For your viewing pleasure

I finally present pictures of the fabulous yarn I scored at the NH Sheep and Wool Festival. First up, a whopping 650 yard skein of 100% alpaca in a lovely charcoal gray color. It is beautifully soft and has lovely flecks of white and grey that make the color come alive. This is directly from the alpaca, folks, no dying done here. Just the beauty of nature.


Alpaca Yarn
Originally uploaded by kellymarino.

Next up, some hand-dyed, superwash merino wool. It is very soft and a pretty periwinkle blue-purple color. I am thinking I will use this to make a simple and elegant shell to wear for work. Any good pattern recommendations from the folks out there? Let me know!


Merino Yarn
Originally uploaded by kellymarino.

My final yarn purchase is ~1000 yards of hand-dyed rayon in a light sport weight. I am not sure what I am going to do with it just yet but it was so bee-yoo-tee-ful that I HAD to buy it. The picture does not do all the pretty colors their full justice. I think it would make a lovely shawl but really, I hate making shawls (have you seen any posted progress on the "mother's day" shawl... I didn't think so). Maybe it will become a fun tank or t-shirt-type garment. Who knows, it is so exciting, waiting for inspiration to strike!

Rayon Yarn
Originally uploaded by kellymarino.

Finally, a little something for the young at heart. My husband surprised me with this after we got home from the festival...

Jerry the Llama
Originally uploaded by kellymarino.

Isn't he freakin' adorable?! I named his Jerry (nope, no idea why) and he sits on my nightstand giving me knitting inspiration as I sleep.

That is the whirlwind tour of my trip to the wool festival. Tune in later this week for updates on all my WIPs and maybe, a finished item for your viewing pleasure. Also, a review of the second Boston show by U2 (Thursday night baby!!!).
Cheers

All work and no play makes Kelly a dull blogger...

The headline says it all, this is going to be a dull post. Consider yourself warned.
Recent business travel means I haven't had time to blog or take pictures. It does mean, however, I had lots of time for plane knitting. Even better, I flew Jet Blue (www.jetblue.com) so I got to watch TV and knit for the entire three hour flight. I am a big fan of the free Direct TV available on Jet Blue. If you have never flown them, I would recommend giving it a try.

In other news, the NH Sheep and Wool festival was a blast. Even my non-fiber-loving husband enjoyed looking at all the sheep, lambs, goats, alpacas, and llamas. The alpacas were a special favorite of mine and to honor them, I purchased 1200 yards of some incredibly soft, DK weight 100% alpaca yarn. It is a lovely charcoal grey color and it will eventually be turned into either a cardigan or a simple sweater designed using the techniques from Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Without Tears. I also purchased ~1000 yards of superwash merino wool hand dyed a lovely periwinkle/blue/purple color and ~1000 yards of nylon yarn in an incredible hand dyed colorway containing reds, pinks, yellows, creams, and tans. I will post pictures soon because the beautiful yarn has to be seen to be appreciated.

That's all for now. I am meeting with my Sudbury SnB ladies tonight and we are going to do a little crochet tutorial. Should be fun!

Cheers

Ribby tank close up

Ribby tank close up
Originally uploaded by kellymarino.

Bonus shot: Here is a close-up of the ribbing... only 9 more inches to go until I can start sleeve shaping!

Ribby tank in-progress

Here is a picture of my Ribby tank progress... lots and lots of rounds of ribbing, and still many inches remain until fun shaping starts. So far I am liking the results. The cotton has a nice sheen and is a very soothing color. It will make for some quality plane knitting when I travel to FL for work on Sunday.


Ribby tank in-progress
Originally uploaded by kellymarino.

Before Sunday, though, I get to go to the NH Sheep and Wool Festival! My DH (who will now be known as "The Best Husband in the World" or "TBHW") offered to drive me up there (yay car knitting) and take pictures of all the cute sheep while I shop. What a deal! I promise to post pictures of the event and all the stash I buy. I hope to find yarn to make a shrug and to make my latest pattern obsession, Lelah. If you haven't seen this pattern, it is graciously offered free of charge from Knitting for Boozehags. It is super cute and just right for the Avril Lavigne concert I am going to in August (yeah, I like teenybopper music, you gotta problem with that??). I am hoping to find some cool yarn to use for Lelah and a matching shrug (see my previous post about the Interweave shrug pattern I love).

That's all I have for now. Tune in next week for "The Trip to NH Sheep and Wool", progress on the shell, and the book review I mentioned in my previous post.
Cheers!

Casting on and cruising along

Proudly, I did not procrastinate this weekend. Not only did I work on my mother's shawl, I also cast on and knitted a few inches of my Ribby Shell. The shell is an interesting combination of K2P2 and K3P1 ribbing that I am knitting in cool sage green Endless Summer cotton from Elann. DK weight cotton on size 7 round needles is very nice indeed. It is moving along at a good pace despite the constant ribbing. When I actually have enough done to make it recognizable, I will post a picture.

The shawl on the other hand, is definitely moving at a snails pace. Lace weight yarn with size 8's is a bit of a drag. I have to be careful with every movement not to lose a stitch off the end of my needles. I had set myself a goal of completeing two pattern repeats per night (a total of 16 rows). While this may not sound like much, I am so slow with this that it takes me a couple hours. Sadly, I realized the other night that two pattern repeats equals approximately 2 inches of shawl length. To quote Homer Simpson, "Doh!". I am never going to have this finished by the time I see my mom in June.

This setback does not stop me from thinking about new projects however! I think next I would like to make a shrug. While I am not sure how or when I will wear something like that, they are just so darn cute. Particularly the pink 3/4 sleeve free pattern from Interweave. I had to physicially restrain myself from grabbing some stash and starting it last night. I would like to make the shrug out of some Debbie Bliss cashmerino that I have sitting around but I would need to adapt the pattern to aran weight yarn. Maybe that would be a good exercise for me... when the shawl is finished!

Progress reports and book reviews to come later this week. Plus, a sneak peak at this weekend's entry, I am heading to the NH Sheep and Wool Festival on Saturday. Ohhh the stash... it is so good it almost hurts.

Cheers!

Crochet "Procrastination" Scarf

Last night I sat down to knit for the first time since Monday. I can hear voices from the crowds asking, "Kelly, Kelly, what did you knit?" Did I cast on for my chicknits Ribby Shell as my last blog suggested I might? No, I did not. Did I work on the shawl I am knitting for my mother for mother's day (to be given in June)? No, I did not. Instead, I grabbed a ball of yarn left over from Joey's Sweater, a size J crochet hook, and starting crocheting this lacy, very soft, blue scarf. I dub this scarf my "Procrastination Scarf" because I whiled away the evening hours in front of the TV working on this, rather than addressing the other projects on my list. Do I feel bad about this, you ask? No! I do not. I justified all of my procrastination by deciding that this will go to my grandmother when it is finished. She has not been feeling well lately and has been in and out of the hospital. Hopefully this scarf will be like a warm hug from me to her. As a bonus, it is light enough to wear during the summer, particularly if you are in a place with the air conditioner blowing sub-zero.
There, the justification process is complete. This scarf is no longer about procrastination but is now about making something comforting for my grandmother. Suddenly, I feel a little like Mother Theresa (except without the life devoted to doing good for others).
Maybe tonight I will cast on for the Ribby Shell... or maybe I will just keep working on the scarf.


Crochet "Procrastination" Scarf
Originally uploaded by kellymarino.

Baby Joey's Sweater

Baby Joey's Sweater
Originally uploaded by kellymarino.

Look at the fantastic buttons and cute rolled edges!

Sweater Finishing - 1, Procrastination - 0

That's right, with the help of American Idol cheering me along I finished the baby sweater for Joey (the cutest baby I know). I did all the seaming, sewed in the ends, and sewed on the buttons (I am really not into sewing). The finished sweater looks pretty good (if I do say so myself). I just hope that it fits little Joey.
The sweater details:

• Pattern is from Creative Knitting, May 2005 issue
• I used TLC Cara Mia yarn (50% acrylic, 19% nylon, 18% rayon, 13% angora), one skein of each color
• Needles sizes 7 and 9
• Buttons from Joann Fabrics, purchased by my knitting friend Tiffany because she knew they would be perfect for the sweater (and how right she was)

As soon as my blogerbot is working, I will post a picture of the finished sweater. Keep your eye out for it! I think my firewall at work is preventing me from posting pictures. Boo for the firewall.

Next up, I am going to cast on for the Chicknits Ribby Shell. I am using Elan Endless Summer 100% cotton in a nice sage-green color. This will make a good plane project (it is knit in the round) and since I have a couple of trips coming up, I figure I should get started. Unfortunately, the shell requires a lot of casting on (some 200 plus stitches) so I will need a quite room and some serious counting time.

Cozies

Instead of finishing the seaming of the adorable (I mean seriously cute) baby sweater I am nearly done with, I spent last night creating and knitting a cozie for my friend's IPod Mini. It was a pretty simplistic design but it turned out pretty cute (if I do say so myself). Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture before I gave it to her so I can only describe it here. I knitted the main body in two pieces (a front and a back) using a cream colored acrylic / wool blend yarn. Then I used backstitch to sew it together on three sides (two sides and the bottom). I left the top open but knitted a small flap that comes over the top and attaches to a button I sewed on the back. Then I grabbed some left over Lion Brand Fun Fur in bright red and crocheted around the top opening for some excitement. Like I said, simplistic but cute and very quick to knit (it only took me two hours from IPod measuring to completed item).

That just leaves the baby sweater. I already have one side and sleeve seam completed which means I am only a side seam, a sleeve seam, and four buttons away from a finished sweater. Sigh... I hope the sweater still fits the baby by the time I get off my lazy finishing bum! Pictures to come (once I complete the sweater tonight... come hell or high water!)

My newly completed ribbon tank
Knitted with Lion Brand Incredible, pattern from Creative Knitting (May 2005)

Mom's Shawl - in progress 

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday

In general, I really like Sundays. They are usually pretty relaxing and I get to sleep in. This Sunday is particularly exciting because Family Guy is back on Fox plus there were two new Simpson's episodes. All in all, it makes for a great evening of knitting and TV. I have finally made some real progress on the Meadow Flowers Shawl from the Knitter's Stash book. I am making it as a graduation present for my mother (she graduates from college in June) so I need to get trucking. I am using lace weight 100% wool yarn from Malabridgio (gorgeous stuff) in Red Pearl. It is pretty but it is taking a long time. Check out the picture of the shawl and the ribbon tank I finished this weekend.

Enjoy Fox's Sunday lineup!

Here we go again...

Okay, so I have a new blog name (which I feel is much more original than the last) and refreshed determination to actually post things!

Welcome to my blog. I hope you enjoy checking out my knitting and my general rambling.