The Knitting Siren

Nicole

Ain't she perty?!

 

Can't claim this as my own though.  I used the sweater "Cherry Bomb" from Big Girl Knits as my template and added a stitch pattern from one of Barbara Walker's treasuries.  I knit it for my good friend Nicole out of my bamboo/cotton blend yarn in the "Big Sur" colorway.  Now my sister and mom want one :-)

I need a mannequin to display my sweaters.  The floor just doesn't do this beauty justice.  Anyone know where I can get a nice mannequin cheap?

My week without internet.

My computer genius son was exploring my computer's settings and messed it up.  I finally got things fixed and am back online. 

What did I learned from my week without internet?  I can get a lot of things done.  I spend more time playing with the kids.  I get outside more.  I knit more.

But, I can't communicate as easily with loved ones who are far away.  I miss some of my favorite TV shows (I watch some shows online).  I can't design as easily.  I can't post pics of new yarn.

Speaking of new yarn...

Marianas on Bamboo Ribbon.

  

You'll be seeing more colorways on this base soon.  I adore this yarn! One of these days I'll make something myself out of it :-) 

Pattern free with yarn purchase!

In honor of my birth 30 long years ago, I'm offering a free pattern with any yarn purchase during this next week (sales ends next Saturday).

All my patterns can be found on this website or here http://www.theknittingsiren.com and all my yarns are here http://theknittingsiren.etsy.com.  I've been busy adding new wool yarns and will be adding more throughout the week.  So, if you feel like taking me up on my offer, just let me know which pattern you would like in the "message from buyer" section when you check out of my etsy store.

Fun fun!

Happy Birthday to Me!

I've officially entered the 3rd decade of my life.  Aside from a bad back and sagging chin skin, I'm not feeling too old :-)

I'm going to spend my day knitting, maybe dye a few skeins, and head to my LYS and spend my birthday money.  All I really wanted for my birthday was a clean house, but since my back hurts, I can't do much.  Oh well, at least I have an excuse.  For my birthday meal, split pea soup.  I have it every year since I was a little girl.  My mom would always make our favorite dish for our birthdays and mine has always been split pea soup.

For my knitting adventures today, I'm going to finish a pair of scrappie britches, finish clue #6 on the Mystery Shawl (which by the way, is gorgeous), and finish that new sock.  We'll see if I get that much done.  I need to get all my personal knitting done this week because I have a ton of custom orders to get to that I'm just waiting on the yarn.  It seems the sideways britches are a hit.  Speaking of which, action shots!!!

     

Sam is checking them out.

This one makes me laugh.  The chickens are following right behind.

Sneak Peak

Check this out!

 

I like to taunt :-)  This is a sock pattern that I am working on right now.  I'm totally in love with it.  I spent 2 full days charting and swatching before I got the stitch pattern right.  It was well worth my time.

Other fun, Ripples is being featured on the  Lime&Violet blog.  Exciting!

And I finished these awesome pants this week.  Crazy looking!  Yarn is care of Doodlebirds, of course.  BFL in the "Doodlebirds" colorway. 

I'm so depressed, I don't want to dye.

I didn't realize the irony of those words until my LYS owner Amy began to snicker at my confession.  That got a good laugh out of me. 

Life's craziness had been interferring with my dyeing time.  But I'm getting back into my groove.  My goal is to dye one batch a day and this weekend I'll have a dyeing frenzy (large custom order to fill).  My birthday is Saturday and I can't think of a better way to spend it than to knit and dye. 

I'm turning 30.  This has been the hardest birthday for me yet.  I know 30 is not old, but it's not 20.  Life is just going by too fast.  I don't know my great-grandma's first name, are my great-grandkids going to know my name?  Am I going to leave any impression at all, aside from crazy knitting lady?

I'll leave you with a pretty picture. "Kiss of Death" on superfine merino lace.

   

What the heck is that?!

Hee, hee!  It's a good thing I can visualize things in my head easily or patterns like this would never come to be. 

These are a pair of pants.  I've got 3 circular needles holding stitches along with 2 smaller stitch holders and the pair of needles I'm actually knitting with.  Oy, what I will do to get a seamless garment!

I love love love this colorway.  It's Doodlebirds.com (of course) signature colorway, aptly named Doodlebirds. 

Also, I just finished up this pair of socks in the colorway, "Gentle Rainbow" from the sock club.  This is the pattern that went out with the yarn.  Another brilliant combo, if I do say so myself.

Now I'm off to go finish those pants!