Raspberry Mocha Swirl socks:

Made with Socks that Rock lightweight, in the Rare Gems colorway (where they take the skeins that didn't work out right the first time, overdye them, and turn them in to beautiful one-of-a-kinds).

It was fun seeing how similarly the spiral striping worked out on the two socks... finished these back in May or thereabouts.

BlueCedar Socks:

Made to replace the Thuja socks I made for Sean last fall, which ended up with holes in the bottom by this spring. I used Debblie Bliss Rialto, and the Thuja pattern from knitty again, and added reinforcing thread to the heels, toes, and soles. Hopefully these will last a bit longer.

Calypso Clapotis:

Not exactly a Finished Object, but a Finished As It's Gonna Get Object (FAIGGO?) - I didn't like how the finished fabric felt, and the drab mustardy/greeny color ended up taking a far more prominent role than I had expected, so it got this far:

And then decided to let it sit in stash until I'm ready to frog it or something...

Anyway, now you're pretty well caught up. I hope everyone is having a wonderful week - myself included!

These are the fronts of our reception invitations, which I designed myself... today is the big legal day (not only tying the knot, but also signing closing papers for our new home). Tomorrow, we party - in a low key way. Then, it's off to the San Juan Islands, and home to move!

(This post was written ahead of time... you think I'm taking time today amongst everything else to blog?!)

I haven't knit anything quickly in a long long time... then Charade came along. I was inspired, I had an event deadline, and I busted my ass (doing almost no reading, gaming, etc for the last few weeks) to get it done by this week. This weekend, I got the fronts finished and the shoulders seamed, leaving only the 7 inches or so of front edging to continue around the back of the sweater, seaming the bottoms of the sleeves, and weaving in all of the yarn ends to be completely done. I ended up breaking into 14 balls of yarn, when the pattern called for less than 9 balls worth of yardage, and that's with dropping about 5 inches of length. But, it was almost done, and it looked good!

Then I tried it on. And discovered that I needed to make other plans for my wedding/reception outfit.

I love the drape of the yarn I picked, but apparently it isn't a good match for the pattern as written, at least on my body. When I wrap it, one side has the wrap on top (of course), and that side shows my waist. The other side, however, is pulled straight down from my bust - no waist at all. It makes me look lopsided, and I think it makes me look heavier than I am. *sigh*

So, it's getting set aside until after we move. At that point, I'm going to rip it out and do it over with the fronts going only to the 'side seam' and sew ribbon on to wrap all the way around and tie, giving me a waistline on both sides. Something constructed more like this:

Since I still love the color, drape, and sheen of the yarn, and the stitch pattern and basic idea of the sweater, hopefully this will meld them in a way that works when I put it on. And, given how much less yarn it will use to only go to the side seam, I may decide to put longer sleeves on so that I can wear it this fall/winter. We shall see.

The next day, I decided to check out a newish yarn store that's only about 10 blocks from my work - Twisted. Loved the store, and bought a great yarn for the sweater. The book calls for Berocco Zen, which I've used before and found fairly unpleasant to knit with, or any worsted ribbon... and at Twisted, I found this:

Sirdar Just Bamboo in the Bluegrass colorway, 100% bamboo with a really lovely sheen and drape. I started a swatch (a rarity in and of itself) that night, and the sweater soon after. I've been making pretty good progress, too.

I have this crazy idea in my head of getting it done to wear for my wedding on the 21st, and reception on the 22nd, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to get there... especially with all the time that 's going into the house-buying, needing to pack, etc. But I'm going to try, while still lining up a backup option in case it isn't done.

I also finally have the Mango drop-stitch sweater done... I picked it up yesterday from the alteration shop that I had put in the zipper. I'm really pleased with it, too -

The wedding quickly approaches - we're tying the knot at the courthouse on September 21, and then having a casual open-house style reception at my parents' place the following afternoon... then it's off to a private cabin in the San Juans for a week, stopping in Seattle to see a play on our way back home. We've also started condo-shopping, and are hoping to move in mid-to-late October. Yay!

As far as other life changes go, I took on the newly-created position of customer service manager at work this last March, and I'm finally getting a solid handle on all of my duties. I've been doing lots of traveling, because we have 9 offices scattered around OR and WA, and I have to visit all of them at least quarterly. I certainly have my rough days, and sometimes I feel a bit odd about doing a job that isn't particularly geeky, but overall I'm far far happier with my work now.

We also went on a cruise this July with a bunch of my family... it was a lot of fun - except for the part where my dad slipped and fractured a vertebra on our last port-day, and he and my mom had to stay in a hospital in Mexico for an extra few days - thank goodness for travel insurance! Anyway, you can check out this flickr set for more pics of the trip. I have to say, we both loved Roatán, Honduras - we'll be going back there, definitely!

In the knitting realm, I haven't been getting a whole lot done, which is part of why I haven't been posting, I think. I finished the Mango drop-stitch not-a-hoodie, except for blocking it and getting the zipper put in - and it's been sitting on the dryer waiting for me to wash and block it for a couple of months now. Sean wore through the bottoms of the Thuja socks I made for him last fall, so I made a new pair with higher-twist yarn and reinforcing thread, but I still need to duplicate-stitch the reinforcing thread into the soles, and it's navy blue thread with navy blue yarn, so I keep putting that off, too. I made a pair of socks out of brown and pink socks that rock, but I haven't taken pics of them, and I finished them in April or May but haven't warn them much yet, given that they are a bit warm for Summer.

I do have a picture of the socks I'm working on now - Mountain Colors Bearfoot in a really basic toe-up pattern, very fast knitting. I love the slight fuzziness of the yarn, and it's nice to get something completed in a shorter time frame - I should be binding off the first sock today. I've also been working on a clapotis in SWTC bamboo, but I'm not too thrilled with how it's turning out, so it's off to marinate with stash for a while as I debate frogging it.

So, here's my 1000 words:

Go me!

60 to 80 patterns per year... that's pretty prolific!

This weekend was the wedding of two very dear friends, at a state park about an hour south of here. It was a wonderful wedding - sweet, funny, not too long, and perfectly them. I (along with my trust ipod) played DJ (and emcee!) at the reception, and although I had all sorts of issues getting the specified music onto the ipod in the weeks leading up to the wedding, thankfully the reception itself went smooth as silk.

And now that the wedding has happened, I can blog about one of my craft efforts I've been keeping secret. I don't think my friends read this blog, but I'm not certain they don't, so I've been hush hush on this one so far.

The bride's family has a tradition that whenever someone gets married, the family makes a quilt for them as a wedding gift. I was flattered to be invited to contribute to the quilt, and this is what I made for my square - Dragonflies are a favorite of the bride, and were a running motif through the wedding. Her aunt sent me the basic white square and three coordinating purple fabrics, I designed and made my square, and then sent it back to her aunt who gathered them all and put the quilt together. I forgot to get a picture of the completed quilt, which was displayed at the reception, but I do have one of the bride and matron-of-honor dancing that shows almost all of it - I think it turned out beautiful.

In other crafting, i have been knitting, although not all that much. I've finished the back and most of one front on the drop-stitch-hoodie, which I am now calling the mango hoodie:

I want to get it done, because it'll be a great summer-to-fall transitional piece... but, as I said, I've had a busy summer - meaning less time for knitting.

In other life news, I have now passed the 50-pounds-lost mark (hooray!) I am continuing to go to the gym on a regular basis (also hooray!) and I decided to dump the brown dishes I shared with the ex and get a new set from cb2.com. The dishes aren't as big of a deal in the long run, of course, but I just got them this weekend and I am still very excited about them. Hee.

I did manage to snap a pic of my steering wheel cover - and upload it - before the trip, though, so I can show that off:

This was a nice easy knit, using Artful Yarns Candy and no pattern to speak of, and now that I've been using it for a few weeks, I can say for certain that I really like it.

Before the trip, I also pulled out my sewing machine and some fun clearance fabric from JoAnn, and created this 2-panel skirt (the panel you see has a twin on the back) to add to my bellydance costuming wardrobe. Unfortunately, I haven't been to dance class in months, but hopefully new dance clothes will help inspire me to work it back into my schedule.

My current works in progress include a new sock, in Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock lightweight, in the Rare Gems colorway... which is made up of one-off skeins they have overdyed after the initial colorways didn't take correctly. My skein is a rich brown and magenta, and I'm excited about the prospects. I'm also still working on the Interweave Drop-Stitch Hoodie - I just reached the armhole shaping on the back last night at S-n-B.

And, although I'm sure I could come up with more to say, I'm going to head off to the gym now and just update again in *less* than 3 weeks... or so I hope.

Anyway, I thought this would be as good a time as any to jump back in with (what else?) a meme! Ran across this one at It Is Rocket Science, and I found it amusing. (By the way, you all ought to feel grateful, because I actually do quite a few of the silly quizzes and memes, I just don't often think they are worth posting.)

RULES:
1.) Put your music player on shuffle
2.) Press forward for each question
3.) Use the song title as the answer
4.) NO CHEATING!!! What you get is what you get!

1.) How am I feeling today?
Before You - Chantal Kreviazuk

2.) Where will I get married?
February - Dar Williams (where? I did get married in February, the first time, though...)

3.) What is my best friend's theme song?
On The Bus Mall - The Decemberists

4.) What is/was high school like?
You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go - Madeline Peyroux (Oh, so true... the plight of a girl whose friends were almost all older.)

5.) What is the best thing about me?
C'est la Vie - Natacha Atlas

6.) How is today going to be?
Spider In My Room - Barenaked Ladies

7.) What is in store for this weekend?
Please Mister Postman - The Beatles (Guess I should expect some mail)

8.) What song describes my parents?
Epilogue: You and I / The Story of Chess - Chess Soundtrack

9.) How is my life going?
9 to 5 - Dolly Parton

10.) What song will they play at my funeral?
There She Goes - Sixpence None The Richer (This one amused me to no end.)

11.) How does the world see me?
Digging - Jonatha Brooke

12.) What do my friends really think of me?
Give It Away - Zero 7

13.) Do people secretly lust after me?
Hot Rock - Sleater-Kinney

14.) How can I make myself happy?
Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell

15.) What should I do with my life?
Seasons of Love - RENT Soundtrack

16.) Will I ever have children?
Dig My Grave - They Might Be Giants (That's a bit... morbid...)

17.) What is some good advice?
Sing Sing Sing - Swing Kids

18.) What do I think my current theme song is?
Speak Slow - Tegan and Sara

19.) What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
Scarborough Fair - Simon & Garfunkel

20.) What type of men/women do you like?
Make Me Stay - Ani Difranco

21.) Will you get married?
Full Circle - Loreena McKennitt

22.) What should I do with my love life?
Cruel to be Kind - Letters to Cleo

24.) Where will you live?
Come on Home - Indigo Girls (That's insight for ya)

25.) What will your dying words be?
Happy New Year - RENT Soundtrack

26.) How's your day going so far?
If I Wrote You - Dar Williams

27.) How's your love life?
The Thrill is Gone - Tracy Chapman & BB King

Leave a note, play along!

The colors are a bit wild, they were more subtle in the ball... but Ilona promises they'll be good with jeans. I am particularly drooling over the lovely blue stripes, and now I want to find some yarn in a garment-friendly weight in that color.

I've also recently started the Drop Stitch Hoodie from the last Interweave Knits, and finished a new steering wheel cover, but I don't have pictures of those, so you'll have to wait!

I am thrilled with it, and it will certainly get plenty of wear once our temperatures climb a bit. Thanks, Bron!

My other recent handknitted-but-not-by-me acquisition was one of the things I alluded to at the end of my last entry: Purl Necklaces by Kimli. Before she had her new spiffy website all set up, I sent her some money and asked her to jut pick out a necklace of her choice for me and send it along - and she sent two!

They are lovely, and a nice bit of change from the same necklace that I generally wear every day. Go check her out - she is making some really lovely, and funky things.

My own knitting has been kind of stalled out. I got the body of Tubey started a few weeks ago, knit a couple of inches on it, and then decided it just didn't make any sense to be knitting another aran weight wool/alpaca blend sweater in the spring... so it's been benched for the immediate future.

The week before last, my department at work took a trip up to Bellevue, WA together to attend a class. The class ended up being mostly review for me, which was unfortunate, but I did get past the heel-turn on a sock with my knitpicks Sock Garden:

I used a garter rib pattern and size 2 needles... and it ended up way too big. In addition, I am not happy with the way the colors turned out. When I was knitting with this yarn in stockinette on 1s, the general impression was red with bits of orange and smaller partial-stripes of yellow, and I thought it was really pretty. But this pattern/needle combination ended up creating a sock that makes me think of mixed up ketchup and mustard, and I'm just not satisfied with it.

Much as I love this yarn, after 2 aborted attempts with it, I think it needs to take a bit of a time-out in the stash, so I have picked out some new sock yarn for my next start.

Meilenweit cotton fun & stripes in some pretty colors, and my new sock book, from which I need to pick a pattern. I'm also going to dig through my books, magazines, and stash to try to find something else to work on, since I can't seem to get by on sock-knitting alone - though it is perfect for my commuting project.

Happy April everyone... more later.

I finished it last weekend, including finding a pin for the closure, instead of the suggested suede. Ilona and Josie came over on Saturday night to watch what ended p being a horrible movie (Just Friends). It had one good line, in the whole thing. It wasn't even in the so-bad-its-good category, it was just plain bad. However, some good knitting time was had, and Ilona fulfilled her blog minion role by taking sweater pics for me - thanks, Ilona!

Here's a better picture of the pin I'm using to close it - I decided I wanted to use a pin both so I wouldn't have to sew a ribbon or suede tie in, and so that I can adjust it more easily as I lose more weight. I dropped by Nordstrom Rack to look, and found this - it was more expensive than I had been hoping for, but it's so perfect, I had to get it:

In other news, I won Bron's Keyhole Top drawing - how exciting. I just love the colors of the top, and I can't wait to try it on. Now I have to take a look in my stash and see what I have that's wool free and might be worth sending her in exchange.

Okay, lunch time now... in my next update: Purl Necklaces, Bellevue, and a partial sock.

In Knitting Knews, I finished knitting the Shawl Collar Wrap Cardi this weekend, and got all of the pieces blocked last night. All that remains is to sew the seams, weave in the ends, and decide what I want to do to keep the bottom from rolling, since I chose to forgo the 2 rows of garter stitch edging. I'm thinking I'll either attempt a crocheted edging or pick up and knit a few rows of ribbing, but I want to put the whole thing together first and see how how it fits and where the edge hits before I decide what to do and which color to use. In any case, hopefully I'll have FO or nearly-FO pictures to share within the week.

Oh, and to my fellow geeks - Happy Pi Day!

So, let's start with the ever-popular FO parade (AKA Things I Finished During My Most Recent Unplanned Blog Hiatus - TIFDMMRUPBH... rather unwieldy, isn't it?)

Wow, I just realized that all of my FOs since my last post were gift knitting. I've been doing plenty of knitting for myself as well, but none of it is done. So, for the hands, I made some fingerless mitts for Ilona's birthday - I didn't get any pictures, so head over to her site to see them. I also made these gloves for my Mom, for Christmas, though only one was done by then - she received the completed pair sometime in mid-January, as it turned out (what with the getting sick and the moving and all).

For the mitts, I used Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted (very nice to work with), and the gloves were knit with Artful Yarns Virtue and The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns. Mmm, cashmere.

My major end-of-the-year knitting project was the Colinette Perugino throw I gave my grandparents for Xmas (as a joint gift with my parents - they bought the kit, I did the work). I did get that finished, including blocking, in time for Christmas morning present opening. This was my first real experience with blocking, and I used a garment steamer I had just gotten a great deal on - what a fabulous thing. Especially for such a large project, it made blocking a real snap.

It's laid out on a twin flat sheet (in my little sister's bedroom), to give you a sense of the scale. I ended up making it far longer than the pattern called for - I basically just kept going with it until I didn't have enough of one of the yarns to finish another repeat, completed the repeat I was on, and finished it. I didn't want to deal with all six balls of yarn hanging off the edge and getting tangled, so I did not carry the yarn up the side as suggested in the pattern... made for a lot of ends to weave in, but it was worth it.

And my most recent FO, a mobius scarf I just completed - to be given to one of my best friends, as a graduation gift (Bachelors degree in Math) later this month.

I used Berroco softwist, and the basic pattern here for the scarf, although I didn't make it quite as wide. I do still need to weave in the ends on the scarf, and block it, but it should be on its way south quite soon.

So, that's the list of FOs... I think I'm gonna call this entry done, especially since I don;t have any pictures of my in-progress projects at the moment. So details on those, and the rest of my life, to come - soon!