Beads, beads, and more beads!

I am making my first foray into beading! :) Brenda and I like to challenge ourselves (together I need someone to hold my hand on my walk through the wide world of knitting!) and we decided we needed more lace in our lives. Well the next thing I did (stupid me!) was pick the Aeolian Shawl pattern for us to work on. So luckily I had this lovely Alpaca Lace from Cascade sitting in my MONSTROUS stash and Brenda had the beads. The crochet hook I bought. But it is always nice to start a pattern and not have to spend any money. This pattern is probably the MOST beatiful thing I have EVER seen. and if I can make mine look HALF as nice as it is I know that I will consider myself lucky! So here goes my first foray into beaded lace!
I also splurged and bought this book at the store! I've been eying it up since it came out and I think ALL of the Christmas Presents that I knit this year our going to come from it! (So if I knit for you you better get your fingers on this book and pick or I will be picking for you!)

Live, Laugh, Love!

I finished my Harry Potter socks last Saturday. They fit perfectly and are super comfortable! I worked at String thing Shop which let me tell you is GREAT for my knitting! Brenda went to TNNA and got me a SUPER cute Della Que bag! So it was very much a successful weekend because I ALSO finished .... Bernadette's birthday Cowl. Which I foolishly showed her last Sunday and she kidnapped until I saw her last night for her actual Birthday! She loved the cowl and the other gifts she received! And I loved going to Thai Rak Thai. I ate "Holy Basil Duck" (mostly because I VERY much enjoyed saying the name!) and asked for it extra super scary spicy. Well it was and my stomach lining may never be the same! But it was excellent!

My friend Tara came to my house this morning to show me the fabulous crochet shawl she has deligently been working on for a few weeks! And she needed someone to show her how to block and she also needed someone who had the room to block! (Go me!) So here is a picture of one of my bestest friends blocking her first lace crochet shawl! Good for you Tara! I love you! :)
I went to a wedding this evening and my Mom took an awesome picture of my Brother and I! He is turning 21 tomorrow and I wanted to wish him a Happy Birthday in blog land! :) happy Birthday Burke! You are an awesome Brother! It is also my Momma's birthday tomorrow! and since she taught me how to knit she is very important in my life! So happy Birthday Momma! :)

God re-opened the door!

On an off knitting topic the company I work for called my boss on Tuesday and asked if we wanted our jobs back. I immediately JUMPED (literally) at the opportunity! So at least until mid September I have a job. If the PA budget doesn't pass by June 30 I wont be getting paid for awhile, but I'm learning to accept working for the state government kinda sucks! Now for my triumphant return to knitting! (Ok so I might be stretching the truth a little bit, I'm not doing anything particularly hard BUT ...)

Anyway I've been working on my Harry Potter socks, or bobble socks. At this point though I might as well face it everything in my world revolves around Harry Potter. Since this picture was taken I've finished this sock and finished the leg of the next one! I'm trying to hurry up and finish it because I want to start the new Cookie A. pattern. I bought some great Lornas Laces to go with it!
I'm also working on my first Cowl. It's called the Noble Cod right now and I'm about half way finished with it. It is a really pretty leaf pattern. It is for my friend Bernadette's birthday. I don't think that I cowl would do a thing for me, I do not feel the need to add a chin to my already epic one! :) and I'm always hot so adding wool to the situation seems foolish! I'm using Limbo Superwash bu Schoeller + Stahl. I really like it so far. It is soft and yummy! :) More pictures when I finish the cowl and the socks! The cowl is going to need a crazy amount of blocking! :)

Game Knitting meet Harry Potter

It was a magical night at String Thing Shop this past Friday. A group of knitters, crocheters, and a few guys watched the first Harry Potter movie and made some awesome hats.

We drank yummy Polyjuice Potion,

and we ate YUMMY pumkin pasties Guenevere made

and Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans!

The centerpiece on the table was a cauldron of Harry Potter colored yarn. (what more could I ask for?!)

and Guenevere even dressed up!

a great time was had by all I can't wait for the next movie. Pride and Prejudice on June 27th at 4 pm! :)

Well as a general rule ....

When you think it can't get any worse it does. First though my terrible knitting funk is over! The yarn is Mad Science Yarns and it reminds me of Gryffindor from Harry Potter! :) The pattern itself if really easy and has bobbles all over it! :) I heart bobbles! On a sad note my 92 year old Grandma passed away early Friday afternoon. She was an avid crafter. The quilt on my bed she made for me out of scarps she had, and some of the blocks are scraps from dresses I wore or even my mom. In this photo she is wearing a shawl which I made her and I am wearing a hat that she made and gave me. It is the only thing made from Red Heart that I own! She was a wonderful women who lived on her own until just this last December. She rests in my heart and I hope that she has found peace in heaven.

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the sun. A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill and a time to heal ... a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance ... a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to lose and a time to seek; a time to rend and a time to sew; a time to keep silent and a time to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace.

ecclesiastes 3:1-8 RIP Mary Becher I miss you.

Don't Stop Believing....

Is an excellent song and just came up on my Pandora and is kinda what I need to be my motto. This blog is generally about my knitting life, but my current personal life is hurting my poor neglected knitting. Last week I was told that I would be being laid off from my job at the Anthracite Heritage Museum, effective July 1. That being said I was going to complete my time there September 15th and I had a clue that I wouldn't make it that long. However I would like to continue working in the museum field and I needed all the experience I could get. So now I'm spending all of my free time actively seeking employment in the museum world. I'm willing to move, so that broadens my search parameters. However there are a lot of other people looking for the same jobs I am. So wish me luck.

Now let me bring it back to the knitting world. The day I was laid off I ripped out a sock that was 3/4s finished and consisted of crazy cabling and lace. And everything that I've cast on since has made it a few inches before I rip it out. I am not happy with ANYTHING that I'm working on. So hopefully the sock I cast on last night and completed the ribbing will be a better excursion into the sock knitting field!

Also I must admit that I HATE HATE HATE knitting through the back loop and no longer am going to start socks that require it. There is ZERO stretch for my big feet and it makes my hands hurt. Also I'm looking for a sock yarn that has color repeats for about an inch. Because I just want a boring striped sock.

I need to thank my friends for listening to me whine, especially Brenda who pointed out that I need to keep positive. So no more saying that I'm not good enough and no one will hire me. I just need to wait for someone to be smart enough (like Jill was) to hire me!

Also Thanks for believing in me Jill! You were a great boss and your still stuck with me! :) Love you!

As I said before wish me luck on the job search and hopefully when I post again I'll be an assistant curator somewhere interesting!

You Wouldn't Understand ....

It's a String Thing. :) Which is what the super cute new T-shirt I got at the GRAND OPENING of String Thing Shop. I worked this weekend at the store, praying not to break the register. (Yes I really did pray, and have nightmares!) The store seemed to do really well and there was a awesome dyer, MadScienceYarns from Bethlehem there who hearts Harry Potter as much as I do! :) So congrats to Brenda and her new store, I hope that it is there forever. Mostly so I never have to travel more than half an hour to buy yarn!

I love love love free gifts and mugs! :)

Door prizes. I got some beautiful Cascade Dolce that my Daddy wants me to make a hat for him with! :)

The Gryffindor colorway, alright maybe it isn't Harry Potterish to anyone but me! But whatever! :)

The sock Brenda designed for the store, that I knit in record time! :)

and proof that I take a terrible picture, this doesn't do the lace justice!

This hat is for Game Knitting. Which is happening May 28 at STS. I'm hosting a party! (I know scary thought!) We are going to watch harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone and knit a hat at the same time. Think a drinking game with knitting!

The only projects I have going on now are a hat for my Uncle Kevin and I cast on a pair of self striping socks for myself last night. Mostly because I want to be a continental knitter and am making myself practice. :) That is all I've got for tonight. I hope everyone had a productive weekend!