Springtime Scarf

Did this scarf mostly in a really boring GIS lecture, and on the airplane to and from Oregon last week. Sorry, didn't take any pictures there... They wouldn't have sufficed anyway. Really easy pattern: Nereides. I used smaller needles (8) & yarn (Ironstone Warehouse Flake Cotton), and it turned out really well. I like it a lot better than the one in the pattern. It will be perfect for spring, if it ever comes.

Look what the Easter Bunny brought!

1. Guinness cupcakes (He said he didn't get a chance to celebrate St Patty's day, so he was sort of combining it with Easter).

2. Garter mitts in Rowan Felted Tweed (with a racing stripe - when I knit with them on, it looks like I'm knitting even faster than I am!).

What I did on my spring break

I finished my tree jacket... and wore it today for a day exploring little towns in Tennessee with a couple friends. We started out by visiting Falls Mill, a working grain mill that 135 years old and is powered solely by water. They have a unique museum with lots of old tools and machinery and upstairs they have a whole room devoted to fiber - spinning and weaving, mostly. At one time the mill was used as a cotton gin and at that time they had a 1000 spindle woman-powered spinning machine. Unfortunatly, with all the time they spend milling grains, they haven't had time to restore the machine so we didn't get to see it. Their grounds are incredibly beautiful, especially this time of the year and with all the rain we've gotten lately.

Then we headed over to the Swiss Pantry bakeshop to pick up some 'fried pies' - delicious - and then to the Belvidere Market for lunch ($13 for all four of us). Here we experienced true southern hospitality. Michelle didn't have any cash and the store owner told her that was fine, she could just pay the next time she came in! Don't worry, we spotted Michelle the money. The owner offered us a couple cats that she had hanging around (and I didn't even take her up on the offer, if you can believe it!). And then she went on to tell us about a man in the area that rescues retired zoo animals and gave us directions on where we could find camels and zonkeys (donkey + zebra)! Unfortunately, the zonkeys were too far away to get a good look, but the camels came right up to the fence. So naturally, I needed to get a picture of the sweater with a camel, right?

Then we went on to Sewanee, TN, home of The University of the South, a beautiful private college located on the top of a mountain. They own a ton of land and we went for a short hike after a little walk around the campus. This, of course, included more pictures.

It was a really beautiful day - full of random funness and gorgeous spring weather! As always, more pictures at flickr.

Happy First Day of Spring!

(and still snowing)

Vegas, Baby

Hey girls, long time, no post.

We got back from Vegas last Sunday, and we had a great time. Lots of relaxation by the pool for me, lots of learnin' for Kane. I did a lot of walking around, looking at casinos, went for a run (the weather was perfect....70 degrees with a breeze), swimming, did some good eatin'.....etc. We stayed at the Paris, and the only thing it made me want to do is visit the REAL Paris.

We saw a Cirque du Soleil show and it was amazing. "O", set over water. The ususal gymnastic craziness mixed with synchronized swimming and diving. I was ready to come home and apply for a job with the troupe, but realized that I'm about 15 years too old, and 30 pounds too heavy. Kane insisted that if I really wanted to do it, he would be totally supportive.

While sitting by the pool, I knitted some on the sweater, but realized after I saw Molly's that I needed the smaller size, so it got ripped. Now, I'm ripping again after a stupid mistake of misaligned eyelets, but sometimes those happen. It's moving along very quickly now that I'm past the garter section of the body. I also did a little reading and some drinking...it's Vegas, the only place where people don't judge you for having a drink with an umbrella in it, by the pool, at 10 am.

The little trip made me ready for spring, but I've come back to the Sierra to realize that it's still winter. We got a nice spring surprise of ~2 feet of freshies this morning. Riding in powder is something that I'm not very good at, since it's something I experienced once every 10 years back in WV....so today was a challenge but lots of fun. I'm going to take a women's specific clinic next week to help me work on more ski skills before the end of the season.

Hope you guys are doing well. Molly, again the sweater is beautiful. Jill, keep up the good work on the thesis, you're almost there.

I think you've both been to Vegas.....thought I'd leave you with one of MY favorite attractions, the Bellagio fountains.

Cheers!

How many projects can I work on at one time?

I have managed to get some knitting time in over the past few weeks and I even went to knitting club last night! I've got lots of projects in the works, so here's what I've been working on:

Uptown Boot Socks in Plymouth Yarn Sockotta

I started these way back in September, and finally just pulled them back out this week. They are very fast... When I pulled them out on Wednesday I only had the cuff done.

Tree Jacket, in Cascade 220.

Coming along nicely. It use to be a lot longer, but I had to rip it all out because it was too big. I think this will fit better. That stitch marker? Yeah, I accidently dropped a stitch.

Cabled socks, in Kollage Lucious

I don't really like the yarn. Its very splitty, which is annoying, but it also just kind of feels like its going to fall apart. I haven't worked on these since I got back from Austin. Lately, I'm just not interested in having to think when I knit.

Brea Bag in Lion Brand Lion Wool Chunky

I have one side finished and have to do another side and the gussetts. This was really fast, I made this side in a couple days, I think. It was a while ago, though. Again, I'm not really interested in having to think.

One Done!

So I finished the KALII Tree Jacket!! Yay! Check it out.
I knit the size small (second size), and didn't do any shaping. It seems to fit pretty well. The next size up would have been too big. I'm wearing it today!