Thank you :)

When I went to see Crazy Aunt Purl (CAP) last month I sat by a lovely lady who told me about her new sock knitting machine, showed me how to tat (it was really amazing and completely different than what I had imagined:


She also told me about a Yarn Shop in Circle Pines, MN Double Ewe . She had been asked to write an article for the shop's newsletter and said she thought she would write about going to see CAP. I never caught her name.

Today I was ravelring (if one can "be googling" certainly, we can be ravelring) and I found the group for the DoubleEwe, went to check out the shop owner's blog and found a link to the newsletter, where I read the article by the Lovely Lady (Ann).



So thank you, Ann, for the company and the publicity. Hope you are enjoying crankin out the socks on your new machine.

Snippet

I have been sucked away by life, you will forgive me...right?

Life happened, knitting happened. When the house is clean[er] and the pictures taken there will be a big celebratory post.

Highlights since the last post -- to be elaborated on later:

• Kim's purse is ready to be gifted
• The sock is, miraculously, a sock
• My boyfriend is now my Fiance
• Went to see CrazyAuntPurl read at MOA
• I got my Ravelry invite (I'm KnittingStar there too)
• Over halfway done with K2P2K2P2 ad nauseum
• Oven Mits cast on
• Stash additions to introduce

That's all I have time for now, hope to have a clean house to blog from soon.

And now for some Knitting

The Purse /*




Clockwise: 1- Kim's purse strap on the blocking stretcher 2- Strap with stabilizing ribbon on the blocks 3- Close up of the beads that will add weight to the flap (in lieu of buttons or other closure) 4- what the purse may look like when it is all sewn together.

*******Mom, does it look like a purse now? ;) don't be shy... click on the link near the bottom of the post that says 0(1 2 3...) Stitches and leave a comment**********

I haven't worked on this for a while. The knitting part is long done; I have been stuck on how best to sew the ribbon (I envision this will add stability and prevent this becoming an ankle-length bag) to the strap. They are pinned together, but I don't have a sewing machine and am left with the task of holding the work taut while hand-stitching slick yarn to ribbon...maybe I will wait until I have access to a sewing machine...

_____________________________
The Scarf ***





K2P2K2P2K2P2K2P2 ... until sanity is lost, regained, then ripped so far from reach it may only come back as a 3rd cousin -- twice removed.


I jest. K2P2 ribbing is relaxing, can't really be messed up and lets me work on purling.





I picked out the yarn (Cascade 220) during my very first trip to an actual yarn store. I think I may finish it before MN winter shows up. Paul will have a neck warmed with love-infused wool. The pattern is a collaboration between Paul, the yarn and the knitter - we all are pleased with the progress

____________________________________________

The Sock???

I cast on 62 stitches on two circs - following what I remembered from watching Cat Bordi on YouTube, demonstrating circular knitting on two circs. The yarn is "Blue Jeans Delight" purchased from http://www.extremeyarn.etsy.com/ . It is really pretty, and completely gratifying to see a recognizable garment.

__________________________________________________

And that is what I have been doing.

Celebrity Spotting

Pssssst...

Crazy Aunt Purl read my blog...and commented!

I seriously thought my mom and a kind lady who left a comment about her lingustic profile were the only readers.

ChChChChanges

KnittingStar will be undergoing some cosmetic changes. Paul has been designing me some really cool vector graphics.





In other news... the camera batteries are charging and there will be much prettiness to view soon. I have been knitting a lot. There will be updates on Kim's purse (yes Mom, it actually resembles a purse now); a first view of a 2x2 ribbed scarf I am making for Paul; and a peek at my first sock (no idea how I am going to turn the heel or do any of that fancy jazz...but in the words of Stephanie Pearl McPhee "I can do that -- it's only knitting") plus, I have read enough about knitting socks that I can totally figure it out.

Next step - getting gauge on something. Gauge is an animal that is an important part of the knitting world and since I have yet to follow a pattern, I haven't had to make gauge to turn out some pretty cool and functional pieces. Oh darn, I might need more needles...

Anticipation

I placed my first order with Knitpicks and am really looking forward to it's arrival. The package will contain my first US 2 and US 3 circulars. I am going to try to learn how to knit 2 socks on two circs.

I have accepted that I do not finish things well so if I make both at the same time, I won't suffer from the dreaded second sock syndrome.

Random

Your Linguistic Profile:

60% General American English 20% Upper Midwestern 10% Yankee 5% Midwestern 0% Dixie

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Thanks Mom and Dad!

I recently earned a promotion at work. Spiffy new title, nice chunk-a-raise, and best of all - pride and ownership of my work. Just as I was going to HR to sign the paperwork and make it all official - I was paged. This being my first time paged at this company, I wasn't sure what to expect. The conversation went like this:

Receptionist: Hello

Me: Hi, this is Emily, I was paged

Receptionist: Oh Hi! You have a delivery

Me: Um.....I didn't order anything

Receptionist: The post office dropped it off, and it has your name on it - It's ok, it isn't a bomb or anything. (I found this a little odd, thinking 'how does she know it isn't a bomb, did she send it?')

Me: Ok, uh...I'll be there in a minute

Receptionist: See you then!

I went to the front desk and said who I was. She got this silly, happy little grin on her face and handed me these:

Then she giggled "Hope I didn't scare you, I don't like telling people they have flowers...it is much more fun to see their faces. Congratulations!"

The card said "Emily, Congrats on the promotion! We're so proud of you. Love you muchly, Mom and Dad"

With some advice from my favorite photography hobbiest, I had a little Photoshoot with the adorable flowers. They were a patient subject and I am proud of the results.

In which I show off some priceless art

Rarely does a completed project look how I believed it might in concept. This purse for Kim is no deviation. I haven't taken time yet to learn how to read patterns, although I look at a lot of them, so I have just been casting on and refining my technique. Again, this purse is no different. I am pleased so far with the results and will be proud to give it to my tie-dyed friend soon.



As I held the full skeins of bright fuzziness, I thought they were whispering "Messenger bag, rectangular messenger bag." Apparently, there was a shift in the Yarniverse, resulting in something other than a rectangular messenger bag when all was bound off and stiched together.

This is what I thought it might look like (I know, I have awesome Paint skills).

To Be Continued...

She Knits!

I saw this yarn and it reminded me of my friend Kim, who has a personality like tie-dye. She is always doing kind acts for others. I think she will enjoy having a bit more tie-dye.



Yarn: Moda-Dea Swirl: Happy
57% Nylon, 27% Wool, 16% Acrylic
Needles: US 10.5 Circs - stockinette body of bag
US 8 Circs - garter stich base
Pattern: (base) Cast on 40sts, garter til it looks about right, BO
(body) Cast on to fill most of 29" Circ, knit til tube looks about right to hold stuff
add flap, maybe garter, maybe stockinette --- who knows, yarn hasn't told me yet
Button closure?

You all knew I knit, and now there is proof!

Guess that breed

I think about this blog the most while I am at work, not knitting, not near my camera. Since I am driven to post pictures here, I will show off the puppy. Can anyone guess the breeds responsible for this adorable face? Because my boyfriend and I are really curious about what others see in her. We have our own ideas - but would like yours too!

She is 21lbs, brindle coat, LOTS of energy.

Appreciation

When I started knitting, I bought my yarn at Michael's and Wal-mart. I knew that I didn't like the way most of the yarn felt - I just didn't realize yet why it stuck to my needles (does anyone else often mis-type that as kneedles?) and squeaked as it was worked.

Then I started listening to Lime and Violet. I delighted in their Squeeing, yarn porn, and exuberant enthusiasm for all things fibery and...natural.

I promptly went to buy some 100% wool yarn, it was scratchier at first than the Caron Simply Soft acrylic I had been using. After a few rounds with it my fingers were calmed, my hands felt refreshed and soft, and I was grateful to have found wool before I could even purl.

I have learned much from the online knitting community. My favorites include but aren't limited to: Brenda Dayne (Cast-on, Fling); Lime and Violet; Franklin Habit (The Panopticon); Wendy (Wendy Knits); knittinghelp.com ; and the countless rabbit holes I have fallen into, always cleverly disguised as links to their inspiration.

So I would like to say Thank you to all the above as well as those I will never remember the names of because of fevered linking and following.

I really do knit and promise pictures soon.

Obligatory

Since I have recently become possessed by the evils of knitting, the villainous online knitting community, and the most evil of evils - knitting podcasts, I am obligated to set up an "obligatory knitblog".

I have set up blogs in other corners of the Internet but can't settle on what to write about. I am not a journal writer. At all. I don't want to share my life story or rant about my job, boyfriend, family and friends; I do however want to share my enthusiasm for the fabric created with sticks and string (or pencils and available flexible material - I accept all kinds here).

Let's start with some introductions. My name is Emily, I knit, I like stars, I write... Who are you?