Spring, Fly!

I am SO READY for this dreariness to lift and for spring to show her bright and beautiful face. But since I have no control over the weather, I resorted to a bright and beautiful yarn to make a shawl ready for warmer days that glows like sunshine.

Yep, I'm feeling desperate.

Project Name: Spring, Fly!
Pattern: Summer Flies by Holly and Ella Knits [Rav Link]
Yarn: Mirasol Yarn Tupa (3 skeins)
Colorway: 801
Needle Size: US8
Ravelry Project Page

You may have noticed I'm a bit partial to this shawl pattern. I especially love it in this yarn! My last two were both in silk and bamboo blends, but I do like the sturdier feel of the silk and merino, even in the DK weight versus the worsted weight the pattern calls for. And seriously, this Mirasol Tupa. Simply freaking luscious. However, I am a bit worried about the pilling potential. It's already looking a bit rough and I haven't even worn it, just wear and tear of knitting and blocking.

Okay, spring. I'm ready for you. Now.

This shawl was also pushed to finish a bit by an upcoming roadtrip to Wisconsin to meet the bf's family for the first time. Because what Mom can't think favorably of a girl in handknits, right...and I may have some homemade sourdough in hand to win over Dad. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

Owl Baby Newborn Set

I'll admit it, I jumped on the owl bandwagon. I love all the little owl stuff out there. And I have a new nephew coming in just a few weeks. Ever crafted for little boys? Search babies and there seems to be all this adorable pink and lace and ribbons. But boys, meh. Not a lot.

But the coming home set I made for this new nephew just happens to be holding the status of some of my favorite items I've EVER knit.

Stinkin' adorable.

The set was made from Cascade Cherub DK. Hat and booties didn't use up even 190 yd one skein. I had originally planned to make a set using the Owl Tuque pattern, but decided since this bebe will be sporting these are the weather gets warmer it would probably be better to make the set in a dk weight rather than a bulky. I'm sure a friend will reproduce at a more bulky weight yarn appropriate time in the future for this hat! This yarn was great for a baby set, it's a nylon and acrylic blend, but I had some SERIOUS issues winding it into a ball. It took me two hours and I ended up with multiple little balls because the tangles were so bad. Not sure if I just had a bad ball, but I'd buy it again. Maybe even this week...

Owl Baby Booties

Project Name:  Owl Baby Bootees (Rav Link)
Yarn: Cascade Cherub DK (One skein)
Colorway: 013
Needle Size: US2 & US3
Ravelry Project Page

I saw these show up as a fave on my Ravelry friend feed a few months and knew I REALLY wanted to make them. They were designed by gingergooseberry on Ravelry, but the notes are just on her project page. I added the eyes and beak with embroidery thread. There are more detailed pics on my project page, but they aren't wanting to post right on here. I followed her directions to the letter and was pleased with the results.

Owl Baby Beanie

Project Name: Owl Baby Beanie
Pattern: Modified Coming Home Baby Hat by Shweta Shankar Khatri  [Rav Link]
Yarn: Cascade Cherub DK (One skein)
Colorway: 013
Needle Size: US3 (I considered switching to US4 after the ribbing, but couldn't find my DPN's! So maybe next time...)
Ravelry Project Page

I made some mods to the Coming Home Baby Hat pattern, so I’ll just repost it all, but the majority of this is the Coming Home Baby Hat, so I don't take the credit for the pattern! :) This pattern is reworked for the DK weight yarn and incorporates the owl cable.

Main Body of Hat

Row 1: Cast on 64 stitches using DK weight yarn
Row 2 - 10 : K2 P2 around
Row 11: K all around, inc two stitches in R11

Owl Cable pattern:

(multiple of 11 sts)

Rounds 1-2: p3, k8, repeat from to end
Round 3: p3, C4B, C4f, repeat from to end
Rounds 4-10: same as round 1
Round 11: same as round 4
Round 12: same as round 1
Rounds 13-14: p3, k1, p2, k2, p2, k1. repeat from to end
Round 15-17: same as round 1
Round 18: same as round 3
Round 19: same as round 1

(Decrease for crown at 3 ½ in)

Crown Shaping for DK Weight Yarn

Row 1: K8, K2tog
Row 2: K around
Row 3: K7, K2tog
Row 4: K around
Row 5: K6, K2tog
Row 6: K around
Row 7: K5, K2tog
Row 8: K around
Row 9: K4, K2tog
R10: K3, K2tog
R11: K2, Ktog


Finishing

Cut the working yarn leaving a 6 inch tail. Thread this through a tapestry needle and sew through the remaining stitches on the needles while taking them off the needle. Pull through and secure top
.

I don’t have a baby hanging around to try this on, so I’m hoping it will fit. Not on a head, it ended up being apx 7in in circumferance and 5in tall. This seems small, but not being a mom I’m always in a bit of shock how small newborn bebe heads are, so always seem to make my hats too big…

Just a few more weeks until I get to test the fit. And meet my new nephew, of course!

The View from 29

Hello, friends! Today is my birthday!

I start today on my last year as a 20-something. (Making me 29 for those who haven't had their coffee.) 28 was an interesting year for me. But looking back I'm happy to say I'm a much healthier person. I started this blog just a few weeks before my 28th birthday. So how is the view different at 29?

Well, I'm happy to say I'm doing emotionally better.

I was a bit of a mess over the last few years. The year of this blog really only caught some snippets of the tail end of it. I finally made the move to end a very unhealthy relationship this year and pick up the pieces of my life. It was hard to let go, but looking back at the chaos my life was, the waiting for the bottom to fall out that became a part of the fabric of who I was, the pain, I know it was for the best. I accepted myself for who I am (corny as that sounds) and learned to smile and laugh again. I've worked through God's love for me a bit and while I still really struggle with this I thank Him daily that He loves me even though I still feel far away. I've learned to embrace the Chaordic.

I'm also taking my physical health much more seriously.

While I'm having a bit of a crazy hair moment in the pic for this year I'm happy to say the 29 year old on the right is 30 lbs lighter than the overweight and unhappy 28 year old on the left. I'm still working on my weight and looking forward to the opportunity to start exercising outside, but I'm proud of the progress. For so long I felt like it just didn't matter. But as I got more healthy emotionally I wanted to feel better about myself physically. I finally felt ready to take care of myself again. I knew I needed to stop hiding behind food and self-loathing and allow myself to love me. And then maybe I could allow someone outside to love me. I know that sounds so damn cliche, but it's true. I didn't lose the weight to find love, I lost the weight to learn what it was like to be taken care of and I needed to do that for myself before I let someone else in.

And, I'm doing better relationally as well.

I've been with someone for a couple of months now and it's really taken me by surprise. I didn't think I'd want to let anyone in again.Ever. I started dating out of boredom more than to find anyone that would actually mean something to me. But he surprised me. I've never known what it's like to just have the walls down. To not constantly hold my breath and wait to clean up a mess I didn't make while my own heart was being broke over and over again. It freaks me out a bit from time to time and I'm still afraid to use a certain "l" word, but the fear hasn't made me put the walls back up, and that in itself is a big jump for me. I'm hopeful for what happens next and it's a great feeling.

AND...since I've been off the last few days...I have finished projects to share! So, more to come...

Hello, 29!

The Who? Hat

No, not that (the) Who?

This one-

So, yeah. I'm alive! I've been in the realm of "new relationship" land. You know, that world you enter when you've met a new someone special and even though you always hate "those people" in that world, you willing cross over to the mushy side. Yep, I'm mushy. Which is seriously crimping on my crafting. But I'm cool with that. :) And I'm not apologizing for the mushy. I'm happy and I don't care if I'm one of "those people". And this hat was actually done before I went to the mushy side (like for the last two months!), the mushiness just kept me distracted from sewing the eyes on, so here it finally is! A post AND a finished project!

Project: Who? by Penguin Purls [Rav Link]
Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted
Colorway: Brown Bear
Needle Size: US6
Ravelry Project Page


Nothing amazingly earth shattering to report about this project. It was part of the "don't trust a cold knitter" phase when I realized it was cold and I had no hats to wear.  I did a slight mod as I tend to do with hats and made it a bit longer. I have a big head. I'm a bit sensitive about it, so let's not press the details. So, I knit to 6.25 inches before starting the decrease section.

Crafting hasn't been totally dead to me while I've been in mushy new relationship land. I finished a cute little Buzz Lightyear quilt for my nephew's second birthday. I just kinda finished it last minute and forgot that whole taking a pic part. A request is in to my sister-in-law to please send pics. I'm halfway through an ADORABLE little hat and bootie set for my newest nephew due to show his (assumingly) cute little mug to the world at the end of April. And...it has owls!

So, I'm here. :)