Some Amendments and Some Awesome

I know I gave my summer knitting list, but it has since experienced some reordering. I was going to knit some Slippery socks out of the yarn I bought at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. Then, along came the Knitmore Girls and their ridiculously addictive Knit Alongs. 

When I first looked at the Brandywine Shawl by Rosemary Hill, I will admit to being a little unimpressed. I am not usually a triangle shawl girl, and it involved paying for the pattern. I am very picky about what I choose to make, and I am even more persnickety if I have to pay for the pattern.  Still, the more I looked at it, the more I began to think it might be pretty, perhaps even beautiful. Everyone was raving about how great the pattern was, and with my intention to knit a complex shawl later (Tree of Light) I began thinking it might be wise to get back into the groove of lace knitting with something a little less intense. The final straw was when I realized that the majority of what I paid for the pattern was going to Help for Hati. I love designers who use their patterns to benefit people other than themselves. I knew that I would use the Festival sock yarn because it was just too perfect to hide in shoes. It screamed to be worn about my neck in all its lacy glory.

 I am happy to say this is the quickest knit I have done in a while, and it came out beautifully as evidenced by the picture. Not only did everyone in the KAL give me lovely compliments on it, but there was an extra surprise. The Knitmore Girls did a random surprise giveaway of the designer's new ebook 7 Small Shawls. This is an awesome prize, gifted generously by the designer herself. For more information on this awesome ebook,  you can go here 7 Small Shawls.  I was so happy to find that out I actually squealed like a two year old. As for the shawl itself, I am so happy that this beauty is finished, and I can wear it to a sad event so that it will comfort and bolster me with all its orangey goodness.

Summer Knitting!

I am so happy it's summer. Usually, I approach summer with some slight distaste because I really hate hot weather and I don't like being away from school so long. Knittingwise, I am not much of a lightweight yarn person. I like warm sweaters, thick scarves, and wool socks. While socks work out well for summer knitting, the other two do not always handle themselves well in this season. However, this summer is proving very different in terms of my attitude. I am absolutely exhausted, and I am beyond grateful to be resting for the next month before I start work. I am also looking forward to knitting much more than I usually do. I have some lovely projects that just scream to happen this summer. On with the list then?

-Finishing my man's sweater is a huge priority. I know I just talked about the silliness of knitting thick sweaters in summer, but that is what basements and AC are for, no?

-Finishing my Mondo Cable Cardigan for my Knit More Along. It is pretty close to finished, and if I keep it off my lap it should not make me terribly overheated.

-Finishing my Tranquility Socks in the Twisted pattern by Jodie Gordon Lucas (Knitty Spring+Summer 2010). I am knitting these bad boys out of thepaintedsheep Painted Sock Too in the Tranquility colorway. I am blazing through this awesome pattern, and I can't wait to have the socks!

-Finishing a prayer shawl for my Aunt's birthday in October. She oggled my mother's when they came for Thanksgiving so I coerced my mom into buying the yarn and we could give it as a combined gift. Very easy knitting, and I should be done with it by the end of the month.

-My Ocean Spray Top. I have been working on this for a very long time, but it is truly a pattern I want to chew slowly. It is the Sea Tangles pattern from Knitty's Summer 08 issue. The pattern is not difficult, just labor intensive, and I am knitting out of the most beautiful yarn in the world (thepaintedsheep's Jasmine in By the Sea colorway).

-Roxy and Her Cubs Knit Picks kit. This kit includes the yarn and pattern to make the most adorable little fox family ever! It also uses intarsia which is a technique I have always wanted to try. The foxes knit up in a fuzzy Knit Picks Suri Dream.

-Knitting my way through however many patterns I can manage from the Amigurumi Knits book by Hansi Singh. This book is full of some of the most fantastic critters and vegetables that I have ever encountered. Everything from tomatoes to a Loch Ness monster. Best part is that I am using odds and ends from my stash to make these awesome squishies.

- Slippery Socks by Olivia M. from Knitty Winter 2007. The yarn is a delicious hand paint that I got at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. It is called Dizzie Lizzie's Superwash Sock, and the colorway is Sunkist. A truly gorgeous mix of rich oranges and golden yellows.

-The Tree of Light Shawl by Cordula Surmann-Schmitt (that is an awesome name by the way.) I have not done lace in a while, and I have had this lovely Jojoland Harmony sitting in my stash for a while. It is a soft variegation of lavenders, and it is perfect for hazy summer days.

-Sourwood Mountain Fingerless Mitts by Erica Jackofsky (she is also known as Fiddle Knits.) I have been dying to knit these and have had the perfect yarn for them sitting in my stash since last summer. Fibranatura Cottonwood is this unbelievably soft 100% organic cotton that I snagged last summer from my LYS. It is this perfect white/lavender (noticing a trend?) that I truly can't wait to see knit in this pattern.

-Lace-Up Opera gloves by Ysolda Teague. Again with the stash shopping, I am using Dive Zenith in a really dark turquoise, and I am pairing it with some fantastic ribbon using the same color mixed with purple.

-Finally (did not realize the list was this long) Green Cabled Armwarmers by Elizabeth Martin. I am working these up in some stash yarn by the name of Jojoland Melody. Yet again, I appear to be about green and purple with this stuff.

My goodness I am rather ambitious aren't I? Perhaps slightly delusional, but that is the fun of summer heat. Hobey ho!

Bumble Bee Tuna Blankie

"I love Bumble Bee, Bumble Bee Tuna

Yum, yum, Bumble Bee, Bumble Bee Tuna."

(proceed up a half step and keep singing)

So goes the vocal warm up that inspired the name for this project. This blankie is going to the new son of a co-worker of mine. You see, I saw this blanket on Ravelry and thought it was so awesome looking that I racked my brains to think of a baby worthy enough to wrap in its spectacular self. Then it hit me. Greg is a man who is genuinely cool and his wife is just as lovely. Greg was very kind to me last summer, and since it was my first time working at that job it was nice to be treated so well. Plus, he is a very good friend of my sister so why not make it a combined gift (i.e. "hey Meg, why don't you buy the yarn and I will make it ;). Anyway, the title has multiple meanings. I was gazing at the work in progress in the mirror at one point, and I thought, "huh, kind of looks like a bumble bee." Immediately the above tune popped into my head. I smiled. That warm up is one Greg used for his vocal intensive that he taught at the camp, and it always made me smile when I heard it. So, the blanket was dubbed thus. Hopefully, both parental units enjoy it, because I truly love the finished product.

My first Handspun

It is officially carded, spun, plied, and washed! This is 100% alpaca yarn spun fairly bulky and the colorway is Echo (named properly after the owner of the fleece.) I was not able to spin a great deal of yardage, but it turned out beautifully none the less. I can honestly say that it was a unique pleasure to hold this completely raw creation in my hand and just squishhhhh it with my fingers. Hopefully, it knits up nicely.