I'm an Olympic Medalist!

I know...you're amazed, right? Me...an Olympian? It's always been a dream, and thanks to the Ravelry, it's a dream come true. Every year, Ravelry does the Ravelympics. I've never entered, but this year, I entered my Fiona's top in to the Junior Olympics event, and by finishing, I made it to the podium. Below is my "medal."


The rules for the Ravelympics are simple: Challenge yourself by starting and finishing projects during the 2010 Winter Olympics. See: simple. I had actually started the Fiona top before the opening games, but during the opening games, I realized I f-ed up the whole thing. So I ripped it out and started over. Since this was done within the Olympics timeframe, I became a Ravelympian. I still have more projects to try and finish in order to enter, but my first medal is most precious. ;)

Piss Off, Punxsutawney Phil

Phil says six more weeks of winter, and for that I have one response: "Bite me."


Maybe I should knit me up the Godfrey the Groundhog and then every year MY groundhog will say spring is coming early. Just look at how cute giolou's (on Rav) project turned out (and sorry if I already posted this. I swear I did, but I can't find it.)

Cute, right!

But then her photography total makes this project.

It reminds me of the cartoon with the groundhog from when I was little. What was that? Frosty?

Killing me with cuteness!

Some Clouds Do Have Silver Linings

Remember the Barbie cake day yesterday? Well, I'm starting to realize that the bad morning I was having was really a warning for the superfantastically craptastic day that was to follow. I should've just gone in search of that GF Barbie Cake to emotionally eat in a corner somewhere, but instead, I stuck it out narrowly escaping the looney bin...or prison for the potential stabbing of another person with a pen.

Ahem...maybe it's just better to say, that is was a day. And not a good one. Until I got home, that was. First, I have a good husband who knows better than ask about said bad day, but let's me vent when I feel good and ready. And then I have a dog who lets me smother him with bad day kisses and hugs to the point where he can barely breathe. And there was the GF brownie...and the ice cream I bought. But the surprise of all bad day surprises was TWO RAKs (random acts of kindness) waiting in my mailbox. WOW....wait til you see them!

From Rav member yarnmagic, I was given a postcard from her home of Norway, Norwegian jelly candy, and the most luxurious lace yarn ever to enter my hands. I'm talking 1312 yards of blended baby alpaca, silk, and cashmere. drool! I pet that yarn almost as much as I did Dexter.

And then, another package from Rav member winemakersister had a copy of Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac. This book is a knitting classic and includes such great patterns. Below are a few of my favorites that I can't wait to someday do.

I think this is proof that the universe can come full circle. All is right with the world...for now, anyway.

14 Days...Knitted/Crocheted Pies

OK, when I said countdown yesterday, I didn't actually mean that I'm going to post something turkey day related every day counting down to Thanksgiving. I'd like to think that I could, but I know myself better. Still...I'll do my best.

As someone who is gluten-free, the Thanksgiving meal can be a tad tricky. Over the past couple of years, I figured my way around most of it, but not so much for pies. Until I do, I will just have to enjoy these slices of little yummies.

She's my cherry pie.

Big blue.

Got to have pumpkin!

I heart tart pies!

Two Honey Buns

Someone that I met via Ravelry asked to make a swap for old Anthro catalogs in exchange for some yarn. She lives in Australia and can't get them, and I had actually held onto mine. I was happy to send them to her without anything in return, but she surprised me with some yummy mohair yarn. It looks just like a honey bun to me. I'm knitting a small scarflette for a work auction with it, but I think I'll have plenty left to do something else as well. The yarn is from a local Australian mill called Bendigo Woollen Mills. I feel so lucky to have received such a nice gift.


And then there's the other honey bun...

Heather's Birthday Ishbel

My sister-in-law's birthday is October 13, and I wanted to knit her something. I had the Feather Duster all ready to go, but somehow it found it's way around my neck one chilly morning. Oops. So I quickly needed to craft up a new gift. A couple of knitters on Raverly recommended Ishbel, since it's a quick knit but still really beautiful. So I gave it a try and am very happy with how it came out. Plus, it took about a week, which was perfect.

Blanket from Way Back...and RAK Yarn Scraps

Back in June, I started this scrap blanket thinking I had plenty of leftover yarn to go on for miles. Alas, I was wrong. However, the wonderful world of RAKs is going to breathe new life back in the old girl (the blanket, not me).

This is how far I got on what I have. Granted I have more scraps left, but I want to make sure that I didn't have weird repeats in the beginning that couldn't make it to the end.

But then I received a little package of wonderful yarn scraps that a gracious RAKer sent to me. Yay! The blanket can continue.

Girlknits RAK pattern #6...Last Day!

(If you didn't catch Day 1, go here first.)

I can't tell you how lucky and blessed I feel to have been given so many wonderful patterns for no reason. I hope you've enjoyed seeing them all this week. Thanks for letting me share them with you...and for letting them fill the void of my inabiltiy to get much crafting done. =)

Last, but certainly not least, is Alhambra by Anne Hanson. This pattern's construction reminds me of the Upstairs Shawl that I just finished, but this one seems to have a more curled approach to the diaganols. Oh, lace. I love you so.

Girlknits RAK pattern #5

(If you didn't catch Day 1, go here first.)

Day 5 brings Ysolda Teague's Snow White. I love this sweater because the lines are so interesting. It looks like a camisole and a shrug were fused into one. And the body of the sweater is ribbed, but the directions change to flatter a woman's figure.

Last day of the RAK patterns is tomorrow!

Girlknits RAK pattern #4

(If you didn't catch Day 1, go here first.)

Here is the lovely Hillflowers by Anne Hanson. As you'll notice again, it's lace. I told you, I'm hooked. It's my new crack (well, not that I had old crack ... you know what I mean).

I think this pattern looks similar to the feather and fan pattern I did for Shane's aunt. I'm hoping the pattern is as easy to understand and remember. I very much enjoyed working on that project.

I love the color change in the yarn that was used for this picture. It's very delicate, but gives a lot of depth.

Again, I hope I can wear this well (or maybe it will be a gift....hmm.)

Come back tomorrow for #5!

Girlknits RAK pattern #3

(If you missed Day 1, go here.)

Day 3 brings us Sylvi by Mari Muinonen. This is another design featured in Twist Collective's Winter 2008 designs. I've probably been admiring this one for the longest time of any of the patterns I received from girlknits but have been too intimidated to actually give it a go. Now that I own the pattern, I guess I don't have much excuse left. Yikes! =)

I love a good sweater coat in the fall!

Cables and flower...yum!

Thankfully the detail is just on the back so that I get a bit of a break on the front.

Look at it how swings.

The detail is amazing.

Come back tomorrow for #4!

Girlknits RAK pattern #2

(If you didn't catch Day 1, go here first.)

Next up: Maplewing by Anne Hanson. If August is anything like July, then fall will be here before we know it! I hate seeing summer go, but fall is by far my most favorite season of all, and this lace shawl completely captures the autumn feel.

I think I'm a lace junkie now. I've done three lace projects now (one that will be posted after it is gifted), and I'm hooked. I have no clue if I can handle this pattern, but I'm going to give it my best try.

This yarn color is amazing, too. I love how the orange and pink comes together to make it's own special color.

Gorgeous.

I love how this shawl is styled here. I hope I can pull off a look like that.

Come back tomorrow for pattern #3!

A Week of RAK Patterns...#1

I forgot to tell you all about the other RAKs I got about a week or so ago, thanks to the wonderful "girlknits" on Ravelry. She sent me SIX...count 'em--six!...knitting patterns that I've been admiring from afar. All this week, I'll be showing you the fun patterns I got. (This is partly because I'm in the middle of packing to move and won't be doing much creative stuff. And partly to get you inspired to do more creative stuff in my creativity absense!)

First up, Broderie, by Connie Chang Chinchio. It was featured in Twist Collective's Winter 2008 designs.

So lovely, ....

... and delicate, ...

... and detailed, ...

... and intricate. I hope I can handle it!

Come back tomorrow to see pattern #2!

A Ravelry Sale

Ravelry is having a sale on a bunch of their items, but their ad made me laugh so much that I figured even non-knitters/crocheters would enjoy.

Buy one item and get the second item for 20% off. Sale ends August 10. Here's what's on my wishlist: