Star Crossed Slouchy Beret

I was hesitant about releasing the pics for my beret, even though I had finished this long ago. Mostly because I wanted really good pics of me modeling it in a matching outfit. But the weather won't cooperate, I can't seem to be well for 2 days straight, and my husband never seems in the mood for a photo shoot. And then I gave it some thought. Maybe my trademark should be that I am seldom seen in my photos. Maybe I can be like the Wizard behind the curtain. Because, lets face it. Me being a model would be like Bridget Jones doing a Victoria's Secret fashion shoot. Now, both the fictional Bridget and I have a close band of friends that we love and who love us. She even has Colin Firth (lucky wench!). I have my hubby (my version of Colin). But we all know that there will be no pics of me popping up in a Frederick's of Hollywood ad anytime soon. So I guess that I will have to let my work speak for itself.

This was a stashbuster project. The yarn I used is really fuzzy. When they said slouchy, I had no idea. I was starting to get nervous, because it looked like it was never going to end, and all I was making was a really long tube. But I do like the squishyness of the cables. And it is *really* slouchy. Sometimes it kind of wants to fall off of my head. Personally, I think it would be better suited for someone with really long hair, but I am going to keep it anyway because I love the color.

Tanis Fiber Art Contest

Tanis fiber art is running a contest for enough fiber to make Hannah Fettig's wispy cardi. You get an additional chance if you mention your fave colorway on your blog, so here goes. I like moss because my favorite color is green. And that green would really match and enhance my eyes.

Bramble beret

Ok, so I know that I promised more pics of me, but that has been an epic fail. It has been raining, sleeting, and where I live, there is wind. Not just breezes. I am talking about epic, gale-force wind. And I also want a pretty background. That is not my backyard. My backyard is pretty much rock and intermittent poopy patrol. Not cute. And my husband, who would take the pics, is now busy working all the time. Maybe it just isn't meant to be.
So, in the meantime, the only pics you get are my items being blocked. I did the bramble beret. I love the finished product. Right size, fascinating cables, and it held my interest. I have even started receiving compliments and requests. I used cascade 220 wool, which goes on for miles. I used a sage color. Yet another varying color of green, my fave color.

Pretty cute, huh? I have been stash busting like a mad woman. Sometimes I wish that I could have a different hat/glove/cowl/sweater color, but then I think about the raving lecture I will get from my hubby, and I suck it up. Besides, it gives me an excuse to buy a shirt/skirt/pants/blouse to match the accessory I just made!
Sneak peak:star crossed slouchy beret. It requires a full view of my head!

Gratification, Yours and Mine

First, another shout out to Julie Crawford, of http://knittedbliss.com, for her recent pattern publish in knitty. It seems like a lovely racerback. If my time was not consumed with literally 1,000 other commissioned projects, I would love to make that. I have been racking my brains for an appropriate summer knit. The racerback looks great on her, as usual. But she could design a mauve potato sack, wear no make up, and still look like Petra Nemcova. I hope that it would look well on me. I very rarely make anything for myself, especially sweaters. I have a difficult time with my body proportions. I am very short, short-waisted, and busty.
Everybody always thinks it is soooooo great to have big boobs. Let me tell ya, it ain't so hot. My wardrobe options are severely limited. And big bras aren't particularly cute. You would think that big boobs would be the perfect accessory to every outfit, but they are more like your worst nightmare. What fits on top is like a circus tent on the bottom. What fits on the bottom makes it look like your cups runneth over. And I do not particularly like to have my chest poking out in all directions. I prefer to be tastefully modest. I think that you can be covered and sexy at the same time.
On the plus side, while knitting in a dr.'s office yesterday, I was complimented for a beret I was wearing. A lady struck up a converstation with me, asking me about my knitting, do I accept commissioned projects, design, etc. So I explained to her the nature of what I was doing and attempting to delve into currently, and she said that she would be interested in at least 2 hats of a similar nature to mine and potentially a blanket and sweater in the near future. Yippee! This just proves what I had been saying to my husband:
1.) It was a good thing for me to buy those gosh darn business cards.
2.) It was good for me to have a blog and a ravelry id.
3.) It is always good for me to wear at least 1 thing that I have made out in public, and that I need to make more things for myself.
4.) We need a better camera, and I need to post more pics of myself.

Knitting and Crochet Blog Week:Last Post (Yes, I know I am a day late. Somehow, you are surprised?!)

Bring the fortune and life of a past finished project up to the present. Document the current state and use of an object you have knitted or crocheted, whether it is the hat your sister wears to school almost every day, or a pair of socks you wore until they were full of hole. Or maybe that jumper that your did just didn’t like that much…
When I lived in California, I worked for Wells Fargo as a personal banker in a grocery store branch. For those who don't understand the concept, it is a small bank literally inside of a grocery store. We had 3 tellers at any given time there also. One was a very elderly Japanese woman named Sachi. She was a hoot. Incredibly funny, and spunky as all get out. She was probably about 4'6". She was always pinching my cheeks and telling me what a good girl I was. She used to bring me home-made sushi and cut persimmons from her tree at home. I loved that woman.
She made me a parrot green crocheted hat and a scarf made with matching said yarn combined with fun fur. I abhor acrylic yarn, but I wear that thing dutifully every year. Not only does it keep me warm, but it keeps her alive in my mind. I cherish that gift. I don't know what ever happened to Sachi. But I will love her always.

P.S. For those of you who have asked why I don't have many pictures of myself on my blog, it is because my husband isn't around often enough to take pictures of me in my knits, and it doesn't usually occur to me to get dressed up and model them for you. I'm not that great of a model. Sorry!

Knitting and Crochet Blog Week Part 3

Blog about a pattern or project which you aspire to. Whether it happens to be because the skills needed are ones which you have not yet acquired, or just because it seems like a huge undertaking of time and dedication, most people feel they still have something to aspire to in their craft. If you don’t feel like you have any left of the mountain of learning yet to climb, say so!
So many projects inpire and awe me. So many are just totally out of my league at this point, be it in ability or time. I have made leaps and bounds, but I have so far to go. I really think that the apex for me at this point is the Nightingale by Vintage Purls. You can find it on Ravelry. She took a sock pattern of beautiful nightingale birds perching on trailing tree/vine thingys and turned it into an amazingly complex pattern of a shawl collared cardigan. Yes, that is what I said, A CARDIGAN! I don't even know how it enters into your head to do that. It would never even occur to me. I'm in awe. I want to bend down, prostrate myself, and say,"I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy!"

Knitting and Crocheting Blog Week Part 2 Make Up time

I was slow to join the party. So I have 2 more topics so that I will have 5 topics to have covered for the 5 days of the week that have gone by. The previous 3 topics I covered were hints taken from Knitted Bliss' Julie Crawford (I have already covered her fabulosity, so I won't gild the lily any longer), and the next 2 I have actually picked up as hints from the knit and crochet blog website. I hope that you enjoy.
Topic 1: Location, Location, Location
Where do you like to indulge in your craft? Is your favourite arm chair your little knitting cubby area, or do you prefer to ‘knit in public’? Do you like to crochet in the great outdoors, perhaps, or knit in the bath, or at the pub?
When I was trying to establish my knitting room, I had delusions of grandeur for a gliding rocker or a lovely deep armchair. This, however, would have posed a problem, because my knitting room was 1/2 of a attic/loft, which sloped deeply. So those chairs would have to be very short. I am already very short, 5'1", but to find such a chair would have been difficult. Lord willing, I will find an average room for my dream yarn room someday.
As for wierd places I have knit, I must say that I have no shame. I used to work at a hospital, so I have knit behind an ER desk. I knit while I am fishing or camping near a campfire. I knit when I am recovering from surgery. I normally knit in the living room on the couch. I knit every where. I think that knitting in the bath would be problematic with non-colorfast yarn. And I have knit under the influence, but following a pattern while doing so is rather tricky.
Topic 2: One Great Knitter

Write about a knitter whose work (whether because of project choice, photography, styling, scale of projects, stash, etc) you enjoy. If they have an enjoyable blog, you might find it a good opportunity to send a smile their way.
Ok. Here goes. I have admiration for several people. I love nevernotknitting's Alana Dakos. I have the good fortune of being her friend. She is all-around wonderful person, and a great designer. In addition to being beautiful and a fantastic knitter. Oh, and a very amusing podcaster. Here is her link: http://www.nevernotknitting.blogspot.com/
Next up: Everybody knows Stephanie Pearl McPhee. Her work is genius. I dream that someday she will send me a pair of socks that she made for me. (By the way, I am a women's size medium, and I love green)Also, she is hysterically funny, and I always find myself guffawing at her commentary. Here is her link: http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/
I have always continued to rave about Julie Crawford's Knitted Bliss blog. She is amusing, her knits are awesome, colors are great. We share a similar sensibility and other interests. Only a few differences. My photos aren't that great, I do not wear a size 0, and I can't seem to crank out a new project every 3 days. Oh, and I don't look like a supermodel. But catch it! She is the bomb! http://www.knittedbliss.com/
I also love Thea Colman of Baby Cocktails. Her knits have just the right amount of sensibility for my area. Thin, gossamer knits are awesome, and I would make and wear them all the time if I could. But they just don't wear well out here in CO. Her knits are wearable, durable, and have a east coast/western chic that I think that I could pull off. http://www.babycocktails.blogspot.com/
And finally, the blue garter, aka Sarah. She is from Portland, OR. A mecca for awesome yarn stores. Lucky girl. I love everything she does. It really speaks to me. Her color combos and designs. Wow. I don't know. It just fills my soul. And her baby Ada is pretty darn cute too.http://www.bluegarter.org