I cannot believe that tomorrow is the last day of June. Where has the month gone?
I only finished two things this month...
First, we have Clara - a cute little girl cardi by Louisa Harding that I made for my Camp Loopy Project One. We were challenged to make something by a designer from a different country than our own. The best part is that I completed it by the deadline, which was Wednesday:
I used Rowan Amy Butler - which is a nice 50/50 blend of cotton and wool - in a pretty color called Peony. It is knitted in pieces and then assembled before one then attaches the edging all the way around. I struggled a little with that edging attachment...and don't think I did the best job of it, but overall, I think it turned out fine. I enjoyed making this project.
I also finished The Lazy Girl Shawl this week...although, it is well after the Mad May deadline, but that's okay...I still have a pretty neat shawl. I took it to the beach with me today:
I loved the yarn I used - Western Sky Knits Magnolia Sock in the Carnivale colorway and Madelinetosh 80/10/10 Fingering in the Oceana colorway. Both are lushious merino, cashmere and nylon blends and I enjoyed knitting with them.
I am thrilled that these two projects have been completed, because I have four other things OTN currently - one of which is My Affected Shawl (aka the Color Affection)- my Camp Loopy Project 2. It's grown since I cast on two days ago:
In other news, I also went to the movies today. It was kind of crazy at the theater. People were flocking and taking pictures:
And then I realized that Magic Mike opened today, and it appears that the theater was having a little promotion...
In case you are wondering, I saw Moonrise Kingdom. You can read all about it on Monday.
MK out.
Here it is - WIP Wednesday - and I have pictures to share but no way to post them. I really need to update my technology, but that's a story for another day...
I have started the Color Affection for Camp Loopy Project 2:
The picture was taken this morning...I've knitted some more on it since then...I am almost finished with the first section.
MK out.
...starts tomorrow:
I'm all ready. Are you?
MK out.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a really good movie. It has much more substance than the trailers lead one to believe. It is set in present day India, where a group of British citizens are looking to retire for their various reasons. There are a host of good actors: Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton, Tom Wilkinson and Dev Patel...just to name a few. It is an endearing and quite entertaining story. I liked it very much.
MK out.
I took a picture Wednesday morning in order to do a WIP Wednesday post, but the day got crazy and I never was able to sit down at the computer and get it done.
Here's the picture I took:
It doesn't appear than any of the projects have really progressed, but I have been knitting on all three of them. There's even a whole pattern repeat completed on the socks. I do want to finish the little cardi ASAP, because the next Camp Loopy project will be starting in a couple of weeks. And - I am about o.v.e.r the Lazy Girl shawl...if you know what I mean...
I finished the Turquoise Cardi at the end of May, but didn't get a picture until the other day. I have already loaded completion pictures on Ravelry and have submitted them to The Loopy Ewe for placement in the gallery...so, I really needed to put a picture here:
I made it for the Second Quarter 2012 Challenge - which was to knit adult socks, a sweater or a vest with a yarn that had cotton in it. The yarn is Cascade Ultra Pima. It is 100% cotton, but you wouldn't know it while you are knitting it. I could knit and knit and knit all day, and my hands didn't hurt. I used three and a half skeins. I wanted the cardi longer than the pattern instructed, and I think it is long enough now. I kind of got over the knitting long before I reached the end. It was a fun knit - The Lavender Cardigan by schneckenstrick.
Finally, I wanted to share a recent purchase I made:
It's a project bag, notions bag and needle cozy in the cutest sock monkey print. My friend Amy, aka That Semifero Grrl, makes these and sells them in her etsy shop. Y'all should check it out. Her craftmanship is very good, her customer service is wonderful and her products are cute, cute, cute!!!
Y'all have a good weekend!
MK out.
Bernie is a dark comedy based on a true story that is anything but funny Skip Hollandsworth is one of the script writers. The Texans (or anyone who reads Texas Monthly) here may recognize this name. He wrote an article about the murder of a prominent citizen in Carthage, TX by the local assistant funeral director. Jack Black plays Bernie Tiede, the quirky, much loved, mortician. Shirley MacLaine plays the mean old widow, whom Bernie befriends. Matthew McConaughey plays the DA who dares to charge Bernie with first degree murder. Some people may think that the townspeople were depicted as caricatures of small town Texans, but I think the characterizations rang all too true. I started laughing with the first scene. There were parts that weren't really funny for sure, but overall it was a very entertaining comedy. I loved it.
MK out.
It is WIP Wednesday again! It seems to come around so fast every week...
I have a total of four projects OTN today...and thank goodness for Knit Nite, because it will probably be the only chance I will have today to pick up any of those needles.
The Lazy Girl Shawl is not further than it was last week...I guess you could say that a lazy girl is knitting it (as well as reposting a picture she took last week of it):
I haven't picked up the April socks since, well...sometime in May probably:
I did however make good progress on my Camp Loopy Project One:
The yarn is yummy in the skein and in the fabric, but it still is a little too ropey for my tastes while I am working it. The sleeves are done, but I think I will make them just a tad longer, after I finish the edging that will be going around the entire cardi. It's going to be pretty cute, I think.
I started my June 2012 socks right on the first:
One of the Sock Knitters Anonymous challenge choices this month to knit an underappreciated pattern - meaning, less than 15 people had made it so far on Ravelry. I found one, kept it in mind, and on the stroke of midnight, I created my project page, created my cast on post and I casted on. Then, I went to sleep. I started working on the cuff and just wasn't getting gauge, despite having gone down to 2.0mm needles. I took a little closer look at the yarn's page on Ravelry and realized that it is sport weight - so, after a little thought, I figured out how and where I could make adjustments and I started again.
What's on your needles?
MK out.
Carole picked another good topic this week: 10 Favorite Workout Songs.
Mostly, exercising/working out around here involves power-walking. I listen to all different kinds of music when I am out and about, but I do have some all time favorites that I keep coming back to:
The Fixx
1. One Thing Leads to Another
2. Saved by Zero
3. Are We Ourselves
4. Red Skies
5. Sunshine in the Shade
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A N D~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Billy Squier
1. The Stroke
2. My Kind of Lover
3. In the Dark
4. Lonely is the Night
5. Too Daze Gone
I could go on and on (and on), but I thought I would give you a taste of my five top favorites from each artist.
Enjoy!
/MK out.
Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones reprise their roles as Agents J and K in Men in Black 3. I really enjoyed the first two movies, although some of the aliens were slimey and icky. The lines are always good in these films - very clever, funny, witty. This one was more about the relationship between the two agents. Josh Brolin plays a younger Agent K who J meets when he has to go back in time to solve a little issue. It was very good. I did not see it in 3D - I don't really know if that is necessary. I really liked it.
MK out.
Did you wait all night...not being able to sleep...counting the hours or minutes...until you could see a picture of My Tarty Scarf?
Of course you did...in my little world, at least. (The little world that lives inside my little head...)
I present My Tarty Scarf:
Pattern: Saroyan by Liz Abinante.
Yarn: Tart on Madelinetosh Pashmina
Needles: 4.0mm circulars
Notes: This pattern is written for worsted weight yarn, but many people have made it using other weights - including sport weight, as the Pashmina is. Most people who used Pashmina got 7 increase, 14 straight and 7 decrease repeats of the pattern. That was my goal and I achieved it. I loved working with the Pashmina and the color - my favorite - made me very happy. I enjoyed working the pattern, too.
MK out.
P.S. Please pardon the poor pictures today and yesterday...
