My Bloody Valentine

Celtic Consort is a very basic man. He's not into what he calls "made up" holidays. Don't get me wrong, he'll likely come home with a sweet card and maybe some extra dark chocolate for me. And most years, that's the extent of our "romantic" holiday.

So when I saw Honeysuckle in Rowan 45, I knew I wanted it just not in some soft neutral. I wanted COLOR. I wanted BOLD! I wanted Kidsilk Haze in Blood, a rich deep red that looks great on just about everyone include this fair redhead. I scored some at the Bloomin Yarns Black Friday sale. The only Black Friday sale I have ever attended.

I decided rich red would be perfect for Valentines. A way to treat myself like the fabulous woman I am. As I started working on it, I was lured into attending the Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet Festival. Friends would be there as vendors and it'd been a few years. And what better way to show off my fabulous new lace sweater?

I worked feverishly after finishing my mother's gift. Ignoring posts on Ravelry. Knitting whenever possible. I overcame two sick days. I planned when to knit various pieces as beading was added to the border. Beads do not travel well on the trolley. But I did it! I love it!

Many comments and fawning happened at the festival. I felt great! What a wonderful Valentine gift. So here are my thanks to Elder Celting for his help with photos.

Ready... Set....

GO!

Yep, I fell down the rabbit hole called 11 shawls in 2011. I had found the 10 shawls in 2010 group what I thought to be too late in the year last year. Lucky for me, they decided to do it again this year.

You know what's even better? I have a bunch of shawls/wraps/shawlettes already in mind WITH stash yarn. I've been feeling guilty about the stash. And every time I toss it, I remember things I'd forgotten.

If I'd stuck with last year's resolutions, I wouldn't have that problem. But I did an epic fail instead. So now I set up my 11 shawls in my Ravelry queue with a special subset to find them. One I'm even designing for a special yarn gifted to me by SpaceCadet. It's Spice Trade and it inspired. To start though, I'm doing Damson for my Mom in Dream in Color Starry Spanish Star (Dream Club Nov 10)




On the side, I'm also working on finishing up some other projects. Oh and if I'm not crazy enough (and you know I am), I cast on for this beauty:




















Yep Honeysuckle by Sarah Hatton from Rowan 45. I'm doing mine in Kidsilk Haze in Blood. I want it for Valentine's Day. I've even considered that should I reach my goal, I'd go to the Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Fest to show it off. This is where I am now:





Well I hope I keep this up. See you soon!

Memorial Day

I'm not one to continually post of those in military service. Sometimes I even find it irritating though I do appreciate what they do. However, I've found that people have forgotten what Memorial Day is about. It is a time to remember those veterans who have passed away. Those who have lost their lives fighting for our freedoms and those who survived that fight and were fortunate enough to enjoy those freedoms afterwards.

This Memorial Day marks a landmark for me. It is the first that I remember my favorite war veteran, my grandfather. A man whose joy for life and all encompassing love enlightened many a life. Unfortunately, he passed last August just before his 88th birthday. He was a man who I hope I have raised my boys to be half as good as. Who cared deeply for those around him.

He would tell stories of his service but at the same time saw no reason for the current war. A man who thought being American meant that it was quite normal to disagree with your President, vote not for a party but a person, and tell any elected official where to shove it when they voted for a lobby and not their voters. He showed me what it was to be a patriot. He showed my boys what it is to be a patriot. To impress upon them that service to your country was honorable and yet to not chase after it. That service can be necessary and yet glory at the price of humanity a terrible thing.

His stories told of the humorous side of war when discussing how he met General Patton at the end of WWII and was fined. They also told of the horror of the concentration camps when he helped to liberate Dakau and was met by a Polish survivor covered in body lice and looking like a skeleton.

Here is to his memory on this Memorial Day. May all of those whose loved ones are currently fighting come home safely so we may celebrate them at Veteran's Day. For those who don't may we remember the great service they have done for all of us.

I can't believe I bought the whole thing....

As you know Laurie and I went to MDSW the first weekend in May along with tons of other people. I ended up being close on finishing Que Sera but decided to get the extra sleep instead of finishing since the weather was predicted (correctly) as being in the 90's.

I had a ton of fun but didn't really take any pictures. I think I was too hot. I ended up making a tshirt to wear with my Ravatar and some cards with my contact info. If you've found me that way, welcome to the party!

Due to the rumors of Rare Gems, Laurie and I decided to stand in line at The Fold this year. I haven't done this for several years as I already had a bunch of STR and I could get it online. But a Rare Gem is something you CAN'T get that way. Both Laurie and I found some that appealed. I even found one for DPUTiger!

So what all did I get? Well here's a pic:

So let’s see if I can document it all starting top left:
Gale’s Art Fibers - 2 Blue Faced Swirl in Moldy Pumpkin, 1 Polwarth in Mudpie, 2 Alpaca Silk in Scarab, and sock yarn in Scarab, Moldy Pumpkin, and Crayon Box.
Funky Monkey Pattern from The Fold specially requested by my 8 yr old
Cricket Loom and some extra heddles from Susan’s Fiber Shop (Hi Newt!)
Spirit Trail Fiber - Merino, Angora, Cashmere in Indian Corn
Almaza from Just our Yarn is the blue in front of the the fiber for Dragon Wing Shawl
Rayon Scarf weaving set from the Mannings in Jewel Tones next to the fiber
8 oz Galaxy, 1 Spontaneous Spinning batt in coppery/russet tones, and Striping Batt in Beach Bonfire from Loop
8oz of Merino/silk/bamboo blend from Bullen Wullens (great deal on Sunday)
2 bags of basic fiber and 3 superwash/bamboo sock yarns from Little Barn. Love using this fiber to try new techniques. No guilt!
To the left of that is project bag I got at Spirit Trail, some blueberry honey and Scottish Heather Hand Cream from Bee Folks.
Fiber Optic Siren Song in Peacock, FootNotes in Russet, Lace in VitaminC (a little buried) for Cascata, and fiber in Acorn. With a sample of Siren Song Unspun I got waiting in line at the Fold
MDSW hoodie and earlier year apron for spinning
Stitch Marker necklace from Jennie the Potter
STR in Cattywampus, Illanqu, with 2 lightweight rare gems, 1 mediumweight rare gem
Pair of yummy slippers from Sheperd’s Flock(?)
Tess Yarns: Raw Silk in a piney color for Summit, Cascade Silk in blue and green for Corset Top, 2 sock yarns for baby sweaters, and a mug.
TIG Glenhaven in Father Time from Cloverhill just above the weaving books.
I also got 2 bobbins for my Schacht Woolee Winder and lots of fun buttons including “If knitting were exercise, you could bounce a quarter off my @$$”

Not pictured is a Cottage Creations pattern for Kylie's Kardigan.

Next up I'll show you my Que Sera and the one that got away.

Crunch Time

Well despite the forecast for close to 90 degrees this weekend at the Maryland Sheep & Wool festival, I am in a crunch to finish a sweater. Que Sera from Knitty. I'm doing it as part of the Bloomin' Yarns KAL. I've finished almost all knitting. I'm now setting in my sleeves and seaming them up. Once that's done, just 4 rows for the neckband and BAM! I'm done. Think I can do it for tomorrow morning?

Wish me luck! Let me know if you see me at MDSW in my sweater if you can tell I pulled it this close. :)

Golden Bees

I thought for a while as to what to do for Knitting Olympics this year. I wanted a challenge but I didn't want to go nuts either. So I opted for The Bees' Knees from The New Stranded Colorwork. Not terribly large, challenging with having to stitch and cut steeks, all around perfect.











I managed to cast on during opening ceremonies despite having to go to dinner at the MIL's for Celtic Consort's delayed birthday dinner. I worked when I could given trying to cram in extra work. I even worked it in around Celtic Consort's carpal tunnel surgery.












I ordered a new steamer and bought my first sewing machine. Both excellent purchases and easy to use. I was happy that I purchased the sewing machine at a bargain price at Target. Perfect basic machine for the types of things I would need to do with it now and in the future.











I spent my last few days managing a drugged up husband and final preparations for closing ceremonies. Basting steek lines, blocking with the steamer, stitching the steek lines.

Then the scissors to knitting. I have to say, after sewing the steek lines it was a giant relief. That was the part that scared me, not the cutting.





















The cuts made it a freeing moment. And the final knitting of the facings. And the seaming of the sleeves. I felt I grew for this olympics.

Here is the beautiful end. Enjoy.

Body Bag

So for Wuletide, DPUTiger was fabulous with her sewing skills and gifted me with a lovely box bag. (mine is the dark purple, second row from top) I think there's something about the fact that there is a big zombie theme here at Celtic Castle. She made it in purple and green because those are the colors listed as favorite in Ravelry and I LOVE it! However, kind of funny that purple and green make me think zombies. Why is this relevant? Well right now, it's acting as a body bag. I have a head, two arms and a partial torso in it right now. That's right I'm carrying around body parts. All soft and squishy.

I should finish Lego man in time for the party Saturday night. I just have been hiding knitting. So lots of trolley knitting.

I'd also like to give DPUTiger credit for enabling this. She might as well have posted a billboard saying CQ sign up here. I've decided to do it in Silk Thread II from Blue Moon in Blue Moonstone. I've also gotten these beads. Yum!

Oh and did I mention I also found my Knitting Olympics project? I'm doing this.

Yarn is winging it's way here right now!

Last but not least, I had a library stash enhancement that will surprise almost no one. I found this book during Celtic Consort's post dinner excursion. I took one look inside and said I had to have it.