I couldn't resist. . .

I had good intentions of getting on with something already on the needles once I finished the Lace Bolero, but the more I looked at the plain bolero in the same pattern book the more I just couldn't resist going out and buying yarn for it!

So for the past week I've been knitting the plain bolero in Debbie Bliss Merino DK. I know I said I wanted a nice soft pink bolero but I couldn't find a soft pink shade that I actually liked. So I opted for something a little darker this time. I don't know how I would describe this shade of pink, but the color in the picture (of my yarn) looks pretty close to the true color. The pattern calls for Sirdar Luxury Cotton DK but because I will probably be wearing it mainly in the fall and winter I opted for wool. This is knitting up so fast I may even do another color in the plain pattern next! Oh did I say that out loud? Errmmm, what I mean is, after this I will definitely get on with some of my other wip's - yeah, that's what I meant really!!! ;-)

Also new on the needles is the second 'Soleil' that I started a couple of weeks back. This is Elsbeth Lavold Cotton Patine, again I don't know the color name but I would describe it as 'mauve'.


I'm doing the smallest size in it this time hoping it turns out a better fit than the last one (which still needs to be frogged to the armholes and re-knit, or even frogged completely and use the yarn for something else?).

I was planning on taking Soleil on the plane with me when we leave for England on Friday, but after checking the TSA website again I'm now not so sure about taking it in my hand luggage. The site does say that knitting needles are allowed but then it goes on to suggest you take bamboo or plastic and not metal, and that if security thinks your needles can be used as a weapon they may still confiscate them! I don't think I want to take the chance of them taking my Knit Picks, I know I can always buy the ends again if they did but I just don't want to risk it. I think I'll just plan on reading my knitting mags and listening to my Ipod!

So, if I don't get to post again this week it's because I'm busy packing for our trip on Friday. Some of you may not know but I'm originally from England (I married a USAF guy and left the UK about 10 years ago when I was 34). Prices of airfares stop me from getting home as often as I would like. The last time I was there was 3 years ago for my mom's 80th birthday. I didn't take my daughter and husband at the time because of the air fares. But this time we're all going and staying for 2 lovely long weeks :-)

It will nearly be time for my '100th post giveaway' when I get back - perhaps I can find some yarny goodness to bring back with me to give away ;-)

A Quick Little Knit!

It's finished! The Lace Bolero from Sirdar. Did it take just over a week? or two? I can't quite remember, but I do know it was a pretty quick knit, and I love how it turned out.

I knit the smallest size - 32" and I think it looks great. The lace pattern gives it a lot of stretch, so I think if I were to make this again in the 'st st' version I would perhaps go up a size to 34". I can say for certain I will be making the plain 'st st' version of this. I can already see it in a soft pink color. I love everything about the style of this and the fit. Yes, I will definitely be making another one.

This last picture shows you the look I was going for when I first saw this pattern. Nice jeans (I just splashed out and bought a great pair of jeans from Ann Klein), pretty lace cami and bolero on top. I'd like to get a nice 'green stone' necklace to finish off the look :-) (do me a favor and ignore the trash bag 'full of plant clippings' on the floor next to me!)

Can you imagine the pretty pink bolero with jeans and pearls around my neck? I know I can ;-)

I've been checking my stats and I will soon be writing my 100th post! I kind of missed my 1st blogiversary which was just a few weeks ago, so I will celebrate my 100th post with a 'giveaway'. It won't be for another week or so, but keep checking back so you don't miss it.

Free Yarny Goodness. . . in the mail!

I just had to share. . . . last week Amanda announced that I was the winner in her 'competition' to celebrate her 6 month Blogiversary. And on Monday my package arrived all the way from 'good ole England' :-) I was so excited, mainly because I had already forgotten it was in the mail to me!

Kristen and Jason had been away for the weekend and just arrived home that night too (perfect timing because Jason had taken the camera with him and I needed it to take these pretty pictures). When I opened the package, I was 'gobsmacked'! (that means speechless in the UK) Not only had Amanda sent me the scrummy yummy yarn she showed on her blog, but she had also put in a gift for Kristen, from her and Lily. How thoughtful is that? VERY, I'd say. When Kristen got home and saw a package for her wrapped in blue tissue paper with a red ribbon (which you can't see in the picture because Kristen had already unwrapped it before I could even get my hands on the camera.) she was thrilled. And oh, what a cute book this is, and the pens are perfect. I've never really bought Kristen thin markers like this, (I actually have a nice set myself for making my stamped cards) she's always had the big chunky markers that kids always use.

Well as you can see from this picture, this isn't just a coloring book, it's actually a 'doodle' book which I've never seen before either. I took a picture of a page inside to give you a sample. Amanda, this is going to be great for Kristen on the plane to England at the end of this month. There are endless things to do in it. Last night we were drawing penquins and 10 tiered cakes, and making homes for fishies under the sea! I'm not sure who loves it more, me or Kristen :-)

Oh, and back to the yarn. When I opened the pretty tissue packages. . . OH MY! I could not stop feeling and squeezing that beautiful yarn (in fact I still can't) It is just so so soft. The blue is merino/tencel 4 ply sock yarn from The Natural Dye Studio. And the red (which is not just a red, but has lots of lovely shades to it) is Faery Lace from Fyberspates

Did I mention how soft these were :-) I can't wait to knit with them, and it's a must now.... I HAVE to get myself a yarn winder and a swift!

Thank you again Amanda and Lily. Your generosity and kindness know no bounds!

Knitting. . . and new eyes!

Hi everyone, I just wanted to pop on and say that everything went well with my eye surgery :-) I can now see without contacts and it's AMAZING! To be honest for the first few days I don't think it actually sank in, I mean, because of the 'dry eyes' afterwards I just felt like I still had contacts in. In fact I kept feeling like I was sleeping in my contacts because I would go to sleep being able to still see the room before I put out the light, and I would wake up and the room wasn't blurry and I didn't have to reach for my glasses!

I didn't have to have any down time from knitting, so I've been working on the green bolero still and trying to get past the patterned edge of Soleil so I can keep that as 'easy knitting' when I take it to my daughter's piano lesson (or anywhere else I want to take knitting with me). I just can't show any progress pics cos my hubby took the camera away with him this weekend.

If anyone wants to read more about my Lasik Eye Procedure you can read it HERE on my daily blog.

I'll be back in a few days with more knitting updates.
Hope you've all had a great 4th of July weekend.

More Me Stuff!

As I said earlier, I just couldn't help buying more yarn this week despite wanting to plod on and get some WIP's finished! Honestly, I just have to be in the right frame of mind to finish WIP's and if I'm not, then it's not even worth trying. Instead it's worth a trip to your LYS to find out that they're having a 25% off all yarn sale :-) AND there's still some cute stuff in their 50% off bins.

This yarn in particular caught my eye. It's a lovely shade of green that I like which is kind of hard to describe and isn't showing up in the picture quite true to color either. But I love it, and what you also can't see is that a thin gold thread is running through it too. I've never heard of this yarn before but it's just a blend of cotton and acrylic, with a little viscose too, and it's quite soft.

As you can see I've chosen to knit a bolero in it. This is from the Sirdar book 'California Girls'. I must admit the girls in the pictures look like teenagers and I worried when I got home in case I had picked up a book that fit only up to age 15 or something, but the sizes start at 32" and go up to size 42".

I also bought some Elsebeth Lavold Cotton Patine and have cast on for ANOTHER Soleil! I've tried over and over to do the crochet edge and it's still too big. I really do like the fit of the bodice so I will frog this back to the armholes and see if I can re-knit it to a better fit. In the meantime (again I just don't feel in the mood to do that just yet) I bought the Patine cos it was on sale (25% off remember) and it's one of the substitute yarns the pattern says to use. And of course I've cast on for a smaller size this time. I'll post pics of progress and yarn color soon.

Lastly, I have no idea WHEN I will ever wear this (we get very mild winters in Austin), but after seeing THIS last week, I just had to cast on and knit one. Ignore crappy lips 'sans' lipstick and the t-shirt that clashes!

I love the fan and feather pattern. Not so keen on the Patons Alpaca Blend that I picked up to knit it with, although I do love the soft pink color. This yarn sheds something terrible, and it was only after I bought it and knit with it did I think to check Ravelry - everyone else said the same thing. And I'd say what everyone else said too "don't buy this yarn". Apparently it doesn't shed after washing! I find that hard to believe but I'll let ya know.

Big day for me tomorrow - I'm having Lazik Eye Surgery. Will be back in a few days.

Well, I tried. . . .

Trying to take modeled shots while a favorite tv show is on, is not the best idea! Here's Kristen wearing the cute 'Honesty' for church today. I might try to get more interesting shots later, but for now this will have to do.

Despite the fact that I'd like to get on with some 'old WIP's' as mentioned in my last post, I found myself buying yarn yesterday and cast on for two new projects! I just can't help myself. I'll post about them tomorrow ;-)

Honesty!

This is Honesty from Knitting magazine supplement (April 08). I'm really happy how it turned out too, it fits Kristen really well. I went down a needle size to get better gauge, using 3 3/4 instead of 4mm.
The yarn is Nashua Cotton dk, colorway #258 (these ball bands never tell you a color name, but I'd call it a sky blue, although it looks a bit darker in these pictures.

I'm hoping to get some modeled shots of Kristen later this weekend, but she's out playing right now!

Next up? I think I need to get back to some 'old' WIP's! Two things I'd like to make progress on are for me, that being 'Spook' and 'Woodland (the cabled cardigan from Rowan).