for those of you here for the yarn...

we have some knitting updates! some good, some not so good.

let's start with the not so good.

coachella... ah, how i coveted thee from the moment the new knitty came out... you didn't work with the first yarn, so i hoped you'd work with the second. that'd be a big no. you cling where i don't want to be clung. that's basically my problem with you. i love the pattern, the ingenuity of the design, the presented mods for short row bust shaping. but see how i scowl because of you?



anyhow, made with 4 sk of patons katrina in ocean on 4.0mm and 5.0mm needles over about 2 weeks. i didn't even bother to weave in the ends because i'm-a-just gonna frog you and retry a bevin tank.

onward to happier times.

like the everlasting bagstopper! yes, look how green and environmentally conscious i am! yeah, no, not really. i just wanted a stretchy cotton bag in which to carry my groceries on the bus. i need the plastic bags for poop disposal. in case you need clarification, that's DOG poop disposal. anyhow, i haven't bought the twill tape for the handles yet... next weekend i believe. knit of peaches n creme (or sugar n creme, i can't really remember, and they're basically the same. sturdy, no-nonsense dishcloth cotton) on 6.5mm and 4.0mm needles. done in 2 colors because i ran out of blue and didn't feel like buying more when i have half a ton of the stuff in my cabinet. not because i'm a UCLA fan. the only mod is that i didn't do the spirally lace pattern, i cross-bred it with the climbing trellis lace pattern and alternated directions every 6 rows.



lastly, the newb. here is the UO circular shrug that started its craze on figandplum a few years ago. jess even called me brilliant. it was ultimately brought to life by committee on craftster and can be found on peonyknits for free. i started it last night and am up to here:



i'm using the kiparoo farms celtic lace 100% organic peruvian cotton. the yarn comes in 3 solid colors, and 3 ragg colorways, but the cotton is undyed - it grows those shades. mine's in a babysoft lodeny greeny color. i have 650 yards of the stuff... here's to hoping that on 6.5mm needles that will be enough. the yarn comes in two 325 yard hanks.

i'm thinking of knitting as much as i can from the first half and starting the second half from the bottom and joining them in the middle so i get as much as i can out of the hanks.

i love love love this yarn - it's the softest cotton i have ever felt in my whole life, ever.

in other news, i'm starting to try combination knitting to see if can even out my stitches and rows. if you don't know what i'm talking about, google away my friends... i've officially run out of blogging steam.

look eye, always look eye!

i had a fabulous weekend which included the following:

1. magical pei lo mein, butterstick herself!
2. cheap vending machine glitter temporary tattoos!
3. moby dick!
4. buying HP7 (and having butterstick buy me HP4 which i've never owned but is my favorite!)
5. the madness of downtown silver spring all gussied up as diagon alley (and people who think HP costume contests include dressing up as slooty witches) with a florian fortescue's, leaky cauldron and flourish and blotts. okay that part wasn't the most fun, but it was...er, something.
6. going kayaking on the potomac again at thompson boat center. (note to self, i'm not good at sharing responsibility and tasks in a double kayak. next time, pants and i will get separate kayaks)
7. getting a GOOD PEDI for the first time since i've been here. and! it's cheaper than any other place i've gone here! and! they did such a good job...
8. eating an amazingly yummy dinner at rosemary's thyme bistro in dupont circle (be forewarned, the bartender has a heavy hand, which led to me ordering then returning an orange martini, then getting a sprite).
9. watching the karate kid on DVD, purchased from the sale bin at giant.
10. brunch at the diner in adams morgan.
11. shopping for suits at filene's basement.
12. dairy queen

i have rekindled pomatomus, the second sock as well as cast on for elisa's nest tote. i cast off coachella, but need to weave in ends. i don't like it that much. booooooooo...