Knit, Knit, Knit

I couldn't be more excited or in love with knitting.

I've just swatched for Emily's wedding shrug. The wedding is going to be in Oregon, and it may be raining. Emily needs something to keep her warm in her gorgeous gown! Since she always wanted some lace, and especially some scalloped lace, I'm going to try and give it to her. I'm making the Sugarplum Shrug, in Debbie Bliss Pure Silk. My gauge is right on, so we'll just have to see how it looks with the dress after it is blocked. Then I'll be good to cast on (and I'm very excited to finally be making the smallest size of something).



Other knitting love - creating my dream sweater. I've decided to try my hand at designing, so we'll just have to wait and see how that goes. I've finished a lot of it, but it's all been the easy part so far. This is what my swatch looked like . . .

I (heart) Louisa Harding

And I can thank my mom for introducing me to her. A while back, I was visiting home and I made my mother (she's always very nice about it) go to a yarn store - specifically Loops in Tulsa. While I was wandering around touching everything, my mom was busy falling in love with a sweater they had knitted up. It was Colomba from Louisa Harding's Venezia Felice Mai Dopo, knitted in Louisa Harding's Grace Silk and Wool. We decided that she had to have it, so we quickly bought the yarn and the book! I was a long time in starting it, but now I am well on my way. I've finished the front and started the back, and I love how it is looking. I apologize for the detail picture being so dark, it was hard to get a good shot.


In addition to working on Colomba, I've attempted my first set of toe-up socks! I think I found a really pretty pattern, and (after a few tries at the toe) I finally finished my first sock. I quickly cast on the second so I wouldn't end up with only one.Pattern: Leyburn Socks
Yarn: Wildfoote Luxury Sock Yarn

Also, for anyone who is trying to keep up with Hugo, this time I say it he should actually be on his way to feeling better. He kept getting sick, so we decided to take him to see a specialist at the OSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital. They ran some tests and took some x-rays - and discovered that he had eaten something that was lodged in his stomach and intestine. That afternoon they performed surgery to take whatever he ate out. After a few days in the puppy ICU, Hugo is home now. He is not happy about being in an E-collar, but it will only last for a few more days. Then hopefully he will be back to his usual rambunctious self!

Long Time - No Blog

It's time for a knitting update. It's been a while since I posted anything, so I'm not going to write about all of my projects. Here are the ones I already have pictures of :-)

Bramble Bag

This bag is a free pattern from Berroco.com. It is made with two colors - and looks more difficult than it really is. You alternate knitting two rows of each color. The pattern calls for the bag to be lined (Mom helped with that). I have yet to buy the handles for the bag, but I will get to that . . . . eventually. As Sasha's mom pointed out, I think the variegated yarn gives the bag a stained glass look.

Yarn: Berroco Peruvia and Galway Paint
Pattern: Berroco Bramble Bag

Isabella

I found Jordana Paige's Isabella in Knitty Spring 2007. I knit it in a cotton that was slightly heavier than that called for in the pattern, so I had fewer repeats of the leaf motif. The picot edges are done by knitting a few rows, knitting a row of yarn-overs, and then turning the first few rows under.Yarn: Classic Elite Premium Cotton
Pattern: Jordana Paige's Isabella

Additional updates on my life:

Knitting-wise -- I have just recently discovered Ravelry and I am obsessed. My user name is - wait for it - LindenHeflin. So if you want to be my friend, find me. You can look at my projects, my stash, and what I want to knit.

School-wise -- It is my second summer of graduate school and I find it as, er, rewarding as ever. The thing that is really stressing me out is that I have to teach next semester.

Other-wise -- Hugo is still sick, but I think he is on his way to feeling better.

Weekend at Home

My family moved to Oologah, Oklahoma. This is very weird, but also nice because they are much closer. I visited the new house this weekend to celebrate my Dad's birthday and my Grandma's 80th birthday! (I previously mentioned a shawl created to celebrate this occasion) . The two very exciting things that happened at home were finishing the aforementioned shawl and my family getting a new puppy!

Pictures!Grandma's shawl (sorry for the fuzziness)

Now meet Porthos the Puppy! He is an 8 week old white boxer, and pretty much the cutest puppy I have ever seen! I even let him lick my chin, which is a VERY big step for me. I'm sure after looking at this picture you love him almost as much as I do.


I will close with another picture of adorable knitted baby things. These are going to a girl that I work with who is about to pop.

Yarn: Plush

Baby Things!

Here are the pictures of the baby things I knitted for my cousin's new baby!

Baby Wallaby! This may be the most adorable thing that I have ever created. Keep in mind that it is baby sized.
Yarn: Utopia
Pattern: Wonderful Wallaby (modified)

Beautiful, unpractical baby blanket.
Yarn: Mission Falls Merino
Pattern: 2 Landscape Shawls (resized) sewn together

Basic yellow baby blanket. This is my go-to baby blanket pattern.
Yarn: Encore Worsted
Pattern: Big Bad Baby Blanket

Loopy Baby Cap and Booties. These are made using Plush yarn, but I think they look like they are made with peach ice cream.
Yarn: Plush
Pattern: Linden Original

Shawl Pictures

Here are photos of the two shawls previously mentioned.

Forest-y shawl for me:

Yarn: Mountain Colors Bearfoot
Pattern: Fiber Trends Landscape Shawl

Lacy Wrap for Grandma:

Yarn: Rowan Kidsilk Haze
Pattern: "Wisp" on Knitty.com (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer07/PATTwisp.html)

All TA Training: Two Days of Trying to Knit Surreptitiously

Life Update:
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Friday and Monday. This is how long I have to sit in Physical Sciences 201 and listen to training about teaching my first class. Although it is incredibly boring, I think they are doing a pretty good job of breaking up the day and teaching us a few things we need to know about TA-ship.

Knit Update:
I'm currently focusing on two projects: a very forest-y landscape shawl for myself and a lacy wrap for my grandmother's 8oth birthday! Now that the marathon of knitting baby things is over, my knitting has become relaxing again. I'll post pictures of the shawls soon, and pictures of the baby things once I get them.