I do really truly have a finished project to show. It's the Shetland Triangle from Wrap Style:

I finished this one in record time. For me, anyways.
Photos by my husband, because he rocks.

I love this shawl. I decided (at the last minute) to make a shawl to wear to my dear friend Taylor's wedding, and I needed something that would knit up pretty quickly. I started several different shawls: River (in Kidsilk Haze and Jaggerspun), Bellini Shawl (in Morehouse Merino), Flower Basket Shawl, and a random lace stole that I found by googling around. I started and ripped all of these out in a span of two days.

Finally, at the suggestion of my friend Lynnea and Used-to-be-Kniterati Anne, I cast on for the Shetland Triangle using some Socks That Rock that I had in my stash. And it just felt right. The pattern is beautiful and easy to memorize - after a few repeats, I was able to stop looking at the chart and just knit knit knit. I really needed a pattern like that, because I was finishing the damn thing while we were traveling in Boston and all up the coast of Maine.

In Boston, I realized that I would probably run out of Socks that Rock before I made the shawl long enough, so Frecklegirl Jess took me to Newbury Yarns to see what we could find. I ended up getting some GGH Taj Mahal in a dark purple for the edging. (Taj Mahal is yummy yarn, and I got four balls because each ball only has 89 yards. Of course I only used ONE BALL, but dude, I need to find something out of this yarn - it is soft and drapey and just lovely.)

The edging worked out perfectly.

I finished the shawl in the car on the way to Portland, Maine. I was super excited and ready to block it as soon as we got to our hotel in Portland, but I didn't have wool wash OR blocking pins. Ooops. Luckily, there were three yarn stores within walking distance of our hotel. and we hit up all three (much to Jacob's delight. HAR.) The first one, Central Yarn, didn't have wool wash OR blocking pins (but they were really nice). The second stop, Tess's Designer Yarns, also didn't have wool wash or blocking pins, but they did have some pretty lame customer service, so I didn't even get yarn there.

The third store was the winner - KnitWit! The woman there was totally awesome - not only did she have T-pins for blocking, but she gave me two samples of Soak so I didn't have to buy a full bottle of wool wash. YAY for KnitWit - I was so happy and relieved to finally find what I was looking for, and of course I bought some yarn, too.

The wingspan shot.

I blocked the shawl overnight in our hotel room, and then brought it along for the wedding in Lincolnville, Maine. and it was perfect! It was just a little windy that night, and the shawl gave me just the right amount of warmth. I am so making another one of these - maybe in some Dream in Color Smooshy that I just got in the mail. If you're looking for a good first lace project, or a fast lace project, I highly recommend this pattern.

I am so serious in this picture.

I hope you don't mind the multiple self-indulgent photos, but when the husband does a photo shoot, I have to take advantage.

So, in summary, Shetland Triangle FOR THE WIN. wooo-hoooooooooo.

Posted by Carrieoke at 8:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (53)

Today is my 30th birthday, and I am celebrating by doing absolutely nothing. And it feels GOOD. I've napped, eaten some lunch, napped some more, and eaten a little dinner. I figure it's my birthday, so I can sleep all day if I want, right?

Bella clearly thinks so.

I did get an "early morning" (10am) phone call from my twin sis Cathy, who's been in Europe for a couple of weeks (lucky!! she's in PARIS for our birthday). I was super excited to hear from her - we've been able to email and gmail chat a bit, but it's the first time I've talked to her since she's been out of town. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CAT! I miss you!

I'm a sleepy schmoo because we had a super fun party last night with friends, homemade BBQ, a fabulous champagne toast (thanks, Leslie!), cute babies, and sparklers. (The babies didn't get near the sparklers, I promise. Or the champagne.)

This guy makes the best BBQ. EVER.

After our bellies were full of Jacob's fantastic BBQ (smoked in the Big Green Egg for 12 hours, yummy), we discovered a HUGE bag of sparklers in the closet and decided to play with them in the backyard. And somehow, just playing with sparklers turned into let's-spell-words-with-sparklers-and-take-lots-of-pictures-of-it:

Schmoo, indeed.

Of course we spelled schmoo. And seriously, it took us longer than you would think to organize, perhaps due to champagne. (I wonder if our neighbors looked over the fence to see a ridiculous line of people with sparklers....) SO.FUN. After the sparkler extravaganza ended, we decided to head downtown for a few birthday drinks.

Me, Leslie and Jenna. Yay old friends!

I got to see some old friends, taste a Sparks (which I can't really recommend. TOO SWEET.), and take a slightly sketchy cab home. (I was seriously impressed by the availability of cabs late night in Athens. It's not a big city by ANY stretch, but we had our choice of cabs at 1:45.It was my first time ever taking a cab home from downtown! wooo-hooo I'm 30!)

It was a great night - thanks to all my friends who came and helped us celebrate, and to my Jacob schmoo who made awesome BBQ, cleaned our house, and generally made my birthday fantastic.

Oh, and he also gave me this for my birthday:

iPhone!!!!

YAY! He waited in line for four hours for one of the new iPhones, and it's so. so. nice. I was a little skeptical of the iPhone when Jacob got one, and then we spent a weekend without internet somewhere and I realized that I needed one. very badly. Hee. I got other fabulous things too, including some socks handknit by Anne Marie (and an Ann Taylor dress!), some yarn dyed by Melanie, and a bamboo plant. And lots of yummy wine to drink. I am a lucky girl!

Well, I'm going to put my sleepy self to bed now - but I'll be posting again very soon, because I actually have a finished knit to show you! Seriously. I really do.

Posted by Carrieoke at 9:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (39)