Second Verse, Same as the First

Sometimes when I knit a really enjoyable project, I start thinking about who else might enjoy one. The recipient of my double-dosed madness this time was the l'il sis who's celebrating her birthday today (Happy birthday B!).


The Pattern: Celtic Tote from Interweave Knits

The Yarn: Lamb's Pride Worsted in Heathery-Brown and Charcoal

The Needles: US 9's

The Verdict: I like the teal one for me, but I was sure that l'il sis would like the more muted colors. I also had a little overfelting accident with this one so it's a bit smaller than I had intended, but I like that it's sturdier than mine. She seems to like it so I think all's right with the world.

Spring has sprung

The trees outside seemed to have budded and blossomed over the weekend and my second favorite time of year is upon us (the first favorite being fall when the leaves change). Everywhere trees are boasting small white, pink or yellow flowers.

I also seem to have developed a fully blossomed cold. Blech!

I've been knitting lots, and have plenty of photos to post, but some are gifts to be given, so it will have to wait. In the mean time, our garden is growing.


The cucumber plant has flowered, delicate yellow flowers that I hope will soon turn to cucumbers.

Our new "floor plan" seems to be working out well as the cucumbers are taking over the neighboring planters.




We also have the tenderest of carrot tops.

And of course, the tomato plants continue to flourish.

Eureka!

I have finally found it, my friends. Quite possibly the most perfect white elephant gift ever:


I mean, who couldn't love this rooster?

Brought to you courtesy of everyone's favorite neighborhood department store.

Spring?

Well the weather isn't quite spring-like yet, and I haven't seen buds on the trees, but our garden is growing. This photo is almost a week old now, and woefully inadequate, but here it is:


Our cucumber plants are growing curlicue vines that are wrapping themselves around the tomato plants with a fair amount of tenacity. At this point we have separated the two since the cucumbers can't seem to play nice.


We are also closing in on harvest time for our green beans. I probably won't get more than one evening's side dish out of these, but for 6 seeds, we've got an impressive number of these little babies.


Not bad for a little indoor apartment garden huh?

Two in a Row (aka Happy Birthday Mom!)

Although she'd probably rather not acknowledge it, my mother is about to celebrate what we in my family refer to as a "Birthday of Significance." Based on this I decided to step up my knitting a bit and give her a super-special present. I've been waiting to post this until she received the package (don't want to spoil the surprise!) but she has now so I'm free to post. Her birthday is on Thursday, but she's already enjoying this:


The Pattern: Ene's Scarf from Scarf Style

The Yarn: Filatura di Crossa Golden Line Supreme, Cashmere and Silk

The Needles: US 6's

The Verdict: I love it, she loves it and all is right with the world. As I told her today.... enjoy it for many, many more to come!

A sweater is born.

I started knitting this sweater around Thanksgiving time. I bought the lovely charcoal alpaca last spring at the Sunflower Knitters' Guild's Kansas Yarn Crawl. I just saw it at Yarn Barn in Lawrence and had to have it.

And then last fall I saw the perfect pattern for the yarn. And apparently so did everyone else, because before I knew it there were twelve million of my perfect alpaca sweaters out there. I finally got around to knitting the sweater at Thanksgiving time and in my usual fashion, I finally got around to FINISHING the sweater last week. Today was the perfect day for a photo shoot.


The Pattern: Francis Revisited

The Needles: US 7's

The Yarn: Charcoal Alpaca from Yarn Barn

The Verdict: I worried halfway through this sweater that the supersoft alpaca that I loved knitting with would be scratchy on my neck. Well I put the sweater on today and it was fine! I wore a thin shirt underneath just to be sure, but this sweater is definitely soft to wear and is going to see a lot of play. Today I just enjoyed the last bits of snow for a fun photoshoot.

Time

Sometimes I can hardly believe how fast or slow time passes.

For instance, this past week, work has lasted an eternity at the store. Without sales going on, we've had very few people in the store. Each 8-hour shift has been interminable; wandering, searching for customers, straightening the shelves, and waiting. I HATE being unproductive and just standing and waiting.

Then I think about the last year of life. The fact that it seems like I just turned 30 and that here it is early March only a few months from my 31st birthday. I think of this weekend, the first full weekend I have spent with Wes in a long time. I managed to read not one, but TWO books and we went on a real date - dinner, shopping and lots of laughter.

I've been knitting too.... since I last posted I have finished a beautiful grey alpaca sweater that I started around Thanksgiving and finished this past week. I have also whipped together a tank top. Clearly I'm anticipating summer even though it snowed almost 4 inches this weekend.

And life is looking a little more hopeful. I had a phone interview this past Friday for one job, and I have an in-person interview this Thursday morning for a job that I think I'd really like.

Stay tuned for more news and pictures of our growing vegetable garden, more knitting on the needles, and hopefully new career news!