You Have Good Taste!

Back on June 8th- I hit the blog asking you for your opinion and many of you, FIFTY SEVEN OF YOU, took the time to share your opinion. A short time later a winner was chosen and I set to work knitting the blanket that my (adoring?) public voted on. On month later I'm left to reflect that you are have pretty excellent taste!

Pattern: Pretty Fans and Feathers by John Feddersen Jr.
Yarn: Linea Baby Baby Star in pink and white
Needles: US 5
Notes: SUCH A QUICK AND SATISFYING KNIT! I cast on 216 to compensate for the smaller yarn and needles.

I was very concerned that the vergiated yarn would 'pool' instead of evenly distribute the color and the last thing I wanted was to knit something "patchy". Instead the yarn distributed lovely- and the color looks cohesive with my vision. I'm so glad I let you decide! Check out this close up below

With that off the needles on July 14, my brain needed a mini vacation to prepare for the next blanket. And so, I did what any knitter who needs to just not knit a blanket right now, could do, and I worked at getting caught back up on my hat total.

8 more hats to bring me closer to being on track for the year end goal of 52. I'm still a little off, but at least less so now, than a week ago! :-)

BUT- that's not all I did- I also cast on a new purse sock that I'll feature when it actually is a little more finished. (The cuff is done!) AND, I even devoted a whole evening to knitting the Druid mittens, which I was so enchanted with, and I love so much, it was painful to have to put them down. The YARN PEOPLE! The yarn is SO SOFT-- I just want to lay it all out on my bed and roll in it. It's so, so, so, SOFT and yummy!

However, one on a strict blanket deadline cannot spare her time long to knit "fun distractions" and Saturday came, and my mental enforcer kicked in and told me I had to cast on the new blanket. And so, with much saddness, I put away all the fun knitting projects that see progress very quickly, and I pulled out the yarn and the needles and cast on the newest baby blanket due at the end of August:

Luckily the weather was nice and I could sit on my patio and knit outdoors- and so I did, and as of this writing, the blanket is looking like this:

I have to say it- I'm loving the way it looks! Hopefully my enjoyment at how cute this is knitting up is going to carry me to at least 30 inches before I get a serious case of ennui.

And so gentle readers, it appears I'm off again on a new blanket challenge! Keep watching here soon, as I may rely on your most excellent taste again to help me vote on the blanket that will be knit once this one is done.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

As I've discussed here on many occaisons, I always have a project in my purse, for those last minute "oh my god I have time to knit" or "I need to calm down so I don't hurt people" or "must.touch.yarn" moments I find myself in. (You would not believe how often I find myself with the sudden urge to touch yarn, I must be truely obsessed.)

Sadly- purse socks, while highly useful in keeping me sane, are also SLOW going progress wise. It doesn't normally take me four months to make 2 socks!! But every once in a while, and as the perfect analogy of "slow and steady wins the race", you cast the socks off and are offerred repreive from your boredom. And just in time!

Viola- Purse Socks #2 off the needles, and on the model! (Thanks to the husband for lending his legs for this lovely photo shoot. I'm kind of mean, I made him wear thick wool socks on a very warm day... but only for a few minutes!)

Pattern: Mr. Pitt's Socks by Kaityln Wong
Yarn: Patons Kroy in "Coal" (2.5 skeins)
Needles: US 1 or 2.5 mm
Notes: I RAN OUT OF YARN. I only had two skeins and I ran out near the time when it came to do the toe decreases. I sucked up my pride and bought another skein, in an entirely different dye lot, and wonder of wonders... YOU DON'T SEE THE DIFFERENCE! Oh happy day!!

They aren't flashy, they aren't bold- but they're practical, and warm and I can think of one man who's going to have warm feet come this winter. (HI DAD!)

They're good socks really. A simple knit but with a sophisticated finish. I'm quite proud of myself really.

**Although I'm super happy I can knit something else now!**

Stampede Yahoo!

Well- I've only been talking about it for months, so I had to eventually own up to it. This year I entered Nennie's Knee Socks and the Green Leaf Baby blanket in the Calgary Stampede Western Showcase. I even convinced the MiL to enter her knitting too at the last minute. And to say our first year entering was a success would be an understatement! We both did really well!

Coming in Third place in the "Knitting-Open" category (Class 1033)- my Green Leaf Blanket!

Coming in Second place in the "Knitting-Open" category (Class 1001)- MiL's Green Socks!

And very surprisingly, coming in FIRST place in the "Knitting" category (Class 1002) and placing SECOND in the SECTION (HOLY CRAP!!!!!)- The Knee Socks!

We're both so excited!! Congratulations to all the other winners at Stampede- your stuff is beautiful!

I should also mention that MiL entered a very very cute little baby sweater- and although it wasn't a ribbon winner, it sure was cute so of course I'm posting it here. (Trying to tell me something MiL? ;-))

Making the big wins even more exciting and special, our little monthly knitting group, the "Knit Wits" made a point of going down to see the prizes in person and as a group. We've all been knitting together for nearly 2 years. It's such a supportive, creative and strong group of ladies, I'm so very lucky that they welcomed me into their knitting flock. It was only fitting to take a photo! (missing 2- missed your Rhonda and Sylvia!)

(From L-R: Robin, My Mom (Shirley), Me, MiL (Phyllis), Nancy & Mary) (You'll notice Robin presented both MiL and I with "Stampede Necklaces" to wear in honor of our wins!)

Next year ladies-- I expect you all to enter!!! (And yes mom, you too... I know you're new, but keep it up, you'll be amazed at your progress! We've all made big strides in the last 2 years knitting together!)

All there really is left to say is YAHOO! (And see you next year at the Stampede!)