Inspirational

Today I went to Book People here in Austin to hear the Yarn Harlot speak on her book tour:




It looks a whole lot like I'm a million miles away from her, but really I was just a few rows back standing behind a bookcase. She read a few chapters from her book and did a little Q&A.

I've always enjoyed her blog and her books and was happy to learn she's just as funny and witty in person.

Unfortunately, I didn't get my book signed because I didn't have a receipt for it. I actually preordered it on Amazon weeks ago and didn't think about it. Oops.

She did talk about the sweater from hell and her harrowing story was motivation for me to come home and finally get to working on finishing the Pole sweater that's been about 75% complete for several weeks now.

You can sort of see that I'm making some headway on the sleeves. This part is always the fastest bit and I actually really like the DPNs that I bought at my LYS. They are much smoother than the Clover Bamboo needles that have been in my yarn bag for years.



I have to admit that I've been having second thoughts about giving this sweater away. It was originally meant as a Christmas gift for my future MIL, but I'm worried about the size. I guess I can always just give it to her and if it's too big, I can shock it in the dryer for 30 seconds at a time to shrink it up just a bit. It's so hard to get sizes right for people who live a few thousand miles away!

Because I have no freakin' self control, that's why.

I went to my favorite yarn shop today to pick up a pair of DPNs so I can finish the Pole sweater. I knew I should have just picked up the needles, paid for them and then been on my merry way, but oh no noooo! I had to take a quick look around. Bought this beauty for no reason. I told myself, "That would make a beautiful Christmas Multnomah for someone." What it really meant, "That would make a great RIGHT THIS SECOND Multnomah for me."

MadelineTosh Merino Light - Opaline color way


Ya, no freakin' self control.

Goodies!

I am on a knitting roll! I finished the knitting of my Prairie Boots and picked up some gorgeous, inexpensive buttons for them today. 

I'm just waiting on the slipper bottoms from my friend to get these babies 100% finished. I also ordered more yarn to make 2 more pair this morning. Mom is getting a pair of navy colored with these gorgeous buttons:

Lastly, I went by Gauge Knits yesterday to pick up my special ordered yarn for my Dahlia Cardigan. I'm really thinking of scaling back the Christmas knitting this year so I can get started on that sweater as soon as possible. It's too beautiful to sit in a bag! But, I've promised myself to finish the Pole sweater first. It just needs two little sleeves!!

Sorry for the terrible picture. Really, it's awful.

Goals for the Weekend

Although I am working 8AM - 5PM on Saturday to help out my dad's company and we have football beginning at noon tomorrow and lasting til nearly 11PM, I have a few goals I intend to meet this weekend. Who cares if I need extra hours to get them done?


Goals:
1) Knit at least one sleeve on the Pole sweater. 
2) Finish one Prairie Boot slipper.
3) Knit at least down to the heel flap on the Boot Socks. 
4) Drink a whole pot of coffee.  DONE!


To my Canadian friends, Happy Thanksgiving! 

Knitamania

It seems lately I've been too busy knitting to blog about knitting. Imagine that. A few of my most recent projects include:
1) Pole - the sweater that has been sitting on my desk sleeveless for a week and nearly damned finished

2) Prairie Boots - I've had this pattern in my library for years and finally decided it's time to make them.

3) Multnomah - This is one of those ridiculously easy to memorize and whip-out type project so it hangs out on my desk and I knit a few rows here and there while waiting for other things.

4)  Falling Snow Stocking - OK so I'm still waiting on the yarn to arrive for this one, but I'm still looking at pictures on Ravelry obsessively and daydreaming about how mine will look.

5) Pints On! mittens - Still waiting for the yarn to arrive for these too. DFH (darling future hubby) used the wrong suite number for the shipping address and the original order was sent back. Luckily, Knitpicks has fantastic customer service and sent me out a replacement order to my work address lickety split.

That's really it as far as the knitting goes. Oh wait. I lied.


6) The Dahlia Cardigan has been calling my name in my dreams every since I gazed upon it in the Fall 2011 issue of Interweave Knits. Two of my lovely bridesmaids gifted me with a $35 gift card to my favorite LYS, Gauge, and I used that to put toward buying myself yarn for this beauty. They had to special order the yarn, so I've got some time on this one as well.

In between knitting a ridiculous amount of projects that I'm all equally obsessed with, I'm also planning a wedding and have fallen head over heels into the Pinterest trap. At first it started with just a wedding inspiration board. Then it grew to fall inspiration, Christmas inspiration, knitting ideas, other crafts, home ideas and sweet treats. If it weren't for pets and a DFH, I don't think I'd be able to pry myself off my laptop and go to bed at night. 


Gotta go make dinner now. No really, I swear I'm going to make dinner and NOT go add more things to my Pinterest board. Seriously. Promise.