Friday, February 21, 2014

finally

I have been desperately looking to purchase some sock yarn by Tanis Fiber Arts.  I am the type of knitter that needs to touch the yarn and really see the colors to buy it.  In fact, almost every time I have strayed from this need, I end up purchasing yarn that I just don't like.  And then, it's into the bin in the basement for that stuff...  (P.S. I organized my stash!) Anyway.  A few years (?) ago I saw some of Tanis' yarn at my LYS and should have bought it.  I wasn't that into socks then, but I just knew that I wanted that yarn.  Well, last week as a Valentines Day present to myself, I bit the bullet and bought a skein of TFA Purple Label Cashmere Sock Yarn.  Yes, I said cashmere. I was desperately waiting for it to arrive.  I cast on for a sweater with some yarn I Had bought months ago and tried to wait it out.  On Tuesday, it arrived.



 It is a lovely color.  (I love purple).  But the best thing about it, is how F*&^&*ing soft it is! It is amazing.  I told Michael that I wanted to wrap my body in it... He thinks I'm weird, but he's supportive!  Thank goodness!

The weird thing is, I finally had this beautiful sock yarn.  I had picked the pattern (Alderney Socks from Spring 2014 Interweave Knits) I wanted to use it for.  But I couldn't cast on!  I felt so bad about abandoning the sweater.  So I did what any normal knitter would do.  I set it on the end table next to my knitting seat and looked at it while I begrudgingly knit the damn nice sweater.

Well I knit like crazy.  And looked at the sock yarn.  Then, in a moment of weakness, I decided since the baby was at daycare (Yay February Vacation!) I had to wind it now, because Harrison loves to mess with the swift.  So I wound that lovely ball.





And I think it was more beautiful than before.  Oh no. I couldn't help myself.  So now the sweaters on the end table and I could care less.  The pattern is coming along nicely.  And I am forcing myself to follow the directions.  Sometimes, I think I know better than the designer and decide to change things... then I get into trouble when I have to make a duplicate.  I am not straying a stitch from this pattern.  I cannot wait to wear these!



And the yarn was definitely worth the wait!  What's your favorite sock yarn?

Happy Knitting.

Monday, February 17, 2014

when the kid is away

As you may know, I am a music teacher at a public school in Massachusetts.  We have had a brutal winter with a lot of snowfall and a lot of snow days.  While I do love the day off from school to be home, we can get pretty cooped up and bored stuck in the house all day.  Well February vacation is here and Harrison is in school for the week... so this mommy is home ALONE!!!  I got up this morning to get the baby off with his daddy and then I started in on the household chores.  But now, I break... for knit time.


My husband's wonderful Aunt Mell gives me a subscription to Interweave Knits Magazine every year.  There is something about looking at all of the beautiful pictures and ads of yarn that makes it possible for me to read and re-read these magazines all year long.  In the Fall 2013 issue there is a pattern called the Seven Sisters Pullover and I immediately ordered some Knit Picks yarn to get started.  I was so busy making cowls when it arrived that I put it all in a bag in the closet (oh, the closet... I should clean that this week...) and haven't had a chance to start.  Well, when I finished Greta's blanket yesterday I started that adorable little hat to go with it.  And it is adorable.



This Malabrigo Rios yarn is my new favorite.  And I love the idea of a lacy blanket in a deep purple for a baby girl.  What's your favorite color to knit for babies?






What's on your needles?

Happy Knitting.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Baby, baby, baby

My good friend Greta is expecting her first baby this April. I met Greta when we shared a classroom together in Somerset.  She was the art teacher who was stuck sharing the room with me (the music teacher).  As a side note, Greta is the cleanest/most organized art teacher I have ever met!  We became fast friends and we have been close during so many exciting times in each others lives.  We both got engaged within weeks and married within weeks as well!  She painted the gorgeous mural on the wall in Harrison's nursery and so I was thrilled when she told me she was having a little girl.  While I won't be painting any of the walls in her home, I will be adding some color with the beautiful purple blanket made for Lila.



Blocking is such a crazy thing.  I swear this blanket tripled after I soaked it and laid it out.  I just wish I had taken a picture.  I can't wait to see it all folded up.  When I asked Greta if she wanted a sweater and hat OR a blanket for baby Lila, she said blanket before I could even finish my sentence.  But, lucky for this baby, I have just enough yarn (oh, the yarn! I almost forgot!!!  Malabrigo Rios might just be my new favorite!) for the most adorable little hat.  Its the Owlie Hat by Teresa Cole.  I think little Lila is going to be beautiful wrapped up in all this love.

Happy Knitting.