Monday, March 16, 2009

shop update: march 16, 2009


Good Morning! I would like to invite you all to wander over to the Shop to see all the new diapers that have just been added! Additionally, some diapers still remain On Sale. We hope you like what you see and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us!!


Wednesday, March 11, 2009

my new favorite picture of yarn

i just thought i was share this lovely, soft, basket of wool with you.

Sunday, March 08, 2009

mama & me, circa 1981

i'm not sure what i want to say here. just that i wanted to post this picture on March 8, one week from my birthday. i've been reminding myself to this on this day, so that i could get the timing just right.

also, a little reminder: the 28% off sale, at The Shop, ends today so if you wanted to order something for a great price, do it today. The sale includes 28% off items that are already marked On Sale (wow! cheap!).

i hope you all are enjoying March. I certainly am. I made myself (and the husband) a second birthday cake to keep the celebration going all week long. The weather has been unseasonably warm so there has been a lot of time spent outside as well. In some places the crocuses are up-- soon to be filled with snow i am sure.

as i type this i am listening to a wee bit of Irish fiddle, flute and pipes. St. Patrick's Day, another favorite holiday, will be here shortly. Another tasty meal and celebration and the baking of (american-ized) Irish Soda Bread. Did you know i used to be an Irish Step Dancer? My favorite part of St. Patrick's Day was performing this time of year-- at pubs, and senior citizen's homes. I love going to see them, because it didn't matter if you got your Steps mixed up. Most started to clap their hand and move their feet-- remembering their own happy times of lively dancing. Oh, the power of music.

okay, i'm kind of rambling and reflecting.

Saturday, March 07, 2009

a tale of three sweaters

oh yes. i've been knitting. i also have a twinge of startitis.
sweater #1: milk/chocolate (tree line cardigan from purl bee), ecological wool, brown and cream. this sweater grabbed my must-knit-it-now feelings when i saw it floating around in my friend-activity on ravelry. i didn't know what yarn to knit it in though until i saw Kate's jailbird. i happen to have quite a stash of ecological wool on hand, meant for other projects that failed terribly. this is working up really fast since the one-row-striping method is a tiny bit addictive (and incredibly clever. it might be my new favorite knitting trick). i knit the sleeves in one weekend, while i wasn't feeling up for much else. it's going to be fine warm wool sweater when it's done.


sweater #2: the red sweater, my own design, cascade 220 in perfect shade of red.
this sweater kinda showed up in a dream. which lead to a must-go-to-the-yarn-store now! moment. tom actually picked out this fantastic shade. not to pinky. not to dark. not too bright. it's really hard to photograph the correct color. anyway, the plan is a raglan shaped cardigan, very simple, with heart shaped elbow patches. that's the key: the elbow patches. i was doing this sweater top down, and nearly had the whole thing done when i finally told myself the truth: the arm holes were too tight and so were the sleeves. i had 'winged' the numbers from another top-down pattern, but it didn't working out so well. i pulled the whole thing out, and decided to go with EZ percentage system and work it bottom up. I've done sweaters in that fashion before with beautiful results, so i figure it will work this time as well. Lately, Knitting Workshop has been a daily reference and travels everywhere with me.


sweater #3: garter stitch yoke sweater, beaverslide dry goods, wild mrytle.
i originally bought this yarn to make a sweater for my father but, realized the color was a bit too purple for him. i ended up getting my hands on some on some BDG yarns in charcoal for him. this yarn is wonderful. i made a husband a sweater with the same wool and some times when he isn't home, i wear his sweater. It's so darn cozy. I knew i needed to make myself a sweater with the yarn, but i've been waiting for just.the.right.sweater design. I've changed a few things however: the buttonholes (only doing six) and i want the neck line to be different, so i did a provisional cast on so i can go back and add some more rows, and shaping for a cozy fit.

and that's the knitting update.