Knitting Sunshine: July 2006

Flower Power

Hey look! Knitting! I got tired of the shawl and wanted to start something from Knitting Nature. I'm knitting the Turbulence U-Neck Pullover using Softwist (the same yarn as in the pattern) in a rich blue shade. This is such a quick knit in my mind since its on big needles (okay, call me psycho, but a US6 is big for me!). I have the back done and just started the front last night.

As you can see from the pictures, Kali apparently likes Knitting Nature too!

This past week, I've been a bit obsessed with flowers. I LOVE them. All of them. Here are some pictures I took while in Ireland of the flowers we came across. You'll notice the fuschia and the lilies.. they were everywhere in the southwest!

The Heat Is On

So, as most of you know, I'm from Colorado. My body was trained to deal with moderate temperatures and (the key here people) a dry heat during the summer months. I'm writing this to you from a sweaty apartment where the indoor temperature is currently 94 and the outdoor temperature is 97 with about 90% humidity. There was no chance in hell that I was about to pull out the dye pots today to start steaming yarn... hell no! Instead, I knit for a little while early this morning on my lace shawl I have so diligently been working on. I'm on row 76 out of 222, not bad, not bad. Unfortunately, there is little to show :)

In other news, these last few weeks have been insanely stressful and metally difficult for Scott and I. We have had a few funerals and a couple of family events that have caused me to crack. So, this week I decided to take a step back from it all and breathe (well as best as I can in this weather!).

So, what did I do for myself?! I swam. I went back to my roots, my passion... the sport that made me who I am today. After I retired 4 years ago, I swam a little, and then totally gave it up until this week for one reason or another. But, I feel great, and I think it was exactly what my body needed, not to mention my head.

Cap It Off

Sorry. I'm having problems smiling this morning apparently! The Cap Sleeve Top is done and I'm on my way to work :) Its about an inch wider and longer than I wanted it to be, but it grew (silk is heavy and it drapes like mad). Its very luxurious and beauitful nevertheless and it will get plenty of good wear on nice occassions.

See, no smile.

Still, no smile.

Okay, Kali cheered me up!

Project specs:
Pattern: Cap Sleeve Top from the Debbie Bliss Pure Silk Book
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Pure Silk in color #011
Measurements: Actual measurement is around 37.5 - 38" around. Its hard to tell with this hard since it drapes so much. About an inch of extra give in this one, but it works.
Started: June 12, 2006
Finished: July 6, 2006
Other Details: Love the patterns out of this book as well as the yarn. Beware though, some of the sizings in this book are wrong. For this top, I should have made the third size. But, after looking at the schematic and redooing the math, it was apparent that DB editors don't double check their math. So, be careful! Also, I would recommending making everything to fit your actual chest size rather than giving the normal 1 -2" give. My chest size is 37" and I should have knit this for a 36-37" rather than a 37-38". The only thing I changed was the back. I did a st st back rather than the lace panel. This made it a bit bigger (since there were no cables and lace), but my front was about an inch smaller and so it evened itself out in the end size wise.

In other news, one if my closest friends father's passed away a couple of days ago. Scott and I can't attend the funeral, but we are sending lots of warm thoughts out to Traci and her family. We love you!

Oh The Ideas

Yesterday's post was a quick snapshot of what has been rolling through my head the past few days... And, no those aren't honeymoon locations. We are talking wedding man! Some of the locations listed are ones I've been too: spent a summer doing field research in the Turks and Caicos, grew up in Boulder, spent lots of time camping in the Tetons and have lots of great experiences in Vermont. My family and some close friends have been to St. Lucia, Belize and Dominica, though I have never been.

So, what does all this mean?! Who knows. We have a small (really small) budget and think that something exotic and purely indulgent with 20-30 super close friends and family is how Scott and I would want to spend this amazing event.

Any takes? I'm pooped.

Oh, and the DB Pure Silk top is blocking! Woohoo! I'll be able to model it for you in the next couple of days!