tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60842312197540856302024-03-13T07:03:39.102-07:00Knitting MinnesotaRead along as I talk all about the adventures of knitting in Minnesota.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-37756510250242221282010-01-12T11:08:00.000-08:002010-01-12T11:36:20.631-08:00Busy Christmas Knitting Season - #10-14As usual I started Christmas knitting way too late. Next year I promise to start on September 1st! I started with a small little gift, the biscuit blanket. It's a cute little napkin-like cloth that you wrap biscuits in. The pattern has some mistakes in it, which is always frustrating. Mine also did not end up square..so off to the discard pile it went.<br><br><br /><br />On a brighter note, I finished the beautiful Swallowtail Shawl for my mother-in-law. I loved knitting this shawl! The Briar Rose yarn I used was lovely. This is definately one of the prettiest things I've ever made. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/S0zLkflOMPI/AAAAAAAAAIk/_qSQ946KJbI/s1600-h/swallowtail4.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 167px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/S0zLkflOMPI/AAAAAAAAAIk/_qSQ946KJbI/s200/swallowtail4.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425935478887952626" /></a><br><br><br />I then moved on to a huge project, the gorgeous Girasole. I'd been wanting to knit one of these for a long time. I decided to make this for my sister for Christmas. The one problem was that the deadline for shipping was fast approaching. After a few marathon knitting sessions I finished on time to ship this to Texas. I love the pattern, but was disappointed in the yarn I used. The Lion Brand Fishermen's wool looked great in the skein, but had lots of hidden surprises inside. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/S0zNvlPv7GI/AAAAAAAAAIs/LpkDD5jtLDA/s1600-h/girasole2.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/S0zNvlPv7GI/AAAAAAAAAIs/LpkDD5jtLDA/s200/girasole2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425937868410317922" /></a>There were many kempy hairs as well as ton of knots and knots in plies. I won't use it again for anything this nice. <br><br><br />The next project was a little cabled Christmas ornament. I ended up putting it on my own tree. Another gift on the way to Texas was this cute little Fan and Feather Cardigan. This is for my new niece Anabelle. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/S0zOrgHoo_I/AAAAAAAAAI0/rs0qP7IZ6Nk/s1600-h/sweater.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 126px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/S0zOrgHoo_I/AAAAAAAAAI0/rs0qP7IZ6Nk/s200/sweater.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425938897826259954" /></a>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-2459718368971572642009-11-15T12:17:00.000-08:002009-11-21T12:25:27.540-08:00Projects 8 and 9 of 52- Hats for JackI seriously thought I would have more time to knit once school started. Turns out that wasn't quite true. I took a bit of a break after I finished the stackable pups. Every fall, however, my needles start to call my name. "Hats" they say. "The boys need hats." So here are two quick little hats. The tassel hat was meant for Andrew, but it was way too big. So, lucky Jack got two new hats this fall. Gauge swatch? What gauge swatch?<br /> <br /><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BrookeH/kable-kid">http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BrookeH/kable-kid</a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/SwhMU8kVSPI/AAAAAAAAAIU/R0UaLPS0IZU/s1600/jackhat.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 157px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/SwhMU8kVSPI/AAAAAAAAAIU/R0UaLPS0IZU/s200/jackhat.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406655275397892338" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BrookeH/childs-ear-hat">http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BrookeH/childs-ear-hat</a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/SwhMiaxLdeI/AAAAAAAAAIc/OlEkrvV1hC0/s1600/hat3.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/SwhMiaxLdeI/AAAAAAAAAIc/OlEkrvV1hC0/s200/hat3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406655506843137506" /></a>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-16538246591247524102009-09-07T12:04:00.000-07:002009-11-21T12:16:01.005-08:00Project 7 of 52- Stackable PupsSince Andrew claimed the previous baby shower gift that I knitted, I had to quickly make a replacement. I decided on these cute little stackable puppy dogs. The response I've gotten from this project has been crazy. Everyone really seems to love the color combination. These were a huge hit at the baby shower and the mom-to-be just loved them. <br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/SwhKZrt7y-I/AAAAAAAAAIM/Oe5cakDcoBg/s1600/IMG_2342crsmall.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 314px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/SwhKZrt7y-I/AAAAAAAAAIM/Oe5cakDcoBg/s320/IMG_2342crsmall.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406653157750852578" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BrookeH/pile-able-pups">http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BrookeH/pile-able-pups </a>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-66772201783885280382009-08-28T11:55:00.000-07:002009-11-21T12:01:20.640-08:00Project 6 of 52- Knitted BallEveryone needs a dodecahedron to call their own. This initially started out as a baby shower gift. My little baby, Andrew, decided to claim it as his, however. This was a little bit tedious to knit, but the finished product is great. It requires a lot of polyfil stuffing. <br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/SwhG-j6PKlI/AAAAAAAAAIE/FRFu_B7tZjQ/s1600/doddy.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/SwhG-j6PKlI/AAAAAAAAAIE/FRFu_B7tZjQ/s200/doddy.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406649393263618642" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BrookeH/doddy">http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BrookeH/doddy</a>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-90245484660790798072009-07-21T11:37:00.000-07:002009-11-21T11:50:09.116-08:00Project 5 of 52- Deep Sea AnglerfishMy son, Jack, is a big fan of my knitting. Every now and then I'll drag him to the LYS with me. On one of our recent trips he spotted the Amigurumi Knits book by the talented Hansi Singh. He casually requested that I make him every single thing in the book. The pattern he wanted first though was the anglerfish. The construction techniques used in this pattern are very clever. I look forward to making (almost) everything else in this book.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/SwhD3Ah7icI/AAAAAAAAAH8/WNh8gDD0kxs/s1600/anglerfish.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/SwhD3Ah7icI/AAAAAAAAAH8/WNh8gDD0kxs/s200/anglerfish.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406645964972460482" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BrookeH/deep-sea-anglerfish">http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BrookeH/deep-sea-anglerfish</a>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-33450452337535166862009-06-30T11:30:00.000-07:002009-11-21T11:35:09.134-08:00Project 4 of 52- Baby BearI started this bear in 2007 when I was pregnant with my second baby. I had a little boy, so it sat neglected in a drawer waiting to be loved. I decided to give this to my new niece. I really enjoyed adding girly details to this little bear. All the embellishments came from Nicky Epstein's Knitting on the Edge series. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brookehanna/3672099079/" title="bear by brookehanna, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3558/3672099079_cd9743998a_m.jpg" width="183" height="240" alt="bear" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BrookeH/baby-bear">http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BrookeH/baby-bear</a>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-47046768484038958052009-06-27T11:20:00.000-07:002009-11-21T11:28:46.609-08:00Project 3 of 52- Summer ShawletteI wanted to make something nice for my very dear Great Aunt Irene. She is 90 years old, but you'd never really guess it. She is spry and spunky and someone I cherish very much. I chose a nice little shoulder shawl with faroese shaping. I made it out of a pretty silk/merino blend. This was a fun pattern and a nice, easy introduction into faroese shawls. She loved it and said she would pray for cold weather.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brookehanna/3671314505/" title="Summer Shawlette by brookehanna, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2603/3671314505_b6ee8033fc_m.jpg" width="240" height="239" alt="Summer Shawlette" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brookehanna/3671323003/" title="Summer Shawlette by brookehanna, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3392/3671323003_c8a3b6e4af_m.jpg" width="240" height="240" alt="Summer Shawlette" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BrookeH/summer-lace-shawlette">http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BrookeH/summer-lace-shawlette</a>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-41949280223710662832009-06-14T11:04:00.000-07:002009-11-21T11:15:48.421-08:00Project 2 of 52- Summer Kerchief<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/Swg7ra1oz7I/AAAAAAAAAH0/7WkJ-tMx9fQ/s1600/DSCF0525.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 168px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/Swg7ra1oz7I/AAAAAAAAAH0/7WkJ-tMx9fQ/s200/DSCF0525.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406636969782988722" /></a><br />It's finally summer here in Minnesota and that means it's time to work in the garden. My long hair is always getting in my face while I dig in the dirt. The perfect little solution is a kerchief. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BrookeH/whimsy-kerchief">http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BrookeH/whimsy-kerchief</a>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-71025314285018477522009-06-13T10:51:00.000-07:002009-11-21T11:19:59.377-08:00Project 1 of 52- Anabelle's Baby BlanketMy brother and his wife were recently blessed with a beautiful baby girl. For my first project in my "52 projects in 52 week" quest I decided to make her a little baby blanket. I decided on the Teddy Bear Blanket from Crystal Palace Yarns. I used some durable acrylic yarn for easy maching washing. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brookehanna/3672073174/" title="babyblanket1 by brookehanna, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3306/3672073174_c9cf6a7b39_m.jpg" width="240" height="142" alt="babyblanket1" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BrookeH/teddy-bear-baby-blanket">http://www.ravelry.com/projects/BrookeH/teddy-bear-baby-blanket</a>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-84714144484280284482009-05-24T09:15:00.000-07:002009-11-21T10:49:57.407-08:00Hemlock Ring BlanketI decided to tackle the popular Hemlock Ring Blanket for my grandmother. This project was so much fun. I really enjoyed knitting from the center out. I used techknitter's great center-out cast on:<br />http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2007/02/casting-on-from-middle-disappearing.html<br /><br />The bind-off took the better part of 4 hours to complete. Blocking seemed to take nearly as long. My husband is the biggest help with blocking. I really couldn't have done it without him. Overall this is a great project that I will definately make again.<br /><br /><a title="Hemlock Ring Blanket by brookehanna, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brookehanna/3671265635/"><img alt="Hemlock Ring Blanket" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2595/3671265635_bfbb89b402_m.jpg" width="190" height="240" /></a>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-37122559274647011522009-05-21T08:15:00.000-07:002009-05-21T08:35:22.925-07:00Resurrecting the blog...and my knittingI can't believe I last posted here in October of '07. I found out I was pregnant in August of '07 and the world seemed to come to a screeching halt. Well, it's 18 months later and I have a beautiful 14 month old baby boy.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/ShVzdQJfPUI/AAAAAAAAAHs/_F-lyXq5-bw/s1600-h/and12m.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338299879705754946" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 192px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/ShVzdQJfPUI/AAAAAAAAAHs/_F-lyXq5-bw/s200/and12m.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />During this time I did manage to knit a few things for my boys. This year, though, I really have the urge to knit some new and fun projects. So, I had the crazy idea to do 52 projects in 52 weeks. This won't mean that they each take just one week. That is certainly unrealistic given how slow I knit. But, it will help me balance out big and small projects. There are so many things I want to try and/or explore further such as socks, fair isle, intarsia, and lace knitting. So with the help of the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/52-projects-in-52-weeks">Ravelry group</a> I formed I will be off and running on a new knitting adventure.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-61985444776227497542007-10-09T14:24:00.000-07:002007-10-09T14:43:39.135-07:00Update!Where have I been? Gosh, my blogging was going so well until I found out I was pregnant. Surprise! We weren't really expecting this, but we are very happy. I'm due around April 18th of 2008. (My husband's birthday!) For the first few weeks of the pregnancy I was overcome with nausea. Then around week 10 I got a terrible cold that turned into bronchitis and an ear infection. So, needless to say, I haven't touched any knitting in weeks. Morning sickness and knitting is not a good combination. I'm finally starting to feel better on both counts. My bronchitis is finally getting better and so is the nausea. I'm ready to finish Clapotis and get moving on Lizard Ridge again. After that...baby stuff!<br /><br />My dog has also greatly improved. We certainly thought about putting her down many times. She was so ill. We had a three week window for the predisone to take over and for her to improve. She's done remarkably well on the medicine. Now, we are weaning her to a low maintenance dose.<br /><br />Let's see...what else is new? The other day my husband walks in the door holding a gray hissing blob in his arms. It's none other than a stray cat. Great....just what we need. Someone had (more than likely) dumped her at the gas station where he found her. I wasn't very thrilled with the idea of another animal in the house. I told him that we'll give her a couple of days to see what she's like, then decide if we are going to keep her or not. Luckily it was warm out so we were able to keep her in our screened porch for the first day and night. It turns out she is a great little cat. She's probably less than a year old. She's playful, sweet, and has really made herself at home. She still doesn't like the dog, but she's getting braver.<br /><br />Oh.....and after a 2 month wait I finally got on to Ravelry.com . Too bad I was too sick to check it out much. Today I finally added some of my finished projects. What a fun place this is going to be!<br /><br />So, that's it for now. I'm looking forward to knitting regularly again. We'll probably find out the gender of this baby so I will know if I need to buy blue or pink yarn. :)Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-35626763740529864312007-08-27T10:06:00.000-07:002007-08-27T11:27:02.287-07:00State Fair Photos!<div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RtMGu89UURI/AAAAAAAAAEU/0Q8VC5xu4LI/s1600-h/100_1912.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103430206447964434" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RtMGu89UURI/AAAAAAAAAEU/0Q8VC5xu4LI/s200/100_1912.JPG" border="0" /></a>So, as you may remember, I wasn't able to meet the deadline to enter my Lizard Ridge afghan in the state fair. It would have been a great idea if I had started the afghan in April or May. My Mom, Jon, Jack and I headed out to the fair last Friday morning. The weather was gorgeous. We headed right to the Creative Activities building. I took a breath and said a prayer that no one entered a Lizard Ridge this year. My mom walks in ahead of me and immediately says, "Oh, Brooke, there's your blanket." Well, pooey, so much for that. Prominently displayed in one of the cases was a Lizard Ridge afghan with a blue ribbon. Congrats to Debra on a job well done. The afghan was made in panels instead of squares. I thought some of the short row wraps looked a little sloppy and bumpy. Yes, I was secretly thinking to myself that my afghan would have smoked this one. I know...what a poor sport I am. Kudos to Debra for finishing on time and for taking home a blue ribbon.<br /><div><div><div><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RtMRcM9UUSI/AAAAAAAAAEc/cmqqdTKRXXc/s1600-h/100_1915.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103441978953322786" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RtMRcM9UUSI/AAAAAAAAAEc/cmqqdTKRXXc/s200/100_1915.JPG" border="0" /></a>One of the most beautifully finished pieces was Susan Rainey's sweater. (Everything is displayed behind glass, so please excuse the picture quality.) The pattern, yarn, stitches...everything looked perfect. The lace shawl below was also very well done. The quality of the work overall was very nice. Some of the sweaters were just stunning.<br /></div><br /><br /><div></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RtMUVM9UUWI/AAAAAAAAAE8/36mz50gE9m8/s1600-h/100_1922.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103445157229121890" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RtMUVM9UUWI/AAAAAAAAAE8/36mz50gE9m8/s200/100_1922.JPG" border="0" /></a><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103443774249652562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RtMTEs9UUVI/AAAAAAAAAE0/nDtHROf4SFc/s200/100_1920.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div></div>Of course it wouldn't be the state fair if the sock monkey knitter didn't make another appearance! The sock monkey dresses were on display last year. New this year was the sock monkey chair. Wow, someone has a serious obsession. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5103445921733300594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RtMVBs9UUXI/AAAAAAAAAFE/Xkezccq0bAs/s200/100_1928.JPG" border="0" />Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-20024697045504782662007-08-18T07:06:00.000-07:002007-08-21T06:03:38.872-07:00Interweave Knits HuntAm I the last person to get a copy of the Fall issue of <a href="http://www.interweaveknits.com/preview/2007_fall.asp">Interweave Knits</a>? I had to go to about 5 different places before I finally found one. Jo-Ann Fabric only had 2 left! The yarn stores were sold out before it was even officially "on newstands". Well, the wait was worth it. There are some beautiful sweaters and cardigans in this one. I love the Hedgerow Coat, and Cinnabar, and the Tangled Yoke Cardigan. I was thinking about making the Cobblestone pullover for my hubby, but I'm not so sure it would look good on him.<br /><br />After a short time away I've finished 2 more Lizard Ridge squares. I'll post pics when they are blocked...they photograph so much better that way. I'm happy to be knitting these again. There's something very satisfying about finishing each little square and seeing how it looks next to all the others.<br /><br />My mom is in town this week, so this entry will be short.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-88947725121641970902007-08-13T19:28:00.000-07:002007-08-13T19:55:25.357-07:00Good News and a FO!My sundress/swimsuit cover-up for my sister is done! Yeah. My sister came to visit over the weekend, so last week I was busy making my deadline. She really liked the sundress and it looked so cute on her. Look for pictures soon. (I'm waiting on her to e-mail them to me). Now I just need to decide what to start on next!<br /><br />Quick update on my dog Sadie: Last Friday her platelets were still terribly low. She was diagnosed with immune-mediated thromobocytopenia. We increased her medicine and rechecked her platelets today. I'm so happy to report that they increased quite a bit. It looks like she might be ok. We will continue the meds and continue to check her platelets for many weeks.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-45795795629160718952007-08-06T07:11:00.000-07:002007-08-06T08:01:31.413-07:00Tough TimesLast Wednesday, as all of you know, the 35-W bridge collapsed over the Mississippi River. Not since 9/11 has anything put such a pit in my stomach. It's certainly amazing that the loss of life wasn't larger. My prayers are with all those who lost loved ones and who suffered an injury. Since I live in a suburb of Minneapolis this isn't a bridge I traveled very often. This weekend was the first time since the collapse that I went out on the highways. I have to admit feeling a bit nervous. It will certainly be interesting to watch how things unfold with the clean-up, investigation, and rebuilding. Just yesterday they opened up a bridge downriver from the site. We might go out there and have a look today or tomorrow. <div><div><br /><div></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/Rrc08Hu3dvI/AAAAAAAAAEM/QOse5HycFRk/s1600-h/DSCF0109sm.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5095599710865422066" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/Rrc08Hu3dvI/AAAAAAAAAEM/QOse5HycFRk/s200/DSCF0109sm.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Yesterday I had to take our dog, Sadie, to the vet. The pupil in her left eye w<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/Rrcz33u3dtI/AAAAAAAAAD8/VOzJwKppuTg/s1600-h/sadie4.jpg"></a>as completely gone. Her eye was just a red hazy glow. I knew something was terribly wrong. After some quick blood work the doc determined that she has a platelet disorder. Her platelet level was 3 when it should be about 250. This can be caused by a number of things including mouse poison, cancer or an autoimmune disease. We have her on 3 different medicines. The good news is that her eye is looking much better this morning. We'll re-check her platelets on Friday to see if she is responding well to the medicine. Hopefully she'll be alright. She's really a great dog.</div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RrcwiXu3dsI/AAAAAAAAAD0/z_irr2X3KoY/s1600-h/firstbear.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5095594870437279426" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RrcwiXu3dsI/AAAAAAAAAD0/z_irr2X3KoY/s200/firstbear.JPG" border="0" /></a>In better news...I finished my first bear for Mother Bear Project! I think he turned out really cute. My next bear is almost done. This time I made a girl bear with a skirt. I'll post her picture when she is finished. These bears are really fun to make. I'm having a blast experimenting with different stitch patterns and design elements.</div><br /><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-51103461886433868802007-07-31T07:42:00.000-07:002007-07-31T08:43:16.783-07:00So Much News<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/Rq9Ks3u3dqI/AAAAAAAAADk/UxFvem5YrNo/s1600-h/twelveblocks.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093371838314542754" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/Rq9Ks3u3dqI/AAAAAAAAADk/UxFvem5YrNo/s200/twelveblocks.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>First up is a pic of my 12 finished blocks. I'm so pleased with how the afghan is shaping up. My husband said, "are you going to take new pictures every time you finish a block?" Well, dear, the answer is yes! It's so fun to see how the blocks look together. For the first bit of news I decided that I just can't finish the afghan in time for the fair. I really want to enjoy the knitting and not be so rushed. I was also running very low on Kureyon. I placed an order with Webs (<a href="http://www.yarn.com/">http://www.yarn.com/</a>) on Friday and I got it on Monday. That is amazing service. I put a note in the order that I needed the yarn ASAP and asked if they could send it priority mail. I will definately use them again! I'm a little disappointed that I won't finish in time for the fair. When I'm done with the afghan I'll go out and buy myself a blue ribbon for finishing such a big project! </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/Rq9Ww3u3drI/AAAAAAAAADs/1r5NzwIiVrs/s1600-h/motherbear.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093385101173552818" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/Rq9Ww3u3drI/AAAAAAAAADs/1r5NzwIiVrs/s200/motherbear.JPG" border="0" /></a>The other big news is that I am the new volunteer webmaster for <a href="http://www.motherbearproject.org/">Mother Bear Project</a>. This is a great organization that delivers hand-knit bears to children in Africa. To the left you can see my unfinished bear. The bears are easy to make, only use a small amount of yarn, and bring so much joy to the children. I encourage all the knitters out there to donate to this wonderful cause. </div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-1527061628131148982007-07-26T11:34:00.001-07:002007-07-26T15:54:32.811-07:00Lizard Ridge Progress<div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RqkdZ9_XROI/AAAAAAAAADM/vWh5__ZI05w/s1600-h/blockedsquares.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091633185693320418" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RqkdZ9_XROI/AAAAAAAAADM/vWh5__ZI05w/s200/blockedsquares.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>So far I have 8 squares blocked and I'm blocking 4 more tonight. I can't believe I'm halfway done with my squares...yeah! The squares have been a lot of fun to make. As with most knitting projects, though, there have been some frustrations along the way. The "thick and thin" nature of Kureyon can be a pain at times and sometimes the color repeats just aren't quite long enough. Will I finish in time for the State Fair? Well, I'm going to really have to speed up the pace. So far I am about 3 squares shy of where I should be to finish on time. Each square takes me about 4 hours to finish. I need to knit for almost 7 hours a day for the next week to finish the last 12 squares. That will leave me 12 days for seaming, edging, and blocking. I'll keep pressing on and see where I am after this weekend.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/Rqkl49_XRQI/AAAAAAAAADc/rfIDYX896LA/s1600-h/blocking.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091642514362287362" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/Rqkl49_XRQI/AAAAAAAAADc/rfIDYX896LA/s200/blocking.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/Rqkizt_XRPI/AAAAAAAAADU/y6Vmrgk_UWA/s1600-h/blocking.jpg"></a>I found a cheap alternative to the $80 blocking boards that I've seen online. Joann Fabrics had this "<a href="http://www.createforless.com/products/productDetail.asp?ProductID=14297">Super Board</a>" for $14.99. It is just cardboard material and therefore not very waterproof. I put clear contact paper over the top of the whole thing to solve that problem. So, for around $20 bucks I have a huge 72" x 36" blocking board. You can also see my other new toy, my Ott-lite. I'm so glad I got the little portable one instead of the floor lamp. (Maybe Santa will bring me one of those) Michaels and Jo-Ann both carry these lamps. Wait till they are on sale, or use a coupon, because the retail price is ridiculous. The bright, white light the lamp emits is wonderful. I can actually see what I'm doing now. They are worth every penny (as long as you use your 40% off coupon).<br /><br /><div></div></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-70461860729063248782007-07-19T12:16:00.000-07:002007-07-21T15:17:05.130-07:00Did I mention I get distracted easily?<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RqKD19_XRNI/AAAAAAAAADE/fRQU_KcNbNA/s1600-h/yarn.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5089775492078716114" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RqKD19_XRNI/AAAAAAAAADE/fRQU_KcNbNA/s200/yarn.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The Minnesota State Fair has gotten me all distracted. We go every year and enjoy seeing the sights, people watching, and eating various things on a stick (the pickle on a stick and key lime pie on a stick are my faves). My favorite place to go is the Creative Arts building which houses beautiful quilts, needlework, and lots of knitting. For some reason this year I really have the urge to enter something. I thought about entering my dragon scarf but it's now in "used" condition. Then I thought about Lizard Ridge. Even though I have less than a month to finish, I'm going to give it a try. I just finished my 8th block. I have a timeline all set so I can meet the August 14th deadline. I need to knit at least 1.5 blocks a day through August 1st. That will leave me two weeks for seaming, edging, and blocking. I have six new skeins of Kureyon all ready to go. Six of my squares are blocked and they look amazing. The pictures of these afghans just do not do them justice. </div><div></div><div>The pattern modifications for the sundress are on indefinite hold. I'll finish them as soon as I can!</div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-37099528296380559932007-07-17T08:28:00.000-07:002007-07-17T09:29:38.181-07:00Sundress: Progress and Frustration<div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RpznIh3-_ZI/AAAAAAAAAC0/-QOC9tL0xfE/s1600-h/sundress2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088195812739972498" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RpznIh3-_ZI/AAAAAAAAAC0/-QOC9tL0xfE/s200/sundress2.jpg" border="0" /></a> I'm making good progress on the sundress. I have 19" complete and just a few inches left! I want to go into more detail about the problem with the decreases in this pattern. A few of the stockinette sections decrease from bottom to top for a nice slimming effect. The pattern is written with some of the decreases placed in the center of these sections. The sheen of the yarn makes these little k2tog bumps very noticeable. There are also ssk decreases in other stockinette sections that look really bad as well. Over the next few days I'm going to rewrite a few lines of the pattern so that these decreases will be much less visible. The pattern itself isn't written wrong...it could just be written better. If I'm going to spend 40+ hours knitting something I'd rather have a garment that I'm proud to give away. For me it's too late on this project. I'm not going to frog all this work. After all...it is just a swimsuit cover-up. But given how obvious the decreases are, and how simple it is to improve the pattern, I'll take a little time to post the modifications. Look for them soon!<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RpzoQR3-_aI/AAAAAAAAAC8/4SUI5oP0uvI/s1600-h/sundress4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088197045395586466" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RpzoQR3-_aI/AAAAAAAAAC8/4SUI5oP0uvI/s200/sundress4.jpg" border="0" /></a></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-1474506353521171692007-07-16T15:50:00.000-07:002007-07-17T09:31:37.004-07:00Surfing funI love the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">internet</span>. You can just keep digging away following links until you have no idea how you ended up somewhere or how you ended up with 10 tabs/windows open. I was about six degrees of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">separation</span> away from <a href="http://www.knittyboard.com/">http://www.knittyboard.com/</a> when I found this: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/">http://www.ravelry.com/</a> All I have to say is WOW and you must check this out. I hope they have huge servers because when they go live they are going to be busy. So what is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Ravelry</span>? Well, say you bought 4 skeins of Rowan Calmer on sale and added it to your stash without much thought. Weeks later when you have time for a new project you remember the Calmer in your stash. Now you need a pattern. You can go to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Ravelry</span> and pull up the yarn by name and see what other people have made with it. You can find pics of finished garments, blog posts describing projects, etc. all in one spot. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Check out all the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/tour/peek">great features here!</a> This will be a great site.Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-76668596620268618542007-07-14T12:11:00.000-07:002007-07-14T12:37:45.422-07:00Finished Squares<div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RpkhQB3-_VI/AAAAAAAAACU/XsgUgUV3eKo/s1600-h/DSCF1081.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5087133813356559698" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RpkhQB3-_VI/AAAAAAAAACU/XsgUgUV3eKo/s200/DSCF1081.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>I have made good progress on the afghan. I have 3 blocks completed with the new garter stitch edges. The top left block I still need to redo. So far, this has been a very interesting project. Working with the color changes is challenging and fun. I was really unsure about block #164. It seemed like a cross between baby poo and split pea soup. It is starting to grow on me now, though. Block #182 has been redone from the original pattern design. You can now see what it looks like with the garter stitch modification. So far block #40 is my favorite. I could see doing a whole bedspread in this colorway. It's beautiful! Click on the pics to enlarge.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RpkkGR3-_WI/AAAAAAAAACc/3flom8n3RB0/s1600-h/DSCF1074.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5087136944387718498" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RpkkGR3-_WI/AAAAAAAAACc/3flom8n3RB0/s200/DSCF1074.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/Rpkkjh3-_YI/AAAAAAAAACs/jyCBuEiZdnU/s1600-h/DSCF1076.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5087137446898892162" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/Rpkkjh3-_YI/AAAAAAAAACs/jyCBuEiZdnU/s200/DSCF1076.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I'm getting excited to cast on my Clapotis, so I'll be working pretty hard on the sundress over the next few days. </div></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-12179170701778405012007-07-10T08:06:00.000-07:002007-07-12T07:25:39.984-07:00Lizard Ridge-Part IIYesterday I had the pleasure of knitting with <a href="http://www.bstamant.com/">Bernadette St. Amant</a>. She holds teaching clinics at various locations in the metro. She is an amazing teacher with expert knowledge of knitting. She also designs for Malabrigo....what can be better than that? I went to her for advice on Lizard Ridge. I wanted to see what my options were for seaming and to see how my short rows were coming along. I also had her look at the sundress I'm working on. I always learn new things when I attend her sessions. I noticed my decreases in the sundress were very noticeable. I knew the sheen of the yarn would make them show up more, but I wondered why the designer had placed them right in the middle of the stockinette sections. A quick check with Bernadette and she agreed that they could have easily been placed at the beginning of the stockinette section instead of the center. So, the more I knit, the more I will start to trust my own instincts. Patterns might be written accurately, but they may not be "optimized".<br /><br /><div><br /><div>I was very excited to show Bernadette what I had learned so far with the Lizard Ridge afghan. I did my own experiments with yarn-over short rows and really liked how they turned out. She said she usually recommends this method. I did find out that I am not knitting backwards...but actually purling backwards, since I am doing this with the purl side facing me. She showed me how to knit backwards from the knit side...but it just confused me and felt awkward. By this time I'd had about 16 hours practice purling backwards and had gotten pretty comfortable with it. My brain and hands had also memorized which direction to go for the short row section. So, I will continue to purl backwards on the short row sections. I might even place a video on the blog showing how I do it. </div><div></div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RpRDEUvz1HI/AAAAAAAAACE/I37fdBhyYtw/s1600-h/DSCF1072.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085763620775908466" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RpRDEUvz1HI/AAAAAAAAACE/I37fdBhyYtw/s200/DSCF1072.JPG" border="0" /></a>Now to seaming... I told Bernadette that I didn't want big bulky seams and that I would prefer to do the squares rather than panels. (I really like the patchwork look of the individual squares.) She said I can't have my cake and eat it too. Edge-to-edge seaming is out of the question given the weight of the afghan. My compromise is to knit a garter stitch border on either side. There are definately a few advantages to doing this. 1. There's no curling of the edges and they are nice and neat. 2. The seam should, in theory, be less bulky. To the left you can see a sample of the pattern with the garter stitch edge and garter stitch modification to add more definition to the block. I'm pleased with how this has turned out.<br /><br />The block below I finished before I met with Bernadette. It does not have the garter stitch edge. I'll probably rip it out and re-do it later. It is colorway #209. It's so pretty!<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085768156261373058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RpRHMUvz1II/AAAAAAAAACM/AlrL6NydGok/s320/DSCF1067.JPG" border="0" /></div></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-61910137477672545072007-07-08T15:25:00.000-07:002007-07-08T11:17:55.296-07:00Boredom leads to a new ObsessionI've grown tired of knitting purses, tired of felting, and tired of small projects. I feel the need to make something more substantial. Due to my busy work schedule, I was only able to start one new project between February and June... a Noni bag for my grandmother. A few weeks ago I heard my knitting bag call my name. After an uninspired search on the web I headed out to gather up the latest knitting mags from my LYS. This is where I found the sundress that I'm currently working on. Why is it that you can't ever be happy with <em>just </em>the project on your needles? As soon as my knitting senses kicked into high gear they were already thinking about the next project. "Hey, why not make an afghan?", they said. After searching the usual online haunts, I remembered the great Lizard Ridge pattern.<br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I first fell in love with <a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall06/PATTlizardridge.html" target="new">Lizard Ridge</a> when it appeared in <a href="http://www.knitty.com/" target="new">Knitty</a> last year. <a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall06/images/lizardridgeBEAUTY.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall06/images/lizardridgeBEAUTY.jpg" border="0" /></a>I printed it out and added it to my very thick knitting binder. I had no interest in knitting an afghan, but I loved the way the Kureyon colors exploded before your eyes. The nice thing about waiting to knit this pattern is that many people have had a chance to finish one. A quick google image search yielded lots of great photos of finished afghans. You can see the finished products <a href="http://www.twistedstitcher.net/?p=187" target="new">here</a>, or <a href="http://acunningplan.typepad.com/andsheknitstoo/lizard_ridge/index.html" target="new">here</a>, how about <a href="http://www.beautyschooldropout.net/archives/2007/02/fo_lizard_ridge.html" target="new">here</a>, or even <a href="http://knitmeariver.blogspot.com/2007/06/lizard-ridge-complete.html" target="new">here</a>. This one <a href="http://knittingintherain.blogspot.com/2007/05/fo-lizard-beach.html" target="new">made with Paton's SWS </a>shows a very suitable substitute yarn, but this <a href="http://myartfullife.wordpress.com/2007/06/07/dream-progress/" target="new">non-Kureyon one</a> just doesn't work for me. There's even the obligatory <a href="http://lizardridgeknitalong.blogspot.com/" target="new">knit-a long</a>.<br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div>This is just a small sample of all the Lizard Ridge information available. This afghan incorporates short row knitting to achieve the wonderful wavy shapes. For many knitters these short rows with wraps and turns can seem quite intimidating. As usual, the wonderful website <a href="http://www.knittinghelp.com/" target="new">http://www.knittinghelp.com/</a> has a <a href="http://www.knittinghelp.com/dynamic/php/video/index.php?file=/adv-tech/short-row-with-wrap-rds.mpg" target="new">great video</a> to explain them. <a href="http://nonaknits.typepad.com/nonaknits/2005/04/yarn_over_short.html" target="new">Here's another method </a>of doing short rows that I plan to experiment with today. You can also learn how to "knit backwards" to avoid turning your work so frequently. The best explanation and video I found showing how to do this from the purl side <a href="http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/tips/backwards.html" target="new">is here</a>. With every good pattern comes unique modifications. <a href="http://sockpr0n.blogspot.com/2006/11/lizard-ridge-afghan-complete.html" target="new">Click here </a>for one of the best sites with lots of pictures, tips and modifications. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>I hope this post will be helpful to those of you thinking about starting this beautiful afghan. So, without further ado.... here's my first Lizard Ridge Square.</div><div><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084887267058898018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/RpEmB0vz1GI/AAAAAAAAAB8/ohrfT0JxONs/s320/lizard1.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div></div>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6084231219754085630.post-75160407872249455622007-07-06T15:14:00.001-07:002007-07-06T18:50:38.823-07:00New yarn!I saw a post on Knitty about a yarn sale at <a href="http://www.amazing-threads.com/">Amazing Threads</a> in Maple Grove. They had 35% off lots of different yarn including *some* of their Noro. I bought some Silk Garden Lite in colorway #2033. I got enough for <a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall04/PATTclapotis.html">Clapotis</a>. I don't know how these colors will look either A) on me or B) as a Clapotis, but they are beautiful.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084216156944061442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/Ro7DqEvz1AI/AAAAAAAAABM/ZxZgcePRBfw/s320/noro.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br />The only other project I could think of at the time is a Christmas <a href="http://www.knittingfever.com/images/Noro/books/v19-6.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 193px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 279px" height="318" alt="" src="http://www.knittingfever.com/images/Noro/books/v19-6.jpg" border="0" /></a>present for my MIL. I want to make her a summery top. They had a few finished tops from Noro designed patterns in the store. So the hunt began for a good pattern and sale yarn to match. I came up with the one pictured to the right. It is made with Sakura. A really great Rayon/Poly/Nylon/Silk & Wool blend. I chose the fun colorway #5. My MIL looks great in lime green. As usual pictures just don't do the yarn justice. So, I had a fun and successful time shopping and I saved more than $40!<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/Ro7Hakvz1EI/AAAAAAAAABs/-8rgt3W0djg/s1600-h/noro3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5084220288702600258" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rMlWSuh7Lh8/Ro7Hakvz1EI/AAAAAAAAABs/-8rgt3W0djg/s320/noro3.jpg" border="0" /></a>Brookehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15329321879653424827noreply@blogger.com0