Memorial Day Weekend is coming up and we're going to Bozeman to finish off the Western Yarn Shop Hop. And if it doesn't rain too much, we may camp a bit. Scott has been Ebay-happy lately and purchased a new tent, flint things to start fires, a compact camp stove, sleeping pads, and three harmonicas. If he isn't able to try out his new equipment soon, I'm afraid what will happen to him. But I am excited to finish the Shop Hop and to see the LYS in Bozeman. From their websites, the stores look beautiful.

I finished the Garter-Ridged Hat but still need to take photos. I realize I've knit a lot of hats lately, I think at least six in a row. At this rate, I'll be able to wear a different hat everyday this winter lol But you know what, I like knitting hats because there are so many different ways to knit one. I like to practice Fair Isle and play with decreasing at the top. And I'm able to knit and read, which I absolutely LOVE to do! I'm a little over halfway through HP and the Deathly Hallows but I totally forgot how many people die in this book. The story is compelling yet depressing.

I'm still itching to knit a pair of socks, but am intimidated by the skinny needles and heel-turning. I also hope to knit a sweater sometime this summer. I will take the plunge sooner or later, don't you fret. I have a feeling once I knit a pair of socks and a sweater, I'll be invincible ;)

I hope you all have a wonderful, happy and safe Memorial Day Weekend!

Roof stairs

Berny

She's recently taken to this chair by the front window. It supports her two favorite pastimes: napping and watching people go by.


We're planning another road trip to finish up the Yarn Shop Hop! We are going to Bozeman this weekend for their LYS: Stix Yarn Co and The Yarn Shop and Fiber Place. I hope the weather is nice! I'm excited to get out of Missoula again (if only for a short trip) and to have completed the Shop Hop (not there yet, but it's hard not to be excited)!

I just checked out Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders from the library yesterday and it is really neat! There is something compelling about sock yarn, maybe it's because I haven't knit with it before, or that it's so thin. I'm not sure, but I'm excited to try some patterns from the book.

I didn't climb the M yesterday because I was afraid it would rain. It didn't start until the evening, and it is definitely raining today. So I guess that means I'll spend the day knitting and reading again, oh darn =) 

FO: Lilac and mint hat

2011 Knit Challenge: 18 Knit, 42 to go!

Originally I planned to knit a second slouchy hat in mint, but once I worked the ribbing, I thought it would be boring with just the one color. I decided to work a design with the purple yarn, which is good because I always liked the two colors together.

Both yarn is Cascade 220 from my birthday. I think Cascade 220 is slightly thinner than Patons Classic Wool. I am not sure how I feel about this.

I woke early this morning, around 5:30, for no apparent reason. But I'm capitalizing on the extra time by drinking coffee, listening to the Morning Edition on NPR, and writing this post. What's in store for the rest of the day? Lots of errands and maybe a hike up the M. Also, I finished HP and the Order of the Phoenix. Leisure reading is the best.

Shop Hoppin'

I heard about the Western Montana Yarn Shop Hop a few weeks ago on Ravelry and absolutely knew I wanted to do it! It's only going on through the month of May, and you have to visit six of the participating yarn stores and receive a stamp. There is a chance to win prizes when you turn your stamps in, but really, I just want to stretch my legs. And, it's a nice way to see and support different local yarn stores.

I've already gone to the two in Missoula: Loopy and Joseph's Coat.

Downtown Helena

We both had a day off yesterday so we drove to Helena! There are two LYS there, Y'arnings and Mountain Spun. I had never been to downtown Helena and it was so neat! I love how their walking mall is completely by foot only (no cars!) and has tables, chairs, and sculptures. It's definitely tourist-based, but it still looks nice. There weren't very many people around so it was relaxing to just walk around.

Y'arnings wasn't open, but the owner left a nice table with information and the stamp out.

I love this yarn over the doorway to Y'arnings!

Mountain Spun was beautiful! A really neat space. I bought some Cascade 220 orange yarn there, for the rainbow scarf I have planned in my head. I also received a free pattern from the owner, for being a part of the Shop Hop! It's a bolero-type shrug, and I'm pretty excited to knit it!

After we had reached our yarn destinations, we walked around the other stores. We bought three harmonicas at a cute store called Lasso the Moon, as well as a fuzzy thing for Berny.

creepy doll...I would have thrown it away too

And homage to my favorite old women.

FO: Slouchy Stripes, a hat

2011 Knit Challenge: 17 Knit, 43 to go!

This hat began as another striped scarf, but when I saw the white and purple yarn together, I decided I wanted those colors to really stand out. And on a scarf, they get kind of lost among the other colors.

The white yarn is Berroco Cuzco that I purchased for my first Hearts Amore hat so long ago. And I honestly can't remember what the purple yarn is... I purchased it sometime last fall when I crocheted a hat for camping. I will tell you what, though, it is not a fun yarn to knit with. The yarn is fuzzy and you can't really distinguish individual strands. And when I would pull the yarn taut, it would sometimes break. Luckily every time it did break (about three or four times) I was left with a long enough tail to be able to sew the end in. Otherwise I would've had to back track and take a few inches of stitches out in order to secure the tail.

US 7 for ribbing and US 8 for the hat. The 8s are new! I bought them from Joseph's Coat but they're Harmony from KnitPicks. Aren't they beautiful??

via Knitpicks

And they are so pointy! I had to be careful when pushing yarn from the ends, because those points can really tear up your finger pad.

FO: Ribbed Pillbox

2011 Knit Challenge: 16 Knit, 44 to GO!!!!!

This is actually a pattern from 60 Quick Knits, which was part of my original 2011 knit challenge. The reverse stockinette edge at the top of the hat is a little puckered, I wonder if I knit too tightly? I'm hoping that with more wear it'll relax a bit.

I almost ran out of yarn! I used Patons something or other that was left over when I was knitting the Ugly Cowl (which is no more). I'm glad I didn't run out of yarn and I'm glad that I was able to use it for this hat.

We are almost halfway through the year, but I'm not even close to being halfway through my knitting list! I've got to step it up.

FO: Hearts Amore for Padee

In honor of her college graduation and moving away to MN, a hearts hat for my friend:

2011 Knit Challenge: 15 Knit, 45 to go!

I used my basic hat pattern, cast on 96 stitches on US 7 for the ribbing, and switch to US 8 for the hat body. The yarn is Cascade 220 Heathers (I don't know the color name) and Patons in Aquamarine (my trusty blue).

This is one of my best Fair Isle projects, as far as my technique. It improves each time I Fair Isle!

Photoless

I apologize that I don't have any photos to post. I don't have a good excuse. It's not that the weather was horrible and I couldn't go outside for photos, because it's been beautiful the last few days. And it's not that the finished objects aren't finished...because they are. And it's not for lack of wanting to write, because I've wanted to but blogger has been down since yesterday afternoon.

I guess I've just been lazy =)


I just got off work a little bit ago, and I have a few things to say about that.

The first is, there exists certain people who have so much nerve that they will bring food from another fast food establishment into yours (not that it's mine, God no. I just work there), precede to sit down, and eat it. Then ask you for a fork. And then refill their cup with soda from your pop machine. AND leave crumbs. Forty five minutes before closing.

The second is, some men think it's ok to say "good girl" to a complete stranger, in relation to sandwich building. It is never ok to do this, and it's downright creepy.

The last is, a severe disappointment. I thought my last day working with this particular woman was last Monday. In fact, it will be tomorrow. The best way I can describe this woman is to compare her to Kreacher, from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: short, skinny, wrinkly, crazy hair, mutters to self, and rude.

But I'm home and and showered and watching silly videos with Scott on wimp.com.

Congratulations to everyone graduating tomorrow!! I'm there in spirit!

FO: another Hearts Amore hat

Who'da thought procrastination would be my greatest knitting inspiration? Haven't typed one word towards my essay but I did just finish a hat for a friend...can't give out too many details yet. I will post pictures of both this hat and the Ribbed Pillbox, with project details as soon as my paper is finished.

I never noticed how loud the road outside my house is before. There are moving vans and diesel trucks, sometimes semi trucks, and every now and again, a train. Sheesh.

FO: Ribbed Pillbox hat

Yes, I am procrastinating on my paper. And yes, I've been spending that time being sick, playing DDR, and knitting. But I've knit a hat in the meantime. Pictures to come.

FO: Striped Scarf

2011 Knit Challenge: 14 knit, 46 to go!

I have been wanting to knit a striped scarf since I saw some cute ones a few Christmas seasons ago. I noticed they were basically tubes with their ends sewed shut. And that is the basis for how I knit my scarf.

CO 60 stitches
US 7 Hiya Hiya circular

The color scheme goes something like this (with fifteen rows of each, and Aran in between each color):

-Red
-Dusty Rose (or something like that. It's Wool Ease)
-Wisteria
-a Dark Purple (maybe Royal)
-Gray

All the other yarns I used are Patons Classic Wool.

I do have another color scheme in mind, something with less Aran and more rainbow! Scarf to come.

At first I was going to knit a Waldo-esque scarf, just red and white stripes. But then I saw a few different shades of purple and pink yarn on my shelf and thought they looked really great together. I was able to use up some of my stash yarn without needing to buy more. Ultimately, I did have to purchase more Aran and dark purple because I ran out during their sections. Not bad though!

This should be a super warm scarf for winter! Double layered and really wide, it will block the wind and snow. I am almost looking forward to winter just so I can wear it... almost.

Birthday Yarn

It has taken me too long to write this post. Especially since my birthday was in February. Heh heh

I received this yarn from Scott's parents, via gift certificate to Joseph's Coat! I waited for over a month to look at yarn there because I wanted to move into our new place first. The waiting was horrible because yarn-ogling is my favorite, but I knew I probably wouldn't have time to start a project with it before we moved, and it would be one thing less to have to pack.

I love Cascade 220! and I have a feeling that some of these hanks will become hats and mittens.

I really love the purple next to the mint

And this was my first ever yarn purchase online! This yarn was part of the ball winder bundle from Knit Picks (and I am still very, very pleased with the ball winder!) :

The blue yarn is actually more of a dark purple, but it looks blue in the photo. This is Wool of the Andes and it was really inexpensive so I thought I'd give it a shot. Buying yarn online is unlike buying it in person. For one, you don't have the experience of touching the yarn. And it's hard to judge what the actual color will be against the thumbnail. But I am glad I purchased this yarn and if I enjoy knitting with it, I will probably buy more in the future =)

One week left. One week until I graduate (not technically). One week and I am no longer Occupation: Student. It feels very weird. But I am reeeeaally looking forward to sleeping all morning and knitting/ reading all night...and occasionally working my part time job (finished HP and the Goblet of Fire).


Speaking of knitting, here's a peek at what I'm working on:

I am almost finished! Hint: I have to wait until October to wear it.

I downloaded Google's Picasa so I can resize images. If you notice, the new photo in my header is beyond huge. But isn't the blossom beautifully detailed? I am working on making it smaller. Has anyone used Picasa? I probably should have researched it more before downloading it to my computer. OK... as it turns out, I didn't need Picasa because there's an option on Blogger to size to fit your photo...oops. It didn't resize the photo so much as automatically crop the extra length out. Don't worry, I'll get it right still. You want to know something really cool about Picasa though? Like Flickr, it knows what sort of camera you used to take the photo, but Picasa also knows all the specs! Like, the aperture and zoom and date and stuff. I think that's really handy for someone like me, who is trying to take better photos and now can easily see what the settings were and how it could be improved.

In other developments, one of our neighbors stopped by last night to give us a welcome gift!

Cute, huh?

I think she was just curious about the house, since it's been unoccupied for years. I thought I'd get around to repotting it this morning, but darn picture uploading took longer than I thought. Our landlord said it was ok to plant a garden and flowers in the lawn, there really isn't a good spot. Plus, I am not the greatest with plants so I'd feel really bad if I tore up the lawn for nothing. So I think I'll set it on the front steps.

Egg baby update. His hair is really flying!

Well, that is about all the news I have. I checked out five books from the library to help with my last ever essay !!! I have one week to write this essay. zoinks.

Egg Baby

Egg baby is growing up! He seems to be channeling some Pauly D hair:

Either that or he is riding an imaginary roller coaster hehe

he likes to look outside

I think he needs a haircut soon. Maybe a flat top?