Orange is the New Blue

Juliet is done! She is the new favorite-don't-want-to-take-it-off sweater. Okay, so I have lovely biggish abalone buttons for her, that have not been sewn on, but the whole button-loop thing is just not a priority right now.

I think if I had the sweater to knit again, a medium would actually fit better. The bottom is a bit more voluminous than ideal. But she is so soft and warm and cozy and lots of other wonderful adjectives.

There was a blue Juliet, a blue Gretel and blue Crocodile gloves...winter blues? Well, spring is here and I have moved out of the blues and into my orange period.

Muffy's Anemoi mittens in grape and orange were my transition. More orange came home with me on Friday. Since then, Artemis has been busting into the bag and lovin' on the yarn. Saturday morning she buried a skein of Neighborhood Fibers Studio Sock in my bed. Then she dropped a skein of Haiku on my face at 4 in the morning. And tonight I came home to find her curled up with one of the wound skeins. Clearly she wants me to ditch all other WIPs and swatch for the Optic Wave Stole. Smart kitty...enabling kitty...I love this kitty...minus the drool on the mohair.

Stopping Traffic

Friday evening, Miss Mindy and I attended the cocktail party and book signing for The Knitter's Book of Yarn by Clara Parkes at Loop. Being Good Friday, I think the crowd was much smaller that I would have expected. That gave those of us who came an excellent chance to meet Clara and interact with her.

I have had my copy of the book for several weeks. As soon as the Friday Night Knitting Club (ehhhh) hit the stores, people who know I am a knitter started buying it for me. I accepted their gift and joyfully traded them in for a copy of Clara's book. The book is a great reference to help you choose the proper fiber for your projects. It satisfies both those who like to read about knitting and those of us who are all about the patterns. Norah Gaughan's Cabled Swing Cardi (rav link) was what first caught my eye, and then I discovered there were many more fab patterns in the book.

While chatting with some new knitting buds I spied these two skeins of Studio Sock from Neighborhood Fiber Co. in the Tenley Circle colorway.

I snatched one up. After all, all things orange are Sherry 's thing and I thought she might swoop out of the ether and snatch it away. It was sooo juicy... it could happen! Any who, back to Clara. She was lovely, warm, fun and down to earth. She was also a world-class enabler and I should know, having something of a reputation as one myself.

I thought the juicy orange/red would be lovely knit into the Optic Wave Shawl by Sheila January. Clara thought it would be even more lovely stranded with Alchemy Haiku in Kai's Goldfish. Next thing I knew I was clutching both skeins of Studio Sock and two skeins of Haiku like my life depended on it. So much for self-control.

Hi, my name is Lisa and I am powerless in the presence of yummy yarn. But I will be stopping traffic come fall!

Deck Debut

It took ages. Seriously, years to get everything in place to have my roof-deck back. And then it happened and the deck was built in nothing flat. The downside being that it was finished at the beginning of the winter. And the winter, while mild, has been dragging on forever.

Monday morning I left for work and the deck was empty. I came home and my bedroom was kinda empty and the deck was getting spiffed up. My dear handydude, Bill had moved the furniture back out onto the deck and reinstalled my repaired windchimes. Love to hear them in the wind.

And on the table? Muffy's mitts are making some progress. I think there will be a thumb fitting on Sunday. Spring has officially arrived, but it looks like if I hurry up she will have a few days left to wear them.

That is great for the mittens, but bad for the deck. I really want to sit out on my deck again and enjoy the sunset.

She likes it...

...she really likes it!! And it doesn't even have a thumb or mate yet.

I am knitting Eunny Jang's Anemoi Mittens for Muffy. The yarn is Louet Gems fingering weight superwash merino in Grape and Citrus Orange. I told her that I was going to knit mittens for her as an early birthday present, but I wanted the design to be a suprise.

There is some history involving Muffy, mittens and moi.

Many years ago during a period of unemployment I decided to make all of my Christmas presents. That included a pair of lovely navy and red Norwegian mittens from Flying Geese & Partridge Feet by Robin Hansen for Muffy, then 9 years old. The mittens were lovely and a triumph considering they were my first time knitting on double points, first time knitting fairisle, and at the time I did not know how to knit continental, so both strands were carried in one hand.

My good friends will know that even with all of that, the ending was not as happy as it should have been. She unwrapped them Christmas morning, loved them, tried them on. They were HUGE. Nothing like giving a nine year old a pair of mittens that would not fit for ten years. Saddly, now that they would fit perfectly, no one knows where they are.

So, with history...and my gauge issues only being marginally better, I decided to forgo suprise and make sure that they would fit. The fit is great and she loves the design and colors. Who said history is doomed to repeat itself?

Had to include this picture of pretty little Toscabelle. She was sitting in the window watching the little boy across the street try to skateboard. I swear I heard her giggle when he wiped out.

Rich

I am a very lucky person. I own a lovely home...dominated by two loveable cats. There is a job that does not often spill outside the company doors and pays the bills. I have three wonderful parents and a little sister I adore. Beloved gadgets fill my purse and my apartment is overflowing with beautiful things.

But my life is richest in the wonderful women who are my friends. While some of my other friendships have been tested and wounded me lately, you have all rallied around me and lifted me up. I love you all.

Today we gathered together at the Ten Stone...Sherry, Magda, Regina, Marissa, Emily and Mindy...

there were matching cabled berets...thank you Sherry, for letting me knit mine in the same color as yours, then rescuing me when I was short on yarn. Now there is a true friend!

Lots of yummy food was consumed, washed down by ciders and beers.

And even a little knitting was accomplished...loving these socks!