Playing Catch Up

I don't think I've ever blogged about my Tree Jacket, which was started it in October 2007. I didn't get very far before setting it aside to work on Forecast for NaNiSweMo (I haven't finished Forecast either, but that is another post!).

Don't ask me why I didn't just knit the Tree Jacket for that! I finally picked it up again a couple months ago, and have been working on it off and on since. My progress so far...


I still have a way to go on the body, but I'm getting there. I'm using Malabrigo and it's very soft. This is the first of several WIPs I hope to finish before moving on to bigger and better things (or just other sweaters). I truly admire knitters who can focus on one project. My own attention span is not that great--something I hope to improve upon this year!

I'm a little behind here, but I thought I'd share some pictures from our Thanksgiving road trip. The destination on our first day was Mt. Shasta--the town and the mountain. The only snow was on the peak, but it was very cold. I really regretted not putting on my winter coat before taking this picture!


Unfortunately, we couldn't go too far up, because the road was closed for winter. Mt. Shasta looms over the landscape for miles though, so I don't feel like we missed too much. The next shot was taken on our way down Mt. Shasta.


We saw a totem pole in Weed, a small town located near Mt. Shasta. It was located in a grocery store parking lot though, so I'm not sure how authentic it was!


The next day we got up early and headed toward Ashland, Oregon with some stops along the way. The weather was strangely foggy. It was a little eerie.

The weather cleared up as we headed into the mountains again, but there was a strange haze hanging over Ashland, as well. We checked out downtown Ashland, and then stopped at Morning Glory for breakfast. I am not a breakfast person at all, but this was one of the best meals of our trip and definitely one of the best breakfasts I've ever eaten. So good that I even attempted to recreate a few recipes. If you are ever in Ashland, I would recommend stopping by.

Cheery decor at Morning Glory.

That day we also stopped at a couple wineries and then headed to Crescent City, California to spend the night. We made an error in judgement and ended up driving over a very twisty mountain road in the dark to get there. It was scary! Next time we'll be sure to plan that stretch of road for earlier in the day.

We eventually made it to our destination though: Curly Redwood Lodge. This place was very cool and retro. It was built from one curly redwood tree that produced 57,000 board feet of lumber.

Joel doing his best Don Draper pose.

As you can see, the decor has not been updated in some time--perhaps since it was built. But it was very clean, fun and cheap. Not to be missed, if you enjoy that kind of thing.


This is getting long, so I will do another post with photos from our next two days. One last highlight though: all the cool vintage signs along the way (most shot from the passenger side window!). Unfortunately, the mosaic maker clipped a lot of the photos. If you're interested, click the links below for the full photos.

1. Hi-Lo Motel Weed, 2. Townhouse Motel Weed, 3. Yreka Motel, 4. Rex Club Yreka, 5. Shamrock Dinners, 6. Motel Ashland, 7. Omar's Ashland, 8. Roy's Italian Dinners Eureka, 9. Bob's Fine Cars Eureka

I hope everyone's New Year is off to a great start!

Happy New Year!

I can't believe that another year has passed. It is amazing how fast time goes by the older you get! I thought I would do a little wrap-up of what I've been up to this year (knitting-wise)...

I think it was the year of the fingerless mitts for me. I really love those, and I think the pair on the top row may be my favorite project of the year. It's definitely the one I wear the most! Actually, I'm happy with everything, and it's nice to think back to when I was working on these projects.

It has been kind of a slow year for knitting. Looking at the above, I feel like something is missing. If I counted all my WIPs, I think I'd need double the space! I'm hoping next year will be a little more balanced (work-wise especially) and that I will have more time to knit. My main knitting goal is to finish the sweaters (especially the one for my husband, which he doesn't think I will ever finish!) and other projects that have been lingering too long.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. We froze in the Midwest--I'd show you pictures, but it was too cold to take any. It's now official: I can't take the cold and snow anymore. Hopefully, we will be able to spend next Christmas somewhere warm and sunny (which also leaves out San Francisco!). Happy New Year!

A Hat & Mittens to Keep Me Warm

I've been preparing for winter...


Hat: Feeling Frizzy from The Yarn Girls Guide to Simple Knits
Mittens: Knit Simple magazine Fall 2007
Yarn: GGH Soft Kid

This hat and mitten set has been finished since mid-November, but it's hard to get a good picture at this time of year with so little light.


Both patterns were very quick and easy. I absolutely loved the yarn, which was used tripled for the hat and doubled for the mittens. So soft!

I've had an overwhelming desire to knit lots of scarves, hats, and gloves/mittens lately. I'm not sure what it is, because I can't really remember wearing any hats last winter. It does get chilly in San Francisco, but not that chilly. Scarves... I definitely wear those, but how many do I really need. Mittens.... hmm, maybe fingerless mitts.

I'd originally planned to use this yarn for a short-sleeved wrap sweater. I've been thinking a lot about some of the projects I have yarn for though, and and whether or not I have any use for these things here. A lot of my yarn was bought when I was still living in Chicago, so I'm trying to rethink things a little. Anything sleeveless or short-sleeved and anything very heavy or wintry will probably not get worn--either too cold or too hot.

Maybe this hat and mitts will get worn on our Christmas trip to the Midwest. It's bound to be cold there!

A Single Sock

All I have to show for the last few weeks is a single sock...


I started this sock way back in June on a trip to Florida, and obviously, it has been slow going. There is something about this stitch pattern. It's not very stretchy, and it's a little boring to knit. I think the yarn looks OK in this pattern, although there is some pooling of colors. My favorite sections are the bottom of the foot and the toe.


I'm just not sure I want to invest them time knitting the second sock. I think I will let this sock sit before doing anything drastic though.

I've also been working on a hat and mittens, and a long forgotten sweater. I should have some pics of the hat and mitts soon--I have half a mitten to go.

The past few months have been busy. The last time we were in Sonoma wine tasting, we came across a fiber fest and some adorable Alpacas.


I have to say that they are very cute, but a little strange. Very skittish and they made some funny noises. Although if I was caged up with a bunch of ladies gawking at me, I'd probably be a little jumpy, too.

We had a too short visit from Joel's sister, and we attended a beautiful fall wedding.


I also got a major haircut--at least 5-6 inches.


I've wanted to cut it for quite a while now, but finally got the nerve, and I love it. It's been at least 5 years since I've had it this short, so it has taken me a while to get used to it. It's a lot more high maintenance than I remember short hair being. So much for retiring my blow dryer!

The next month and a half promises to be very busy. We are going on a northern California road trip over Thanksgiving--can't wait for that. Then my sister and her husband are visiting in early December. For Christmas we are heading home to the Midwest to spend time with family and friends. So much to look forward to!

Two New FOs: A Sweater and Some Mitts

Although I haven't blogged much lately, I have been knitting. In fact, I've been doing a lot of knitting, and I have two new FOs to show you!


Pattern: Mirabella Cardigan by Jennifer Tallapaneni (Interweave Knits Spring 2008)
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton

This cardi was something of an impulse knit, but I'm very happy with how it turned out. I started this sweater back in June and knit a little here and there. The knitting itself went very quickly and the pattern was very easy to understand. I even learned a few new techniques: double knitting and a little crochet. It was actually the crochet that held me back from finishing it sooner, but it was very easy in the end.

The pattern has lots of nice touches. I love the ribbing along the front edges and all the little buttons.


I love the hem--it adds a very neat finish. The darts are also a nice touch.


I do need to block it. It's not tight, but the buttons gape a bit around the bust, and I'm sure some blocking will fix that. I loved the cotton yarn, but I'm hoping this sweater does not grow to gargantuan proportions when wet. Cross your fingers!

My second FO is a pair of fingerless mitts...


Pattern: Welted Fingerless Gloves from Churchmouse Yarns & Teas
Yarn: Manos Silk Blend

I picked up this pattern and yarn while on a quick overnight trip to Seattle a couple weeks ago. Joel and I were planning to rent bikes and tour Bainbridge Island, but the weather didn't cooperate. Instead, we toured the town and came across Churchmouse Yarns & Teas. I swear that I wasn't planning to buy any yarn on this trip, but this was just the nicest store. Everyone there was so friendly--the man who rang me up actually invited me to "sit down and knit a few stitches". Beautiful yarn and helpful/nice staff--my idea of the perfect yarn store!

Anyway, the pattern was free with purchase of the yarn. The mitts were super fun to knit and super quick, too. I finished both in a couple nights. The yarn is a dream--I love a silk/wool blend and the color is gorgeous.

The shop model was adorned with three tiny shell buttons, and I think this is what drew me to the pattern in the first place. I searched my button box for a few options, but couldn't find quite what I was looking for.


I like these crystal buttons, but I think they are a little too big.


I actually love this big button--it has a slightly retro feel. Alas, I only have one of these buttons in my box though! So the search begins for the perfect buttons, but in the meantime I will wear them without.

What's next? I've been going through all my WIPs (specifically sweaters), and I'm a little alarmed at the rate at which they are piling up. So I'm hoping to finish a sweater or two or three before beginning any new ones. At least that is my goal for the rest of the year. I've decided accessories are OK, but no big projects. Wish me luck!

FO: Cabled MIni Jumper

Well, it's a miracle... I actually finished something!


Pattern: Cabled Mini Jumper from Knit.1 (fall 2007)
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease

I really enjoyed this pattern and it went quickly. I started this in the second week of August and knit on it fairly sporadically. It also sat for a week waiting for buttons, but in the end I decided that I liked it better without buttons.

The only other change I made was to cut four inches from the length. It's the perfect vest length now. I even used the called for yarn, which was OK. I can't say that I'll use it for every project, but it was cheap!


It really does seem to be a long time since I've finished anything substantial, although I have a few other things nearing completion. Hopefully, I can focus and finish some other projects before starting anything new.

Back to School Time

I've been out of school for more years than I care to admit, but I still seem to measure the days by semesters and school vacations. If only I still had that many days off... Anyway, I've always considered September 1 to be the start of fall, even if there are still have a few more weeks of summer to go.

I can't say that I'm sad summer is ending. Maybe if I lived in a sunnier locale, but I'm looking forward to the sun and warmer weather that I hope fall will bring here. Here in San Francisco, summer is a great time to get out of town--we live in the foggiest part of town. Who wouldn't want to exchange this...


for this?


Another way I've been trying to enjoy summer is by making lots of trips to the farmer's market. We have been living on sandwiches of heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, pesto and local bread this summer. I'm definitely not ready for that to end.

I've also been making lots of jam. It started out innocently enough with a batch of freezer jam made with strawberries fresh from the farmer's market. Soon however, I'd made way more jam than two people can reasonably eat.

White Peach, Raspberry-Peach, Strawberry-Blackbery, and Strawberry
(Just a sampling, the rest is in the freezer.)

If you haven't made it before, freezer jam is so easy and so delicious. I used the recipe that came with the box of pectin. You need to use a scary amount of sugar though--just a warning.

I've also been knitting, believe it or not. Not wanting to finish any projects anytime soon (ha!), I cast on for yet another sweater. I just couldn't help myself. This one is moving fast though, and I'm already done with the front.


I'm in love with cables right now.


It's the Cabled Mini Jumper from Knit.1 (Fall 2007). I've had my eye on this pattern for a while now, and just couldn't resist anymore. Wish me luck in finishing this before something else catches my eye!

Last Summer Getaway

I've been knitting, I swear! But not too much, because we just got back from another trip--this time to New York.

View from Brooklyn Promenade

We flew in on a red eye for a long weekend, which wasn't nearly enough time. After dropping off our bags and eating breakfast, we headed to the Met to see some art. I'm not sure zero sleep and museums mix well, but we tried. The museum itself was very beautiful.



The view of Manhattan and Central Park from the roof garden was beautiful. There was an installation by Jeff Koons. If you look very hard, you might be able to see the reflection of Joel and I in this piece, Sacred Heart.


After the Met, we headed back to our hotel for a much-needed nap. Then it was off to see Xanadu, which was great. It definitely exceeded my expectations, which were admittedly low. Joel and his best friend in high school were obsessed with the movie, which I can't really say I enjoyed that much. The musical was very funny though and quite different from the movie. I would definitely recommend it.

We concluded the day with a delicious meal at Toloache and headed to bed. At that point, I was about to fall asleep whether I wanted to or not, those red eye flights are brutal!

The next morning we rented bikes and toured Central Park. This was one of my favorite parts of the trip, although after that I can tell I'm very out of shape! Here I am taking a quick break.


This was the only day it rained while we were there, thankfully. We managed to find shelter under a bridge just in time to miss the downpour. It was strange to see rain in summer--it's pretty dry in the bay area at this time of year.

Joel waiting out the storm.

This was a jam-packed day. After a quick shower, we headed out to the Bronx to catch a Yankees game. Joel wanted to see the stadium before it's torn down at the end of this season. We were in the nose bleed section and getting to our seats was a little precarious. Thankfully, this is one of the last stadiums where the beer vendors will come to you. Joel appreciated that!

We left at about the 6th inning, so we could catch a quick dinner and then meet some of Joel's friends from college. They're all involved in theater in some way, so it was interesting hearing their stories. Joel was a theater major, but he gave up on acting pretty quickly after college. He still works in the entertainment industry though, which is more that I can say for myself as a former art major!

The next day was one of my favorite days--friends, shopping, crazy kitsch, and great food--that is my idea of a great day. We headed out to Brooklyn to meet some friends from Chicago for brunch. They moved to New York about a year before we moved to San Francisco. It was fun catching up and meeting their son, who was so cute!

After brunch we did a little shopping (I got the cutest jacket and bag!) and then walked to the Brooklyn promenade, where I took the first picture above. This was the only time I saw the Statue of Liberty, which looked about an inch tall from there.

After parting ways with our friends, we headed to Coney Island. We were really torn about whether we wanted to go there or not, but I'm glad we did in the end. I'm not the biggest fan of boardwalks and amusement parks, but it was worth seeing.


At one point there were three amusement parks at Coney Island, but Astroland is the only one left. From what I read beforehand, there is an ongoing battle between developers and those who want to preserve what's left. Who knows if it will be there next time.


This photo of the boardwalk mistakenly gives you the idea that it wasn't crowded. Ha!


Wonder Wheel! I loved all the vintage signs that I saw. We didn't go on any rides, but we did see a freak show (Joel's idea). We saw a sword swallower, lobster boy, electra-girl, and then we left. It was interesting.

We capped off the day with dinner at Otto, which was delicious. The pizza and wine were great, and we ordered way too much food. My favorite thing though was the favada bruschetta, which was a warm garlicky white bean puree on thick slices of bread. Much better than it sounds, I need to figure out how to make that!

Our last day in New York was spent tooling around Greenwich Village and Soho. I managed to get some yarn shopping in, of course. We stopped at Purl Soho, The Point Knitting Cafe and on the way back to our hotel, School Products. My favorite was The Point, and I think that was Joel's too, because he could sit down at a table and relax! I picked up a little yarn and a couple pattern books, nothing too crazy.

All in all, it was a great whirlwind trip. The tree-lined streets, architecture and hot summer weather reminded me a lot of Chicago, but on a bigger scale. It was the perfect trip, and I can't wait to go back.

Actual knitting content is coming soon, I promise!

A Couple Knits and a Couple Months!

It's been a while! I didn't mean to take so long in between posts, but things have been super busy with work. My company purchased a new database, which has meant lots of data entry and lots of overtime. It hasn't been fun, but I think we are almost up to speed. I sure hope so, because I am getting burned out!

I have managed to get a little knitting in...


Pattern: Soy Cardi by Irene McKisson
Yarn: Classic Elite Provence

I started this way back in April, before things got totally crazy, and finished it at the end of June. The only change I made was to add ribbing along the front with one buttonhole at the top. It's actually more of a teal color, which I love.

I'm happy with how it turned out, but I'm not sure how much wear it will get. I actually purchased that white shirt to wear with it, but it makes me look like I'm about 3-4 months pregnant (hence the hanger photo). I'm not sure what I was thinking there!

I also started the Mirabella Cardigan from the Spring 2008 Interweave Knits.


These photos are really bad, but summer in San Francisco means lots of fog and little light. I've actually seamed up most of the sweater at this point. Just one more side seam to go, the collar and the button band. The button band is crochet, which I will need to figure out somehow. I've been trying to block it out of my mind until I get to it!

I'm hoping to finish this soon, and I'm hoping it fits. I always get paranoid when knitting sweaters in pieces.

Now I'm going to go way back to May, and show you a few pictures from when my in-laws were visiting. We did a lot while they were here, including stopping at a few wineries in Anderson Valley on our way to Mendocino.

Husch Winery

Isn't it pretty? The flowers were absolutely gorgeous and the wine was good, too.

We also visited Yosemite while they were here, and that was beautiful, too.

Yosemite Valley (click to see waterfalls)

Mirror Lake

Mariposa Grove

We stayed at Camp Curry in a tent cabin.



It was not very comfortable--I think I got about 2 hours of sleep the whole night. I probably would have been better more comfortable in a sleeping bag than those uncomfortable mattresses! But this is what really kept me up...


I heard so many bear stories before I left, that I was a little freaked out. Joel went to the bathroom in the middle of the night, and when he came back he told me I'd be fine out there on my own. Despite my better judgement, I walked to the bathroom alone. As I was heading back, someone in the tent across from us was shining a flashlight out their door and yelling "Get out of there!" I don't think I ever ran that fast before! I screamed and headed back into the bathroom.

I did manage to get back to my cabin safely, but needless to say, I was pretty nervous. The scariest thing is that I probably walked right by that bear on my way to the bathroom! I saw three more bears the next day at Glacier Point, too. A mother and two cubs, which were so cute. I'd rather see them in daylight, that's for sure!

In June, we spent a long weekend in Florida visiting family. It was very fun, but so hot. Miserably hot, really. I felt like I was under a heat lamp. I don't think I'll be visiting there in the summer again anytime soon. We did see this peacock (one of many) just hanging out in our friend's neighborhood.


OK, that takes us up to this past weekend (skipping about a month in between). Nothing like condensing 2 months into one post! The Milwaukee Brewers played the Giants this weekend, so we spent the whole weekend at the ballpark.


It paid off... the Brewers swept the Giants. Joel was very happy, of course. We sat right behind the Brewers dugout all weekend, which was pretty cool. I'm usually more interested in the food and people watching, but it was fun. Go, Brewers!