Thursday, November 25, 2010

Giving thanks.

Thanksgiving is all about memories. Memories of my knit corn and turkey leg. Memories of this.

Oh the bounty!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Blog-spiration

My lunchtime blogroll is a smattering of knitting, design and wedding blogs. And lately, they've been throwing mucho inspiration my way.

I found a great clothing store called ModCloth (admittedly, I haven't ordered from them, yet) that features about a billion things I want to own. I came to it from BraveBride, where she thought it would make a great place to find bridesmaid dresses. I concur.

One of my newest obsessions is Springpad. It has saved me from my gmail wedding organization chaos. My previous system involved emailing myself a link to something I wanted to remember, and trying to put an adequate label in the subject line. Seriously, that was my "system." Suffice to say Springpad has saved me. I can organize bookmarks in "notebooks" with searchable tags, and photos from the website. For what it's worth, it will also save other useful things, like recipes, calendars, maps, and it will sync with smartphones (not like I have one...) I came to this site from 2000dollarwedding.

Last for now comes from How About Orange; it's a great resource of affordable original art at Thumbtack Press. As my move to a real grown-up house is fast approaching, I'll be needing real art to decorate the (presumed) drab, carpenter-white, rented walls. Feel free to buy me this print called "Fishlamp."

So that's what's been consuming my time... Any other distractions I badly need?

Monday, November 22, 2010

Barely too early for Christmas?

I cleaned the house over the weekend so it would be ready for Christmas decorating next weekend. Which got me thinking.... I'm not too old for Christmas presents. My Christmas picks for today are 100% nerd-approved: books, boots, and a cake stand (for good measure).

1. Books. The 15-book boxed set of Roald Dahl's brilliant children novels. So colorful and full of genius.

2. Duck boots. Bonus points if they're from L.L. Bean. Extra bonus points if they're size 7. I think these duccasins are awesome in classic leather and navy.

3. Cake stand/serving tray. Ok, stay with me- the "geek" of this is that it works as a cake stand, or flipped over as a chip dish, which can also hold the lid to make a punchbowl.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Top 5: Thursday edition


Top five things that are making me happy today:

1. It's finally cold enough weather to wear hats!

2. Springpad: resource for life/wedding organization.

3. My heaty corn bag foot warmer.

4. The show Iconoclasts on the Sundance Channel. Seriously. Brilliant.

5. Limitless web resources covering Prince William and Kate Middleton's engagement.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Every good hat needs a ridiculous scarf

After my self-proclaimed success with Yulie, it only seemed fitting that I have a laughably oversized scarf to go with it. I wanted to pull a color from the many in the hat with the half-hearted goal of a slightly awkward combination.

I settled on a super chunky yarn, Lion Wool-Ease Thick and Quick, which knits up on hilariously large size 19 needles. For the stitch pattern, I wanted something simple, but not plain. I settled on a faux-herringbone pattern. The right side has that cute zig-zaggy look, while the wrong side looks like boring purl bumps.

Hopefully the end ensemble is cozy and cute instead of weird and homeless.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Camera found = Yulie pics

I've been bouncing off the walls since I finished my amazing Yulie beret. And while I'm not complaining, the 60 degree weather that kept me from wearing it is over. So without further delay...

Seriously, how great is this?

This is the right side.

And the "wrong" side.

Yayay Yulie!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Wedding knits: no brainer...

I mentioned I was looking for unique but not overpowering ways to incorporate knitting and handmade things into the wedding. And each day I'm lucky enough to get Martha Stewart's wedding craft of the day. So add this to the list! I could knit this up faster than it's taking to write this... Also, I don't plan to have a ring pillow. Nonetheless, thanks Martha.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Holy Yulie, Batman!

(from Grumperina!)

I can't find my camera so I can't adequately share with you the amazingness that is Yulie. But I am SO excited that I just can't wait another second. Really.

Yulie is a near-perfect beret pattern that I came across whilst browsing Grumperina's freebies. Reasons I love this pattern:
1. It requires very little yarn. At less than 1 skein of each color, I could use one of my "special" yarns for the contrasting color (Noro Kureyon, to be exact. As an aside, I dare you to tell me these colors don't make you swoon).
2. It is a lace pattern, so a little more fun to knit than other patterns, but easy enough to memorize.
3. The stripes are knit in a spiral, so to speak. This way there are no jogs in the color and it looks super seamless (well, because it IS seamless).
4. The pattern is amenable to adding more or less slouch.

(from Noro)

I knit this over the weekend. That includes finishing, realizing it was too small (because I can't be bothered to swatch), un-knit the crown, re-knit the plain rounds (see #4 above), and refinishing it. I didn't block, because I was digging the squishy look. And did I mention, I'm in love with it?!?!

I promise, as the camera resurfaces, you can see my sweet hat.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Still too early for Christmas?


What is the epitome of nerdy granola craftiness? I'll tell you. It's buying futures in a sheep.

Yep. I saw this article on community supported fiber today on Design*Sponge and totally wanted in. For an up front fee, you can get a share of local sheep farm's shearing. Who doesn't love this kind of smug philanthropy? WITH YARN!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Hats!

As I traveled to lovely NYC last weekend, I anticipated some cool fall weather (btw, I was right). At the last minute, I packed two favorite hats, my Odessa and a slouchy hat.

(this is the first version I knit as a gift, but I like the way L shows of the sweet swirl action)

The Odessa was a pattern published in the now-defunct MagKnits, by the delightful Grumperina. The pattern was well-written and really fun to knit with the traveling stitches. It called for a slightly above-budget Rowan cashmere-wool blend. But it only needs one ball so I gave in and I'm glad. It's soft and lovely. It's thin but warm.

(this is not me either, as far as I know this is the designer, SloMoeKnits)

The slouchy hat was knit on a whim, before I realized slouchy hats would be in style for the following 4 years... This was knit in a more budget-friendly yarn, to the tune of $3.00 and change. I actually think I like it more now than when I first knit it. It's a good go-to.

What I love most: each was knit sometime around 2007. And they still rock. Each is soft/stretchy enough to not pinch my ears with glasses on (am I the only one who has this happen?) And both were knit in neutral enough colors (dark teal, "mushroom") that they go with most anything. Hat win.