2.12.2013

What every knitter needs

Hello!

After purchasing my yarn-of-dreams, I decided that when I'm knitting in various places (my bed, the couch, the floor), it might be a good idea to have a bag of some sort to carry my stuff around. Especially my scissors. And needles. I have left my scissors and pins and needles loose on my bed before. Yes, I realize how cringe-worthy that is.

Incidentally, a very good word to describe me is "scatterbrained". Or more accurately, "selectively scatterbrained", because I always know where all my school books and homework is. I just loose the sharp, dangerous items that I use for my hobby. Good job, ten points for intelligence.

Anyway, easily sidetracked.... pictures!


 And before all the embroidery people out there have a heart attack, yes I know that my heart-shaped embroidery looks like a potato. I'm sorry. I had enough trouble figuring out why the fabric was not going where I was telling it to. And why there was a funny noise coming from the machine. Shh, don't tell anyone.


It isn't nicely finished or anything, but I like it. The green fabric is left over from the pillow that I made for Christmas, the pink is from a project that never happened and the gray is one of the many fabrics that I have gotten, used, stored, then found again a year later. It's like a never ending circle of surprises. I made up the pattern (no surprises there).

It's just a little bag to keep my work-in-progress-knits in, instead of having them sitting on the floor where my cats can cover them in fur. I love them, but my knitting should be sacred. And cat-free.

Have a nice end of week! (It feels like Thursday. Why can't it be Thursday?)
Bye!

P.S. Sorry for the terrible lighting in the photos, no amount of editing could save them from the impending doom of afternoon light.

2.09.2013

On yarn

Hello!
In my brief previous post, I mentioned a little yarn shop that I went to last night.
It is very, very small, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in everything else. The design is whimsical, but stylish, the shop owner is very nice and helpful, the yarn comes in many beautiful colors and is not overpriced and I really liked the patterns that were on display.

I like little yarn shops like that because they help reinforced the image that knitting can be hip and cool. Hopefully next time I will remember to bring my camera in, because it is worth the pictures.

Anyway, I got some yarn that I am very happy with. I usually knit with cheap acrylic yarn from the nearby drug store, so this is a whole new level for me. I got some one ply merino wool, which is possibly the best yarn to knit. Ever. Seriously. It is soft and thick, slides well on the needles (and I'm a tight knitter, so that's a much welcomed bonus) and does not scratch at all.
Also, this yarn comes from Uruguay and is part of an organization, Manos del Uruguay, which is a non profit organization that brings economic and social opportunities to rural women. The artisan even signs the tag on the yarn. The woman who dyed the wool I got is named Claudia. Thanks Claudia!

I got a happy medley of orange and red, with some golden yellow sprinkled in to make a long scarf for myself. I have been wearing my dad's scarf for the last few months and I really wanted my own in a brighter color, because hey, winter mornings are cold and dark. You need a little bit of fire. (Not literally, I'm not going to burn anything, don't worry.)

To add to my love of this yarn, it knits up really fast. I started knitting late last night and a bit this morning and I already have nearly 40 cm. I love knitting it, it's so soft and squishy... I hope I'll be finished before it gets too warm.

Little anecdote: I usually don't name my projects and I don't really understand why people do. I get it when the name describes what the thing is, for example "Little Cable Hat" or something, but my mom recently knit a sweater called Abigail. Why? Why call it Abigail? I don't know. But I decided to call my scarf the Phoenix Tail scarf, because phoenixes are made of fire and I like magic, if you haven't already figured that out. (But the name makes sense, it connects to the color! I wouldn't call it James or Charlie... I guess that's just one of those things that I can't really wrap my brain around.)

On that note, have a nice week-end!
Bye!

2.08.2013

Back in a sec...

Hello!
Just a little moment I wanted to share: end of a Friday, trip to a lovely little yarn shop and some brand new yarn (more on that soon) along with a warm fireplace and the thought of an upcoming vacation.

Life is sweet.


And yes, I know it's an Instagram picture. What can I say, sometimes its nice not to do the editing.