Olatz

I'll just be honest. I'm going to complain about the weather. Again. It's been a cold week here for the season and I've had to revive some winter UFO's I set aside in favor of warm weather projects to be ready for spring. My Olatz was one of these. Started while on break for the Christmas/New Year's holidays, it was cast aside in favor of smaller projects. But it's helping me to not revert back to a sweater today as I'm stubbornly trying to break out my spring warbrobe.

Project Name: Olatz [Rav Link]  by Swallows Return
Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted (2 Skeins)
Colorway: Glazed Carrot
Needle Size: US8
Ravelry Project Page

This yarn was actually the very first Malabrigo I purchased ever and it's sat in my stash for a year and a half or so. Yarns are like wine, sometimes they need to breathe before their full potential can be realized, right? It was a particuarly smooshy knit, but I do worry about the pilling potential.

This pattern is well written and a good knit. The lace columns give some interest in a mindless knitting sort of way to the body of the shawl. I may go back and reblock to try to the get the scallops. This was a battle in which I lost in my first attempt.

So, maybe if I finish up my lingering winter UFO's spring will come...?

To Infinity and Beyond...!

 I have been meaning to post this quilt for some time, but yeah, I didn't. My nephew turned 2 a little over a month ago! Wow, he is getting to be such a big boy and will be a big brother any day now. May the force be with my sister-in-law.

My nephew LOVES and I mean LOVES Toy Story. More specifically Buzz. He knows his Buzz. And what could a crafty aunty do but give in to the hype? I swear the Pixar marketing department would have beamed from head to toe if they could have seen this kid's birthday party. Toy Story plates & napkins, a Toy Story cake with Toy Story figures on top, 90% of gifts Toy Story (even the handmade one!), and the kid even had a Toy Story shirt on!

Forgive some of the rough pics. I was really pushing the deadline of getting this done before we hit the road to head to my homeland for the birthday party and forgot to take pics, so I had to rely on a mix of UFO pics and some from my sister-in-law's camera.

I worked out the pattern for this quilt from a pic I saw on flickr. Which I apparently didn't save, so I apologize for not linking to the inspiration.

And in the end this picture, this one right here, made all of the fussy cutting and extra runs to the fabric store worth it.

Yep, that's a Woody doll (I mean "action figure") under his arm and a Toy Story plate beside him.

A Message From the Basket

Dear April,

I know you love the Shaelyn shawl. I know it would be a great summer shawl in the Rowan Purelife Revive and especially gorgeous in the Pink Granite colorway you have in your stash.

But you need to finish your Olatz.

And your 22.5 Degrees.

And those are just the shawls.

No, you can't even buy the needles. Or the pattern. I know you already bought that third skein of yarn you need for the project.

We don't want to end up like the naughty corner basket.

This is for your own good. You know what you've got to do.

Love,

The Unfinished Project Basket.