderful Malabrigo Swap 9 Pkg

Today, I picked up my Malabrigo Swap 9 Pkg from the Post Office.
I have been so spoiled from the moment I opened the box, and saw all the pink tissue paper(yes, I still am in love with pink!)

Here's the beautiful "before":Wow - Malswap9 Wrapped
There were 8 (count ‘em 8!) packages to unwrap (lucky me)!

and the oh so amazing “after”:
Wow-Malswap 9 Package

In detail:

Kara gave me the book from my wishlist - “Knitting in the Sun”-
Goodies - Yum!
and lots of yummy goodies from Trader Joe’s - chocolate covered sunflower seeds, luna bars in chocolate peppermint (I am so in heaven right now), dried pears (thank you thank you) and chili spiced mango (I love this stuff).
Also, Haribo Gummi Bears - yum- these are so good -

I didn’t think it could get better, but I kept opening…
Next, needles and notions from my wishlist - thank you thank you
Knit Picks US 4 and US7 Harmony Tips, and US 24” cable set-
Webs wood interchangeables - US 3 with cable; it has a very interesting join, I tried screwing them together and they seem very secure, can’t wait to try them out.
and Clover Locking Stitch Markers (which I can always use, and I use tons - in fact, my knit night ladies always rib me about how many I use - no pun intended)

Needles and Notions

Next an unassuming plain brown box with this beautiful Shawl pin inside from Nicholas and Felice

Nicholas and Felice Shawl Pin

and last but not least - 3 gorgeous skeins of Mal Worsted in Tuareg
(sorry, the picture doesn’t do it justice - my camera just can’t take blues, and struggles with reds)

Mal Worsted Tuareg pic 2

The second amazing thing about these skeins is that they match well with the 1/2 knit cable hat I made from mal and ran out of yarn for - so I can finish this off too. Here’s the pic:

Tuareg matched

oh, and the little flecks are the irridescent specs coming off the beautiful hot pink tissue paper which is like a mini celebration in and of itself. :)

It feels like Christmas and a very grand Birthday rolled in one.

black friday

I've updated the sale page with some key sales for Black Friday. I'm not doing a lot of yarn buying these days, so these are the on...