Churchmice Elves ~ By Kelli

Making Christmas merrier ~ my new knitted friends, thanks to Churchmouse and Rowan Fine Tweed. Check out CM newly released Jolly wee Elf pattern or if you have the 2012 Holiday newsletter, it's in there for free! Oh yeah, Go Hawks!

late to the party ~ Melissa

 

my January socks ~ joining Liesl at Buckalooview

Finally got around to joining the two thousand plus knitters who have tried the classic 'Turkish Bed Socks' pattern by Churchmouse Yarn and Teas.  Fun.  Fast.  Easy.  A little more seaming than the average joe might like but I love doing the finish work on a project so it was a bonus for me.

 

Yarn was a gift from our own WillyG (thanks, Will!).  I'll be knitting these again with some modifications to see if I can make the ankle a bit more snug and add some pizzaz to the foot.  Love these.

 

ravelry notes can be found here

 

Today we're off for a visit with mom to see if her mad crochet skills can fashion a Seahawks 12th Man Beer Can hat for Jason before Superbowl Sunday next week.  Wish us luck!



roadtrip (narrated by Mr Webster) ~ posted by Melissa

waiting - the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)




home - The abiding place of the affections,





embark - To go on board a vessel or a boat for a voyage



awe-inspiring - inspiring awe or admiration or wonder;"this sea, whose gently awful stirrings seem to speak of some hidden soul beneath"- Melville;



anticipation - pleasurable expectation



church mouse - a fictional mouse created by Lewis Carroll



nirvana - any place of complete bliss and delight and peace



intoxicating - extremely exciting as if by alcohol or a narcotic



gracious - Abounding in beauty, loveliness, or amiability




 patience - the power of suffering with fortitude








recompense - To give in return; to pay back; to pay, as something earned or deserved



energize - cause to be alert and energetic; "Coffee and tea stimulate me"

 

character - The peculiar quality, or the sum of qualities, by which a person or a thing is distinguished from others; the stamp impressed by nature, education, or habit

 

snarf - make off with belongings of others

 

felicity - The state of being happy; blessedness; blissfulness; enjoyment of good

 

A long awaited trip to Churchmouse Yarns & Teas.  A day with my husband spent out and about enjoying each other's company.  Christmas gifts received were carefully plotted, planned and well spent (thank you Trudy and Nanna).  More BT Shelter for hats, bright happy yarn for socks and enough yarn for our just kicked off New Year's Knitalong.  I'll get better yarn photos tomorrow in better light because, no, my Spire will not be golden and peach like you see above in the middle...not even close!  There's still time to join if you're tempted (and if you are following along and want to post (Mara!) ~ don't forget to pm me on Ravelry so I can tell you what I need from you so you can play along :)

 

I love how excited everyone seems to be who has taken time to post...and I know by Kelli's silence she is almost finished (only half kidding!).

 

Thanks everyone for all the wonderful posts and photos and excitement ~ you make doing this every year worthwhile and something to look forward to all year long!

 

I need to wind some yarn so that's all for now ~ more to come tomorrow hopefully! 

 

Happy knitting and happy new year!  Melissa

 

(and I did snarf the drink menu above but only because I plan on trying this at home!)



surfacing & a new kal ~ posted by Melissa

 

As promised, it's time to catch up!  Lots going on at home so there has been little time for blogging.  Thanks again to everyone who posted in May about their Shetland Shawls ~ they were all amazing and it was so much fun to follow everyone's progress.  I think there are 3 knitters left who have yet to finish, but I know at least 2 of them are really, really close to being done.  So, let's keep the ball rolling and start thinking about the next knitalong.  We've missed Jared Flood and are going to do another of his wonderful patterns, QUILL , to keep in the Shetland tradition.  Here's the link to the page (also on the sidebar) with all the info!.  Add a comment if you're joining us and you're a repeat guest blogger, and if you're new send me a note on Ravelry and I'll get your info from you there.

 

Now to explain my absence during the May KAL.  No excuses.  I had the yarn wound, beads picked out, needles at the ready...but I lacked the motivation to cast on.  Then day after day your beautiful finished shawls were posted and I kept thinking 'today is the day I get started', but I still couldn't seem to muster the excitement.  Finally towards the end of May, I buckled down and cast on.  I knit for 2 days, beads and everything.  And then I took a look at my work and...yuck.  So with a pang of guilt, I ripped it out and decided not to beat myself up about not participating this time around.  Take my word for it ~ it was not pretty.  'Hot Mess' kept popping into my head the entire time I knit it (it was madelinetosh yarn, you know, so it was definitely a HOT mess!). 

 

I was productive in May, though, and up to things unfamiliar and unlike me! 

 

 I entered a photo contest for the first time.  Two photos, each with a caption ~ and that's all I'm going to share right now.  I wrestled with some self-doubt and waited til the final hours to submit my pictures, but they have been sent and received and now it's a waiting game til August to find out how I did.  Regardless of the outcome, the hurdle for me was entering at all so I'm proud!

 

I knit a just-released shawl pattern:

 

 

...and then immediately knit another with leftover scraps from other projects:

 

 

Pattern : Sandness by Gudrun Johnston (Wool People 5)

(for more information, project links are above each photo)

 

I also dipped into the 'almost finished basket' and completed this lovely:

 

 

Pattern : Smocked Lace Wrap from Churchmouse Yarns & Teas

 

And after knitting two of the same shawl, I started a pair of socks (shocker!!!).  After all, I can't really use my standard 'I don't like to make the same thing twice' excuse anymore as the reason I don't knit them.  And how could I not cast on a pair, after our blogging friend Jeff was so nice (!) to send me this wild skein from his trip to Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival:

 

 

  Thanks, Jeff!!!!  And here's proof that this is really happening:

 

 

But that's only one sock, Melissa...  I can hear you all thinking that :)

 

I just finished it this morning and true to my word, I have already cast on it's mate:

 

These socks are fun, fun, fun (although not a beginner pattern - there's much that's intuitive or implied) and after struggling a bit with the first one, the other will be a breeze (my massive note taking will certainly help!)

 

Pattern : Aquaphobia Socks by Crystal Flanagan (the link is to my project page on Ravelry)

 

I think that's everything noteworthy that I have to share.  I probably won't resurface until the start of the next knitalong ~ we've been prepping for fence staining and house painting for weeks and the crew, weather permitting, will be here tomorrow to get started.  So, until then, happy knitting and see you soon for Quill!

 

~ Melissa 



5th Annual Girls in Sheep Clothing New Year's Day Knitalong ~ posted by Melissa

Establishing some new traditions and continuing an old one ~

Churchmouse Yarns & Teas Holiday 2012

We made our second annual journey across Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island to get us into the holiday spirit ~ mission accomplished!  Churchmouse was wonderfully decorated again and we all were pleased with all the help we had choosing yarn, patterns and tea...thanks, Karen!

wild, wild women and a little beastie boy

Not only does saying 'cashmere' when having ones picture taken make you smile, it also makes some of us just downright goofy looking!

And on the way home we talked about our upcoming New Year's Day knitalong ~ it will be the 5th one that we've participated in and the 4th that we've actually hosted if my recollections are true.  It will run alongside the already in progress Nieblingmania (which may go on forever!!) and we will cast on January 1st.  We've chosen Jared Flood's Leaves of Grass (which I think is also the 5th Jared pattern we've chosen to knitalong with including non-new-years-knitalongs ~ I think we might love him!)

 

 

So, you know the drill.  If you're interested, gather your pattern and choose your yarn and get ready to cast on with us January 1st.  It's a great way to ring in the New Year and settle in after the chaos of the holidays have passed.  Let us know if you'll be joining us, and if you haven't participated before and would like to, add a comment or contact me on Ravelry (here's the link) and we'll let you know what we need from you to get you added as an author on the blog so you can post progress pictures and chat as we go.
 

I'm looking forward to knitting along with everyone!  And believe it or not, the squatting girl with the goofy looking 'cashmere' face is me and I'm wearing my Jared Flood 'Bridgewater' shawl for the first time...ever!  It was last year's knitalong ~ about time I wore it, eh?  ~ Melissa

edited to add: I went through all my rav projects and this will be the 10th (!) knitalong ~ it all started when Kelli and I joined a blogger in Norway for a New Year's knitalong 01-01-2008...she opted out the following year so I started a blog just to have a place to host another knitalong...and the rest is history!  That blog eventually morphed into this blog and the knitalongs continue ~ we've done 4 calendar shawls, 3 Jared Flood knits (Hemlock Ring, Juneberry and Bridgewater), Juju's Loops Prairie Shawl, the in progress Niebling kal and the upcoming Leaves of Grass. 

hello! ~ posted by Melissa

Seems like the blog has been a little stagnant lately ~ sorry!  Don't know what Kelli is up to but I'll try to share something a tiny bit interesting (hopefully!).

Here's the smallest drop of progress on my Fruhling:

 

I'm on row 73...of 370 rows.

 

I've knit 12,440 stitches...but there are 279,800 total.

 

So, if I've done my math correctly, I've completed a whopping 4.45%.

That means I have a looooong way to go!  How is everyone else doing on their Niebling?  Hopefully better than I am!

 

Exciting day planned for tomorrow ~ a holiday trip to Churchmouse!  We had so much fun last year that we had to plan another December trek across the water.  I'm so looking forward to it since I haven't seen my knitting pals much at all this year!  Off to finish decorating the house and then maybe a row or 2 on Fruhling ~ happy Sunday!  

a solitary saturday ~ a picture post by Melissa

edmonds - kingston ferry



free music in the courtyard outside Churchmouse

a walk along the Bainbridge Marina waterfront

 



sabayon marsala wine custard for brunch ... wicked



Susanna Hansson and her amazing fibonacci inspired sweater



Churchmouse Yarn and Tea's classroom



a full and busy class



fibonnaci student works in progress



my fibonacci baby hat ~ 4 color ~ 3 # sequence (8, 5, 3)

fumes ~ posted by Melissa

busy days, late nights ~ phew...I'm beat and no day of rest in sight!

 

tomorrow holds a ferry ride to Churchmouse to do this:

 

I'm really excited for this class and for an excuse to shop a little at Churchmouse (a 10% coupon, a full $20 off punch card and not having gone yarn shopping in months will make it a guilt-free spree!).

 

Sunday will be full of chores and yard work and then Monday mom and I are off to the Evergreen State Fair for the day.  Busy, busy, busy but it's a good tired that I feel.  I'm anxiously anticipating the change of seasons with my favorite time of year quickly approaching, and I feel rejuvenated.

 

Enjoy the weekend, everyone, and I hope to have some fun things to share next week!  ~ Melissa 



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 ;)

Holiday Fun at Churchmouse

We made it!

It was a blast.  Spent a couple hours shopping.  Ate lunch at the Blackbird Cafe.  Had some Whiskey Gingerbread.  A new favorite.  Better like whiskey if you ever try it.  There's a reason it's called that.  Drank some coffee, but not enough.  Here's how I feel after hanging with this crazy group all day:

All kidding aside, if you've got the blues and need a holiday pick-me-up, make the trip across the water to Churchmouse.  It's worth it ~ as usual, the staff was more than welcoming and gracious and patient with the bit of chaos that follows us wherever we go.  And the shop....boy, do they know how to decorate.  Zoe gladly posed with some of the displays, although sadly Jo decided to stay home today ~ long story, something about a late night, a little too much of the above mentioned whiskey maybe....hmmm.  Anywho, enjoy the pics and have a great week!    ~ Melissa