Two Weddings and a Frog Pond

Sometimes people get married

Sometimes people get married and I know them

Sometimes people get married, and I know them, and they want me to knit something for them.

This is happening to me right now- one of my friends is getting married in March, and a cousin is getting married in May. For my dear friend, I started on her project first, but I have a feeling that I won't be able to finish it due to the scale of the project and the face that the wedding is in two weeks! I wanted to make something that she and her future husband would both enjoy, so I decided to turn the wrap into a throw by casting on a lot more stitches in a heavier yarn in purple, her favorite color.
So far I've used up 3 balls of yarn, and I'm about a quarter of the way through. Of course I plan on blocking this out so its nice and lacy, but its become the monkey on back. The pattern is simple enough, but its starting to feel like a chore instead of something I enjoy. The purple is nice and bright and the Yorkie is to help show scale. This is my roommate's dog, who is happy to pose for pictures, since my dog is a little camera shy.

As for my cousin's wedding, I won't be able to fly back to the States for it, probably, but I know that she is doing something with peacock feathers/theme. I've picked out a few shawl patterns that I like, but I am having trouble narrowing it down. The ones I am looking at are Pretty as a Peacock, Gail, and Gwendolyn. Suggestions? I guess this means that I will have to learn how to read charts.....

And then there is the frog pond. The projects shown here are probably never going to get finished in their current state, either because I hate the yarn with the pattern, or I don't have enough. The two hideous sweaters are from a clothes swap and I am currently ripping them apart so I can recycle the yarn into something less.........hideous. (I don't understand Hong Kong fashion sometimes)

Slouching Around

Remember that vow not to start any new projects without finishing an old project? FAIL. I have managed to finish my Traditional Blue feather and fan baby blanket, but that doesn't even out with the three hats that I have started. The blanket is going to be set aside for the next baby of a friend/family member, and its ooooooooh so soft, which will be perfect for baby. I wish I could remember the brand of yarn I used for it.......


So the last week at work was pretty stressful, so I needed some instant gratification knitting, which for me consists of hats, mainly of the slouch variety. Since the purple Spring Beret went over so well, I've been sticking with slouch hats with interesting details that are not too overwhelming. The first one that I have actually managed to finish was the "Amy is Gone" for a dear friend who has left Hong Kong to return to the US. (A cookie if you can guess what her name is) I like this pattern as well, but I think that I need to work on my psso because I think that the stitch is too obvious. You be the judge:



I casted on another variation of the Spring Beret, this time in green, but I am not too wild about since it might come out too bulky overall, but it will be nice and warm. I love the way the color works in this yarn, but its one of those yarns where you have to find just the right pattern to make it work. If it does come out huge, I will most likly felt it and save it for a baby.



I've started another hat as well, this time the Naked Star pattern, which I like, and the yarn I'm using is quite nice- pictures are coming soon, don't worry. Its pretty mindless knitting, but all these hats is good for stocking up presents. The sock yarn blanket is finally progressing, thanks to some lovely donations by some of the local knitting group ladies! Its nowhere as near as I want it to be, but it is lovely and warm- that's what I have enjoyed about this project- you can use it as you make it. SOOOOOOOOOOOOO much more to do though, and its only taken me what? a year to get this far?

One day it will me finished....one day................

Return from the West

After a very brief visit to the US to see the newest member of the family, my 4 month old neice, I'm back in Hong Kong to start another year. While I was home, I did a significant amount of gifting of hand knits.

• To my mother went my Milk Run Shawl- I think that it suits her a lot more than myself, and I have a lot of leftover yarn to make something else lovely for myself. I also passed on some of my scrap skeins to her so she can work up something nice for herself.
  
• Frangiflutti was given a home to my chic best friend, and it suits her- she has gorgerous skin and the colors are set off quite nicely against her skin tone
• For my more contemplative best friend, he received an over-sized hat to keep his over-sized head warm in the cold Oregon winter
• My neice got her two blankets, the Ocean Waves and Shooting Star. My mother mentioned that she hasn't seen any of her hand knits on the baby, but I hope that isn't true!

I also managed to rake in some nice gifts as well. My best friend brought me a beautiful golden yellow gabi from her time in Ethiopia. Normally I shy away from yellow for myself, but the effect is quite stunning. Its made from 100% cotton, handwoven, and supersoft. I snuggle up in it quite often. She also gave me this beautiful sock yarn. Apparently it came from a line of yarn where every colorway is named after a feminist. I have no idea what I am going to make from this one skein, but it will be beautiful no matter what. I need to find a ball winder so I can get working!
My mother also let me dig through her stash for scrap yarn or things that she was thinking of getting rid off. I picked so much off of her that I had to take a second bag on the airplane! I also received two books by Margaret Atwood, who is one of my favorite authors. If only I could read and knit at the same time! But alas, when I try, it makes my head spin. I will just have to settle for watching Star Trek and knitting at the same time.
My second semester of my masters program has already started, so I will have little time for knitting between here and March, but I will try to get something done- I seem to keep starting up projects, but have yet to finish anything for a long time. One my New Years resolutions is to finish at least 1 project before I cast on another. Wish me luck!