This is a knitting blog right?

Beautiful hat on otherwise pretty girl making stupid face:

Pattern: Spring Time Beret by Natalie Larsen

Needles: size 6 and 7

Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted in Jewel Blue .75 skeins

I went over to Loop yesterday to check out their sale, which was pretty lame as far as yarn sales go, but they carry so many lovely colors of malabrigo - lace, worsted, and silk blend -  that I couldn't leave without just one skein. And since it was snowing I decided to make a winterized version of the spring time beret. I finished it last night, wore it today, and love, love, love it! I still plan to block it to open up the lace and de-bump it a bit, but overall I am very happy with this easy, quick, and ever so practical knit.

Nieces!

We spent a few days down in Oklahoma with the family last week and it was awesome. Below is a picture of the whole fam minus Kevin who had too work, poor Kevin.


Above: What Matthew's life will look like in 5 or 6 years.
Above: Sweet baby, Cora Jane, and Below awesome little girl Evelyn Rose.
Below baby Cora models her moderne log cabin baby blanket.

my year of austentatiousness

It all started last June. I had recently watched Becoming Jane and the newest movie version of Pride and Prejudice and could no longer hide my shame at having never read any of Jane Austen's novels. I had tried Emma several times since highschool, but it had never taken. Someone suggested I try P&P for my first go, and so I picked up a copy from paperbackswap and took it along with me on my train ride from Santa Fe to Riverside. I started reading and within 24 hours had gluttonously finished the whole thing. I spent the next four weeks re-reading the book at a more reasonable pace and decided I was a true fan. This January I spent an entire day watching Jane Austen themed movies (P&P, Emma, and The Jane Austen Book Club) and knitting - it was pure pleasure. Then my sisters bought me the BBC version of P&P and I spent another day in January gorging on Jane Austen and knitting - more pure pleasure. I had recently been given a copy of Sense and Sensibility and so a few weeks ago I began reading that. As soon as the Dashwood sisters were happily settled I decided to try Emma for the umpteenth time and was delighted to find myself finally finishing it. I'm now ready to go pick up a new book and I cannot decide which to choose: Mansfield Park  or Persuasion. I'm putting off Northanger Abbey for a bit. Thus far P&P is my very favorite as Elizabeth is the perfect heroine, and there is no sexier Austen man than Mr. Darcy, but perhaps I will change my mind once I have read them all, which I plan to do before this June - and thus complete my year of living Austentatiously.

Things I wish I were knitting

Owls by Kate Davies

Little Birds by Ysolda Teague

I just noticed the bird theme. I must really want it to be spring. I also have two non-pattern based sweaters that exist in my little brain that I wish I could knit-up and maybe make patterns out of, but alas, I have no time for knitting and no money for yarn just now.

In Memoriam

Fernando Silverstein

1998-2009

My friend Erin sent me this story from a veterinarian some time back, I think it helps:

“Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle. I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.
As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. 

We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, 'I know why.' Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. He said, 'People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?' The six-year-old continued, 'Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.'"

spring is in the air

First, I found this image over at craftgossip, and I thought to myself what do I love more than knitting? That's right, cupcakes.

Second, the new spring interweave preview is up and it's a real snooze fest. Even Norah Gaughan's design seems uninspiring. The design I like most is a lace weight cardigan, but who has the time and patients to make a lace weight cardigan? Anyways, I am once again disappointed, and hoping for some good articles. Yes, I read the articles in my knitting porn, especially when the visuals leave a lot to be desired. Or maybe it will be better in person... One can hope.

In other news we are at 3 weddings and 5 babies for 2009 and counting...  I guess I'll be spending the spring and summer knitting for the expected little ones, which I will very much enjoy. Knitting little things is always fun. I think this may prove the perfect opportunity to finally make an EZ baby surprise jacket or a February sweater on two needles, or maybe a baby kimono from Mason Dixon, or perhaps practice a new top-down technique for a future big girl pattern. And let's not forget a baby blankie or two. I'm thinking bulky yarn for the blankies...

UPDATE: Here is a link to vegan yumyum who made those boss cupcakes. Apparently Martha Stewart is a fan. The imbedded video shows you how to make them!

February?!

How did this happen? How did I only post 4 times to my blog in January? Why have I not put up any pictures of FOs? Oh, that's right, I don't really have any for January. I've been so busy with the new semester starting up that I've been sort of MIA, and I cannot promise that this won't be a trend until spring, but please be satisfied with a beautiful picture of our new niece, Cora Jane sleeping under her majorly modified modern log cabin baby blanket (from Mason Dixon; yarn is knitpicks crayon).

Coming soon: My knitter's "To Do List" and the much promised photos of December FOs (I'm way behind - I know!)