Skip to main content

Birthday Presents, Fiber-style

Sock Yarn: Hazel Knits
& The Wool Dispensary
Yesterday was my birthday, and thus far I've received many awesome gifts from my thoughtful friends and family.  The biggest gift I've gotten, unfortunately, is also the most unpleasant:  a monster cold....much like I had for last year's birthday.  The difference?  Last year on November 16, I was not only sick, but at the Vet's office learning how to give our newly-diagnosed cat his subcutaneous fluids.  So really, this is an improvement, and I am merely experiencing the Traditional Birthday Cold.

My parents came to visit this past weekend, which kicked off all of the birthday celebrating.  We had many meals out at some of my favorite places (Revolution, Hot Doug's, M Burger, The Handlebar to name a few), did a little shopping, and spent Saturday afternoon at the Irish Cultural Center (which is very close to where I live - I had no idea!) for their Irish Books, Arts & Music Festival.  Perhaps it was too much fun and excitement....or maybe this really is new tradition for my thirties.
Shaelyn + Project Bag

As far as knitterly gifts go, my yarn guru Lauren knit me a soft and snuggly Shaelyn Shawl in Malabrigo Lace (there was beer, chocolate and a project bag, too - she knows all of my weaknesses!).  Sam gave me some sock yarn with a matching project bag and pattern (sure to leap to the front of my queue), my boss and fellow fiber lover Leanne sent many birthday goodies, among them a cat tape measure, fun buttons & a delicious assortment of tea.  I think this magnet also warrants a mention - how often do you have a boss who has a sense of humor and doesn't care that you have tattoos?!  Yeah, that one is front and center on our fridge now. 

Tyler ordered me a lovely skein of Skein (sorry, couldn't resist) from Doodlebug Yarns, one of very few places in the US that carries this Australian hand-dyed yarn.   Check out the subtle variegation of the Tribal colorway in Merino Cashmere Fingering....so much pretty yarn is really going to jump the queue I'd worked out for post-holiday knitting.

And all of this is in addition to the other (non-fiber-related) thoughtful and wonderful gifts people have sent my way.  Despite the stupid cold, I'm still managing to have a great birthday, so thanks to everyone who's wished me well via Facebook/Text Message/Snail Mail/Sky Writing.  Here's hoping I'll be well by tomorrow, which is when my official birthday party is supposedly taking place.  I refuse to reschedule it two years in a row!
Skein. Drool!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Easy DIY: Beaded Vintage Snowflake Ornament Kits from Solid Oak Inc.

I was really excited to step outside of my comfort zone and try something new as part of my "Christmas in July" theme this month. The kind folks at Solid Oak Inc offered me a chance to review one of their Nostalgic Christmas beaded crystal ornament kits I couldn't resist. My tree is already full of ornaments I've inherited or been gifted from other family members and friends,  so these pretty crystal beaded ornaments will fit right in I think! I was super impressed with  this compact little kit , which includes everything needed to create three gorgeous vintage-style ornaments - just add a pair of round nose pliers (I found mine on Amazon for less than ten bucks).  The instructions had some fabulous tips for newbies like me; for example, it recommended sorting the beads and laying them out in order on a towel or beading mat to prevent them from rolling away. That may seem obvious, but I was totally ready to start beading on my kitchen table without a

What If I Didn't Add Heels?

Last weekend, I finished the first sock with my Waterlilies yarn , and just for yuks, I tried it on even though it was basically just a tube sock. Much to my surprise, it fit really well, even without a heel. Who knew? So, that got me thinking: what if I just didn't add the heels?  I never thought a tube sock would actually fit nicely, but I genuinely like the fit, so...why spend time to add the heels? As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.... Let's say I decide not to add heels once the second sock is done - there will still be placeholder yarn for the afterthought heels, as you can see above, so should I leave it in and just weave in the ends? Or should I remove it, put the live stitches back on needles and at least graft them together using more of the Waterlilies yarn? I plan on mulling all of this over as I knit the second sock, and I'd love to hear your opinions of what you think would look best (or if you think this whole "n

Overdyeing A Finished Knit

Even after just a few years of knitting or crocheting, you're bound to have some finished projects lying around that never get worn or used. After 10+ years of crafting, I have more than just "some" or "a few"....and with my ongoing quest to declutter my house this year, I've become obsessed with going through these forlorn projects and making some Big Decisions. Sometimes, they are perfectly fine and just need a new and loving home. Other projects may have not turned out quite right: there might have been some mistakes in the knitting that I thought I could live with, or the yarn was gorgeous but not well-matched to the pattern, or my  taste has drastically changed since I finished making the project...in any case, why on earth did I keep knitting?! Who knows, but I don't feel good about gifting anything that falls into this category to someone else. These projects have been relegated to the "frog pile" (or should I say, frog pond?), to b