archives: crafts

first family wedding of the summer

dewpoint_preview2

This is the summer/year of weddings! Back in July we went to the first for my family, out in Jersey. It was the Friday after the wedding weekend in Boulder, which meant two weddings in less than a week. That is too much wedding for any sane person, let me tell you! But luckily this one was closer to home, and we could take a train there. The weather was iffy so I actually knit a shrug for the first time in my life, to toss over my dress “just in case.” I’m glad I had it, too, as it was rainy and on the chilly side for early July.

what irene wrought

irene-scarf_preview

I showed you photos of my neighborhood after Hurricane Irene blew through, but I wasn’t yet ready to show you the real results of the storm: I started weaving! I’ve been kind of obsessed with becoming a weaver for years and years, but never had the equipment to make it happen. I got my hands on a brand-new Cricket Loom by Schacht and was sure to bring it home for our weekend trapped in the house. I figured I would set it up on Saturday so that if the power went out, I’d have something easy to do by candlelight.

different lines: happy birthday, mom!

different lines

Today is my mom’s birthday! And just for her birthday—special for her birthday—I knit her a shawl*! This one is also by Veera Välimäki, my new favorite knitting designer, and while it’s similar to Stripe Study in execution, Different Lines makes a very different shape. I gave it to mom two weeks ago, a bit early for her birthday but a birthday present nonetheless!

mary jane

mary jane

I’ve taken a new philosophy on my stash, and hope to work it as best I can: yarn in, FO out. It’s not rocket science, but since my stash is getting more than a little absurd, it’s time to only take in yarn that I plan to turn around into something right away. And by “right away,” I mean as fast as humanly possible. Take this sweater: 8 days of knitting, start to finish (AND I had to take most of it out partway through).

folded in the fjords

along the fjord

Have you ever visited a place about which all you can really say is that it’s cute? Cute, that relatively condescending adjective. I have to admit it: That’s how I feel about Norway.

But then, I also identify as cute myself (I mean, aren’t I?), so I’m in conflict. And Norway probably outdoes even me for pretty.