While the battery charges…

After a fun trip back from NYC (eventful trip up there … I should take up running, sprinting across Dulles at 5:30 is a great way to confirm your out of shape-ness; less eventful trip back) I went to G Street today to buy buttons.  I browsed and browsed, then snagged a sales woman (loose buttons are kept in boxes behind the counter).  I pulled out my sweater so that I could make sure the colors matched (so many shell buttons are more green than blue).  She says to me:

“Wow, that’s beautiful.  And it doesn’t look like it would be hard to modify to be an adult size!”

I paused, trying to decide if I wanted to be outright mean or just a little mean.  Then I said:

“Thanks.  It’s for me.  I guess this sweatshirt that I’m wearing adds a lot of bulk.”  [Typical college style hoodie]

What, cute fitted handknits?  Never!

Oh Noes! I dyed today!

And it was really awesome!  I totally want to take this up, even though I really don’t need (or even have space) a new hobby.  But I can’t wait to make some pillows, and maybe some sort messenger bag/tote (hey, fabric is made to be used - just like knits are made to be worn).

Grr!

I went out and I bought a great new camera, and I’ve managed to upload like one day’s worth of photos before I managed to loose the cord to connect the camera to the computer.

You should see my Wicked!  It’s looking great.  And my seamless yoke - I’m over half done with the torso!  I have these great new socks - Embossed Leaves -in some stashed Socks that Rock that has the greatest subtle shading.

Okay camera gremlins, you’ve had your fun.  Bring it back!!  I want to take pictures of my herringbone hat.

Stop the presses and go look!

Rainbow Socks at Magknits!

I guess I usually think Magknits is nice, but doesn’t really have anything truely innovative.  Nice, clean, sometimes a little random.  But this - this really impresses me, and I can’t wait to try it out!

I have too been knitting

But I’ve also been finding cool things on the internet.

ButtonDrawer.com

I have no idea if they’re reputable or not, but they are some really nice looking buttons.

Not at all related to yarn

But I just got the cutest shoes!

I have to learn to walk in heels again (haven’t worn heels in years; and the last time I did they were big square ones).

I also got an awesome pair of mary janes to show off my socks (and won’t tear up the heels, like the ecco xtreme mary janes I have now).  Today was a great shopping day!

Ohh, go look!

Something Red Blushy!

I’ve been browsing patterns that call for Blue Sky Alpacas’ Dyed Cotton (because there’s the prettiest blue at Stitch DC right now; and I’m torn: Pretty Blue vs. Cotton Sweater).  And I kind of like this hooded pullover, but again - cotton sweater? 

Anyway, so I found that Knit&Tonic Wendy’s “Something Red” turns out calls for blue sky dyed cotton, and with Amanda’s Blushy Mods … I think I need this yarn right now.

Help the Herringbone Hat!

(Amber adores alliteration, if you couldn’t tell.)

I had my hat (in a plastic bag) when I left the house this morning.  I wanted to show it off at knitting group tonight, and also take a picture.  It’s really pretty: Lorna’s Laces Shepard Worsted in “Iris Garden” and Sublime Cashmere Silk Aran (in black).  So pretty, so soft, so perfect.

So.  I had it when I left the house.  I took some trash to the dumpster, got in my car.  Drove.  I got out of my car; had a small argument with a guy in the elevator (Bob and weave is for when you’re in a fist fight, not a way of driving on K Street!), was greeted by a very friendly chocolate lab (which scared me at first because I wasn’t expecting to be hit in the hip at 7:30 AM, but then he was very friendly) and walked two blocks to the coffee shop … and no hat!

I retraced my steps, looked in my car, checked the elevator, checked the garbage can outside the elevator… no hat!

 I’m going to check with the parking garage office when I leave tonight; maybe in the 1o minutes between getting out of the car and coming back someone took it to the office.  Or maybe it’s at home - maybe it fell out in the stairway; or on the path to the parking lot…

Please, think happy thoughts for the safe return of the herringbone hat.  I ::heart:: this hat!

So is that like mini SoHo?

So Purl, the adorable yarn store in SoHo?

When you order online, it ships from Tustin, California. A mere 2,779 miles away from the retail store. So many jokes to make… is this what urban sprawl has come to? Is real estate that hard to come by??

I kid, I kid! It was just funny when I was tracking my order and the starting point was in California.

More blog stats than you can shake a stick at!

Since switching to wordpress I can now see how people are finding my blog. Even if they don’t comment (comment people! I’m secretly a 16 year old fan fic writer, and it hurts me and I’m going to stop posting if you don’t comment!)

Anyway, I’m feeling very listy today and I’d like to take a minute to address my recent search terms:

ribby cardi cotton ease …Is lovely, but needs a zipper before it meets the internet.

knit pattern shawl collar jacket… I love my Shawl Collar Jacket from Artisokka.com! It’s awesome, and you should knit one, too!

discontinued cotton ease colors… I have them and you don’t! Haha! (I have blue, black, and wee bit of sugarplum (purple) left)

no reply from magknits… I’ve heard that’s a problem, but I’ve never sent a message to test the replylessness of magknits.

one piece knit from the top down raglan… I love sweaters like this! I made one using the formula here - but check your stitch count/gauge before blindly casting on extras when you split the body/sleeves. And add some waist shaping, otherwise it’s a little on the boxy side.

siena cardigan interweave… I have not made this. But I did see it over at Sweater a Month KAL recently. Also, try searching Sienna (with two ‘n’s).

picovoli too small… Yes, but I’m hoping for some bloom in the wash, which is why I haven’t talked about it since binding off over a month ago.

elizabeth lavold + february sweater… Huge fan of EL’s yarns, but I can’t comment on how well they’d work for [Elizabeth Zimmermann's] February [Baby] Sweater. I think silky wool is machine washable, so I bet that would look really nice!

knitpicks kimono styled sweater… In the queue! I’m planning on EL’s Silky Tweed, but I also saw one done in Knitpicks’ Merino Style, and it looked great.

(I have so many things to tell you about!  My Neighborhood Fiber Co yarn came!  But I can’t pick a pattern!  I finally put my Samus together! It still needs a zipper.  I finished Ribbi Cardi #2, and it’s waiting for a zipper.  My Picovoli came back from India Sweatshop  mom’s house (but I still need to block it).  I cast on for my entrelac socks, and they look awesome!  I started the Simple Knitted Bodice (with silky wool … had a math crisis, and then a lost stitch crisis, but I’m back on track now!), I learn how to spin my own yarn in 10 days!  I can barely contain myself!)