Everything Random

It seems as though it has been forever since I posted an actual picture of something that I knit. Although, I think that the lack of knitting is directly and inversely proportional to the amount of puking that I was doing over the last eight weeks. But, since I have gone back to work, I have felt hands down better. So much better in fact, that I have started to knit a storm up in the last week or so. I cast on for this sock before I got sick and have been working on it at work over the lunch hour. I can't say enough good things about this yarn. I was turned onto it by one of the ladies on the knitting retreat that I went on back in November and fell in love with it. The yarn, Cascade Yarns Fixation, is a cotton/elastic blend which makes for a snugly, soft and springy yarn. I am not even to the heel yet and already I can't stop touching, squishing, and fondling the knitted sock. The colors are amazing and the way that the sock hugs your foot while you are wearing it makes this a sock yarn that I can see myself knitting a lot. I have only one small complaint about Cascade Fixation. The packaging that encases these socks is so non-knitter friendly that I seriously doubt many people have gotten beyond the outer shell of the yarn to discover its amazing softness and knit-worthiness. For some reason, Cascade has decided to package the yarn completely in cellophane wrapping which goes against every instinct that one has as a knitter. How can you seriously consider buying a yarn when you can't even touch it to determine its softness. If I hadn't already seen the yarn knit up, I would have never even considered purchasing it and it has been in stock at my LYS for months. Trust me on this, you will be thrilled this yarn. If you buy it and hate it, I will buy it from you. But, you won't hate it. Again, trust me.


I also have some time now to post some pics from the knitting retreat that I went on with Make One (my LYS). This is just some of the fun that was had by all. Both Amy and Sandra (who own the store and put on the retreat) really made us feel comfortable and the knitting workshops put on by Jillian Moreno and Amy Singer were amazing! In one weekend, I learned to customize any sweater pattern to my body, as well as determine at a glance, what commercially designed pattern would work for my body. You know what it all boils down to? Math. And a good gauge swatch. I can't thank these ladies enough. Oh, and how cool is it that I got to meet the creator of Knitty and the authors of Big Girl Knits? Too cool. To think that I have only been knitting a year and a half and already I have gotten to meet two knitting celebrities (and seen them in their pj's). And I have pictures to prove it. I don't want to make this post too photo heavy, so I will post the rest of the pictures sometime later this week. I think everyone had a lot of fun and learned a lot too (I know I did).

There is a lot of talk already about next years retreat, but I don't think I will be able to go given the new addition to our family expected in July.



Oh, one last thing, I have been working a lot in the last week on Bunny's sweater and I think at the rate that I have been going, I will be done very soon. I can't wait to see the look on her face when she realizes that I have actually knit something for her. I am sad to say that this is only the second project I have made for her. Of course, she doesn't give much incentive to make her things. The last thing I made for her were the felted clogs that everyone is raving about. I brought her to the yarn store, let her pick out her own yarn (and she promptly choose a skein of 30.00 yarn) and knit them up for her. Now she won't wear them. The last time I asked her to she told me she didn't like them because they made her feet look like "mitten toes". Kids.