I'll give it a good home

Remember when Rebecca was working on a beautiful sweater to go with her cardigan? Remember when she was so careful with the gauge and measured it with tender loving care? Remember when she finished it, tried it on and it didn't fit? She decided to pass it along to Carrie and the beautiful sweater alas, didn't fit her either. So finally, she decided to let me try it on. And it fit just right. The funny thing is, well, maybe not to Rebecca, but the sweater in question, from The Yarn Girls Guide to Simple Knits, is on my list of sweaters to knit. In fact, I bought the book just for that sweater! Only I would have made a different size, and just like Rebecca, the sweater wouldn't have fit me! So, long story short, thanks Rebecca for my beautiful new sweater and saving me the heartbreak of making a sweater that wouldn't have fit me! I'll think of you everytime I wear it!

Welcome Summer!

Hello Summer! Welcome to the Pacific Northwest! I'd like to apologize for being so late with this greeting, it's just that, I've been so busy out enjoying your beauty! I love the long days, the warmth of your sun on my SPF 50 covered skin and and watching the excitement in little kids as the Ice Cream Man comes down their street! Now that you're finally here, I don't want you to go away. It's been a long, long, long, cold, rainy, wet spring and this native desert girl misses you! I would just like to ask one little favor of you, my old friend. Could you please, if it's not too much trouble, refrain from too many record breaking hot temperature days here? I know we've got this whole "greenhouse" think going on, but these native Pacific Northwesterners don't have air conditioning! Seriously, how do they do it?

Reading my own blog

I must remember to re-read my last entry on training days like today. When I'm on a tough bike ride and every fiber of my being is screaming "Why are you doing this? Why are you punishing us?"

Finding my inner athlete

Last night I went to hear Sally Edwards speak about triathalons, training and finding your inner athlete and the girl who used to love to be active in you. It was great to hear all she's accomplished. It's amazing what the body can do when you put your mind to it! I've never considered myself athletic. I never liked P.E. in school - hated it in fact. Wasn't ever any good at softball that I used to play in elementary school and junior high during the summers. I never really stuck with anything athletic. I liked to hike and go for walks. I used to go rollerblading during the spring/summer/fall where I used to live. I like yoga and pilates and I do love kickboxing. But still, I didn't consider myself athletic. I was still always slow, never flexible enough for the downward dog or some sort of knot like position. But the idea of training for the Danskin Sprint Triathalon thrills and scares me at the same time. I've discovered a new confidence and skill at swimming after a few months of lessons. I hope to discover more as I dust off the bike and get out on the open road. I love how my body feels tired/exhaused/great after a run. I think I'm going to like the althetic me. I think I'm going to want to keep her around. I like how she makes me feel.

Beachcombing for yarn

This weekend we went down to Cannon Beach, OR for a wedding! It was a great trip with beautiful weather! Like any good knitter, I had done my research on the area and discovered Coastal Yarns was on 2nd St. in downtown Cannon Beach. I had informed the boyfriend and said this is where I want to go. On our first morning there, he drove me right to the shop and said, "Here it is. We'll be on the beach. Have fun and come find us when you're done." I've trained him well! (We were with his 2 of his college roommates). It was a cute shop that's only been open for a few months. I bought some yarn that was calling my name and said "Take us to Seattle!" So I did.


I bought 2 skein of Magallanes wool from Chile in a deep variegated green and one skein of Kidmo from Blue Moon Fiber arts in a variegated purple. Not sure what I'm going to do with the yarn, we're still discussing options.
And because I just like the picture and enjoyed watching these guys soak up some sun in Astoria, OR, I thought I'd share the picture!

A perfect example of fate

I think fate stepped in last night as I was blogging. If you recall correctly, or can at least scroll down to yesterday's entry, I didn't know where the connector cord thingy was for my digital camera to take some pictures of my sweater and download them to the blog. Too tired to look for it, and eager to knit on, I just decided not to bother with it. Good thing. Today I learned my camera is being recalled because the connector cord thingy can overheat and cause a fire! I tell ya, you gotta believe in fate.

Stockinette hell

That is where I am (which is odd because it just dawned on me it's 6/6/06). Anywhoo....I'm really trying to be good and power through on my first sweater. I'm 4 1/2 inches into the first part of the bodice, and if I do say so myself, it looks pretty damn good. I just have soooo far to go before I even start decreasing for the arm holes and neck line. I read these blogs of people who knit up sweaters "in time at all!" How the hell do they do that? I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that four rows seem to be my limit before boredom and craft A.D.D. (that's what I call my craft addiction) set in. I'm trying really hard to resist the urge to start a new project. I want to be like those women who just "whip it up in no time!" I'd take a picture to show my progress, but frankly, I'm not sure where the connector cord-thingy is and to search for it would take up valuable knitting time (at least I'm sure that's what those knit-whiz folks would say)! Of to power through at least 10 rows tonight! It's good to have goals!

How on earth is it June already?

Quick question: When did it become June? I swear this year has flown by - and I haven't accomplished many of the knitting goals I set out to do! But I'm still knitting....and I guess since it's only June 1st, I still have plenty of time. While I haven't been staring at the calendar, mystified of the dates flying by, I seem to have been quite busy since I haven't blogged in a while. Though, for the life of me, I'm not sure what I did. Didn't do much training for Danksin last week (let's not talk about that shall we?) Didn't leave town for the holiday weekend. But I did knit! The Tank Top sweater from One Skein is coming along nicely. I'm 4 inches into it (yeah, you'd think I'd be farther along, but sadly, not so) and so far I think the gauge is about right - 24 st for 4 inches on size 3 needles. Pattern calls for size 7 and 23 stitches for 4 inches. Since I haven't quite master the gauge thing, I think it's alright. But for those of you rabid gauge gurus (yeah, you know who you are), please feel free to tell me otherwise.
The other knitting accomplishment is the fact that I did ANOTHER gauge swatch for another project! I knitted up a swatch for Jenny's Twin Wrap from Hilltop out of Rowan Summer Tweed while on an outing with Rebecca on Sunday. We went to Mill Creek Yarn in, you guessed it, Mill Creek in the torrential down pour. It was a perfect knitting day. Pretty yarn, good company, yummy treats from that coffee giant here in town, and rainy weather to make you not feel guilty about not training.