Sunday, February 17, 2008

Gettin' stuff done!

A while back, what seems like a lifetime ago, Forbes Magazine came to Sit 'N' Knit New York while doing an article about Meetup.com. Long story short, a picture of me with the name tag that I designed and knit based on the Meetup.com logo appeared in the April 23, 2007 issue of Forbes in an article about Meetup.com. So .... I got it framed. It came out WAY BIGGER than I expected, but hey, why not go big?

It didn't photograph so well. That's me in the bottom right hand corner of the page on the left. I will fully admit that it is an extremely unflattering picture. The caption reads: "Hooking up: Meetup's Scott Heiferman (top) and knitting group member Allena R. (with full ridiculously long Polish last name).

I have been slowly getting ready to re-launch Knitting Ewe On The Go. Today I finished the first "Tester Pancake" aka prototype of the Knitting Ewe On The Go Knit Kit. The idea is to create a kit that will contain all of the basic notions. Perfect to take with you on the go or keep things together at home.

Here is the inside. The left-side pocket currently holds slip n' snips and a tape measure. It was hard to photograph, but you can see that there is also a large pocket behind those pockets. The notebook that you see on the right will be replaced by one which is slightly larger.







There will also be other notions in the pocket behind the notebook as well. Most likely handmade stitch markers, a row counter, and ... If there is anything that you think that the kit needs PLEASE let me know!




There is a zippered pocket, large enough for a 7" Double Pointed Needle.


I cannot be the only knitter who has lost a DPN while knitting away from home and wish that they had an extra along with them. Well, as long as you remember to put an extra in your kit...




Oh, and the Melanshawly is really knitting up beautifully! I have 12 of the 15 repeats of the 8 row pattern complete. Since it increases every round each round has been taking a little longer than the first, but I am currently in love with my Melanshawly.



Sunday, February 03, 2008

Super Sunday and The Melanshawly

The Yarn Garden, in Meriden, CT, had their annual Super Bowl Sale today. In honor of Super Bowl XLII, all yarn was 42%off. I actually shopped with a pillow case (provided by the shop).

I did go prepared with several projects that I want to knit this year. I was able to find yarn for two of them.




Yeah, there are A LOT of little balls! Those are 19 balls of Jo Sharp - Luxury 8 Ply DK Pure Wool in Lilac. I plan on using it to knit Marcel's Sweater by Veronik Avery from my new favorite knitting book - The Best of Interweave Knits.





The second project that I hoped to buy yarn for is a shawl that I want to knit for me. We had a conversation at Stitch and Bitch New Haven, a great group that I knit with twice a week, about having hand knits that you wear specifically when you are not feeling well - both physically and emotionally. Somehow this morphed into the idea that I HAD to knit myself a shawl in a melon color - so that it can be my Melanshawly. Get it - melancholy - melonshawly!?



Anyway, I searched and searched for the perfect shawl pattern and finally decided on Knitspot's Wind-o-the-Moth Shawl. When I saw the Louet Gem's Terra Cotta, I knew that I had found the perfect "melon" colored yarn. I took the plunge and bought the four skeins even though I need 6 or 7, certain that I could find more on-line. My good freind Google - with the yarn name and dye lot - found more here.

I met up with a few of the ladies that from Stitch and Bitch New Haven at the sale. After we had our purchases we went to a friend of Katy's house and knit on his enclosed porch. I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to start my Melanshawly with such wonderful company while sitting in actual sunshine!




Check out the awesome ornament that my Sherry Godmother sent me for Christmas. I still have to find a place to display her in my apartment, but I cannot imagine only putting her on a tree once a year. Her skirt is even hand knit!

And Knitting Ewe on the Go will be up and going again soon!