Some Yarns to Spin

Last night, we had an awesome gathering at the house. Considering that it was one of the coldest nights of the year, my brother did a wonderful job designing the gazebo with curtains, lights and other wonderful ideas. Leo did a great job in following the design ideas, of course! It was cold, but we did let everyone know to "dress warm" and most of them did.

My hole-y Fair Isle hat was a hit at the dinner party and even my cousin's husband exclaimed, "Beanie!" when he saw it. Now I know what I'm making him for Christmas, too!

During dinner, my friend Lolita explained the "best part of the fish"! So here she's pointing to that special part that she loves - the brain! Not that I can see it at all...

After almost 6 months of waiting, our wedding album is finally complete! This one is going to go to Leo's parents this week. My brother arranged it in iPhoto and had it printed as a coffee table book. Definitely something so special! We've got a few books coming in since we're giving one to my mom, my dad and stepmom as well.

The Prayer Shawl did get to its intended recipient last night as well. Ann lost her father 4 weeks ago and the get together was a welcome-back dinner since she'd been away for the last 5 weeks taking care of family obligations.

Unfortunately, another friend's mother died last night - she'd had complications from a kidney transplant 10 years ago (a bacterial infection) and although her son had taken her to the hospital ER to get the primary care physician who did the transplant, she waited 8 hours just to be seen - which was enough time for the bacterial infection to circulate through her system. Interestingly, as I wrote that, a hummingbird appeared right outside my window by the jade plant (crassula oblongata) - and somehow I know that things will be all right.

2007 has been a very interesting year so far. More people I know (friends, clients and relatives) have lost loved ones this year than any other year that I know of. It's so hard to put into words sometimes how all that loss makes one feel.

"The deeper that sorrow carves into your being the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?" - Kahlil Gibran

A Basic Hat Demo

So I'm trying another pattern from Knitting Wheel Fashions, and it's called Basic Hat. It calls for a double knit stitch (I think) wherein you double wrap the peg, slip the bottom and top loops to produce a very loose stitch.

So after my Fair Isle fiasco, I wanted to demo it first on the blue KK loom. And here it is. Isn't Truffles just a doll?!

A Little Hat Problem

My fair isle hat is finally finished! After 3 days of furious looming, I finally finished Leo's first hat and tada! Here it is!

Even he says it looks great and he can't wait to try it on!


Unfortunately, I loomed the rest of the hat (after the fair isle pattern was finished) so tightly that I can't completely close it at all. The hole at the top of that hat is big enough to slip two fingers through.

And now I can't seem to "ungather" it either. I pulled it so tightly to close it that it's stuck :(

Loom Knitting Primer

My Amazon order finally arrived!

The Loom Knitting Primer by Isela Phelps is wonderful! I don't know why I waited so long to order it. Right now I'm hoping to make the Fair Isle cap and even Leo can't wait till I finish it.

For now I'm still working on the ribbing and have a while to go!

BTW, that's Decor Accents' Wonderloom in regular gauge that I'm using! Doesn't it look great?!

It's In the Bucket, Dear

Well, Leo's been pretty busy working on his scarf the last few days but somehow, production has stopped.

Now, the scarf's been sitting in the bucket. And the days before Christmas are ticking along. Didn't we have 4 more scarfs to do, honey?

Authentic Loom

Okay, I think I'm moving up in the world here. I finally received my "authentic knitting loom" from knittingboard.com.

I remember seeing their ad in a knitting magazine a long long time ago. I've always been a wishful knitter - but now I'm seizing the day...and the yarn! I'm off to knit and conquere the world, one skein at a time.

Well, to be honest, when I can squeeze it into my busy schedule.

Interestingly I've been knitting since 2002 so I don't know why I'm pretty awed by the knitting loom. But I'm going to see if I like it, and if not...well, there's always the needles that I never leave without a project hanging on to it...

Looming For Beginners

A few days ago, I discovered looming on the web. Well, I didn't actually discover it...I'd heard about loom knitting for years - I just never realized there was a whole movement going on in the net and it's still growing.

Anyway, I got myself a set of Knifty Knitters the other day and Leo has this grand plan of loom knitting everyone a scarf for christmas. Here, he is trying his hand on looming the first scarf using Lion Brand Suede as Truffles looks on.

Meanwhile, I've been trying my hand on crochet. I've crocheted before but for the life of me, I can't remember how I even did it. Of course, who can forget casting on, but unless I start moving on to other things - like single crochet, double crochet, etc., you'll probably find a long long long cast on piece of yarn from here to New York.

So I tried my hand in knitting a tube - something like a dog sweater, but as this is the week where I'm learning so many new things, another thing I've also learned recently was 'frogging' my work. And here, Truffles models the 'thing-that-once-was-a-doggie-sweater-and-now-is-a-skirt". Doesn't she look great?