Holiday knits

As promised here are some photos of my holiday knits. They're not the best, so use your imagination to experience their true knitted glory.

This is E.R. Evelyn's elephant. He is made of double stranded sport weight alpaca. The pattern is from LMKG.

The scarf for Debbie was made with a funky cotton by Ironstone Yarns called Cotton Flake. I knit the whole thing using diagonal eyelet lace.
As for my mom's branching out scarf in jabberwocky cashmere (stitched back together after massive dog chewing), I forgot to get a picture. I'm sure mom will send one as soon as she gets her camera back from grandma and I'll be sure to post it. Now I'm just finishing up some Thuja socks for my m-i-l and then I'm going to start my first ever fair isle!

Holiday update

I have been slacking. Here is a recap of the Holidays so far.

Tonight we celebrated Christmas early with Scarlett, who is headed to the Dusty Dog Ranch tomorrow for a 6 night 7 day stay at the canine resort.
Doesn't she look fabulous in her new Lands End squall coat? Notice the monogramming on her bum! Green is really her color.
Here is a picture of the pooch under our Charlie Brown-style, faux fir.
On the fourth night of Hanukkah I made traditional latkes and we had bagels, lox, and pickled herring (yum!).

We went to Tulsa for Thanksgiving and had a fantastic time with Matthew's whole family. We will really miss seeing them at Christmas.
I think the above photo is hilarious. Evelyn has every toy a baby could want, but she would prefer to play with a plastic cup. Below is a picture of Evelyn and Scarlett sharing. They were so cute. The baby would take the bone from the dog and the dog would just let her have it and then the baby would give it back. It was too cute.
We're off to my mom's tomorrow for Christmas. We've decided to leave our laptops behind and so it may be awhile before I put up a new post, but next time I plan to put up picture of our trip and all of my holiday knitting (can't put those up until everyone has received their gifts, wouldn't want to ruin the surprise).

Scarlett's first snow

Although she was frightened at first, she is already a big fan.

if I am dreaming

...please don't wake me up, unless you are about to hand me a skein of this

Manos Del Uruguay SILK BLEND!!!!

the Amtrak knitting car

This is an Amtrak Lounge Car. Not any Lounge Car in particular, just a representative of such.
When I travel to and from California on the Southwest Chief I spend most of my waking hours in the lounge car. Why? First of all, it has great light and a much better view of the awesome scenery passing by outside. Second, you can often meet some nice folks in the public space of the lounge car. Third, I have to sleep in my seat and I just don't sleep well in a place where I am also spending all of my waking hours.
On my most recent trip, from which I just returned, I was in the Lounge car reading when I glanced over and saw that the couple next to me were doing some sort of something with yarn. They were using these plastic thingies with pegs that I have seen before at various craft stores. My curiosity got the best of me and I asked what they were doing. They described it as "cheating knitting," but they were really enjoying it and were busy "knitting" scarves for their granddaughters. They pointed out that the man down the way was doing "real knitting," which turned out to be crochet. The gentleman crocheting looked like he had just walked out of a ZZTop video and that he would have been more comfortable riding a Harley, John Deer, or Big Rig of some kind than crocheting on a train, but alas he was a lover of all the fiber arts. At the sight of all of this "knitting" I decided I had to get out my own project and join the fun. The next thing you knew the woman behind me was knitting too. It was like a regular old Stitch N Bitch right there on the old Southwest Chief number 4 train.

enough said

Noro is making sock yarn.

magna cum laude

Scarlett graduated from puppy school tonight. We are so proud of our baby!!!
This is Scarlett playing with her best girl Lucky.

I might be a winner

About a week ago a new knitting store in town, Looking Glass Yarns, had an open house. Matthew and I went to check it out (I know, he's wonderful) and had a really nice time meeting the owners and looking about. They were having a raffle, so of course I signed up, and guess what? I won!!!! I'm a winner. I won a ball of sock yarn and new addi DPNs!!! It was just thrilling.

new knit trick

I was knitting my first lace project, a cashmere scarf, when my beloved dog decided that cashmere tastes delicious (please note the expensive cashmere bought at a wool festival was sitting next to a $4 ball of cotton yarn I bought at my LYS). She chewed up the ball pretty bad. With lace knitting one cannot "weave in" loose ends, so this was a real problem. My fab husband called the woman who had spun the yarn and she said she could get me another skein, but I was impatient. I wanted to knit with the half destroyed yarn I had. Along comes the internet to my rescue. At this site I learned how to stitch yarn together and it has worked wonderfully. I am actually planning to try it with other projects because I so hate weaving in ends and stitching the ends together is easier, you do it as you knit so it isn't all saved for the end, and it looks better. Scarlett also got her hands on another ball of yarn (this appears to be a serious problem and we're trouble shooting presently) and I am hoping that the "stitch together" join may help salvage some of that mutilated fiber. I'll keep you posted.

For everything else....

Replacing chewed up boards in fence: $10
Shoe repair for one pair of perfect summer wedges: $20
Shoe repair for BCBG black heals: $15
Replacement of one two-ounce skein of handspun cashmere: $30
One trip to veterinarian for "injured" paw: $50

Unconditional Love: Priceless

'tis the season

For over a week now the commercials on my TV and my neighbors ghetto-style, flashing, blue icicle lights have announced the arrival of the holiday season, and by holiday season I clearly mean shopping season. It used to be that people cared about etiquette and did not put up their holiday decor until the day after Thanksgiving, but the world has gone tacky and consumer and now it's the day after Halloween. I hate this extension of the holiday season, I mean shopping season. However, as a knitter, who likes to knit at least a few of her holiday gifts, it is nice to get the advanced warning that time is at a premium to get those projects done. And with money tight this year and the price of airline tickets soaring (it looks like we're taking the train), it is nice to find some really great yarn in my stash that is perfect for some of my holiday projects. It's like I paid it forward back in the days before we were quite this poor. Now, I can only hope that the folks we get in my family's name exchange both want hand-knits made from purple yarn.
In other news, I attended my first knitting group here in Santa Fe and had a really nice time and got some of that holiday knitting started.

Harmony

This week I turned a heel on a pair of socks and took the extra DPN (double pointed needle) and set it somewhere nearby. A few hours later I thought to myself, "where is that fifth DPN? I'm going to need that. It turns out Scarlett had eaten her first knitting needle. Luckily this was a size 0 needle, which is about the same size as many of the twigs she snacks on in the yard. She left behind a tiny little piece, just so I would be sure that it was she that caused the disappearance of the DPN.
The loss of the sock needle prompted my purchase of the Harmony sock needle set. I have had my eye on them since Knitpicks introduced the Harmony line a month or so ago. Now I am ready to knit socks until I'm sick of it, which I can't imagine. They are so fun to knit with all of the shaping, the finished product is a million times more comfortable and better looking than store bought, and the yarns available for sock knitting are amazing. I'm not the kind of girl to make a sweater from variegated or self striping yarn, because my fashion sense won't allow it, but socks, now socks are where a girl can have some fun. So as I am about to finish my first pair (I know it has taken me forever, but I keep getting distracted), I am already planning a second and a third. I am planning to make myself the socks for veronik from this years Interweave Holiday Issue and these for Matthew from Knitty. Matthew also has his heart set on some fingerless gloves, which I think will be pretty fun.

Happy Halloween

Tonight we carved our great pumpkin, whilst "Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin" played in the background. After we completed our nifty little Jack-o-Lantern and gave him a test run, I decided to let Scarlett try on her costume. The little devil costume is the very same one that I wore for my first Halloween and it was also worn before me by my childhood doggie, Fella, thus it's a tradition that we have to keep. We're still waiting for the pumpkin seeds to finish toasting, but otherwise we are all set for trick-or-treaters tomorrow night. We have an assortment of mini-chocolate bars and if all goes well I won't have eaten them all before the children arrive.

Above: Scarlett says, "look what my people mad me do." I say, "the devil made me do it."

Matthew and I carving away

Below: Mr. Jack-o-Lantern

Tourists

The Vedras, a.k.a. Mom and Tim, came to visit us and were our first official guests here in Santa Fe. It provided an excellent opportunity to act like a tourist. While they were here we took in all of the sites. We toured the Cathedral, the Loretto Chapel (with its miraculous staircase), the San Miguel Mission, and the Santuario de Chimayo. My mom and I hiked up to see Nambe Falls, and everyone headed out to Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. We ate tons of green and red chile and had a fantastic time eating out as well as cooking some yummy meals at home. Scarlett was thrilled to get to spend time with grandma Karen and grandma's husband Tim. She loved all the extra attention. Now that they are gone, Scarlett is a bit depressed. She really loves her grandma and misses her already. Our whole little family is anxious for their return.
Here are some pictures of the Vedras and their trip:

Up top: A scenic overlook near the Santa Fe Ski Basin. Below: In front of the historic Palace of the Governors, the oldest public building in the country.

Above: Nambe Falls. Below: Santuario de Chimayo

Above: Tent Rocks. Below: The family at the Tent Rocks, Aren't we cute?

So, who's next?

Travels

I returned yesterday from my cross country travels. I started out from Lamy, NM one week ago today on the Southwest Chief headed west to Riverside, CA. After a slightly bumpy start (I forgot my regular drivers license but was allowed on the train with an old one and a few tears), the train ride was great. I got some work done, ate dinner with some interesting people, and got some decent sleep. When I arrived in Riverside at 6 a.m. Jessica came and picked me up and took me back to the Malisch's where I fed Emmet his breakfast. I got to campus and took care of some business and got work done. That evening I attended the good old Stitch n Bitch before heading to friend Catherine's to set up camp. Wednesday I met with all of my advisers and stoked the dissertation fires. That night I had dinner with some good knitting friends and got to knit even more! It was awesome. Thursday I had lunch with Caroline and took care of some business, including a trip to Riverside's amazing new H&M, before heading out to my dad's to get some sleep before flying to Milwaukee on Friday. In Milwaukee I went out with our friends Susan and Dave, and then woke up early to spend some time with Grandma Alyce before driving up to Appleton for Step-Aunt Teena's wedding. I drove up in my rented Chevy Cobalt that was Cobalt Blue. The wedding was lots of fun and it was great to see my dad, step-mom, and sisters. Yesterday I left Appleton before the sun rose to make my 9 a.m. flight from Milwaukee to Albuquerque. I was so happy to be home with my husband and my puppy and our new couch, and on top of that it snowed! That's right folks, it snowed. Not that much, just a few flurries, but that was enough to totally amaze Matthew and I. We can't wait until the first time we get to take Scarlett out for a romp in the fresh fallen snow.
Now, we are busy preparing for the arrival of Mom and Tim on Wednesday. Our first visitors here in Santa Fe!

Above: Dad and his girls. Below: Dad and his Jim Beam.

eye candy

The beauty outside and in. The photo above is from our trip up to the Santa Fe Ski Basin to see the Aspens show their glorious color, and the photo below is of my work space now that we have finally hung the painting we bought on our honeymoon.

The Wool Festival at Taos

Today we loaded up the car headed to the The Wool Festival at Taos. It was everything I dreamed it would be. We saw sheep, llamas, goats, and lovely little alpacas; Matthew ate a yummy lamb sausage, and I got a fresh infusion of fabulous yarn. Scarlett wasn't so sure about the festival, mostly because she had to ride for over an hour in the car to get there and she hates the car, but I think she ended up having a good time.

The drive up to Taos:
Me in heaven, I mean at the Wool Festival:
It was a beautiful day for a mow:
The spoils:

The purple/red/blue: Brook's Farms Mohair; White: Jabberwocky Farms Cashmere;
Gray: Elsa Wool Company; Green: Plain & Fancy Wool & Sheep Co.

We had planned to camp near Taos but unfortunately, despite getting our tent up in 50 mile/hour winds we had to abandon that plan when we discovered we had set up camp on a pricker patch and the puppy's paws were full of sticky prickers. Turns out the whole area was covered in them, and so we decided to take the hour drive home and put off Scarlett's first camping trip for another day.

Textured Tunic in Francis

With all of the unfinished objects (UFOs) in my knitting basket, it may shock you that I have cast on for a new sweater. For my birthday my mom bought me this fabulous worsted weight alpaca from a local ranch. It is a lucious light brown color that was named for the alpaca it belonged to, Francis. I had planned to turn Francis into the Textured Tunic with Side Buttons from Fitted Knits come fall, and so with the weather turning cooler, I had no choice but to cast on. So far, it's really fabulous. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

How much is that doggie in the window?

Little Scarlett chased a fly right into the window sill and then she decided to stay.

trail tail

We took our first hike in the mountains around Santa Fe today. We hit the Borrego trail with Matthew's co-clerk Sarah and had a great time. However, I forgot that if you go down a really big incline, you have to go back up it. With the altitude that was a little rough. Also, my darling puppy got so excited while running with another pooch she came across while hiking that she knocked me over with a tackle that would make any Sunday football fan cringe. Surprisingly, the blow doesn't appear to have caused any major damage. Scarlett had a fantastic time romping in the woods and frolicking in the creek. She did a great job off leash and we were able to keep track of her thanks to her blaze orange vest, which we received as a hand-me-down from our good friends Susan and Danny. I must say she looked adorable in it.
Enjoy some of the photos we took:
on down the trail
the queen of the forest
Our first family photo!
super puppy!!!

crashed out

We were all exhausted yesterday, but I think Scarlett was the most in need of serious R&R. I think the klink, I mean kennel, really wore her out.

in memoria

After a long battle with Alzheimers desease my grandpa Bob passed away late yesterday. I am at the Alburquerque International Sunport waiting to fly all the way to Atlanta and then on to Milwaukee, where I will join the rest of my family in celebarting both my grandmother's birthday and my grandfather's life.
While I am deeply saddened by the loss of my beloved granfather, I am happy that there is finally an end to his suffering and peace for our entire family. My grandfather was a quiet man who liked to garden and to read, and loved to play with me when I was a little girl and even let me sit on his lap when I was a gangly 17 year old scared to leave home for the first time. He was a good man and I miss him.

Shoptastic

I made a sweater! I've made shrugs, started sweaters, but this is my first ever finished, I can wear it, it makes me feel cute and accomplished sweater! It is the Shopping Tunic from Twinkle's Big City Knits by Wenlan Chia. I've had the book for awhile and oggled the designs, but have been unable to afford any of the necessary super bulky yarn. Yesterday, in desperation for a finished sweater, I decided to use the Rowan Ribbon Twist I purchased nearly two years ago to make my "first" sweater, the Beth (I know). Here are the results:



Knitting Details:
The patterns in this book are horrendous, filled with errors and not at all clear. This one was no exception, but was fairly easy to figure out. Now the Ribbon twist is only a bulky yarn and so there was no way I could get gage, so I knit a couple swatches on both 19s (the size needle called for in the pattern) and 17s. I decided to knit the sweater on the 17s but two sizes larger than what should be my size -- voila it actually worked. I only made one alteration, besides making the cowl a couple inches shorter, which was to add some 1x1 ribbing at the bottom to keep it from riding up. It is supposed to be a tunic but it came out a bit short (I did knit it an 1" short but it shouldn't have been as short as it came out, I think it was the result of my monkeying with the gage). I used ~270 yards of yarn.

I would make this again. It was really easy and super fast. I love the cowl neck. If I did it again I'd skip the pockets: they aren't as cute as they looked in other people's blog pictures and they were a real pain in the ass. I think if I did it again I would do some sort of ribbed lower half and use a super bulky in a solid color.

So there you have it, a knitting post on a knitting blog, who'd of thought?