planning ahead . . .

Lately, I've been trying a new concept in my knitting. I call it "planning ahead". As opposed to last year, where I was forced by beautiful spring weather to abandon my heavy brown sweater WIP for something more seasonally appropriate, I'm trying to plan things to be finished at appropriate times. So, I cast on for February Lady in, well, February, and finished it up by mid-March. I only had 300 yards of yarn (Brookside Yarns Pico Alto in Spring), so I made a cropped, sleeveless version.

Basically, instead of putting the sleeves on stitch holders like the pattern said, I just bound off, which luckily made cute little cap sleeves with no effort on my part, and then knit the body in garter stitch until I ran out of yarn. All done totally by the seat of my pants, but it turned out great.

And it's perfect for anticipating spring, throwing on over a long-sleeve shirt or when I need a bit more layering at night.

The crazy-awesome pin is from Impulse of Delight. She was offering an amazing deal where all yarn orders placed in March would get a free shawl pin. Sign me up! I actually made buttonholes and everything, but I don't think I'll ever put buttons on; I like this so much.

Next up, I'll be making this from this:

I saw it at Needlenook and fell in love. Hopefully, by the time I finish, it'll still be cool enough for a mercerized cotton sweater. Planning ahead? Well, maybe. :-)

look! we made our house all pretty!

I've been very busy with house stuff lately. (What else is new, right?) Last weekend, we finally got around to hanging some pictures.

a kitty painting given to me by a work friend as a housewarming present

my favorite tulip painting looks so cheery over the mantle. Also, check out BRE's lamp from Ten Thousand Villages. Cool, no?

BRE's wall-hanging, also from Ten Thousand Villages

pictures from Dryads Dancing

a very cool collage that BRE made with pictures from an old calendar of aboriginal Australian art. Here's a close-up.

really, we should know better

The Best Roommate Ever and I tried to put together a puzzle last night.


Why are we surprised by this? Honestly.

why I whacked all my hair off

One on my coworkers, on seeing my new 'do, said, "Wow. Did you get mad?" Um, no. I did not pull a britney.
I cut off all my hair to donate it to Locks of Love. I'd been planning to for quite some time. When I was in college, I did all sorts of wacky things with my hair like shaving it down to three-eighths of an inch and dyeing it blue. I miss those days. But, upon graduating, I had to enter the real world and get a real job, where I couldn't have pink hair. So I decided to shave it all off one last time and start fresh. I would grow it out until I couldn't stand it anymore, then cut it all off and donate it.
This January, I was getting dresed and accidentally tucked my hair into the back of my pants. When I told the Best Roommate Ever, she said, "Haircut!" "But, but, but-" "Haircut!" "But-" "HAIRCUT!" She knows when to be tough with me.
As soon as it got warm enough, Little Sister and I went to her hair stylist, the fabulous Susan, at Helmet, who whacked off all my hair and sent it to be made into wigs for children with cancer. Now, if only I could claim it as a deduction on my taxes.

it's awfully hard to get anything done around here sometimes

This is how the Best Roommate Ever spent her weekend, held hostage under a pile of kitties.

what the crap is this???

It is 30 degrees. And SNOWING. (Flurries, but still, flurries count!) In Atlanta. In APRIL!!! This is not ok! Weather, I am putting you on notice. You have been warned. Straighten up, or else!

I lost some length recently . . .

before April 1st:

after April 1st:

Goodbye, hair!

One hundred thirty-eight thousand, nine hundred sixty stitches

Of all the things I've made, my Lizard Ridge blanket is the one I'm most proud of. The pattern was published in Knitty in fall of 2006, shortly after my boyfriend moved out. I was shattered and in desperate need of comfort knitting, something repetitive enough not to tax my weary brain, but interesting enough to help stave off the moping, a project that would become something warm and comforting to wrap around me. Check, check and check. It was perfect, with the added benefit of using Noro Kureyon, which I had always been obsessed with but was too itchy to wear next to my skin.
After a couple of squares, I could have knit the pattern in my sleep. I loved watching the stripes of colors form. I knit on them everywhere: in the airport, in meetings, at family gatherings, anywhere I could get away with it. Thirty squares and over a year later, I had a blanket.




(And yes, that stitch count is accurate, to the best of my knowlege. I had to know. And I'm a math nerd.)