Guess what?

Guess what happened 29 years ago?

I did!

That's right - it's my birthday! And I've had a wonderful lunch and happy hour with my friends and a romantic sushi dinner with my sweetie, and got some lovely presents. Tomorrow my parents are coming to visit for a few days, and I'm looking forward to a great weekend!

Happy birthday to me!

San Fran Haul - Part Two (the yarn)

First of all, thanks everyone for your comments on the Dreamcatcher cardigan. I'm seriously blushing - but it's also the best thing that I've knit thus far and I'm proud to show it off.

If you'll remember back a bit, I went to San Francisco. There I visited my favorite yarn store in the world, Art Fibers. And all of my purchases managed to fit in only one bag. That's restraint, people.

To recap, here're the goodies:

Two balls don't have individual photos of them - the multicolored one on the right and one of the dark ones in the middle. The multicolored is Ballet, in colorway 8. Ballet is a microfiber tubular completely artificial yarn that's hard to describe. However, I had previously purchased a large skein of it (enough for a tank top). Unfortunately, I wound that skein up prior to my purchase of a ball winder, and prior to having much experience in knitting. Therefore, I made little balls as large as I could handle and then cut the yarn and made another one. I think they're probably 30 yards or so. Therefore, with all of the joins I might not have enough for my tank top. When I saw this lone ball in the InSkein Asylum (the sale room - seriously, I love this store) I snatched it up. Hopefully it will see me through.

The other plain ball is a super dark bottle green/teal that is 100% cotton called Kurasawa ('Kay, I don't make films, but if I did they'd have a samurai). I'm hoping that it will be enough for a One Skein Wonder - if it doesn't quite make it I'll put in a stripe or some intarsia across the back or something. I tried taking a picture, but the green just doesn't capture on film and it just comes out looking like any boring cotton yarn.

OK, down to the ones I have photos for:

Tsuki.

40% silk, 60% mohair and 515 yards in 40 grams - quite similar to Kid Silk Haze actually, but cheaper and in a very cool color. I think this is going to be my foray into lace knitting for a shawl or wrap, maybe Birch, haven't quite decided. I have two skeins, so I have enough to play with...

And the piece de resistance...

Kyoto

Kyoto is mohair and silk, but as two different components that are then plied together. They're then dyed, and the two fibers can take the dye quite differently, leading to a beautiful mottled look. I bought enough to make a sweater for me.
This was a splurge, there's no denying that. My reasoning is that I have literally thought about this yarn since I was in Art Fibers last November. That trip, I bought the Chai and left Kyoto, and I thought about it ever since. I was pretty sure that I was going to walk out of the store with it this time. (And, if you've read the post from last November, I said that I still hadn't made anything from the yarn I bought on my first trip... well, that's what I made the Dreamcatcher cardigan out of, so I had to replentish the stash, right? :) ) Actually, I don't tend to rationalize my yarn purchases this much to myself or my husband, just to the blog (and you, my loyal readers). Isn't that a bit strange? I guess it's part of my upbringing, not to flaunt the cash, but the fact is that I earned this money and I decided to spend it on yarn. And not just yarn, but fabulous yarn that I love.
I spent quite a while deliberating over the color choice. I really loved the vibrancy of the Electra blue or the Leafy green, but I didn't think I would wear them as often. I thought very long and hard over Orchid, but I actually have several other purple sweaters already. Mahogany and marmalade also gave me pause, but I finally settled on the blue/black. The difference between the mohair and silk isn't quite as pronounced, so it doesn't have a very mottled look, but the silk gives it an amazing shine.
Not putting a moment to waste, I've already cast on for my sweater. It's a top down raglan with a loose cowl-turtleneck and one irregular cable running down the side. It's my current obsessive project of the moment, although I'm forcing myself to take breaks for my Sockapaltwoza socks (one down, one to go!). WIP pictures someday!

Dreamcatcher Medallion Cardigan!

Are you here looking for Part 2 of my San Francisco Yarn Haul? Well, I'm a tricky one, aren't I? I snuck in a Finished Object! Check her out:

Rather plain Jane cardigan at walking toward you, but walking away - Wowza!

(mouseover the picture for the back view, or click here for a pop-up.

Pattern: Dreamcatcher Medallion Cardigan from the incredible Loop-D-Loop book by Teva Durham. I made the size Medium (38 1/2" chest) and love the fit
Yarn: Suedish from Artfibers (sadly, discontinued). This was my celebratory yarn splurge after finishing my master's, and it feels good to have finally knit it up!
Needles: Denise 7's
Started: July 4th Weekend
Finished: August 21st. I actually finished the entire body in two weeks, but then stalled out a bit on the sleeves, and then stalled even longer over the finishing.

Comments: I knit the body all at the same time - at the top, this involves four different balls of yarn and 8 simultaneous shapings to keep track of (right front neck, right front armhole, right back armhole, right medallion, left medallion, left back armhole, left front armhole, left front neck). I didn't chart or even write down my progress - I just mentally kept track. I know I'm bragging a little, but by God, I think this is an accomplishment!
I read the pattern wrong and knit the sleeves a good 2" longer than they're supposed to be (I thought it was taking forever, and I was right!). However, they're the perfect length. I've said before that I have orangutan arms, and I'll say it again.
As soon as I finished the body piece I went ahead and did the medallion (the pattern has you binding off and then increasing in the back to make a big hole, which you then fill in with the medallion at the end). Without it, the hole tended to gape and hang strangely, and I couldn't tell if it was going to fit or not. Plus, I wanted to see what it looked like. Then I wove in all of the ends, and had a vest for a while.
When I took the class with Teva Durham in July, I brought the vest to show it off. It was the first one she'd seen anyone else knit, so it was pretty cool. I wish the entire sweater had been done at that point, but I did have to work and sleep.
I worked on this sweater in San Francisco, so it's a cross-country project. I also took the vest with me to Artfibers to show off their yarn being put to good use. I love their yarn, yes I do.
I've seen one other completed sweater (on craftster), but otherwise I haven't seen it mentioned very much in blogland (though I have gotten a few google hits off it being listed in my sidebar). If anyone is thinking about it or working on it, let me know!

San Fran Haul - Part One (the Books)

OK, so my last entry left you hanging to see the haul from my trip to San Francisco. You've now been waiting for 13 days - I sincerely hope that no one was holding their breath.

First, the haul.

  Like this, it doesn't look so bad does it?

This is a little more alarming. 

Let's break it down. {hammer time!}

First, the books. Let me say that Kinokuniya is an amazing (read: huge) bookstore, and I was very glad to have a knowledgeable guide like Elizabeth, who allowed us to make a beeline for the craft section, where we proceeded to stock up (well, me more than Elizabeth, but I did manage to enable her somewhat)... FYI, if you're interested in Japanese craft books, Maitreya has put together an amazing website that has the ISBN numbers, reviews, and links to projects that have been completed from them.

(OK, enough of the babble, show us the loot!)

Happy now? Yes, thank you

From left to right, we have a book of very adorable children's patterns, most of which involve putting ears on hoods, hats, etc., but which also has quite a few capes - even some with ears! I say that there aren't enough American toddlers who wear capes, don't you agree? The only English on the cover is 50-95 cm, which I'm assuming is somewhat equivalent to 18 months - 3T, since that appears to be the size range of patterns involved. The ISBN number (for those keeping track at home) is: 4-07-234531-8.

Next up, Men's Knit (subtitled: Stylish + Traditional + Basic and sized M, L, LL, which I amuse myself by calling "Medium, Large and LargeLarge"). While I have very slim hopes that Dan will every actually wear a hand-knit sweater (not with his very own internal blast furnace of a metabolism), I rather liked some of these sweaters for me. This one is my favorite, but there are a couple of others as well. Many of the women's patterns seemed uber-feminine (lacy, frilly, etc.), which is just a bit too much for me. I really liked these simpler sweaters. ISBN: 4-277-13324-X

Next up, Stuffed Toys Easy to Make (ISBN: 4-8347-1922-8) I had seen this book referenced on several other craft blogs, and was excited to find it in person. The animals are really cute, and they have a thorough step-by-step of the construction for a few of them that helps you figure out the rest. I definitely have plans for a few of the stuffies in here, but it's been temporarily overshadowed by the next book...

Chesai nuigurumi (small stuffies). That's the little one in front with the bear on it. There are many other projects that have been made from this book linked to here, but so far no one has posted about the ones that I fell in love with... but I'll save that for another post. ISBN: 4-8347-6348-X

And finally, the other small book that's peeking out of the back is Enjoy! Natural Dyeing. It's also from the Petit Boutique series, and is on dyeing fabric, yarn, beads, paper, etc. from natural materials. This is one that a working knowledge of Japanese would help out significantly, but I might be able to puzzle some things out from the pictures. Anyway, it's a beautiful book and it wasn't very expensive. ISBN: 4-8347-6388-X

If you like these books and want advice on buying them (online), Hilary has good advice here (plus the books she owns). I highly recommend Yes Asia - I bought a few books from them earlier this year (which I never did get photographed and up on the blog... must do that at some point).

Hmm... I think that's enough for this post. Stay tuned for the Artfibers haul! (Hopefully this one won't take me 13 more days!)

Recap

OK, so I've been MIA for a while. Our home computer still isn't fixed, laptop is still being monopolized for the robot car, I don't feel comfortable blogging at work - blah, blah, blah. I'm still surfing blogs and commenting when I can, and everyday I think of something and think "I'll have to blog about that!" Sometimes I even take pictures...

Since my last entry I cast on for a WIP that is now blocking and practically a FO. I'll hopefully have pictures next time.

I went to a design your own shrug class taught by Teva Durham and with classmate Jenna - had a fabulous time and came home with plenty of ideas. Unfortunately, ideas are all that I came home with because I knit a swatch, ripped it out, cast on for the shrug, ripped it out, knit another swatch, ripped it out, knit ANOTHER swatch, kept it, but still haven't cast on for the actual shrug. I love the yarn I bought, though - Silky Wool in a bright pink (no. 26 on the linked page).

I've attended a Meet-up, a Mid-Meetup Meetup, and even a Mid-Mid-Meetup-Meetup Movie Night! Xanadu and The Legend of Billie Jean plus knitting, plus great company - it does not get more exciting than that, people! Seriously, if you are in the DC/Maryland area, sign up for that list and find out when our meetings are and then show up - what are you waiting for? :)

I've even worked on my SockapalTwoza socks. I'm doing the River Rapids socks in the green Socks that Rock yarn I picked up at MDS&W (all the way on the right). I'm two repeats down, one to go before starting the heel, and they're looking pretty good.

Also in that time I visited San Francisco for a work training class. Which was only a few blocks from Artfibers (how fortuitous!), and also the city where Elizabeth lives! We got to hang out two nights while I was in town, and she was an excellent hostess, taking me to two yarn stores, Kinokinuya in search of Japanese crafting magazine goodness, and even a local stitch & bitch at a bar! (beer + knitting = fun!) Don't we look like we're having a good time?

While in Artfibers, I mighta sorta kinda bought something. Just a little bit. And also at the bookstore. I'll have to take some pictures of the haul and post them here - just try not to be too horrified, OK? OK.

Sockapalooza!

So a week or so ago I got a small brown package in the mail. I wasn't really expecting anything, so I was kind of at a loss to explain it. The stamps were pretty and foreign - Dubai, to be exact.

Finally, I opened it to find.... Socks!

My Sockapalooza (1) socks arrived! (They may be among the last to arrive, but I think they had one of the longest trips!) And in a fun twist of partnering, I sent the socks I knitted to Shaima, and she sent to me, so we basically did a sock exchange. I love my green and blue wool socks. It's a little warm to wear them now, but they'll be very cozy this winter. Thanks Shaima!