Sweater for Baby Anna

I have been quite the slacker when it comes to knitting any baby gifts for friends, but I'm not being too hard on myself. The babies grow too quickly, and unless they're a knitter themselves, I'd rather just get people what they need, and spend my free time doing the 27 other things that I always end up committing myself to.

I made an exception for my fellow knitting friend, Olivia and her new daughter, Anna. It's a good thing I went ahead and made the 12 month old size, so she can wear it in late spring or cool summer nights. Mind you, her baby was born in June, this sweater was finished in October, and I just blocked it yesterday.

The pattern is the Baby Jacket with Moss Stitch Edges from Rosie's Yarn Cellar and the yarn is Ella Rae that I loved, but never got around to using for myself.

I think this little girl will enjoy the not-too girly but fun pinks, purples and oranges. If not, she can't really talk yet, so I will never know! I jest...

Rhinebeck Sheep & Wool Festival

I've always wanted to make the trek to upstate New York for the famous Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival. It's been on my road trip to-do list for so long, that I decided to replace Siberian trans-continental train ride with easier-to-accomplish-attend Rhineback on my 102 Life List. (Crossed off!) I had the oppto attend last weekend with four of my Degenerate Knitting friends. What a treat!

I was most looking forward to enjoying the scenery, the fall leaves, a peek of the Hudson River Valley, eating some good food, and hanging with friends. I didn't even need to get any yarn. The only thing I wanted to buy this year was (avert your eyes, my vegetarian friends), was a sheepskin, and some type of apple treat.

Early Saturday morning, I found my sheepskin from the local and family-owned Weston Farm. Their cute and friendly son, and namesake for the farm hand selected my sheepskin for me. Right before I bought it, there was the cutest two year old girl laying upon piles of sheepskins a la Princess and the Pea in the largest display of bliss I've ever seen. That sold me immediately.

The weather was quite temperate, and I was very comfortable at 25 weeks pregnant with maternity leggings, flip flops, a t-shirt and my favorite (but somewhat snug now!) denim chambray shirt.

Everyone was so lovely, and people just started conversations with you wherever you were sitting, eating, or lined up. Natalie, (my talented friend who spins gorgeous yarn) and I met a hilarious Canadian mother and daughter, while I kept her company in an hour long line to buy fleece. It was like Disney World, but nobody was mean or cranky.

I shared an apple pie a la mode with Robin, and brought a caramel apple home for dessert. My budget was in line, so I treated myself to one skein of Creatively Dyed Yarns, since I cannot pass up her unique skills and colors that match an explosion of the universe.

On the way back to our hotel, Robin, our photographer of the bunch, really wanted to snap some photos of the Hudson River Valley. We were near a Vanderbilt Mansion, so enjoyed an impromptu stroll on the estate before sunset. I thought it was neat to see this historic setting that inspired the Hudson River School Painters.

Being the driver, with as much fun as we had, it is always good to be home again and relax after an action packed weekend. I also just wanted to test out my new sheepskin and see how comfortable it would be in it's new home!

Mike is already trying to steal it...

Packed + Shipped

My Etsy Shop has been open since October 1st and I've had the good fortune to sell five of my color study paintings! I've always loved wrapping presents, and it's been such a pleasure to wrap these packages nicely and ship them off across the country. I will say that my first and second sale were to a friend in Philly, so those were delivered by hand with two hugs.

The painting inspired by Rainier Cherries at the Headhouse Row Farmer's Market in Philadelphia was sent to Baltimore to celebrate someone's birthday.

Inspired by a hot pink and orange sunset, this painting was sent to a sweet friend in Louisville, Kentucky.

Two of my favorite colors, pink from fruit juice and purple from a cloth napkin, were done in ink, and shipped to Chicago.

The sales are going straight to my Rhineback Sheep and Wool trip fund this weekend! I'm traveling to upstate New York with four girlfriends to check out livestock, enjoy the Fall leaves, drink cider and meet up with some pals. I'm looking forward to it, and have fingers and legs crossed for no rain! I don't really need any yarn, but if I see a sheepskin I love, I may have to buy it...you know, for the baby, right? It would be rude not to!

Pink, Purple + Wutang

I always thought I'd be one of those people who wait to find out the gender of their child, but Mike and I both decided we wanted to find out. Last week, we had the opportunity to see ultrasound shots showing a very active, healthy, and animated little boy! He was yawning, and it was caught on the scan looking like Edvard Munch's famous painting, "The Scream". If you know me, I have a reputation for making crazy faces in photographs, so it's only fitting that my future son will be as ridiculous with his facial expressions as me. One of the perks about finding out the gender from a designer / crafter standpoint is getting to go crazy with colors. Though I'm not a stickler when it comes to gender specific colors (us artists love all colors), I knew if it was a boy that I'd have to contain my magpie tendencies regarding hot-pink, purple, sparkles, sequins, and shiny things. (It's ironic that I'm also a tomboy, right?)

Perhaps my sub-conscious knew it was a boy, since I held off after drooling over these pinks, corals, and peach skeins of Koigu at knitting circle.

After rethinking my girly color palette, I was inspired by my friend Kate Gagnon Osborne, who I think has amazing taste, and an adorable little girl to boot.  She recently knit this adorable unisex Tiny Rocky Coast cardigan for her daughter, and I thought I would cast-on as well in another color.

It's only fitting that I cast-on with Fibre Company Canopy yarn that Kate (and Courtney Kelley) distribute. If you haven't used Fibre Company yarn, you may not want to start. Anything else will feel like scratchy plastic yarn next to the luxuriousness.

I would usually not make a baby sweater with such pretty yarn, but I figure the cute little Skeletor deserves a few nice things to start with. We can always wash it. Right?!

But just to even out the clothing wardrobe, we are loving the Wutang Clan onesie given to us from my cousin, Ryan. I think it will be a ton of fun to use a small baby as a billboard. (Insert a crazy Marissa facial expression of pure glee.)

Charlotte's Web Shawl

Every few months, my knitting friends "The Degenerate Knitters", have a brunch. This past month, I hosted it at my house. In typical Degenerate Knitter fashion, our "brunch" started around 11AM and ended at 5:30PM. We talked (loudly), ate and drank (a lot), and even had a round 2 dessert platter filled with donuts and baklava. I love that group of ladies so much.

With all the knitting going on, I was finally inspired to start a project with Koigu Mill Ends I bought in 2008.

The yarn is currently being knit up into a Charlotte's Web Shawl, which I've always hesitated to start due to a confusing chart. With my friends nearby and a few repeat attempts, I finally am getting the hang of it.

The pattern isn't really that hard, but every time I think I have it down, I screw it up.

Bring it on, Fall! I'm enjoying my knitting this year.

More Yellow

I'm using the hot days of summer as an excuse to sit inside, watching the Olympics, reading and knitting without feeling bad about not being outside too much. I left myself 4 days to read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, which was my book club's pick for this month. Just as my friends had told me, it's an edge of your seat psychological thriller. I'm glad I waited so long to read it, just so that I don't have to wait long to talk about how crazy the plot twists were with my girlfriends. Quick read, entertaining, suspenseful, and I'm still not sure if I like many of the characters. That may be a good thing though!

I've had 5 skeins of this lofty, beautiful butter yellow Twinkle Soft Chunky yarn in my stash for a couple of years. It was gifted to me, and I'm using it to make Wenlan Chia's Lacy Chunky Throw. It's knit on huge needles and goes a long way, but I'm thinking that I may need to buy 2 additional skeins to get it to the right size. My yarn budget may call for some heavy blocking instead! Isn't it pretty though? Yellow has become my own personal color of the year.

See what I mean? I can't get enough of it. I can't help myself from hoping fluorescents stay as long as possible! Fingers crossed...

Handknit Socks

I'm giving sock knitting a second chance. I didn't think it was for me, but I love the portability of socks, the idea of making them, and having endless semi-mindless knitting that you can bring with you whenever you have a spare moment.

When I finished my most recent pair this weekend, I was pleasantly surprised that they are super comfortable, even for a picky sock wearer like myself. I grew up wearing flip flops everywhere or being in a pool, so socks and shoes still get on my nerves sometimes. Plus, I was totally one of those kids that drove her mother crazy lining up the velcro on my shoes perfectly (they were too tight!) and changing my socks two times since they "felt weird".  I still remember those socks too! I still wouldn't wear them today. They were a polyblend material material with odd heel placement and felt crunchy-stretchy. Thankfully, my mom was awesome and also bought socks that even I liked. My mom will be rolling her eyes right now!

Off to cast on another pair for the next few months, since other projects will be calling to me before the warm weather hits.

Perhaps we should clean up the Library / Studio before I start another project...

Wednesday Nights

Wednesday nights for the past seven years are usually reserved for knitting circle at Rosie's Yarn Cellar.  I love the amazing women that have become part of my life through this group.  If you ever move to a new city or are looking to make some new friends, I definitely recommend joining some type of club or social group. Even if you only have one thing in common with someone, it's amazing how much more quickly you can click. This is not to say that we're all the same, we are all vastly different, yet we each enrich each others lives in various ways. I consider myself lucky to belong to this riff-raff group of gals. On my way to Rosie's, I usually window shop a bit, grab a coffee or some Yogorino in the summer, and stop by Anthropologie for some inspiration. My most recent jaunt found me coveting woven rainbow colored placemats that I took a photo of to remember.

I always walk through Rittenhouse Park to see the dogs (today I met an 11 week old black lab who was not doing a good job with the sit command), look at the trees, people watch, and usually finish my daily phone call with my dear mom. Today I hit the jackpot and saw a cute twenty-something man with a boombox and a kid-n-play haircut. This and the puppy had me smiling for at least 12 minutes.

My knitting mojo ebbs and flows with the seasons. This month I'm finding myself wanting to start a project with every skein of stash yarn I have. I'm limiting myself to finishing a pair of socks (possibly tonight), and starting a cowl or infinity scarf with some beautiful Manos del Uruguay yarn Sherry gave me for my birthday.

Isn't it gorgeous? It's even prettier, loftier and softer in person.

I've been saving it for something special, and my fingers are itching to use it. I'll let you know how it turns out.

The good Wednesdays end with dinner at a local restaurant, some more knitting and raucous laughter. I'm glad to say today was one of those days. Easy friendship, companionship and something to keep your hands busy. Win-win for all.