Happy New Year

 

Another Happy Accident Project

Okay, so tonight I'm taking pictures because I've been knitting all day and my wrist hurts...

YEARS ago, I started a pink Manos cardigan. Then, when I decided to finish it this year, I realized that I had no idea what pattern I had been using. At the time I started it I was just a beginning knitter. Boring.

I was sitting there, looking at it's blaring pink-ness, knowing I had another pink cardigan in the closet that I hardly ever wear and I realized that I just didn't have the heart to knit sleeves. I stopped just below the armhole decreases, so I could have done anything. I decided to find a way to use some vintage mother of pearl buttons and paillettes at the top and make it a lacey yolk.

Now, the funny thing is that I wear it underneath the other big mohair pink cardigan and...well...I get a lot of attention for my rosy look. I now think seriously before purchasing pink yarn. 

Vintage details on Pink Manos Vest

 

Sweater-Tunic

This is a sweater that I designed to use these two yarns that I thought went well together. I ended up doing the main body in double seed stitch and added to contrasting yarn in tweed stitch. It's huge and slouchy and I love it! 

Sweater-Tunic Detail of Tweed Stitch

 

Simple Things

A little view of my walk to work. Sometimes the best place to focus is on the smallest thing. The rain stopped just long enough for me to get this shot. 

Liking Lichen

Old Shale Cotton Scarf

Really Soft Hand-Painted Bulky Cotton Yarn

 

Original Top, Transformation to Follow

 

Re-Fashioned Top

Bottom Ruffle Detail of Top

 

Top of Pillbox Shaped Hat

This is knit from Giangasso Top Print, Jo sharp design. I added elastic thread to the band for added elasticity. 

Embossed Leaves Socks

This is the first one of a pair of socks that I've been working on. For a change, my lace pattern is working. Perhaps because there is one pattern repeat on each of the 4 needles. Interweave Knits, Winter 2006. 

Clumsy Christmas

It's just been a weird couple of days.
I got this new dinning table, big enough to cut out fabric and do other fun projects. I put it together without much fuss. Then came the moving it into the kitchen.

The kitchen is where my holiday tree lives, festooned with the most delicate glass ornaments. In doing the change out, I knocked the darn thing over, and bits of silver lined glass ornaments shattered everywhere on the hard wood floors.

I took a little nap before cleaning up.

Then, yesterday with my friend Elizabeth I found the loveliest set of dining chairs at the thrift shop two blocks away. One chair and, Elizabeth by my side, I bit the dust, right there on the sidewalk. I found myself on the wet concrete, stunned as people gathered around me. Foolish, clumsy me. For those of you who know me well, you know that I do fall. It's not that unusual. But with a chair occupying my two hands, with nothing to brace me? Needless to say, I'm in some physical pain. Gonna take it easy for the rest of my days off.

Just days before Christmas

 

Finishing up

I'm pretty much done with the holiday knitting. Just took a quick knitting break here at work to try and finish the last of it...
Now I'm dreaming of new projects for the new year.

There shall be more cables, more color, ribbon yarn experiments, more felting and continued plodding along with my attempt to master lace. There will also be an attempt to listen to recorded books while I'm knitting to keep myself from being illiterate!

Right now I'm working on the lace socks in the Winter Interweave Knits 05/06. There's only two holes where there shouldn't be any! For me, this is a big improvement. These are the socks I never keep, as I'm not the lace sock type, but I send them along to my dear friend, Gillian, back in Boston.

I feel like I'm finally creating the life I've wanted for the past few years. Thank you, Universe for bringing good things my way. Thank you knitting Goddess for giving me the patience to try new things. Thank you friends for you love and thoughts.

It's Snowing in Portlandia

The windowledge in my livingroom has snow covered moss on it. Lovely.

Xmas Knitting Party

On the most lovely, snowy evening, we all gathered at Paula's (right front) and are her most wonderful cookies. Yes, there's someone hiding behind that book---oh, she's so shy. Top left is Nana and top right is Josie.

Mystery woman gave us all the most wonderful neck massages and Nana gave her first try at a pair of socks.

I love my Portland knitting babes.

Little Tree

My wee tree that has followed me in my travels in the past few years...

Wall of Pictures on a Sunday Morning

My apartment is sunny on winter afternoons. This wall is my family memory wall. It's the anniversary of my mother's passing tomorrow. This picture of her is her high school picture, caught in the bright light.

Blue Homespun Poncho

For everyone who knocks Lion Homespun, I have to differ. I love to knit up quick and cozy things for myself. This is one of their patterns that was supposed to have a split color and I turned it into a turtleneck. The shoulders are seamed and it fits REALLY well.

Passing Planets

So, maybe the undecided phase is passing with the planets.
I have a huge amount of yarn right now and so many projects I want to start.
My holiday presents are almost done now. (Thank goodness I'm a fast knitter, so I don't have to start in August...)

I love my knitting group more than ever. They have become a real core presence in my life. I'm getting more used to teaching and am considering teaching socks some time soon.

It's cold now here in Portland and the wool is out to stay. The mornings are in the 20's or 30's and I feel more at home than I ever did in California. I still miss Boston now that the holidays are upon us, but my tree is up and in the window and I'm making a decent attempt at celebrating this year.

Undecided

I am undecided so often these days as to what project to work on. That includes cleaning the house. I don't think I've ever been so lax. What with two cats, I find it hard to keep up with.

But knitting. Yesterday I worked on a fluffy scrarf just because I wanted to touch that yarn all day. Now what's next? I think I still have to choose according to caressability today.

It's cold and rainy today and I've got the heater pumping because I've waited to have the gas turned on and now it's damn cold. It'll be turned on middle of next week. I can wait. The cats? Unhappy.

I am undecided about a lot of things right now, but mercury retrograde is finally over. Perhaps I should consider some plans...