Welcome to the world, Harper!

Sooo cute!!  (And Herbert is lookin’ good too!)

Adrienne started off our weekend of sculptural knitting by challenging us to knit with materials we wouldn’t normally knit with.  We were tasked to experiment and see what craziness we could come up with.  I played with wire, ribbon, fabric strips and woven tape threaded through felt circles.  It was quite a liberating experience!

I also played around a bit with “finger knitting” which I hadn’t done in YEARS.  I’m hoping to finger-knit a bit more ribbon yarn and then knit that into a bigger knitting piece for some cool knitted-knitting texture.

I think my favorite part of the class was all the discussions we had on how to knit different shapes, holes, bumps, bobbles, loops and pockets.

Some of my technique samplers turned out looking a bit like the Loch Ness monster, don’t you think?

All in all it was a FANTASTIC weekend.  Thank you so much Adrienne for being so inspiring and teaching such a wonderful class!

Lucca’s mom has been asking me for a jellyfish since she saw rhymeswithfun’s Julius back in the day.  Jarvis now hang’s out over Lucca’s changing table and is sure to make diaper changes much more fun!  (Well, at least for Lucca anyway…)

Baby Quiba will be welcomed home by Herbert once he arrives mid-June.

Herbert was knit from the free Ribbit pattern with no real mods except that I only used fiberfill instead of the recommended tennis ball for stuffing.  Can’t wait to meet you next month, Kai!!

Herb, named by ms rhymeswithfun herself, was knit from the Octopus pattern out of Hansi Singh’s amazing book Amigurumi Knits: Patterns for 20 Cute Mini Knits.  Look at those cute curly tentacles!

First Julius and now Herb.  What shall I knit for my favorite foodie next? 

Sunday afternoon, a few hours before the closing ceremonies, I finished my Skewed Socks earning a Gold medal in the 2010 Knitting Olympics!

The ‘origami moment’ when the heel is Kitchener stitched together is really really cool.  I mean, really cool.

Other cool things learned – Judy’s Magic Cast On,  Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off, and how to knit a sock on two circular needles, all of which will definitely be used again.  My only comment on the bind off is that it’s a bit more ‘ruffly’ that I would have liked, so I’ll probably only use that again on patterns that aren’t so sleek-looking, but still a great option to know.

I am absolutely IN LOVE with these socks.  Only problem?  I got a bit distracted early on in the first sock and knit a longer foot than I originally intended.

Oh well, at least they fit The Canadian. 

My chosen event: a pair of Skew Socks in Misti Alpaca Hand Paint Sock Yarn from The Stash.

Let the games begin!

I really hope this isn’t going to be an ‘every sweater’ thing…

Work In Progress I:  Josephine (rav link) from Knitty Fall 2005

I love big bunchy cardigans so this pattern has been calling me for awhile now.  I’m using Valley Yarns’ Berkshire Bulky in Light Grey.  As you can see, I’m not too far along, but I’m liking it so far.  Mods:  swapped out the center back cable with one from Cables Untangled that I liked better.

Work In Progress II:  Nana’s Garden Sweater aka Cottage Garden Sweater (rav link) from Twist Collective Fall 2009

I can’t wait to wear this sweater!  Unfortunately, I can only handle so much stockinette at one time so I’ve been trading off and on with Josephine to break things up a bit.  I’m using Louet Gems Sport Weight yarn in Aqua and Eggplant.  Pattern is extremely well written so far.  While kind of fiddly to actually knit, I LOVE the way the picot edging looks!

Work in Progress III:  Project C aka Clapotis (rav link) from Twist Collective Fall 2004

This is rhymeswithfun‘s and my latest work lunch knitting project.  I’m am absolutely LOVING working with Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted Multi in Black Purl.  Love love love!!  We’ve actually met twice so far, but as you can see, we tend to eat and talk more than we actually knit…

Whatever happened to my one project at a time philosophy?

(rav link)