Wow, Lookie What I Got!

Purple striped afghan with photo of woman holding baby inset into the corner

Today at work I received a surprise gift from a fellow fiber lover! Jonni mostly does lovely, delicate needle work, but she used to be an avid crocheter. She said she was going through some boxes in her house, and came across this afghan, and well, because it was purple, it just had to be mine! Wow. We just moved into a new office building and the general consensus is that the temperature is freezing cold. I guess it could be my abundance of self, or perhaps my middle-aged internal thermometer, but the cool air conditioning is a welcome change for me! Still, I plan to keep this gem thrown over a chair in my office. What a lovely, purple-y gift!

I photographed it from the vertical angle but the rows go in the horizontal direction, I think I can emulate this idea with knitting, by doing the same traveling stitch technique as in the ball band dishcloth, a la Mason-Dixon Knitting, just stair-stepping the distances of the vertically traveling stitches. I may have to try this look on a dishcloth after I finish the baby blanket.

That’s Jonni, by the way, in the corner of the photo, holding my son Steven on the day I first brought him to the office. (Steven is 5 now.) Jonni also crocheted a beautiful, white lacy baby blanket which became part of his baptismal layette. I still have it and treasure it to this day.

Thanks, Jonni! This blanket is so ME, and a wonderful addition to my office.

Knitting Knews this week

Photo of Magic Loop Knitting Technique

There’s a new knitting community for folks who enjoy the Magic Loop method of circular knitting. The group is called magic-loop and it’s being hosted on Yahoo. There was another group of a similar name, but the owner has gone AWOL and the current moderator is having a really hard time managing the group without being able to change any settings while she is away or whatever.

I absolutely love the magic loop technique. I use it for all of my circular knitting projects, which to date have been mostly hats. Someday I will attempt socks but haven’t done it yet. Maybe later this year…

Yarn Harlot Books Now on iTunes!

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off Book Cover

Guess what I found last night?? Stephanie Pearl-McPhee now has two books on iTunes!! Stephanie Pearl McPhee Casts Off, and At Knits End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much. I bought them both!! Finally they have a couple of knitting books on iTunes. It’ll be great for listening to by the pool once I’m done with Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Love it!

Happy Knitting Day!

rainbow stripey blanket in progress again

So today was spent as every 4th of July is at my house — at the Whitehall Pool and Tennis Club, enjoying a fun picnic and great company. As per usual for me, my time at the pool was spent with much knitting! I know I’ve said it about a thousand times, but I am getting so bored with this project! My intentions are honorable and I will keep going, as this is a baby blankie for a dear friend who is expecting her first. I’m even growing sick of the rainbow colorway, but I keep my energy up because people keep coming up to me at the pool and telling me how pretty it is. Sometimes I choose to believe them, and sometimes I just nod and smile, knowing full well that they can notice this blindingly bright blanket in progress from hundreds of yards away! I do hope that my friend will like it in the end, even though I am growing increasingly doubtful that the project will be done before the baby gets here.


Now Playing on an iPod Near Me…

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Audiobook CD cover

So while I’m knitting at the pool, I’m listening to the audio version of “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.” I am quite ashamed to admit this, but when I picked up knitting about 4 years ago, I all but stopped reading. (Except for knitting books!) Prior to being a knitter I was an avid reader and I especially loved the Harry Potter series. But here I am, two years after the release of this book, and only weeks away from the release of the ultimate chapter in the series, and I still had not read the book in its entirety. Egad, how awful this was, especially given that my husband arranged for Amazon to deliver it on the very day it was released. I am truly ashamed.

But, I must admit… a year ago I purchased the Audio CD version. I had heard that the books were very well “performed” by Jim Dale, and wow! What a treat for the ears this is! I wish I had listened to it long ago. If you’re a knitter AND a Harry Potter fan, these Audiobooks are the way to go! They are pricey, but I am also tempted to get the one for “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” since the movie is coming out soon. I need to refresh my memory a bit!

Anyway, that’s my update for now. Exciting, eh? We’re expecting severe summer storms so I’d better log off for now. Hope all in the US are enjoying the 4th!