3 Things

Three Things Post
I stole this from Annie's Blog at Knittibell.
THREE NAMES YOU GO BY:
1. Sara
2. Kirby
3. Kirbster
THREE SCREEN NAMES YOU HAVE HAD:
1. Kbiascut
2. Krbstr213
3. Yarncoffee
THREE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. I have great hair...I think.
2. My upper back.
3. I'm compassionate
THREE THINGS YOU DON’T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. My calves
2. My eyesight, almost legally blind in my left eye.
3. I'm not as financially responsible as I should be
THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE:
1. Irish
2. German
3. French
THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU:
1. Death of loved ones
2. losing control
3. supernatural thrillers
THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:
1. Coffee
2. Lip Gloss
3. Coffee
THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
1. Jeans
2. Red Toenail polish
3. Perfume
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BANDS OR MUSICAL ARTISTS (at the moment):
1. U2
2. John Mayer
3. Ingrid Michelson
THREE NEW THINGS YOU WANT TO TRY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS:
1. Becoming financially responsible
2. Bikram Yoga
3. Applying to more jobs out of state
THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP
1. honesty
2. passion
3. laughter
TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE
1. My Step parents are named Ken and Barbie
2. I danced in the New York Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
3. I tried out for a Broadway show but only got a part in the chorus
THREE PHYSICAL THINGS ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX (or same) THAT APPEAL TO YOU:
1. Ambition
2. Sense of humor
3. Being open minded
THREE THINGS YOU JUST CAN’T DO:
1. Stay in one location for more than 2 years
2. Cartwheel
3. Aim
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:
1. Knitting
2. Dancing
3. Sewing
THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:
1. Move to Boston, MA.
2. Find a stable living environment
3. Knit quicker
THREE CAREERS YOU’VE CONSIDERED:
1. Whale Trainer, I will always blame the 6th grade guidance counselor for crushing this dream
2. Interior Designer
3. Store Owner
THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION:
1. Ireland
2. Italy
3. England
THREE FUTURE KID’S NAMES:
1. Sophia
2. Sage
3. Aidan
THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:
1. Visit my three countries above
2. Fall in love again, and again, and again (even if it's with the same person)
3. Become financially stable (notice a theme here?)
THREE WAYS I AM STEREOTYPICALLY A BOY:
1. I have short hair
2. I can have a short attention span
3. I'm actually not that much like a boy at all
THREE WAYS I AM STEREOTYPICALLY A GIRL:
1. My toe nails are always painted
2. I cry easily
3. I own almost every chicflick released in the last 10 years.

Falling into Knitting

I think that Fall is just the perfect time to knit. It's cool outside. The tree's changing leaf colors inspire warm orange, yellow, and red cable knit sweaters. And all the good television premieres are starting!

Although I have not been blogging that much in the past two months I have been knitting and crocheting.

In the last six weeks since I basically abandoned this blog I have started a new job working as a Buyer Trainee for a men's clothing company. I've never in my life loved my job more than I have recently. I'm using my two college degrees, working among peers who share my interests, and pursuing a career in an industry I have longed to be a part of. I've also moved into a house that has 2 other people, four other cats, and one dog living in it. It's been quite the adjustment period. Then, most recently, I cut all of my hair off. It was quite long and I was tired of dealing with it. It's completely different and I love it!

(I'm in the middle)

While all these changes have occurred one thing has remained consistent, I've been knitting and crocheting. I promised some photos in my last post so here they are:

(close up)

This is the granny square blanket I've been working on. I figure I have about three more sections to go and the border. Hopefully she'll be done before it gets too cold out.

This is Grumperina's Shifting Sands Scarf that I told myself I was going to make for my birthday (yesterday I turned 27). Naturally, I am the slowest knitter in the world so it's 1/3 of the way done. But I love the color and I'm using this acrylic (I know, gag!) that is the Vanna White line (I know, again, gag!) from Lion Brand. It's actually quite soft and I do like the color.

I have one or two gifts I'm working on currently for friends and family but being as they could read this blog I cannot post photos of them till they ready. However, I will be posting photos on Ravelry, so feel free to check them out there!



I'm also planning to get back on board for Socktoberfest 2007! I suffered 2nd sock syndrome last year while making my first pair ever. I completed one but the 2nd one was only knit to the heel and then I just got tired of working with small needles. So this year I vow to at least finish the 2nd one by the end of October.

So see, even though life has been crazy over here at yarncoffee, we have not forgotten to relax.

Happy Knitting!

I'm Here!

Hi, I doubt anyone is still checking back to this being that it's been over a month since my last post but I wanted anyone who is checking to know that I'm still here and I'm still knitting/crocheting. I'm currently working on the same stuff from the previous post plus a blanket that i started to crochet similar to Kristin's (featured in last post).

My first month at my new job is almost complete and it's wondeful but has tacked on a 1.5 hour commute every day so I'm a little tired. Plus my at home computer is not letting me log onto Blogger for some reason. Plus I'm packing up my cute one bedroom apt. and moving in with a friend. I'm a little concerned because Bobi, my cat, has never lived with cats and this house has four other cats! I'm hoping that this exposure will make Bobi a nicer cat to live with. I'm hoping he'll stop biting me/people/in general. For this move I have to consolidate a one bedroom apt with kitchen and basement storage down to one bedroom. So I've had to organize a yardsale and make several trips to the salvation army. I've also been painting the new room, moving furniture out of it, etc.

All in all I'm completely exhausted and browsing my fav blogs when I've got a snippett of time during lunch at work. But I do plan be back and blogging soon, after the move, after I get the computer fixed, after I figure out how to get wireless internet in my new bedroom....after I figure it out.

Happy Knitting/Moving!

Deep in Scarves Creek

Finally I have been knitting!

I've just started a scarf called Forbes Forest! I am trying to get a jump on the winter wardrobe before Fall gets here. I'm just using acyclic yarn from Red Heart for the scarf but it's what I had laying around and figured there would be more than enough to make this scarf and perhaps a matching hat.

I've also made some progress on my Cardigan for Arwen! This has been a slow process for me which I started back in February but I do hope to have it mostly completed come October.

And last weekend when I wasn't knitting I was visiting these lovely little Angles/Devils (nieces Betty (7) on left and Lily (5) on right)up at Deep Creek Lake where my family was vacationing all week. I couldn't make it till Friday night because I was interviewing and training the new hire for my position. Although they are my sister's girls and technically my sister and I are not blood related, I like to think that my nieces look just like me!

Then yesterday I got to work (2 days left at old job!) and my wonderful coworker, Kristin (who crochets) brought in the most beautiful crocheted blanket just for me! I was so excited I kept it with me all day at the desk while I was training someone. She makes about 10 blankets a year and I've always coveted them.

More knitting this weekend!

MIA

This post will contain no fluff, no pretty pictures, and no knitting updates.

What it will do is inform you that...

1. I got a new job! Effective August 6th I will be working the corporate world of merchandise management for a men's clothing company! This puts both of my degrees to work, go me!

2. I've been dating. Dating so much that I have little knitting time, thus no knitting updates.

3. I've been enjoying the summer. BBQ's, trips to the beach for the weekend, Happy Hours on patios in the city, dinner parties, and this weekend a trip to Deep Creek to visit with the family.

So nothing to show off but more will come soon, I promise.

Keep Knitting!

Stitch-N-Pitch

It was the Phillies versus the Cincinnati Reds! Bottom of the 8th, 5 to 6, bases loaded, full count, and a section full of Knitters!?! Wait a minute, is that right? Knitters at a baseball game? Who invited them, who knits at a ball park? These people that's who!

Last Tuesday night Bridget and I headed out to Philadelphia for a night of knitting and baseball courtesy of her parents who gave me the tickets as a graduation gift! Her parents had stumbled across this article online about this knitting group that travels around hosting knitting nights at baseball stadiums. They are a program of The National NeedleArts Association, Inc. and the group is called Stitch-N-Pitch.

Unfortunately, the closest game was in Philadelphia. Hopefully next year they'll host at Camden's and I can avoid the 3 hour commute home at 10pm. But regardless of traffic Bridget and I had a great time!









When you go to Philly you gotta get a cheese steak or it's just not worth the trip!

The stadium was packed that night! The Phillies won easily, sorry Reds.

Every Knitter who had a ticket to sit in the Stitch-N-Pitch section received a free tote bag full of coupons, a pattern, a Phillies magnet calendar, one skein of yarn in Phillies colors (red and blue), and one set of Clover size 11 wooden needles. These bags were abandoned for a while and I thought they're owners may never come back!

Here Bridget is learning to knit. (the two men sitting next to her were straight out of the movie, Grumpy Old Men! haha).

All that knitting makes Bridget very thirsty!

After much hesitation I finally broke out my knitting needles too! I'm not much for knitting in public but once the needles were out it felt completely normal! (here I am working on a scarf to match my brother's hat from last Christmas).

Bridget and I had a great time, the Phillies won, the food was great, and the knitting was plentiful!

Thanks Stitch-N-Pitch!

Grannies are Square

Lately, while avoiding work, I've been doing some research on the history of crochet verses knitting. Knitting has quite a bit more history to it and popularity. But one thing remains consistent through knitting's history, it's a social hobby. I'm not much of a social knitter myself, I always end up having to rip out whatever I knit when I am with a group because I get distracted and drop stitches or don't count.

While crochet can be a social hobby and developed into such it did not originally start out that way. It was taught to French and Irish women in the 1800's in order to help communities recover financially from economic loss due to wars and famine! It turns out that crocheted lace was seen as an symbol of status. Middle class could afford to purchase hand crocheted lace whereas only upper class could afford to purchase machine made lace. I suppose the opposite is true these days.

One could easily purchase a machine crocheted or knitted garment in a fine fiber for far less than it would cost to have one hand made specifically for them. Even when you are using lower grade yarn like Lion Brand or TLC you're going to end up spending $50 just to make a blanket that you could purchase on sale for $29.99 at your local Bed Bath and Beyond.

However, I believe it is in the knowing that every time you drape your handmade blanket across your lap or put on that handmade sweater that it took a lot of time and effort. This is what creates its true value. You will cherish it and hold onto even if it gets holes or starts to unravel.

Recently, I've switched from knitting to crochet. I have known how to crochet longer but once I discovered all the fun I could have with two needles verses one hook I dropped all my blanket projects and started planning sweaters. But since completing school and putting the books away for the summer I think I've wanted to retire the process of having to follow strict pattern guidelines. I just want to be able to sit and watch tv and let my fingers do the work while my mind takes a vacation. So, I turned back to a blanket that I started over a year ago. The classic Granny Square blanket.

I was also recently perusing the blogs and discovered the Grannie-Along CAL (Crochet-Along). I immediately joined up and went home last night to begin the granny square process. I already have 1 set (12) of 8 possible patterns done. I figured I could make 12 of each (12x8 = 96 total), and they measure 4"x4".

This means that I will have a blanket measuring 32"x48". Somehow this doesn't seem big enough to me. Roughly, 3'x4'. I think it should be 4'x6'. Hmmm, this is going to take longer than I would like. I think one year ago I had the naive hope of finishing it before last summer, haha, silly crafter!

So, in the mean time and in order to feel productive and quench my desire for immediate satisfaction I'm going to make this also! The Larger Than Life bag! I joined their CAL too! I plan on spending the majority of tomorrows work day picking out yarns and possible linings and handles.

I think I will also make this, Flora Kimono, at some point. While the yarn color scheme in the photo does not appeal to me I think some nice earthy tones would make it more fashionable look!

Happy Crocheting!

3 Different Uses for a Washcloth

I have been knitting, I swear!

But it's hot and I had to graduate and travel and...I ran out of excuses.

Ok, so while I have yet to block my Central Park Hoodie and I have yet to photograph my Cardigan for Arwen I have been knitting. I promise.

But with the warming of the weather, the switching of the wardrobe, and the need to have an endless supply of freezie pops in my fridge comes the desire to switch from wool to cotton when knitting garments.

I decided to start off my Spring/Summer knitting with a some classic and oh so easy Mason Dixon washcloths!

Yes, it's true what everyone has been saying about them. They are quick and easy! I used Knitpicks Cotton/Modal blend and so far it's holding up pretty well. I was surprised cause I'm not a huge fan of Knitpicks yarn.

While I was taking my washcloths around the house for a photo shoot I was trying to think of the different ways to drape, use, and photograph the washcloths.

Here's what I came up with:

There's the traditional, "cover the facet with the washcloth you are currently using" shot!

The "this is how my washcloth looks next to my plates. This is how it will look when I am cleaning the dishes with them!"shot.

And lastly, "How about a tall cool glass of washcloth?"!

Happy Knitting!

It's Me!

Yay, I graduated! I'm smart! I have a really small piece of paper that states I paid way too much for an education that I could have gotten for a $1.50 in late fees from the public library!

The parents were so proud of their little graduate!

Naturally once I was done walking across that stage and moving my tassel over to the right what did I do? I went to Disney World.

My girlfriend, Kristin, and I enjoyed a lovely 4 day escape in ol' Mickey town.

In London, Epcot we saw the British Invasion.
In Morocco, Epcot we drank with a camel (he was very friendly).

We also got our tootsies henna'd.

And after a four day trip and many years coming Kris and I both finally earned our ears!

Guess Who's Graduating???

Mother's Weekend

This past weekend was full of fun, knitting, presents, and family!

The whole weekend was spent spoiling Mamasita. Her birthday was earlier in the month and since my little brother, Dylan, and I couldn't spend it with her we decided to celebrate her day-of-birth on Saturday and then Mother's Day on Sunday.

But before I get into all the details of Mamasita and her fabulous weekend, let me share this with you...

This would be Dylan trying on a tuxedo jacket! On Saturday before all of our festivities I took him to After Hours Formal Wear to rent a tux. You may recall him from this post in which his hair was out-of-control long. I can't believe he's growing up so fast! We're ten years apart so he's the first person I've ever watched grow-up (literally). Well, this handsome guy is now going to Prom, not his that's next year. Apparently he'll be one of those cool Juniors going to Senior Prom at his high school. He's so handsome!

Ok, enough bragging about my awesome brother. hehe

So, on Saturday night Dylan, Mom, Denny, and I all took Mamasita to the Severn Inn for a Birthday dinner. I truly wish that prices were about half of what they actually are because I would love to eat at this place more frequently, everything was delicious! (note the green bracelet she's wearing!)At the restaurant we decided to give Mamasita her gifts. At first she was a little hesitant to open some of them...she saw a Yankee Candle Box and got a little discouraged. Not that she dislikes Yankee Candle but she just doesn't need one more candle. However, all her concerns were quickly put to rest once she opened the box...

She seemed elated to finally have her very own pink IPOD Nano! Yay!

My brother and I made sure to provide her all the necessary traveling accessories and got an armband for walking and a car radio adapter so she can listen to her awesome new IPOD in her Prius.

Happy Birthday Mamasita!

And if you can believe it the presents didn't stop there! On Sunday morning Mamasita and I got up and took a nice 3 mile walk, then I treated her and I to pedicures. Then She, myself, and Dylan all hopped in the car and drove to the Verizon Wireless store where Mamasita got a brand new pink Razr and Dylan finally got his very own cell phone (something I'm pretty sure he's been waiting for since he was 11 and I got mine, however I think he's less interested in playing video games on it and more into talking to his friends).

When we all finally got back from that adventure I finally gave Mamasita the gift I've been working on Since February. It came out pretty well considering how scrunched up it looked before I blocked it.

The Branching Out Leaf Scarf: It's not quite long enough to be worn without the help of a broach but I told her that it could be used as a decorative piece, a table runner. etc. Here's the model shot as shown on Knitty:To find out more details about the yarn I used and how long it took me check out my profile on Ravelry.com! (tomorrow)

By Sunday afternoon we were all pooped. I spent the rest of my time knitting on the couch while Mamasita and Dylan played with their new phones.

I did manage to finish one Mason Dixon washcloth last night and will soon post pictures.

Happy Knitting!

Festival Happenings!

Where-o-where to begin? Let's put it this way I had so much fun and so much sheep excitement that I called out of work yesterday!

My group waited till Sunday to head out to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival which turns out was the most excellent idea because, from what I've read, Saturday was extremely crowded. Sunday however was a delight, the weather was cooler and there a little wind but really it was quite perfect. It was warm in the sun and there was plenty of sheepy fun to go around.

My group, Emily, Stephanie, Kristin, Emily's Mom, and I all got the festival around 12:30 and headed right for the barns full of sheepies.

There was sheepie shearing...

Horny Sheepies...

Playful brother Sheepies...

Cute but sneaky Sheepies (this sheep was trying to eat the safety pins off his friend's coat!)...

And lastly...

Sheepie booty!!!!

I love that photo, "four little sheepies all in a row with their booties all a show...tra la la la la!".

So after the sheepie viewing and petting we headed over to get some food, we had to make sure we didn't shop on empty stomachs. There were many food vendors this year offering the usual menu:

Let's just say that PETA would not have been happy but for argument's sake, they are not wasting animals in anyway, full use my friend!

Here we are with full tummies ready to do some sheep wool shopping!

At one of our first stops we met the editors of SpinOff magazine and were given a handspinning demo. I was given a similar demo the year before and thought I was going to be amazing at handspinning, it didn't quite work out that way... But it looks like Stephanie got the hang of it!

When we finally left our cameras, hands, and shopping bags were quite full!

Here's my loot:

I purchased the Mason Dixon Knitting Book and the Knit2Together. I know I can get these anywhere but I had a budget set aside for all knitting desires and I reasoned that it better to increase my library than my stash (which is in need of some trimming). I purchased 1 skien from a local vendor whose name I will post later. It is a 688 yard hank of 50/50 wool/silk. I was hoping to use this to make the Clapotis but unfortunately, after knitting a guage swatch last night I think it's going to be too thin...? Hmmm, what can I do with it now? It's fingering weight, maybe I could make a shawl. The other yarn is 100% wool adn from an out-of-state vendor. she had this great scarf on display that had ribbon running through it and in a last minute surge I bought the yarn and ribbon to make one for myself. I think I'll start that one soon!

Lastly, here is this year's attempt at spinning:

I think I'm getting better. Give me a couple more festival demonstrations and I might have it down!

Happy Knitting!