Wintry Mix Hat and a Giveaway

I know it's starting to warm up in other parts of the country but 'round these parts, we are still in desperate need of hats and other winter accessories (today's high: 27 degrees F). Just in time is my Wintry Mix Hat.

This hat is a part of the new Basic Knitting and Projects from Stackpole Books (you can also get the book from Amazon here) Right now it's only available online or from retailers in print. The first part of this book is full of techniques all illustrated with color photos. The last part of the book has a variety of patterns that use the techniques listed in the book. The patterns range from felted purses, pullovers with lace detail, cowls, hats and more. 

My Wintry Mix Hat comes in two sizes. The yarn and needles you use will depend on what size you are making. The adult sized hat is knit in worsted weight yarn (The Fibre Company's Organik) on size 8 needles (5mm) while the smaller child sized hat is knit in fingering weight yarn (The Fibre Company's Canopy Fingering) on size 4 (3.5mm) needles. The pattern uses colorwork charts and a nice stretchy cast on. I'm so excited to have these sample back because I think they turned out great!

And guess what? I have a copy of this book to give away to a reader! Leave a comment below to be entered to win. I'll choose a winner using the Random Number Generator sometime next Sunday, March 30th. Good luck!

The giveaway is now closed! Debbie (comment #16) is the winner and has been contacted. Thanks for entering!

Blog Hub Swap Day 4

Today I opened a package containing the book A Knitter's Home Companion. I have only skimmed through this book but what I'm loving most about it is its mish mash of knitting content. There are stories, patterns, and even recipes. One of the things that I love so much about knitting and crochet is the tradition it carries. My mother did it, my grandmother as well, and I wonder if someday my own children will. This is a book that celebrates that tradition.  

Snow Day

I'm sure I'm not the only one who stayed home today due to the weather. I was woken up at a little after 4am by the University weather alert telling me that the main campus was closed, which hardly ever happens. Seriously, it generally only happens once a year. There was one in December but it was the week after classes were over (how convenient). Either way, it does me no good as I didn't have a class scheduled for tonight. Adam however, works for the University so I woke him up to tell him the news. He asked, "how do you know" and before I even answered was already turning off his alarm. Ha! Unfortunately I wasn't able to fall back asleep because I was worried that my school wouldn't get closed for a snow day (which happened recently) and I'd still have to go. It just wouldn't be fair. At 5:40a I got the message that my school was indeed closed and was finally able to fall back into a sound sleep.  

I tried to use today to be productive and I was able to finish a sample for Alana. It will be on display at Stitches West in a few weeks.

This is her Amelie sock. It is written for whichever method of sock knitting you may choose (dpns, magic loop, or two circs) which I think is pretty awesome. And the yarn? It's Becoming Art Agave Light Fingering in a color called Looking Out. This yarn is really a dream to work with. Its a 80/10/10 superwash merino, cashmere, nylon blend and comes in generous skeins of 560 yards. This yarn would also make a gorgeous shawl. 

I was able to get some more swatching done today as well. One is for another test knit using Savannah DK from the Fibre Company.

I've never used this yarn before and was pleasantly surprised to find out how luscious it is! It's a surprising blend of wool, cotton, soy, and linen. It has a delicate sheen and is super squishy. This is going to work up into a lovely garment.

In other, slightly related news, I was reading Cold Mountain last night as a part of the book club my brother and I have started for ourselves. I came upon this passage that would probably make any knitter laugh:

The had begun walking to town in a chill, mizzling rain. Against it, Ada had worn a long coat of waxed poplin, and Ruby had on an enormous sweater she had knitted of undyed wool with the lanolin left in, her claim being that the oil turned water as well as a mackintosh. The sweater's only failing was that in the damp it broadcast the fragrance of an unshorn ewe.

Here's hoping for another productive snow day! Or does that make me greedy?

Weekend Work

Our regular weekend plans were thwarted by my husband contracting some sort of virus this weekend.  However, I did manage to sneak out for a quick trip to our library's used book sale. I was able to get nine books for only $2.39! Some of these books I've already read but did not own (I have a thing about owning books) and some I've been wanting to read for a long time. Especially Cold Mountain. I'm not sure how I've made it this far in my life without reading that book. I don't get a whole lot of reading time during the school year but I'm thinking I might try to start setting some time aside during the week, specifically for reading.

I did get a couple inches done on my brother's sweater yesterday. So now there's only twelve more inches to go before I can start thinking about sleeves. After working with laceweight in stockinette, worsted on #7 needles goes quite a bit faster. 

I also managed to snip off all of the damaged portion of my socks that Hazel borrowed. My friend also pointed out that in the sock post, in the final picture, you can see Hazel standing behind me. It's as though she's waiting, biding her time until she can get to the socks. Hmm, I wouldn't put it past her.  So anyway, now I have an entire pair, again. I did notice on Friday though, that a velcro something had attached to the good sock and now there's a fuzzy frayed portion. So now I may have to fix the toe on that one as well. I'm starting to wonder if this handknit sock business is really worth it.

That's probably about all the knitting that will get done this weekend. I plan on sitting on the couch today to work on a paper and some lesson plans for this week.

See, Timber has the right idea.

Now We Just Wait...

The Top Secret Project is finished, and now we just need to wait until the big reveal. It's kind of a weight off my shoulders because it's all I could think about the last few weeks. Because of that, I really haven't got much of anything else done. I did start and am almost finished reading a book, though (yay!). It's titled The Worst Hard Time and is first hand accounts from people that lived through the dust bowl era in the panhandle region of Oklahoma and southern Colorado. I'm really interested in the dust bowl era (Grapes of Wrath is another favorite of mine) so this has been an exciting read. Do you have any good books you're planning on reading this summer?