Posting from a New City!

It's been a while since my last post, and for good reason. In the last month, I quit my job, said goodbye to friends and family, moved to Denver, Colorado and have spent the last two weeks unpacking, organizing, meeting deliveries, re-connecting with friends from high school that live in the Denver area, exploring the neighborhood and the city-at-large, hanging out at craft nights and stitch-and-bitches ... and oh yeah ... knitting. And spinning. And dyeing.

Those in the Denver area can look for me to be hanging around Fancy Tiger and the Lamb Shoppe. I visited both of these shops when I vacationed here in October and May, and have attended a craft night at Fancy Tiger already since moving here (and plan on attending more -- and their classes -- and the store in general). I'll be bringing samples of my dyeds and spuns to the Fancy Tiger Craft Night and the Denver Downtown Stitch and Bitch {rav link}, so if you like free stuff? You know where to find me.

It's a photo-heavy post, but I've done a poor job of remembering to take my camera with me when I go out exploring. So these are projects I've been working on, but expect to see pictures of neighborhoods and hang-outs as I get back into my old habits (I only just dug out my camera cord today, otherwise this post would have happened a couple days ago. I searched everywhere for that damn camera cord -- boxes, crates, drawers of junk, places I thought I had seen it. Turns out? It was in my nightstand drawer, where I always kept it. Right).

First up: Tulip Monkeys! {project page}
Knit from the Tulip colorway by Tanis Fiber Arts. The yarn was gifted to me for my birthday by my friend Katie, and I cast on within a few days -- something I don't usually do. I just love the colors and wanted to do a pattern that would really make the variegated stand out. Cookie A's Monkey was perfect. I love love love these socks and cannot wait until it's prime sock-showing-off weather. I also got some TFA fiber (in Prism and Tulip) for my birthday that I'm looking forward to playing with. Stay tuned for that one.
I've been playing with some dyes, too ... after promptly staining my kitchen counter bright blue (stupid turkey baster not sucking up dye properly), I came up with a color I'm really pleased with. Meet "The Grass is Always Greener."


Some other experiments that I haven't decided will be repeated yet or not -- I rather like the blue and yellow, and the orange is definitely ... well, orange.


Before we left Houston, I somehow managed to spin up four full ounces of Pigeon Roof Studio's Chrysanthemum roving. I bought this months ago -- I loved the colors and thought if I had something I was excited to spin, I would practice more.

Turns out I was just crap at spinning with a drop spindle. As soon as I got my wheel, I was totally hooked and gave a little "squee" of delight when I dug this up out of my stash.

No idea what the yardage is, but it's a nice strong 3-ply (my first Navajo ply), and it's a yummy BFL. Softened right up in my wool wash bath and I can't wait to make a hat from it so my cute little ears don't get cold.

I whipped this out for a neighbor of mine -- an unusual custom request, but it was fun nonetheless. A Dirty/Clean sign for her dishwasher so she and her boyfriend will no longer put away dirty dishes, or re-wash clean ones.



And this one I just finished last night (holy crap, I've been busy these last two weeks ... no wonder I haven't been blogging). The Frock Camisole {rav link} from Interweave Knits, knit up in a Knit Picks pima cotton blend.

Expect to see lots more of me in the coming weeks! I have lots of work to do and many things I'm working on developing, but it's a resolution of mine to keep my camera with me more often and get over my shyness of photographing seemingly random objects and situations. Denver is a great city and it has lots to offer -- I'm excited to be a part of their craft revolution and spread the knitting/ spinning bug as much as I can.

Toooot! Tooooootie toot toot toot!!!

Okay … I’m not going to toot my own horn in this blog post. Who am I kidding, I’m TOTALLY going to toot my own horn. I’m going to play a freaking fan fare in this blog post. Call me Lizzie Sousa.

I have been having great success with finished objects this week. After months of hardly finishing a pair of socks, I’ve cranked out several looming projects in only a few days. Some are part of the super top secret project I’m working on, some are of the more simple gifting nature. Anyway, enough of the drumroll … on with the show!

It's too big to even take a proper photo. You should see the one of me holding it. I am dwarfed by my creation.

At long last, after 14+ months of having this thing in my project basket, I’ve finally finished the monstrous Kick Ass Cable Afghan {rav link}. This afghan came out to a whopping 7’ long and spans a queen-sized bed. It began as a birthday present for my brother (even though I started it last year after his birthday) and then mutated into a wedding gift when he got engaged a few months later. Fast forward a fistful of months and two additional cabled panels, and this is the end result. It’s huge (long enough for my 6’3” brother to pull it up to his chin and have it tucked under his feet) and heavy and totally appropriate given that their wedding is in July and they are moving to New Orleans. What better gift for the newlyweds moving permanently to the Gulf Coast than a queen-sized wool-blend BLACK afghan?

Also finished? Baby Chewy-I-Mean-Michael’s Baby Surprise Jacket {rav link} by Elizabeth Zimmermann. This was my first time knitting this pattern, and the yarn is chosen for it’s colors and content. The blue-browns combination are the color scheme of Chewy-I-Mean-Michael’s room, and the content is cotton and acrylic, making it machine washable and wearable in the Houston climate. I had a fairly easy time following the pattern (if you can call it that – how about “suggestions”). After a design alteration towards the end, it’s a small-toddler robe of sorts. Luckily, Paula (Chewy-I-Mean-Michael’s mother) is able to make any alterations to the arm seams that are necessary so that Chewy-I-Mean-Michael can wear it for a long time.

Wait, what’s that? You want MORE? Well, I just don’t … I’m not sure if … ha! Just kidding! I TOTALLY HAVE MORE! I’m calling this one the Clio Cloche {rav link} … you may recognize this as my first felting project, and I decided to needle felt a little Clio onto the side of it. I’m really pleased with the way this one came out, and I can’t wait until it’s cold enough for me to show it off.

My lovely model, Gwyneth.

I LOVELOVELOVE it. Exactly how I pictured it. It looks like she's looking out the window. In my head.

This is Clio. She is an epic napper.

And just to leave a bit of suspense with you, dear reader … an upcoming hat.

Dear and I are spending this weekend in Dallas with his Dad and little sister to celebrate Father’s Day. I’ll have more exciting news after the weekend (hint: it involves a trip to this place). In the meantime, enjoy the World Cup and Happy Daddy's Day to every Daddy (especially my own)!

I came ... I felted ... I dyed.

Welcome back, folks! It’s been a while since my last blog post because … well … I felt un-blog-a-riffic. I wasn’t happy with any of my ideas for content because I didn’t HAVE any content. I hadn’t finished any projects, hadn’t taken any photos, didn’t really have anything new to report. So I didn’t.

But now … NOW … I have something. I have been working on something super duper top secret for the past week or so, and I will be dropping hints throughout until details are finalized and I know I won’t get fired from my day job or hunted like the scurvy dog I am for posting it on the internet for every Tom, Dick and Harry to read. But until then … I present:

FINISHED OBJECTS
and other random wooly goodness

This past weekend, I did my first felting project. I forgot to take a photo of it before I started felting (I have issues remembering to photograph various stages of projects … it’s part of my charm), but here it is in the first stage of felting.
Ooooh the Thrills! The Chills!

And here it is on my lovely hat model, Gwyneth.

Say hello, Gwyneth.

Still planning on needle-felting a little something-something onto this, but that will have to wait until I get a couple more finished objects completely finished (almost doesn’t count in this case, as they are gifts).

Also spent some time dyeing my latest hand-spun effort.

Mmmm, my favorite. Purple Kool-Aid Yarn Soup.

The color is a little washed out, but it’s actually a lovely and bright purple.

I love the smell of hot, wet Kool-Aid-y Wool in the morning.

To be plied together with my other hand-spun effort, dyed a maroon color. But that’s another blog post.

Everything else I have that I would like to share – will be shared in later postings. Gotta save my material, you know?

In un-related to knitting news, Dear and I went to a Polo match this weekend – my first! I felt so British! Cheerio, pip pip old chap! We had a great time, even though it was hotter than Hell (I’m going to start saying hotter than Houston. It’s more accurate).

Awww, so cute!

And the horsies looked like they were having some fun.

Pass the Pimm's Cup, please.

Hope everyone who cares is celebrating World Wide Knit in Public Week (June 12 – 19)! I got together at Memorial City Mall on Sunday to scare the Muggles … what did you do?