Old Picture, New Project

100_1170, originally uploaded by craftylulu.

When I was in Nashville with my dad in 2008, I purchased two gorgeous skeins of worsted weight malabrigo, seen here, in the colorway "velvet grapes". This was my first Malabrigo purchase after hearing so much stuff about the yarn online, making these two skeins very special. They wouldn't be knit into just anything--the selected project had to be special.

Over a year later, I finally figured out what this lovely yarn would become: a scarf. That may not sound very special or unique especially for an avid scarf-knitter such as myself, but this scarf will be gifted to a very special person eventually. I wanted something more unisex even though it is purple yarn. (Who says men can't wear purple just as well as women can anyway?) Reversible is good, and a mindless knit this time of year is always good in my book. And thus the journey of the seeded rib scarf came to be.

I do not have a current picture of the scarf yet for a couple different reasons I won't bore you with today. The pattern is easy and fairly enjoyable for being so mindless and repetitive. I'm using size US 8 needles. For being just under the two month mark, I've completely used the first skein and am well into knitting from the second one. I'm thinking some fringe will be necessary.

Details as to the lucky recipient of this scarf to come after the holidays. I have to keep some things a secret after all...

Knitting Graffiti

On Saturday, my friend Jenna and I went to Denver for free admission to the Denver Art Museum.  We walked up and down the 16th Street Mall and then headed to the Denver Contemporary Art Museum where I found this...

Yup! Knitting graffiti on the bike rack!!  I was so excited to find it that I decided to take half a dozen pictures.   Some people who were also waiting for the bus with us started to slowly walk away from me because I probably looked so crazy.

Next was the Molly Brown House, which was amazing.  We stopped at a great little coffee shop before driving home.  It was a great outing and I feel very cultured.

coffee and cashmere,

Lulu

WIP: Hudson River Triangle

The night before my flight to California in August, I took some Lorna's Laces Sheppard Sock in Jungle Stripe and cast on the Hudson River Triangle. I had attempted this lace shawl once before about a year and a half ago with a different colorway of the same yarn, but I just wasn't feeling it then.  As you can see by the progress I made in just a matter of days, I'm really feeling it this time!

    

The picture on the left was taken on an scenic overlook outside Stinson Beach, which was beautiful despite all the fog.  The right photograph was taken while walking along Stinson Beach.  I was using the stitch markers that a Ravelry friend gave me in a swap and even those are San Francisco themed!

If you are looking for an easier lace project, I think this is it.  I have never really done lace before, but I'm really loving this.  It is complex enough to keep my attention, a little challenging, but not mind-numbing difficult.  The pattern is very well-written, offering both written directions and charts

With Christmas just under two months away, I've been trying to work more on my gift knitting so this shawl has been taking a bit of a snooze.  What are you working on right now?

If You're Going to San Francisco...

...be sure to wear some flowers in your hair...

First of all, thank you to everybody out there who has offered their love and support through the loss of my brother. It's been a very interesting four months since Tony left us, and I have been so fortunate to have some freaking amazing people in my life. Many thanks to my readers who have been so patient and understanding with my long absence.

In August, my family took a trip to San Francisco. This was the first time I have been out to the Bay Area since I was nine years old. We toured the City all day on a Saturday, starting in Chinatown and making our way down to the Castro District where I was able to check out the one and only ImagiKnit.  I bought a skien of green Malabrigo Chunky and one skein of gorgeous blue Malabrigo lace.  The chunky yarn has already been knit into a really fun and easy hat.

If you are ever anywhere near San Francisco, you must go check out ImagiKnit.  Their store is huge and beautifully organized.  The shop is split into two big rooms.  The first room, right when you walk in, is all the animal fibers (merino, wool, alpaca, etc).  It is organized by weight.  The second room is plant fibers, set up the same way.  The staff was incredibly helpful and they offered a huge variety of yarn, buttons, notions, books, and everything else under the sun for knitting and crocheting.

I still have plenty of pictures to show off for the rest of my trip, including the lace shawl I started the night before my flight and pictures of the shawl and the beach.

Coffee and cashmere,
Lulu

Life Without a Camera

To any and everybody who left comments or thought good thoughts for me or my family, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Losing my brother has been the hardest obstacle I've encountered in my life but I've been so fortunate to be surrounded by people who truly care for me.

From left to right: Rachel (holding Daisy), Me, Tony (with Zoey), and Gina

On June 26th, we (my folks, my sisters, and I) started the drive to Anderson, California, where Tony had been living. The 2.5 day trip was difficult and long. I knit some of the sock I had been working on since May but really couldn't do much without getting too carsick. We stayed at Tony's house for a few days, sorting through his belongings and calling friends to alert them of his death. We're planning to to make a couple of quilts out of his t-shirts. My dad stayed behind in Cali for another week after my mom, my sisters, and I got back to Colorado on July 4th.

A big chunk of July was spent at my family's house in Pueblo. We celebrated my mom's fifty-second birthday with a lovely homecooked meal. Tony's funeral was on July 22nd; I gave the eulogy. Before I came back to Greeley last week, I got together with some of the old knitting group which was just a blast.

Oh and why are there no pictures of any of these escapades? Well, for some reason my camera has started taking horrible pictures! They are streaky, miscolored, and blurry. I haven't been doing loads of crafty stuff lately though, so you're not missing out on much.

Classes start on August 24th and I'm kind of excited for the new school year. I'll be taking 15 credit hours (five classes), so who knows how much I'll be able to update this blog but I'm hoping to keep up with it.

Lots of love to all,
Lulu

R.I.P. Dear Brother

Well, so much for a short hiatus...

On Tuesday, my brother Tony died from his heart condition. He collapsed on his kitchen floor and died instantly from what I've been told. I didn't find out until Thursday afternoon. My family and I will be driving out to California to take care of his belongings, make sure his dogs have good homes, etc, etc.

I miss my brother so much already. May he always rest in peace.

R.I.P. Anthony Paul Gratton
May 5, 1976 - June 23, 2009

Please Enjoy This Brief Intermission

I'm taking another pseudo-hiatus from blogging even though I REALLY don't want to this time. Elphie, my poor laptop, is currently in the hands of the computer wizards at Bear Logic (the computer store/repair shop on campus) and I am stuck with either using desktops at the library or the super slow and frustrating loaner laptop until mine is fixed. And that won't be until probably Monday... So I guess what I'm saying friends is don't expect any posts from me over the next week, give or take a couple days. Between my crappy computer situation and finals, I doubt anything I write would make much sense, especially with no pictures.

But just as a teaser, I cast on Tuesday night for a new sock, my first time using Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock yarn. Ooh the possibilities...

Cashmere and lots of coffee,
Lulu the Sock Knitter