Monday, March 21, 2011

Traveling Sweater: Wanderlust


Wanderlust: Very strong or irresistible impulse to travel.

That's exactly how I'm feeling these days. I'm so sick of rain and cold. I'm ready for a little bit of camping. Maybe even a road trip. I may even splurge and get on a plane! Where? I don't care as long as it's some place I've never been to that I can explore. So yes, it seems appropriate that I'm working on this sweater. I'm so excited about it! This is 1/4 of the first wedge. 31 more of this quarter wedge to go and I've got myself a collar/body. Baby steps.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Too much on my plate?

In the past couple days I've casted on for two different projects, both of which I bought yarns specifically for at last month's Stitches West extravaganza:
    Saroyan
    A leafy scarf sorta thing. I'm using Sanguine Gryphon Codex in Secret Garden. This murky shiny blue/greenish/black color is GORGEOUS! I've decided this will be the project to keep at work. The following project will be too much to carry in my bag everyday.
    Traveling Sweater (TS)
    A comfy open cardigan sweater. I'm using Blue Moon Fiber Arts Woobu in Deep Unrelenting Gray. It's perfectly gray. Not dark, but not light. No variegation whatsoever. This wasn't my first choice of colorways. I wanted my TS to be a darker shade of gray with some bit of dark blue mixed in, like colorways Corbie or Thraven.
    Unfortunately for me the Woobu selection was picked over and it was only Friday at 1pm at Stitches!! There were 2.5 days to go and they were cleaned out by the time I left. I'm sure I'll love this cardi when I'm done but it's ANOTHER GRAY SWEATER. =/ I say this because I just finished (but not yet blocked) Goodale, made from madelinetosh Pashmina in Composition Book Gray.
I'm being lazy with Goodale's finishing. It needs blocking, then sewing, then re-blocking to set the pockets. When the weather gets better and I have reason to wear a short sleeved OPEN cardigan I'll have it completely done in no time.

Oh, I forgot one more project I'll be casting on soon...my first mystery KAL. It's feministy's (AKA Liz Abinante) Roxanne Mystery Shawl KAL starting April 15. I'm using sock yarn stash. I'm trying real hard to not purchase the suggested yarn because the color is absolutely beautiful. I'll wait to see how my choice of yarn turns out first.

I suppose my gray phase is fitting for this awful weather we're having. Last night as I was making my gauge swatch for the TS it sounded like my house was going to get blown down by the strong wind and pounding rain. It seemed to never end. At times I love this weather, but after 2+ days of gloom I need a shot of sunshine. I don't know how you northwest folks do it! I'm especially bummed this weekend because we cancelled our trip to Safari West. I was looking forward to staying in a fancy schmancy tent cabin. If you didn't know this is a full moon weekend as well. Our photo opportunities have been duped by Mother Nature. I was looking forward to playing with my new cameras.

California needs the rain before the dry season begins but when it interrupts my plans that bitch needs to calm down. Space it out a little bit, lady! If her intention was to blow off the final bits of blossoms off my plum tree, she succeeded.