Sunday Morning Adventures

Posted on February 24, 2013 by atangledyarn84

After getting much needed feedback yesterday on my “Where To Stop” dilemma, I made a yarn store run this morning. The husband was sleeping in after a late night of video gaming. I may be a yarn nerd but I married an extremely committed technology gaming nerd. My Chevron Blanket uses Loops N Threads Charisma yarn from Michaels. The store doesn’t open until 10 am on Sunday and I arrived 15 minutes early due to favorable traffic. I was amazed that I was not the first one there! I kid you not there were 8 to 10 cars parked and waiting for the store to open. Never under estimate the commitment of crafty people. I snagged my needed two skeins of yarn I needed to extend my blanket. I wanted three but the store was out of the royal blue (sad face). I did score some clearance Lion Brand Nature’s Choice Organic Cotton (happy face). I got out of the store before I put an even bigger dent in my pocket book.

Next stop was Sam’s Club. We needed supplies to stock up on before “Blizzard of Oz, part II”. We got 10-12 inches of snow last Wednesday/Thursday in what they dubbed: The Blizzard of Oz. We are set for round two starting tonight and snowing through Tuesday morning. So far they are predicting another 10-14 inches. I picked up bottled water, food staples, and dog food in case we get snowed in for a couple of days. I have plenty of yarn to work through a hundred blizzards, but we’re not going to talk about that. Sam’s was packed and I ran into at least five people I knew. At least people are taking the storm seriously!

Last stop was Starbucks. A girlfriend gave me a gift card for baby sitting her baby girl so she and her husband could have some date night time last month. I don’t usually get Starbucks but I had the gift card and wanted to try their blonde roast. Again never under estimate the commitment of caffeine addicts. I had to park and go in because the drive through line was running 9 cars deep. Even with parking and walking I had my Venti Skinny Mocha’ Cafe in less than five minutes and back on my way. It was delicious by the way.

Having a little “me” time this morning was wonderful. I got to indulge my yarn addiction, my caffeine addiction, and get some chores done. Sometimes I just need to get out and about by myself to clear my head. I love spend time with my family and friends but I also like being independent. Now my husband has woken up and I am trying to convince him to take me for Thai food “because the storm is coming”, lol. Good excuse as any right?

Project Dilemma: When To Stop

Posted on February 23, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I have been chronicling my Chevron Blanket here, here, and here. This started as a baby blanket but I have to admit its morphed into more of a lap blanket, lol.

I am on my last skein of yarn and I’m torn. Right now the length covers from my toes to barely mid chest. If I were to add another color/pattern repeat of three more skeins it would comfortably reach my shoulders. The length and weight of the blanket make it difficult to work. This makes half of me want to just be done with project and move on to other WIPs. But I really want to make this blanket useable and therefore the other half of me wants to buy three more skeins of yarn and keep going.

So I putting this out there to ask for opinions from readers. Thoughts anyone?

A Present for Mere

Posted on February 20, 2013 by atangledyarn84

A very dear friend recently asked for a soft lightweight cowl in red. So I pursued Ravelry and just didn’t find anything worthy of Mere. She has gorgeous pale skin with dark cocoa colored hair.

Mere and I share a love of wine, so I pulled two skeins of Lion Brand Natures Choice Organic Cotton in variegated reds and browns. The reds remind me of the different colors of red wine and the browns will pop against her hair.

And away I went! I cast on about 210 sts and I plan on working back and forth between lace sections and stockinette sections. If this design works out I hope to launch this as a free design here on my blog and on Ravelry.

This is my purse/public knitting project, so I hope it will go quickly! I can’t wait to see Mere wearing it. She is gorgeous in anything but I love that she adores my hand knits!

Happy Knitting!

Stashbustin’ #10

Posted on February 19, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I’m crazy….I have WIP-itis! I was so in love with my finished Zig Zag Baby Blanket and the beautiful chevrons I had to cast on another. This time I’m opting for chevrons more like the ones from my Waves N Ripples Blanket. I like the solid fabric feel, not that the lace detail isn’t lovely. I think solid fabric is just more suitable for a blanket. (Just my opinion…don’t shoot the blogger)

I’m improvising the design using soft pink and bright white cottons. This blanket is definitely destined for a baby girl. I have so many WIPs that I’m not sure where it falls in the queue, lol. But for now it’s in my “couch” knitting spot!

Happy Knitting!

Status Update: Chevron Blanket

Posted on February 18, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Progress on Stashbustin’ #7

Five and a half stripes down on my Chevron Baby Blanket! I plugged some serious time into this project. I had a migraine most of Saturday. It was wicked, I got so dizzy I almost passed out when I stood up. As a lifelong allergy sufferer, unfortunately these hit me a couple times a year. Usually at wild weather swing. My husband basically ordered me to the couch so I wouldn’t fall or hurt myself. Upside, I had several hours of uninterrupted (quiet) movie watching while knitting.

This is usually my bed time knitting but I needed a familiar and soothing project this weekend. Not sure when I’ll be done with this one, and I don’t care. It’s a warm and soft project they I’m thoroughly enjoying.

I get the day off from my big kid job for Presidents Day. I was hopeful for some knitting time but I have a doctors appointment and a meeting with an insurance agent. Exciting stuff right?

I wish everyone a happy Monday!

Time To Knit

Posted on February 16, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Being under thirty with a very busy schedule, I get two questions ALL the time:
1- You knit!?
2- How do you have time for it?

Knitting is a very big part of my life and I don’t have a problem KIP (knitting in public). I usually just smile and tell people that its easy to knit all the time. I have projects in my purse, in my desk at work, and almost every room in the house. And a yarn stash to back it all up, lol!

Just today I knit:
– on the couch having my morning coffee before I went to the gym
– in line at the post office to ship an order
– in line at grocery store waiting to check out
– waiting for sushi guy to make my lunch to go order
– on my couch again while catching up on this weeks DVR shows
And it’s not even 2pm!

Sure people stare and look at me like I have two heads, but it doesn’t bother me. When I have time to kill, I knit to pass the time. When I’m relaxing, I knit to enjoy the time. And when it’s all said and done I get a cool FO.

Today at grocery store, the cashier smiled at me and said “look at you wasting no time!” She made my day. I could tell she was a fellow crafter.

For now I’m off to cast on next week’s projects and make some progress on my current WIPs!

Happy Saturday 🙂

Book Review: A Life In Stitches

Posted on February 14, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I’ve had Rachel Herron’s A Life In Stitches on my bookshelf for awhile. For some reason I had the urge to pick it up this past week. I read the whole thing in two days

This book was amazing! It was the right book for my life right now. Rachel Herron is awesome. Her essays were heartwarming in one chapter and heart wrenching in the next. This book literally made me cry. Not cute little dab-your-eye tears but actual crocodile-check-your-makeup tears. This book explores the highs and lows of life and how knitting intertwined with it all. And even how knitters can build a community and friendships without ever meeting in person.

EVERY KNITTER NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK! But beware, grab Kleenex and a good glass of wine. No spoilers here, just a wish to share this wonderful book. I stumbled upon it on Amazon mostly because I’ll buy most any book remotely related to knitting, lol. I connected very powerfully to the family stories in this book and its helping me process my Grandmothers passing and even my Mothers current grief.

Won’t you please give it a read?

FO: Zig Zag Baby Blanket

Posted on February 13, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Warning: this post may get a bit mushy!

My Zig Zag Blanket is complete!!!

It turned out a bit more square than rectangle, but then again so am! The Bernat Cottontots Solid is butter soft but yet washable! The pattern was easy to memorize but yet so complicated looking. I couldn’t put this project down!

I did a lot of thinking during this blanket. First off, this blanket is made for a fellow knitter and her firstborn. I kept thinking “She’s going to love this! Even better she’s going to truly understand how much energy and time went into each stitch” There is just something so inherently different in knitting for a knitter. Not that I’m saying knitting for the general public isn’t fun! It’s just that I pour so much of myself into my projects I almost hate to part with them. I’m a process knitter, I can look at a piece and know exactly what I was doing and thinking while I was knitting it. The process of making the FO is what’s important to me, the love that woven with each knit and purl. Only a knitter understands this obsession and it feels good to be understood and appreciated!

This blanket will forever be linked to my memory of my Grandma Leta. She passed while I was working on this project. I couldn’t help but hope the little baby girl who gets this will love her Grandma just as much. This blanket was good therapy as I worked through grief and sadness. Knitting goes a long way to heal any kind of wound. It doesn’t cover it up or erase it as much as it soothes and eases. (See I told you this was going to get sappy!)

Stitch after stitch, knitting goes on. Just like life. I miss Grandma but I also can’t wait to meet sweet baby Lazo. Sweet and sad at the same time. Knitting is such an integral part of life I’d feel lost without it. Now on to my other WIPs, I’ve got more love to share!!!

Happy Knitting

Best Laid Plans

Posted on February 12, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Hey! My name is Bella. I see that you are trying to knit. I think that’s really cool. Can I smell it?! Can I sit my butt directly on top of it and wiggle non stop!? Can I climb all over you so that you make sure to love on me?

Here is my buddy Barley. He would very much like to use your legs as a pillow and take up 75% of the couch. He would also appreciate if you didn’t move around a lot. He weighs 100 lbs so I doubt you will be able to move anyway.

We are so glad you came to visit!! Can we take a nap now? Oh…wait someone crinkled cellophane in the kitchen. We must investigate!!!!!

(This is pretty much what happened every time I sat on the couch to knit this past weekend. I love my mom’s dogs but needless to say I did not finish my zig zag blanket. No worries I have made progress since then and I have 1 1/2 pattern repeats and the border to complete!)

Ps. I had a wonderful time with the family celebrating Grandma’s 80th back home this past weekend. Food, wine, and fun! I even have the extra 5lbs to prove it….

Blocking Like A Big Girl

Posted on February 11, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I can finally block my finished garments like a big girl!!!! (No more pinning towels to my guest bed) After pricing many many blocking mats….I found the best bang for my buck was at Lowes. For $16 online and one hour pick up these alphabet beauties are mine!!! I figure they can serve a dual purpose when we ever have kiddos.

Should even have a FO to slap on this baby yet this week! Happy Monday to you all!!

My Tangled Yarn Knitting Adventures

Ramblings from an obsessed knitter

Category Archives: Knitting