Just curious

...can anyone tell me where June went? Really, I have no idea.
So far the summer is zipping along at a pace I'm not really fond of. Fast days in February? Sure, but now? When the weather has been okay for porch sitting? This makes me a bit salty.

Anyway, this loss of June is mostly what has caused a total lack of blogging. It has nothing to do with long busy work days , only made longer by commutes from hell (yeah, we live about a mile and a half mile from the Metro crash, so it's been a rough week +), a new toy, summer field trips, a terrible stomach bug and the usual assortment of trying to see friends. Nope. It all has to do with June disappearing.
In the meantime, here is some knitting to distract you.
This is the beginning of another Ishbel. This one is for my Sister-in-law. We're having a little craft swap; she's sewing for me, I'm knitting for her. It's Claudia's Handpainted fingering weight.
A few other yarn acquisitions have happened (Malabrigo keeps getting me while I'm down!) but, I haven't photoed any of it yet. Soon. I promise.

Checking in

We've just returned from a whirlwind 5 days in New Hampshire. One of my best friends from college got married and we had a great time celebrating the happy couple (who both also graduated from Med. School the day before!)
Every time I get to see my girls from college, I'm reminded of how much I miss them, as we're all spread throughout the country.
We always have so much fun. The end of the party was spent with a walk on the beach, the boys smoking cigars and splashing around.
Knitting was happening in the car, but most of it has already been gifted! I seem to knit a lot of dish cloths during the summer, and they've all made their way to their new homes.

Need a laptop bag?

For some reason, which I can only assume is related to phasing out a line or "last season's" style. A bunch of bags on the Timbuk2 website are on super sale.
I just got this bag and LOVE IT!

(Photo from Timbuk2.com, saved to my server)
More details are here but, for 38 bucks with shipping, it's a great deal for a solid bag.
I had been searching all over for a laptop bag for my new MacBook Air that protects the bag, is cute, not oversized, functional and, if needed, I can walk into a meeting with, without it being too ridiculous. So, yes, the bag is strawberry red, but I like it that way.
Happy Wednesday!

Justification for knitting

I'm not sure much else needs to be said.
Liam is a great model!
Oh yeah, San Francisco was awesome as always, and Napa is one of my loves. I'll be giving more of a synopsis when my brain isn't quite so wracked with allergies/a cold.

Did you think I was kidding?

Babies everywhere!
Granted, the intended recipient of this set was born last September... I mentioned work on this sweater a while ago and forgot to show you any progress as time went on.
The Tall Guy and I are heading to the West Coast this coming week and we're bringing a gift out to the littlest host.

I was having trouble with the colors this morning (overcast). So, they're probably the most accurate in the button photo (below) When Jessie was in Boston this spring she picked up buttons for me at Windsor Button. They're perfect!
I had plenty of left over yarn, so I couldn't resist making a matching hat. It's every parents duty to dress their child in something they'll be embarrassed about as a teenager. At least, that's what I think.

(Super) Local Craft Fair

Mark your calendars for May 31. If you're in town, c'mon up to downtown Silver Spring for
the Handmade Mart!

For more details click here. I think I'll be helping Woolarina out, and otherwise shopping and wandering around... for those interested, perhaps I can talk the Tall Guy into firing up the grill for a post-craft-BBQ? (We live about 3 blocks from here).

The Goods

I completely forgot to show off what I picked up at Maryland Sheep and Wool two weeks ago!
I was pretty restrained this year I think. I had a few projects in mind, picked up yarn for them and had only two impulse buys.. oh and fried dough and loaded ribbon chips... yum!


Socks that Rock, Medium weight Mill End. Not sure on the colorway, it seems to all be within the red, purple and pink family.

Two skeins of Malabrigo laceweight in Velvet Grapes... this is likely going to be the featherweight cardigan at some point.


And, lastly in yarn purchases, two skeins of Brooks Farm Willow. Not sure the colorway name, but its a grey/steel. I think it will be the Sahara top.

At the end of the day, we found Jennie The Potter's booth and I bought this necklace. How could I resist? I love unique pendants and this one was just too cute.

Overall, a great day, it's so easy to get overwhelmed, but Jessie and I had a great day of yarn and animals and managed to stay dry! (Jessie's recap of our day can be found here and here .)

The weather was just about perfect this weekend so, we went to the National Arboretum on Saturday (after a stop at a reallllly good roast beef sammie joint here. Go there. Seriously).In the midst of our walk, we came upon a baby snake who didn't appear to have a good exit strategy from the concrete path. I was the brave one who was willing to pick up the little guy. He was inside my hands, but is near impossible to see.
And, finished baby knitting!

For as much as I'm not ready for my own, I sure do love knitting baby goods for others... This is one of my favorite quick knits. Using less then 50 yd of fingering weight, and only takes about two hours of solid knitting with a good "gift reaction" always of "Ohhh! So cute and tiny!"

And for today's domestic excitement? The Tall Guy is riding his bike to work a few days a week (about 8 miles each way). He came home to tell me this evening that while he was very much alive, a squirrel was likely not. Luckily, he was okay (it was a high traffic area) and there was no evidence of the departed IN the bike, so I may stick to the idea that perhaps there's just a little squirrel with a bit of a limp out there.

Hooray Summer!!!!
Really, there's nothing better in my little world then the back porch, a summery beer, knitting, Annie and my Tall Guy.
Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Spring Sweater!

The spring issue of Interweave had one pattern that really caught my eye (so far the Summer issue, not so much, but it often takes a little time for me to decide).
The Whisper Cardigan is light and airy which is great for a DC spring/summer, when moving between 90 degrees and humid to my 60 degree, frigid office.
I'm just about done with the first sleeve and moving on to the body. The construction is pretty interesting, yet it's plenty of stockinette to ease my otherwise scattered brain.
The yarn is Sanguine Gryphon, a lace weight called Sapphon (very similar to a Malabrigo lace weight base to me) and the colorway is The Black Earth.

So far, it's an easy knit and the yarn has been surprising me with a decent amount of teal/sea foam that I hadn't really noticed when I purchased at the Homespun Yarn Party in March.

This is pretty much a traveling/commuting/lunch project so I don't expect to finish it anytime soon...especially with all this baby knitting happening!