Long Time No See

It's been awhile.  This being the first chance I've gotten to sit down and blog, I feel like I want to update on a million things.  Instead, I'll interview myself about what's been happening in hopes to link seemingly unrelated things together...  hopefully it's not too cheesy.  

First - let me start with some "THANK YOU'S!" Thank you for finding my blog! I hope all of you that stopped by come again and say "hi".   Thank you Katelain and Carol for commenting!  Made my day!  

Why are you blogging at 8:30am on a Monday?

At a crazy weekend running and co-hosting the Sr. SEMSBA festival I started coming down with a nasty cold "thing".  I got some rest yesterday - got some sunshine, some vitamin D, some running around with Gabby and Faith - but today the cold has settled into my chest and the coughing and wheezing has me thinking that I need to get myself to the Dr's.  So, before they open, I'm resting and have some time to sit and write.  I'm kicking myself for getting sick since it's also All-State week and I'm going to be out for two other days this week.  But, when your body says "rest" - you must rest.

How was your birthday?

It was,in a word, FANTASTIC.  I got those sweet messages when I got into work. Later in the day at rehearsals, my Rhythmix Gals were all late for rehearsal - just as I got frustrated, they all walked in with a cake and flowers for me and sang (as they always do) beautifully!  Then, I got to go home to my amazing family and my excited daughter.  Though Chris and Gabby hugs and kisses are gifts enough to me, they blew my mind with a Cricket Loom for me to start learning to weave!  It is FANTASTIC!  

Weaving, huh? 

Oh yeah!  It is tough to be a beginner again at something.  I decided to take Kelley Petkun's advice from her podcast on "Overcoming Mistakes" (episode 154).  One sentence that struck me was insuring that when you start, don't focus on a PROJECT.  Just go through the process and learn.  So, I've been processing with a lot of stash yarn and playing with techniques and colors to practice, practice, practice.  What has come out, I've been calling "doll scarves" and "dish cloths". :)  I'll post pictures when I'm ready to show off. :) 

How's the knitting?

Since I've been weaving, knitting took a bit of a backseat.  Since I really only have a few hours a day, the new toy got my attention. But, I got back to work this week on my two projects. 

Gabby's Garden Plot Dress 

I was VERY excited when I finished, what I thought was, the skirt of the dress last night.  Then, as I began reading the next section "with smaller cir needle, K72 front skirt panel, (pm), K72 back skirt panel" ... BACK SKIRT PANEL?  wahhhh?  Looking back to the beginning on the instructions, I see it - "SKIRT PANEL (make 2)".  UGH!  I was so ready to begin the body... and now I'm having "Second Half of Skirt Syndrome" (SHoSS)?  I even was thinking of ripping out the whole thing and saying "the hell with it".  But then I picked up the first half of the skirt, swung it around a couple of times, could picture Gabby in it spinning and dancing....  and started the second picot cast on.  

Mary Jane

This has been the easier of the two to work on.  I have finished the raglan shaping and now have begun the "snake skin" pattern on the body.  I really like this pattern and its simplicity.  

(note - white dog hair...  can never avoid it...  thanks Faith)

Any Spinning?

In fact, yes.  After the bamboo fiasco, I spun some nice, tame, undyed, Corriedale.  I'm spinning it a little thicker than usual and it's soft and lovely.    

Ahh... much better...

Anything else to add?

Gabby is super awesome.  She has enlightened us on a few things:

1. Broccoli not only makes your bones strong, "it makes your dreams come true"

2. "A whole world is in a drop of water.  You can't see it, but it's there"

3. Pea shoots are the best food on the planet.

And, there you have it. :) 

The Weekend Update

I was afraid that when I went back to work that I would neglect this blog.  Realistically, I figured that I will only be able to post once a week.  I can live with that. 

A knitting update:

Gabby's dress (rav link) has been in hibernation this week.  It is definitely not a traveling project and by the time I get home, make and eat dinner, get Gabby to bed, and finish any lesson planning my brain just hasn't been able to focus on it.  I hope I can get it done by the summer, at least!

As for my DK project, I found the Mary Jane Top in the Twist Collective by Rachel Bishop and Sarah Johnson of Zephyr Style (rav link). So far, so good.  I've done about 75% of the raglan shaping and will be dividing for sleeves soon.  It's perfect travel knitting (for now) and I got a lot done on our journeys yesterday (more on that in a bit!) and while watching Gabby at gymnastics.

(It wanted to pose for you) 

In spinning news - there is none.  I attempted spinning the bamboo.  It spun.  It looked like poop.  I threw it out.  The end.  I have a bit of the spinning bug today, so perhaps I'll take out some nice, sane, BFL.  We'll see what the day holds.

In everything else, things are back to busy life after vacation.  Work was nutty, but it is nice to be back with the troops making music.  I really do have the best job in the world with the best students in the world. :)

We went on a journey yesterday to IKEA.  It's about a 40 minute trek - not too bad from home.  We went for a new mirror for our living room.  (I came home Monday to find our old mirror shattered on the floor with our very acrobatic and curious cat looking guilty in our bedroom. (No one was hurt in the process, just a big mess to clean.) Anyway, we trek to Stoughton and get to IKEA to buy a mirror.  Going through the marketplace we see that the bathroom set that we had pined over (Lillangen) is marked as "LAST CHANCE" and 25% off.  We had no plans of redoing the cabinets in our bathroom until the floor was fixed, but we instantly worried that this "perfect" set wouldn't be available anymore.  So, to make a long story short, the trip for a $50 mirror turned into a $700 trip with all of our furntiure for the bathroom in boxes in the attic until the floor is done.  I guess it's motivation to finish the project!

Vacation comes to an end

It's Sunday night - last night of vacation.  I'm trying to squeeze as much out as possible before the craziness begins again tomorrow.  We enjoyed a nice veggie lasagna and homemade garlic bread for dinner followed by a lazy evening all together. 

I got a quite a few rows done on the Garden Plot Dress (rav. link) tonight and also frogged the work on the Ruched Yoke Tee.  After joining the tee in the round, I realized that the yarn was just too warm and poofy for this type of top.  I think cotton or linen is a much better way to go.  I'm not going to buy anything until Gabby's dress is done, so it's on the back burner.

So, now I have 1100 yards of nice dk weight vintage and am searching for a simple project for it.  Suggestions anyone?

Tomorrow I'm back to lesson plan, score prep, and administration work.  Busy Busy... teaching pitch placement in theory, continuing work on our "through the eras" concert in chorus and band and always preparing for concerts! 

I hope I can keep things up!

Inspiration found!

Thank you Spring 2011 Interweave Knitting!

I had a lovely trip to Eva's on Wednesday and, though it took me awhile, I found that spark I needed to get going!  It was in Interweave's newly released spring edition.  Leafing through I fell in love with most of the patterns.  Here are some of note (plus the two I cast on!):

Heliotropic Pullover by Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark

"spirals delicate texture along the yoke of a simply shaped tee with a generous, fluid silhouette."

I definitely want to make this.  Perfect spring top! 

Garden Plot Dress  by Victoria Meyers

"contrasts colors and lace blocks to create a swingy dress fit for any garden party"

I INSTANTLY fell in love with this. This pattern got me back to knitting right away. Gabriella MUST have this dress! 

I had plenty of comfy sport from Knit Picks to make it and cast it on right away.  

I normally stay away from intarsia, but I love the way this is done.  In between the color blocks and lace blocks there is one stitch done with both colors.  It makes a faux seam of reverse stockinette.  I love it!

Moving on....

I will definitely look to cast on the Rose Lace Stole by Susanna IC as well as the Pinkerton Shawl by Susan Dittrich.  But right now, I'm taking a break from accessories. 

Ruched Yoke Tee by Annelena Mattison was the next piece that I instantly cast on.  To make this piece even more awesome - there's a kid's size too!  So, when I'm done with mine, I'll cast on for Gabby's!  

I bought some Berroco Vintage DK in color 2184.  It's purple with flecks of blue and red and gold.  BEAUTIFUL!

It was perfect driving knitting for yesterday when we took a trip up to Boston to bring Gabby to the Children's Museum. 

So, I'm busy (and happy) again!  I have the perfect "thinking" project with the dress and a simpler "cruise control" project with the tee.  AND - more in line when those are done!

Yippppeeee! 

Adventures!

We're on February vacation here in the Fern household.  Keeping Gabby (and me!) occupied has been quite the task!  

Last night we decided to have a "camp-in" in the living room.  Our adventure began with a trip to purchase camping supplies at the grocery store:

veggie dogs & buns

veggie chili

baked beans

and, of course, s'mores supplies!

We decked out the living room with the air mattress, sleeping bags, and draped the ceiling with bed sheets for our "tent". We then ate our camp food, made microwave s'mores and watched movies.  It was a fun night that ended with a very tuckered out Gabby.  :)  

This morning:

After clearing the "site" we have been off to our regular routines! 

I did get some knitting done yesterday.  Gabby got her "Monster Mitts" that she requested after seeing my "Soujourn Mitts"

momma's mitts:

Gabby's!

(I think she likes them!)

This morning I decided to make a second attempt at spinning and dying bamboo.  I'm not hopeful in the dying category.  We'll see....

Spinning is going a little better - still lumpy and bumpy.  I don't enjoy spinning bamboo, but I feel guilty that I have all this fiber, and am not spinning it... 

yuck.