A letter to Tesia ~

Dear Tesia ,

I've been dreaming about Three Irish Girls yarn since I saw the amazing sweater that you knit up in some of their yarn a year ago.  It's hard to come by and I thought I may never get my hands on any but...

thanks to our conversation today, in about 5 weeks I'll be the proud owner of

• Carys BFL worsted in 'Roisin'  (also my very first BFL!)
• Springvale worsted in 'Devin'
• McClellon fingering in 'Cameron'
• McClellon lace in 'Brady'

I will think of you, my most evil of friends (and I mean that in the nicest way!), when I open my package and cast on my very first project.  I had no idea when you told me about this awesome sale that not only were there some truly gorgeous colorways, but I would get to pick my own fiber to be dyed.  Evil, evil, evil.  And, thanks for your kind offer of taking any of my choices off my hands if I'm not totally in love, but I'm certain I'll be thrilled with each and every yarn!

Thanks so much!  See you in 6 months and good luck tomorrow on your new venture!
Melissa

Meet Peter

Thanks, Kimberly , for the inspiration!

Project notes and link to another free pattern (don't you love those!?) can be found on my Rav project page .

Have a nice week ~  Melissa

A post of a Knitterly Nature

I've a few things to share ~ I finished some projects (birthday gifts) for people that don't read the blog (my sister and my husband...funny but true), so I can show them to you.  For sis:
 

These are Nantucket Cloths , and the link to the free pattern is on my Ravelry project page .  I added the buttons and ribbon hangs myself.  They're made from Pishgah coned worsted cotton and I think she'll love them. 

This is another Skull Cap , this time for my husband.  It's been killing him that I've made 2 of these for other people and he doesn't have one, so with his birthday around the corner, I figured I'd break down and make another one.  I made this with Peace Fleece worsted wool, with some modifications that can be found on my Rav page where there's a link to the free pattern, also.

Lastly, I just had to share some really neat things I've been given recently:

The handmade pottery votives are a belated gift from our guest blogger, Morgen ~ see the stockinette and cabled patterns in the clay?  I can't wait to use these in the knitting attic!  The stitch markers were handmade by my coworker and I've told her she should start selling them in her etsy shop.  I'll let everyone know if she decides to give it a go ~ she makes jewelry so these have been made from her jewelry making supplies.  Turquoise beads and sterling silver closed rings ~ I love them!! 

Have a great weekend, everyone!  The sun is shining during the day and the frogs are singing at night ~ a definite sign that spring is here.  ~ Melissa

Spring is here

.....finally!   ~ Melissa

Top o' the Mornin' to Ya

Happy St Patrick's Day to all my Irish family & friends!

~ Melissa

(If you're interested, Friday's results for the PacRim Meet ~ it was the women's team competition day ~ USA won Gold and Silver at both the Jr and Sr levels and we won the Gold in team All-Around, too ~ wahoo!!!)

Who's that girl?

Just me! I think it's been a month since I last posted. Time flies. Not much to report. The edging on my Bridgewater is 1/2 done but I had to set it aside while I deal with winter skin ~ rough fingertips and laceweight yarn are not friendly. Snagging every stitch was too much to bear after awhile so I've set it aside til the alligator scales are gone.

I have been knitting, but with nothing to show.  All top-secret stuff ~ 2,250 yards of completed projects since mid-January (that's all I'll say!) that are Christmas gifts to be put away so that when the holidays roll around this year, I can knit for me and maybe finish a winter project and still be able to wear it the same year.  Ask me how this master plan worked out come December.  I'm hoping for a stress-free holiday season for a change!

I am about to cast on a new project (that's it in the photo...look familiar?) ~ I needed something simple to take along with me this weekend when I get to attend the 2012 Kellogg's Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships.  I pooled the Christmas money that I was given for yarn this past year.....and spent it on something else (!gasp!).  I got an all-sessions 3-day package.  So this Friday, Saturday and Sunday if you need to find me, I'll be front row center, watching some world-class gymnasts getting ready for this summer's London Olympics.  Just me, myself and I, a lovely in it's simplicity Churchmouse pattern and one of my all-time favorite yarns, Rowan Felted Tweed ~ it's a me weekend!  Hope everyone else has as much fun as I know I'm going to have!  ~ Melissa

And if anyone is concerned because I spent yarn money on, well, not yarn ~ no need to worry.  I'm okay ~ there's still tons of stash to work with and I did get a Weaving Works gift certificate from my parents so it's not like I'm going without ;)

Meeting Sally Melville

One bonus I enjoy at my job is meeting some amazing famous knitters. Yesterday Sally Melville came by. She's teaching a workshop through our yarn shop Ana Cross Stitch, 3/4 yarn shop 1/4 threads and stitching.

She's a small framed women, but you can't miss her. You can tell without asking she loves what she does, she was wearing her first ever "Einstein Coat". My guess it's from 2001. After checking into hotel she came back wearing her "A Grey Cardigan". She's knitted 5 of these, it's a wonderful cabled sweater in her Mother-Daughter book. I wish I'd have had my camera, she wore a short black leather boot with spikes sticking out of the heels. She said "gives a whole new meaning to a good ass kicking".

My kinda gal. I like her, and wished I was going to be apart of the weekend, but for a couple reasons it didn't work out for me.

I do have her The Knit Stitch and Mother-Daughter Knits, I've only knitted the Shape It! Scarf, but am dusting off these two books and remembering the knits I wanted to work.

Kelli