August 2013 catch-up

Did you miss me? I missed you. Between feeding and caring for a baby and trying to keep my household running, I find that I have much less time for crafting than I previously had. It was expected, of course, but it's still an adjustment. However, it doesn't mean that I could stop knitting. That's like dying, right? 

Anyway, let's take a look at a few things from August. Now, don't judge. I am only human. Just be glad that I've managed a shower in these pics....and remember, this was about a month after having a baby. I'm not going to be svelte for a while. Besides, you're supposed to be looking at the knitwear.

Alright, look at this!

This little shawl-thingy is called Good Vibrations and is by SaBine Vogelpoth. You can get this pattern free on Ravelry (at least that's where I got it).  Hers is done either in a variegated or self-striping or in two yarns to show off the pattern. However, I thought it would look smashing in a yarn with long repeats - like Noro. I found the pattern while I was trying to figure out what to do with 2 skeins of Noro Taiyo Sock that my mother had given me a couple Christmases ago. The pattern is not specifically calling out this yarn, but I thought the long color repeats would help to accentuate the great detail of the triangles on the edges of the shawl.

Here's the closeup. I made the shawl much longer than the pattern goes, but since it's an easy and easily memorable pattern, it was easy to extend. I just kept going until I ran out of yarn.  This is a great pattern for anyone who needs a relatively easy project that doesn't need much attention. It's garter with shortrows every now and then. Simple and yet really nice.

What's this? GORGEOUS is what it is. I had decided to be on a yarn diet after my son was born until Stitches next February....and I completely forgot when I stopped by Purlescence to show off the baby and pick up a couple needed needles.

At least when I fell down, I bought something gorgeous.....oh, and it's Madeline Tosh!!

Did you know that Crown Mountain was ceasing its operations in June? Yes, I mean this passed June. Well, knowing that, I felt the need to make an order. It was not a huge order, like some of my friends did. But I did buy four 8oz bumps of roving.



My thought process was that I wanted to branch out, color-wise, before they closed. I always buy blues, reds, pinks, purples, greens. I decided that I needed to buy somethings that made me explore color - oranges, yellows, browns, and mixes that were more wild than what I would normally choose.

So, here are the 4 that I purchased - they came in the mail after a long wait - but that makes sense. I ordered them at the very last minute and I know, for a fact, that several people ordered large amounts before me. I was surprised these came so relatively soon.




Oh, and also, they are beautiful. This brown and orange one is really a leap of faith for me. I don't really love it now and I'm afraid I won't love it when it's spun. But I needed to branch out and knowing that I couldn't order more later made it a real sh*t or get off the pot situation.



So, 4 lovely colors to spin, nowhere in my Fiboreum to store them, and a new baby who is leaving me no time to spin.....