The Owl is taking flight! January 27, 2009

Okay, so today I made a snap decision and I am going to begin the Owls sweater by Kate over at Needled as my next project instead of the Sylvi Coat. Kate is hosting a contest and when I saw that, I thought to myself, “Who has two thumbs and loves free stuff? This guy!” (pointing at myself of course.) I am still working on Prudence, but as we knitters tend to do, we start a new project while the other is still going. Anyway, after much deliberation, I am going to knit the Owls in Lamb’s Pride Bulky in the Brown Heather. Now, I know this isn’t the fanciest of yarns, but I absolutely love it! I use it for so much already (even Sylvi), and I really wanted to try something new with this project. I considered the O-wool Bulky and Rowan Cocoon, but this particular color of Lamb’s Pride Bulky kept calling my name, and I just decided it had to be. My co-worker Sandy over at JBW even said, you have to use what is right for the project. I concur!

So i’ll be getting the yarn this weekend and starting early next week hopefully giving myself enough time to push through Prudence quite a bit more. I’m just getting a bit bored with knitting stockinette in the round forever and ever, with a few decreases and increases in there for a bit of interest. Of course, all of this is with a DK weight yarn on size 5 needles. I’ll be happy to trade them in for a size 10 or 10.5 and some bulky yarn. As cold as it is here in Reno right now, i’ll be read for a nice new warm sweater to wear! And then of course comes Sylvi, as I already have the yarn stashed away and glaring at me from my yarn shelving and saying “knit me, knit me.” I promise my lovelies, I will knit you soon…

Drool worthy knits… January 25, 2009

I am absolutely in LOVE with the new Norah Gaughan book that just came out from Berroco. Now I love her stuff anyway, but I am seriously drooling over the cover garment, the Flower Child top. The pattern give directions to make it in two different lengths, tunic length and regular length. I think after I finish my Prudence Top (which I have been working on diligently and will have more opdated photos of soon) and then my Sylvi (which I just got the yarn for, yay), I think I will try and knit this for the shop. Probably in the Classic Elite Cotton Bamboo yarn. Soft, with a nice drape. I love it!

Anyway, enough drooling over things to come, time to focus on the present…

Sneak peek… January 22, 2009

This is Nick wearing the hat I made him for the holidays. It is a very basic beginner fair isle pattern that I made kind of up as I went along and I am working on matching mittens too! I’ll be debuting this as part of a group pattern release in another month or so. I hope you like it!

My First Fair Isle Hat

Getting hammered and eating Quiche. January 22, 2009

So, I didn’t exactly “get hammered” in the drinking sense. Today Nick and I drove to Carson City to go to the amazing hot springs they have there. It’s worth the half hour drive to get out there just to soak in the amazing water for a few hours. I swear the water has healing powers! My back has been acting up for over a week now and it finally feels better! I love the hot springs, primarily because the pool is not so hot that you can actually soak until you are so pruney you would swear your extremities are about to fall off, but also because it is huge. You can actually swim laps there.

Pretty happy after a good long soak.

Actually, the best thing about the Carson Hot Springs is the Hammer. It’s really just the pipe that comes directly out of the actual hot spring and into the pool. If they turn it on at just the right speed, the super hot water and the pressure can be just enough to loosen up ANY tense muscles. In my case, usually my back. Now, you may be thinking, a developed hot spring? How is that better than a natural spring? Well actually, let me tell you. It’s great. There is no cleaning the sand or dirt out of your bathing suit afterwards, it’s just as natural as it comes directly out of the ground and into the pool, and there is more temperature control so you can stay in longer. As the water is constantly filtering through the pool and draining out the other end, it’s not stagnant either and there is no need to chlorinate. In other words, it’s awesome! I’ve been going to the Carson Hot Springs for years, and I never feel like I go often enough.

Otherwise, it’s been a nice relaxing day off. Nick and I slept in and then I got up a bit before him and brewed some coffee from an amazing Organic local roaster we recently discovered, Blind Dog Coffee Roasters. I then made a quiche with a somewhat Tex-Mex flavor to it. I have recently been modifying my pie crust recipe when I feel like a more Spanish flavor. I love the recipe that I got from the Chicken a while back, but sometimes I will cut out one of the cups of flour and instead use one cup of corn masa flour. It gives the crust a nice corn flavor and definitely a more Spanish flavor. Add a little chili powder, and pepper jack cheese to the mix and then top with avocado and you have a really tasty meal! We’ll be eating leftovers of this tomorrow for lunch. Mmm.

How pretty is that?

Other then that, this evening will be filled with some knitting to work on my Prudence sweater, watching Lost, then early to bed. I’m up early tomorrow to teach for Sierra Nevada Journeys–my former employer with AmeriCorps–at one of the local elementary schools for a few hours. Should be fun!

New Year, New President, New Goals. January 21, 2009

Happy New Year everyone!  I know i’m a little late, but i’ve been so busy already this year.  I first want to say how tickled I am that Barack Obama was sworn in as President today!  This year is already off to a good start!

So, I guess I should back up a bit.  I had a really nice holiday season spending a little time with my family who generously showered me with new cookware (Le Cruset to be exact) which I am very excited about and it’s already been put to good use.  The gifts for mom, dad, and bro were recieved well also.  My mom especially loved her Frontier Blues Jacket. Also, Nick gave me the most awesome thing ever…a Cuisenart!

New Years was spent at Lake Tahoe at my friend Matt’s family cabin.  We had good times making Pizza, drinking god beer and wine, and playing lots of Bandu–the best game ever!  Thanks to my brother Jon, Nick got his own copy of the game for Christmas (which is no longer being produced and was found on a vintage game website) so we can play anytime we want!

Let the games begin!

Elle's already off to a bad start...

Micah and I had a build-off...

Clearly I won that one...

Notice Elle is wearing a scarf and hat, both made by yours truly!

Happy New Year!!!!

I’ve been working on my Prudence Sweater for the yarn shop.  It’s my very first shop knit so I am kind of eager to please.  I’m taking a leap and converting the pattern to a bottom-up sweater knitted in one piece.  It’s already a raglan so i’m not too worried about the conversion.  I’m going to be posting all the modifications I make on the Jimmy Beans Project Log so that customers can reference that if they want to knit it the same way I did.    The pattern is from the Amber book by Kim Hargreaves for Rowan.  She is known for her vintage-style patterns and subtle elegance.  I am so in love with this yarn!  It is Rowan Bamboo Soft (100% Bamboo) but it feels and drapes like silk.  I love that it is eco-friendly and so nice to knit with.

Prudence

I have decided recently to focus more of my energy on knitting pattern design rather than making and selling Neckies.  I’ll still keep a few for sale on Etsy, but I really want to venture more into design.  I’m working on about five patterns right now actually to hopefully be debuted through Jimmy Beans.  I’ll keep you all posted on my progress.

Lastly, I’ve been recently inspired by another blogger to do an experiment this year.  Seeing as last year was kind of an experiment in how frugally I could live on my AmeriCorps Salary, I thought it only fitting to begin a new experiment for the new year.  In an effort to cut back on needless spending and consuming as well as the desire to work more on my sewing skills (and knitting, of course), I am going to begin a year-long, no clothing shopping experiment.  I will not be tempted by sales or even the Goodwill, my favorite place ever.  I will learn to take better care of the clothing I already own by darning things more often, taking the time to make my own clothes and better my sewing and knitting skills, and re-inventing clothes I am bored with or don’t fit quite right.  I’ve just been feeling for a long time that I need to do something like this.  It’s just too easy to go out and buy something new to wear.  Cheaper too i’m sure.  But the bottom line is, where does it end?  When do we start to value our clothing like our ancestors did?  My grandmother has always made most of her own clothes.  I have always admired that in her.  She is a very accomplished seamstress and quilter.  My mother too is also very talented with a sewing machine, always making clothes for my brother and I when we were young (until we started begging her for store bought stuff of course.)  As I get older I want so badly to cling to these roots and to go back to a time where people bought less, made more, and treasured and cared for the items they owned.  I’ve never been what you would call “trendy” or “hip.”  I’ve always just worn what I feel good in.  It’s much easier to feel good in well fitting clothes, and it’s even easier for them to fit you well when you make them yourself.  So that is my new experiment, and in the end, I hope I find a new appreciation for the clothes I wear and the skills I have gained. Goodbye Anthropologie and Goodwill, hello Singer Sewing machine!

  I must add however, that in this experiment, I am giving exceptions to the following garments:

Shoes- as I can’t make those and I will be in desperate need of a new pair of running shoes soon

Undergarments-I will not torture myself with trying to make these and I really don’t foresee this being a need in the near future, however you never know.

Jeans-always in search of the perfect pair and seeing as I only own one pair right now that actually fit, I could really use another.

Also, I will be able to buy fabric, yarn, patterns and notions as needed for new items but I will be trying to use up some of my stashed fabric and yarn this year. So that is the grand plan.  I think I will begin by making this cute smock by Meg from Sew Liberated.  I’ve had the pattern for over a year and haven’t taken the time to make it yet, I love that it’s reversible.  Wish me luck!