In my last post, I showed off my Stormy-ish Sky shawl (so named because I sort of followed the pattern). As I do with each blog post I write, I cross posted to my personal Facebook page in hopes of getting more eyes on my blog. When I posted a picture of this shawl, a lot of people told me how beautiful it is. And it is, despite being riddled with mistakes. That is because I utilized my super power: “aggressively blocking.”
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You know how sometimes you are hanging out at your favorite local yarn shop with a friend, not looking to buy anything when all of a sudden you see a brand new display of local yarn and see a beautiful plum-colored sock yarn that is alpaca/wool/nylon and would be amazing for socks but then after looking at it for a few months you decide alpaca is a waste for your stinky feet and that the yarn would make a better shawl and you modify a pattern and then end up with a beautiful all-season wrap? No? Just me?
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I prefer my superheroes Marvel-style. Especially a bearded Captain America. But my eldest has been a Batman fan for as long as I can remember. So to support Fidgety Son I have watched my share of DC movies (and know more about the history of all the Robins than most middle-aged non-fans would ever care to know).
Here’s a rundown: I’m not a fan of Christian Bale’s Batman and (I’ll just put it out there now and you can decided to stop reading now) I think Heath Ledger is overrated as an actor. In any role. I also enjoyed Suicide Squad (going in with super low expectations helped). Wonder Woman is up there with Winter Soldier as one of my all-time favorite superhero movies. But Batman V. Superman? Ugh, stupid (Martha!).
Needless to say, I did not go to see Justice League in the theater. I do, however, have HBO and a brand new knitting project.
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Last fall, my husband and I traveled to the UK. It was an amazing trip, without kids. Of course, first on my mind—well, aside from the amazing sights, food and international travel with my sweetie—was what knitting project I would bring with me. For the flight, I bought cheap bamboo needles (BLECH) and planned to knit socks*. But I also packed a project in my checked baggage on my beloved Knit Picks options (because who takes just one project on an international trip?). Something a little larger that would be an easy pick up/put down project. Stephen West’s Boneyard Shawl was my choice for this trip.
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Last year, I hit 15 yarn shops in the area. I know what you’re thinking, but I was willing to take one for the team. You’re welcome. Most of the purchases were because they were simply beautiful and would be great for some unknown project in the future. But one yarn shop had a color yarn that I instantly knew I needed to be something for my mother-in-law. While I didn’t knit the pattern provided by Unwind Yarn Shop, I knew what would be a better choice: The Hitchhiker. …
This fall, my closest work friend found a new job. It was a great move for her, but it’s hard to go from seeing someone every week and talking all the time to not seeing them very often at all. I wanted to make her a going-away gift that would—hopefully—remind her of me while being squishy soft. Kelsey is a very cool dresser and I hope that the Clapo-Ktus in this beautiful red was a welcome addition to her wardrobe. …
Okay, so you’ve made a beautiful gift for someone you love. Maybe a shawl or a scarf. This lacy beauty isn’t made from some cheap acrylic yarn you got from the local all-purpose craft store, oh no. It’s made from one of those amazing skeins you purchased at a fair for that special future project you knew would have its day in the sun. Maybe it’s cashmere, silk, baby alpaca or even possibly angel hair. This baby is hand wash only.
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I’m not gonna lie. I feel a little bit like a rule breaker this week. Knit half a shawl and then just start dropping stitches only to watch them unravel all the way down? Why yes, yes I will, thank you. …
Usually I will find a pattern I love, download it, dig through my stash for an appropriate yarn and begin knitting. Often, as I knit, I will begin to understand the thing I’m knitting will be a gift for someone. Every so often, I don’t read the directions fully and don’t realize I’ve made a major project mistake until halfway into the project. And sometimes, that works out okay. This was one of those projects. …
Have you ever knit something that was so amazing and perfect and exactly what you always wanted (but didn’t realize) that you couldn’t wait to put it on each day? This is it. This shawl is so amazing and this yarn so perfect that I would probably wear this around the house on a pajama day merely to dress things up. …
