Who wears a sweater in 100 degree weather?

A knitter that has spent countless hours working on a sweater, that's who! Finally, pictures and details of Salina. This is the first garment that has truly made me feel like I can knit. Sure, it is not the most complicated, or the best fitting sweater, but it is 100% wearable.

In fact, Tony likes to keep the house so cold, that I have been wearing it while lounging around the house, just to keep myself from being frostbitten. (hi Tony!) But, I cannot wait for the weather to get colder so I can wear it to work with a nice pair of jeans and cute boots, or for a fall afternoon of wine tasting in Virginia wine land. For now, I will have to be content with wearing it around the house, or showing off outside on our deck.

Tony loves it, and is getting quite impressed with my knitting techniques (as am I). He wants me to knit him as sweater, but I have told him time and time again, unless we are engaged - no sweater. I am even apprehensive about knitting him some socks! (is that acceptable you think?)

Pattern: Salina from Vintage Knits: Thirty Knitting Designs for Men and Women
Yarn:6 balls Rowan felted tweed in Melody (50% Merino Wool 25% alpaca 25% Viscose)
Needles: (size 5 3 1/4 mm needeles) Denise Interchangeables (as always) Others: 4 rowan 00320 buttons ( I do not variate from the pattern much, as this is exactly what the pattern called for. Notes: So the arms are still a little bit big. I think I am making sizes bigger than me. (read: I think my boobs are bigger than they really are). But I looovvee this one!

Final notes:

1) After I received so many comments on how frogging is the right way to go, I have decided to undo my bolero jacket. I cannot stand seeing it in my closet not being worn. I have a ton of other things I want to knit, but I think this will jump to the top of my list.

2) It was Tony's birthday this past Saturday. No, he is not old! He is HANDSOME! Happy Birthday Tones!!

What I did on my summer vacation...

God I have not written an essay like this in a long, long time.

Last week I went to the beach and got a tan. I know, I know, I need to watch my skin so I don't get cancer. And I did put sun screen and sat under the umbrella, and stayed inside one afternoon when I was feeling a little to beaten up by the sun. But, I do love me some nice sun-kissed cheeks! It makes me feel like I am not fast approaching my 30's *gulp*.

The first cool thing I want to share with you is this:

GREEN EGGS! As in Green Eggs and Ham! How incredibly cute is that!

Anyhoo, a lovely time was had by all. And when I mean all, I mean, Tony's entire family (mom, dad and two sisters) and their S.O.s, my mom, my 2 brothers, Tony's aunt and uncle and their daughter. Full House indeed! In most tight quarters situations such as this one, drama and chaos ensues after the second full day. Luckily, we all get a long pretty well, and there was not much drama. (Except when my mom wanted to watch "Cantando Por Un Sueno" while I was watchin "So You Think You Can Dance?". Not a pretty scene.

I brought plenty of books and magazines to entertain me, and Somewhat Cowl as well. Luckily, I have been teaching myself to knit and read at the same time, so much knitting was done. I love knitting in the round from the top down. I especially love that you can try on your garment and see how it fits while you are knitting it so you can make any needed modifications. If only I had actually done that.

See how it is so not fitted in the waist? And how the neckline is too droopy? And how it definetedly does not look like this? This is how far a long I was on Thursday, which is 7 straight days of knitting. I was bummed. I asked everyone in the house, and some passerby's if I should frog it (just kidding - but kinda funny if I had actually gone up to random people at the beach wearing a sweater in 100 degree weather asking them what they thought - hee!). Most people that had seen me knitting it all week suggested I just leave as is (tony's mom), or give it to them (tony's sister), or put it in the wash so it "shrinks a leetle" (my mom), or to "gain some weight so it would fit right" (still too shocked by that one to remember who said it). But Tony's cousin convinced me to undo it. If I kept asking everyone's opinion, it meant I was not happy with it, so just redo!

So I did. I did not take a picture of it undone cause I believe I was crying at the time. But now, a week later, I am at the exact same spot - and it looks terrific! So much more fitted and lovely! I am hoping to finish it this weekend so I can show you guys. (Salina pics first - I promise!)

In other news, I got my mom to start knitting again! This is her in the car ride back home finishing up a pair of slippers like the ones I made before. I had to translate the pattern to Spanish (not easy) because that is how she learned to knit. But she finished the pair. Go MAMA GOOO!

I was supposed to keep the pair to add to my pile of guest slippers, but she was so proud of herself that she must have "accidentally" dropped them in her bag. Sneaky.

I hope she keeps it up so it will all come back to her and she can teach me some new techniques. She used to make us sweaters with no patterns, no nothing! I will have to find some pictures and show them to you so you can see how talented my mom is.

Speaking of talented parents, my dad is showing his paintings in downtown D.C. this weekend in some hoighty toighty gallery. He is very excited about it, so if you are in the D.C. area, stop by! And if you have money, buy one of his paintings! Hee hee..

Finally, this is what Tony, his dad (big Tony we call him) and my brother did on our summer vacation:

They did not fall in. Twice.

Sunshine

Sometimes we all need a bit of sunshine to brighten up an otherwise stinky day (a day like today, when someone comes back from vacation only to find that even though this one person stayed up till 1 a.m. several days in a row before going on vacation to make sure that everything was nice and tidy at work, idiot people still find a way to make everything messy). Sorry, needed the vent.

Anyways, I have a friend who has been having a hard time late. To cheer her up, I created this little guy, in the colors of the sun. The pattern is from the same book where Henri was born. Jess designs the cutests things - doesn't she?

His name is SOL. SOL, as in sun, and as in Standards of Learning test. She is a teacher and hates prepareing her kids for the SOL tests. So, I thought she needed a reason to love SOL.

Wordy explanation - I know. But in my defense, I am at work, and livid about how people tell you that they understand what you are talking about, but then turn around and make a huge mess of things while you are on vacation because they think they know what they are talking about, when, clearly - they don't.

I think I need some sunshine. (or tequila).

Spoiled

Just got back from vacation to find two wonderful packages waiting for me! (I made Tony go get the mail from our friend before he unpacked -hee hee!)

The first one was from my Secret Pal. Note to Secret Pal: I lost your email - I am sorry! I have been looking all over for it to send you a thank you email, but cannot find it. So here it is: THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I love it all! The little knit image is from the card she included with the package.



The package included yumie vamilla Napa Soap (vanilla is my favorite sent); a really cute card - did you make it SP?; four skeins of Karaoke SOY yarn (can you believe that???) and a really cute pattern for the yarn. You can felt with this yarn, but i am liking he scarf pattern - it seems like a pretty accessory, and a quick knit - which is always welcomed!

The second package came from ms. KnitPastis. She had liked the yarn I used for my mom's shawl, and we decided to do another swap. She received the yarn, and really liked it, and I am sure she will make something gorgeous with it. She sent me this GORGEOUS handmade knitting bag and zipper pouch she made just for me! Tony was even impressed, and he is not one to comment too much on these things. He still asks me what I am "sewing", even though I have told him plenty of times that I am KNITTING.

She also sent me beautiful laura ashley notecards and magnets. The magnets are going to work with me, where they will be put to good use. One day we will have a bigger house and I will have my own little office, which will be very girlie. For now, no pretty magnets in the office, because then we will start having soccer and body building magnets as well. Thanks KnitPastis! It is so much fun exchanging with you.

I have so many knitting news, I need to post pics of Salina, and other FO's, but since we just came back from a week at the beach, and we have absolutely no food, it's off to Costco for me.

The only good pattern in the 2006 pattern a day calendar

Here it is ladies and gents, the only pattern I was willing to try from that 2006 Pattern a Day Calendar. I am not going to put a link to it, because, if you cannot say anything nice about someone, don't post a link to their product - (hee hee).

We have hardwood floors at home and we have a very strict no shoes policy. (Well, Tony is a bigger stickler about it - but that is another story). So I want to make some slippers to have around the house so when people come over they don't have to ask me for socks, or walk around barefoot.

If you look closely, you might see that I actually seamed it incorrectly, and this should be the outside part - oh well. The seaming is also unever - again, who cares.

I made them with Caron So Soft, a pretty inexpensive, cheap yarn, and the pattern was pretty easy, so I will be making more of them.

In other updates, Salina is done, but I am waiting for my photoshoot, which I have been too lazy to do. I started Somewhat Cowl and it is really cute so far! I am loviing it. I will post progress pictures soon. Okay - off to bed.