Take Two

My browser just blew away my entry. This is take number two. I so do not need this right now.

This was going to be a long entry. We will see now. I have a lot to update as I've been away so long on the blog. Travel, summer camp, work, LIFE. I'm still knitting, never fear. And spinning too. I've done very little blog reading - so I'm out of touch with my virtual knitting friends too. Here is hoping life returns to something resembling normal in September!

Hmmmm, let's start with a few yarn purchases of note. For my birthday my sister totally enabled me to pick up Schaefer Andrea in the colorway Rosa Parks. Even if you don't see the yarn, it sounds beautiful doesn't it? But the deep hues that the silk just soaked up are so lovely. I have it in a nice little ball waiting for a little treat for me.



The photo doesn't do it justice.

Another great find is Knitch. I was able to visit when in Atlanta at a conference in July. I have no pictures. But I found the softest laceweight cotton you can imagine. Habu Cotton Boucle:



I fell in love. Another project I will be not wanting to part with.....

They had lot of Habu - I was in bliss in the display that housed these yarns. I of course had to get the Kusha, Kusha scarf kit - and am almost done with my first one. I will love wearing this mixture of silk and wool this fall.



I have a Black/Green kit too! I will perhaps gift this scarf. Then again - green is my favorite color these days! I actually want to try this scarf with Jojoland Harmony. I think I will like to subtle color changes and the wool weight is close to the Habu wool. So I may just use the green wool for another project as my sister gifted me another cone of it - so I have enough for something bigger.

I've been knitting shawls again recently. Today I wrapped up one for my daugter. I used naturallycaron Spa. It's a Acrylic/Bamboo blend, and makes a super soft fabric. I was so pleasantly surprised at how it knitted up. I had used some before for a baby kimono (disaster, not the yarn but my effort). But perhaps because it was dyed, it didn't seem as soft. This was soft and squishy in the Naturally colorway.



The pattern is Angel Lace by Evelyn Clark. I thought it is perfect for a shawl for her in church where she is always cold. I didn't tell her I was making it until today when it was done. She loves it, so I'm glad I kept it a surprise. I forgot to show her the little angel pattern, I'll have to tell her that later. I think she will like that.



I put little glittery blue pony beads at the end to add a bit of her favorite color and make it special for her. I had her pick out the beads w/o telling her what it was for.




It's soaking now, I'll have to post pictures once it was blocked. But she did get to try it out tonight.




Update:

Here it is blocking.....



On a work note - this was one of the most interesting weeks of my career. My job is being relocated to Washington. Not surprising because despite the frequent travel - I really needed to be there full-time. It could have been a RIF, but I am being offered another job. And 3 days to accept it. I'm full of mixed feelings - it's a significant career change for me. High profile, and sort of exciting. Almost too exciting. Like going down in flames with a new job I know nothing about, creating a bit ole mess exciting. Nothing like fear of failure to get the heart racing. So - this week knitting has been a refuge. I've got to make a decision by Friday, but the decision is basically this or good luck finding something else in NC when 70+ other people at the site with similar skills are looking. So I know what I am going to do, I'm just burying my head a bit before I put it in writing.

Let's get off this topic - too much reality is sinking in.

I'm gearing up for Ravelymics. I'm most excited about Hey Teach!. I picked up the yarn on my birthday as well.



Doreen is doing it with me in the same colorway. Squee!

I have some other things lined up - tackling WIPs, and a lace project. I'm sort of tempted to use my Rosa Parks, I guess I need to decide by tomorrow! Yikes!

Well - it's late and 45 mins past when I was supposed to head out for my walk. And I forgot I need to block Janeen's shawl before bed. Nite, nite.

My, how things have changed

I'm missing my knitting blogs as I am on a business trip, neck deep into business planning and in training. I got to visit two of my favorite Seattle knit shops: Weaving Works and Acorn Street Shop - and am too busy to even play with the yarn.

Whine, whine.

But I had to post this comment - as CNN drones on in the background while I'm working on slides this morning - the topic is of course the election. And a conversation with my daugther came back to me out of the blue.

Let me start by stating the obvious - my daughter is female and African-American: two traits which has previously ensured that she would never be President of the United States.

Her dream is to be President. I think I've blogged on that before.

One of her future platforms that she has discussed with me - I don't think she has discussed them all as this is a long standing topic with her. However, she has commented a lot on "bad people". And she wants a portable jail that can drop down on someone right before they do something bad. That way the police can come and stop them before something happens. A bit Sci-Fi - but I like how the girl thinks!

She also has strong feelings about the "news". Her presidency would focus on news that was decidedly more positive in nature.

She was a little miffed to find out that there may be a woman president before her, she wanted to be the first.

This weekend she asked me can someone run for President twice?

To my self I think - after watching this race I'm considering telling her I'm questioning why anyone would want to run for President once! But my better self prevails, and I put on my supportive parent hat. I explain the 8 year limitation of anyone to be president and discuss why, this history etc.

Janeen thought about it a moment - and I said more to herself than to me - I need to figure out when I want to be president then since I can only be president once!

We often discuss if we can get a bit of our children's energy how powerful that would be.

I think if we can just capture some of our children's dreams - and see the world through the possibilities of their eyes.

Dream on Janeen - plan your Presidency. No matter what the future holds - we will all benefit from you setting your sights so high.

Photo day

Today was just a pretty day for photos - I wanted to capture a few of my caplet - but we got a few more. So - this blog is just an update of photos we took after church.



Oh - I had to come back and edit this blog entry to draw attention to my Romi shawl pin. The perfect fit for this caplet.





Spring is finally here. For good.

Joleen

Janeen gave me a well deserved tongue lashing for not getting Joleen done by the end of her birthday. Her lovely house gifted by her Aunt and Uncle arrived on time, but Joleen was not available to move in. I had to stay up on Saturday to finish her.

First of all - Joleen is my little made up pattern. Given that - I am very proud of how she turned out. I'm most proud of using sock making techniques to put short rows and decreases in her feet to turn at the heel! I need to write the pattern down before I forget - my next doll will be a lot better because I learned a lot. Her hair is crochet chains, looped and secured in her scalp. Better than my first doll for Janeen - Flo's hair turned out. Overall all I think she's cute. I'm not impressed with my stitch work on her face, but I have never been good at needlepoint.



Joleen is hanging out at her new home with another gift Janeen received - a Nientendo Dog. Her arms are a bit straight - that's another feature I will change next time. But her head is stable, much better than the knitted doll - Flo.

I finished Jo so late I didn't have time to make her any clothes - so she is wearing a little swatch for now :) I have to make her something tomorrow before I head to Seattle so she isn't cold during the week.



I have sort of resisted making toys, they aren't my favorite thing to knit for some reasons. But seeing how proud Janeen is in showing her friends her first doll and this one when it is in progress makes me feel so good. I have to make Jason a bear and Jada a doll now!