Committee Sweater 2010

Kathleen-
Now that the Knitting Olympics are over, Committee is hanging over my head. Now we're on to the annual Committee Sweater. I bought the yarn almost 3 years ago, the first time I went the Shepard's Harvest with Aubree, Tess, and Tracy.

It's sinfully soft merino from Blue Hills Alpacas and Fiber Mill. (The color is really orange there- it's much more red in person, but I'm struggling to get a good picture). I loved it so much that I bought all they had at the festival, and then got them to send me more. And I've been searching for the perfect sweater pattern ever since.

Enter Twist Collective, and Audrey in Unst. A perfect transition piece, and something completely wearable both at work and to social events, etc.

Swatching happened before the Olympics, and now I'm working the hem. It is a much finer weight sweater than anything else I've knit during committee, so it might not get finished during committee, but I think it'll be worthwhile.

Olympic Knitting Complete

Kathleen-
I was down to the wire, but I finished my olympic mittens during the closing ceremonies tonight, just as they were ending.




Ends still to be woven in.

Knitting Olympics 2010

Kathleen-
So apparently I'm blogging once a month (once in Jan, once in Feb, even if the posts are separated by 6 weeks!).

In keeping with tradition, I'm knitting stranded mittens for the Knitting Olympics. These are a bit more complicated than my project 4 years ago, but since the whole point is challenging yourself, and I must be a better stranded knitter than I was 4 years ago, right?

I'm knitting NHM#8 (Ravelry link) from Selbuvotter, and adoring them. They were meant to be a very large mittens as a present, but apparently my combo of very tight knitting and fine fingering yarn made them about half the predicted size.

My sizing issues mean that the mittens fit me in circumfence, but would have been too short for your small hands. Mucking about with charts led me to add a third snowflake, and now they fit me, so I guess I'm getting mittens out of the deal!

These pics were taken before the weekend of knitting, but give a sense of the pattern and yarn:




Mitten #1 is done, but for the thumb, and tonight I should finish 1 of the 3 snowflakes on mitten 2, so I might just squeek in and finish them for the Olympics.

Just in time, too, since Committee starts next week, and I'll need to be working on my Committee Sweater!

I'll try and pop in with an update on these and my committee sweater before the craziness starts...

Happy 2010!

Kathleen-
We both fell off the blogging wagon this year, but I found that I miss it, so though I'm not much for resolutions, I figured I'd try to start occasionally blogging again in 2010.

The turning of the decade, and the many ensuing blog posts, makes me reflective (yes, mathematicians, I know that the decade doesn't technically change for another year, but this seems like the time to reflect).

I hadn't really thought about it until this week, but it does turn out to be a momentous decade. I graduated from high school, went to college, graduated from college, worked as an EMT, a 911 dispatcher, a political fundraiser, and a college admissions officer.

I traveled halfway around the world, and all around the country for fun and for work. I averaged getting on a plane every month (though it was mostly much more concentrated than that).

I met amazing people, and gained amazing friendships (including you!).

I met Mike, and by the end of the decade, we'd moved into the house we bought together.

I lost one of my favorite relatives to cancer, and watched the ripple effects on my family. Both of my parents had a stay in the ICU, reminding me of how fragile health can be, and how lucky I am that they both made it. We lost friends and family to illness and tragic accidents, and watched friends have children, bringing a whole new set of joy.

I learned all kinds of new skills, from academic research and public speaking to driving, saving lives, spinning, and weaving. I knit a ton, keeping me sane through all the transitions.

10 years ago, I welcomed in the year 2000 standing on the edge of Grand Canyon, 2 years ago, Mike and I celebrated New Years Eve at the bottom (and went to bed at 8pm!). This year we were sitting on the couch in our house.

So what are my resolutions for the next decade? To keep my life in balance. To travel for fun, and spend my time with people I care about.

For 2010 in particular, to spend more time with my spinning wheel, knit more projects that I love, and use up my Sock Summit stash. To blog, from time to time.

Sock Summit!

Kathleen-
I'm so glad you dragged me to Sock Summit (though to be honest, I was pretty happy to be dragged!).

Following is a selection of photos, with more to come (I haven't photographed all my yarn yet!).

Flying into Seattle:

Name Badge:


Portland welcomes Sock Summit:

Delicious cupcakes from Saint Cupcake:


Book Signing with Nancy Bush(!)


Ravelry Party! With Shetland Triangle Shawls:

Barbara Walker and her AMAZING lecture:

Matching yarn:

Matching Socks (and Clogs!):


My spinning class with Abby and Denny, who are hard to take pictures of since they're always moving! Sandi Wiseheart was in the class too (but I'm choosing not to post the picture I took of her, since apparently I can't make it non-blurry). After accosting her in the elevator when we first got there, it was nice to have her in class!


Sock Team overlooking the Marketplace:


The amazing luminary panel:

Steph and Tina doing thank-yous, just before singing Happy Birthday to Elizabeth Zimmerman.





I'm still jet-lagged, and need to go through all the new yarn tonight, but it was a fantastic trip!

Bike Racing

Kathleen-
Long time no blog! the house-hunting on top of a full-time job and a very busy summer (including an exciting visit for you), leaves very little time or inspiration for blogging.

This weekend is packed, but last night we went to see one of the races that is part of the Minnesota Bike Festival. A friend of Mike's from HS is racing in the women's events, so we went with friends to cheer her on.

Having never attended a bike race, much less a crit (where the riders do many laps on a short course), I didn't know what to expect...though I certainly did not expect the convertible/front car:
Because they raced on city streets in Uptown, including tight corners, measures were taken to protect the racers from obstacles such as fire hydrants:


Here are the leaders rounding a corner:

The pack spread out behind them:
Mike's friend Anna zooming by (she's the one with #71 on her back):
And the finish:
It was good fun, and lovely way to spend an hour on a Friday evening.

And what bike race would be complete without a visit from the mascot of the Minnesota Wild?
Because as a spectator, you get a minute or so break every lap during which there are no bicyclists going by, I brought along my knitting, and got lots done on my Sunshine Socks (Rav link)

Top of the World

Hey Flan,

The trillium are in bloom! There is a mountain across the lake from where The Aunties live and the trail up it has hundreds in bloom right now. Trillium are white flowers, but as they age they turn purple. Last weekend all of them were totally white and this weekend some had started to turn.

Naturally, last weekend I forgot my camera. This time I was prepared. This is the view from about halfway up.
This is looking straight across the lake.While in MN and AL I missed my home state and totally love to go out and revel in it.

Knitting? I suppose there has been some of that. I'm working on the Whisper cardi. The delightful Melissa gifted me with some yarn in a beautiful lavender. It's about 3/4 the way complete.
All my other projects are stalled. I am not liking any of them enough to finish but don't really feel like ripping them out. Sigh.

Happy End Note: I get to come visit in 34 days!