Hola from Texas!

Well, I haven't blogged much while I've been away but it's because I'm keeping busy! We're working 9 or 10 hour days here at the Alley and I've got a long list of restaurants to eat at, bars to go to, and shopping to do.

I did make it to a local yarn store here called Yarns 2 Ewe where I picked up a couple special somethings. Luckily it was Easter and they were having a sale. You got to pick an easter egg out of the basket and your discount percentage was inside. Woo hoo!

First I grabbed 2 skeins of linen in a lovely, springy, grassy sort of color. I'm thinking I'll use it to finally make a bag with these round, bamboo handles I've had for the last year and a half. Next a single skein of mohair that almost perfectly matches the teal sock yarn I bought last December in Toronto. Since I don't actually make socks I'd been planning to make a little lacy scarf out of it and this mohair will give it a special touch.

All in all I got out of there for around $35 (less than my pre-imagined limit) and bought 2 fibers I've never worked with before. Quite a success.

Okay, back to work for me. I'm looking forward to my final weekend in Houston and will be traveling back to Buffalo next Wednesday. Then I can assemble the Eat Your Veggies sweater and get the pattern up. Excellent!

Eat Your Veggies part 1

So, here it is, un-blocked, un-seamed, collar-less ... my latest creation which I plan to call the Eat Your Veggies sweater.

Question for any knitters reading this: at what point does the creation of a piece stop being a modification of a pattern and become your own pattern?

Case in point: I started with the idea of a short sleeve, striped sweater. I then found and used two different patterns from Yarn Girl's Guide To Knitting Beyond the Basics to get an idea of sizing and proportion, etc. However, I used a significantly different gauge yarn from either pattern, therefore changing all the numbers. I combined the stripes from one with the sleeve style of the other, and plan to do a polo collar, which neither of the originals has.

My question is can I put this "pattern" up as my pattern? I certainly don't plan to sell the pattern so maybe this isn't that big of a deal but I'm curious. Also, I'm hoping that by posting a free pattern I'll gain blog readers who aren't already my family and friends (which may actually someday earn me money seeing as I have Google and Amazon ads placed on my site).

So, weigh in. I really want to know. Can I call this creation my pattern? Is it really just a modification of another, copyrighted pattern that is someone else's intellectual property upon which I would be infringing by posting the steps necessary to making this finished object? Leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Separation anxiety and delayed gratification

As I was packing for my trip to Texas I pondered, of course, what yarn to bring with me. I've already chosen an airplane project (more on that below) but will likely need something more to occupy me over the 3 week stay. In the end I decide on some Cascade 22o to make an ear-warmer (or hat) and gloves set. This second project, however, will not fit in my carry-on, only in my checked bag. As I pack it up I realize that, in addition to the sadness of being away from my stash for nearly a month, I am feeling real, honest to goodness anxiety about checking my yarn! I find the minuscule possibility that it might be lost almost unbearable! This is, I am fairly certain, NOT normal ... :)

My airplane project: Interweave Knits Montego Bay scarf.

The original was done in blue variegated silk, mine will be burgundy bamboo (nice drape, I have a ton of it). Simple-check, compact for travel-check, durable yarn-check, more interesting than stockinette-check. We are cleared for knitting!

We are not, however, cleared for take off ... it seems my dreams of spinach enchiladas will be put on hold for a few days. Remember that lovely scenic photo of the snow out my window? Well, those nice little snow showers have backed up travel all over the northeast. The first leg of my flight to Houston today was cancelled and the soonest they can get me out is Tuesday. I waited around on standby for another flight for a few hours today but when they started asking for volunteers from the ticketed passengers to give up their seats I realized it was pretty hopeless. Besides, that was just the first leg of the trip and I was just as likely to get stuck in either Newark or Cleveland until tomorrow or Tuesday. Anyway, made some calls, rearranged the plans, and will begin my trek to the Lone Star State all over again in a couple days.

Mmmm ... pie

I like pie! Today I decided to do some baking. Since I had some strawberries in the freezer from a fruit picking adventure last summer I decided to make tiny strawberry pies. I have this fascination with making tiny food. It's so cute! Plus you get a whole pie just for you! And because I was feeling cheezy I even used a tiny gingerbread man cookie cutter to make the top crust so it's like little people holding hands on top. Awwwww ... and then when you eat the pie you can bite their little heads off! Muahahahaha ... sinister cackling ...



All this baking is keeping the apartment nice and toasty, seeing as outside it looks like this ...



Started snowing this morning, supposed to keep going until Sunday morning and we may see about a foot of snow before it's all over. Hope it's not too bad because I have a plane to catch on Sunday!



Here's a little sneak peak of my latest project. Apparently I am in a stripey mood lately.

Knitjenious: the unemployment edition!

So, with my new-found free time I've been knitting away. Here's a photo of the Boat Neck Sweater from Debbie Bliss' Baby Knits For Beginners I whipped up for a friend's baby ... too bad she's not due until September. How many times will I change my mind and make something else for her? Knowing myself I'm betting on 3.

This was a pretty easy pattern, 2 rectangles for the front and back, a little basic shaping on the sleeves. The seaming was a real pain and I do wish I'd read the Ravelry comments about the pattern first: many people seemed to say the pattern instructions result in a sweater that is proportionally too wide for its length and I'm afraid that might be true of this sweater too. I guess I'll get to find out in about 6 and a half months!

And, at long last, here are a few photos of my Kathmandu DK shrug.

It looks pretty funny all laid out like this but it's nice and cozy when you put it on! Should come in handy for those chilly spring and fall evenings. I like it, even if Fabulous Boyfriend's response was "where's the rest of it?" :)

Next week on Knitjenious: Join Jen as she travels back to Texas for a few weeks to work as an artisan at the Alley Theatre. Margaritas, Mexican food, and mayhem!