Want

As I finally got around to reading the first book in The Dresden Files, Storm Front, I realized how difficult it really is to try to read a small paperback while trying to knit 4x4 ribbing on my Stargazer shirt. Browsing through my blog roll (and various news/commentary sites) as I am want to do (and knit while reading because sometimes just knitting at my desk without something else going on is just plain boring... I wish I could get some work... well, actually I don't really because "when it rains it pours" is how work comes by here), I found through Yarn Rambles a link to tools you can use if you are silly like me and multi-task reading and knitting because of some weird ADHD tendencies (it could also be the anti-anxiety meds making me more multi-tasking type, but I'm not complaining, I've got a lot of knitting done in the few months I've been on it and I've been a lot more relaxed).

But I keep digressing... I have determined I really would like OpenPage(tm) Book Holders to help me in my reading and knitting endevours. As it is May and my birthday is the end of the month (May 28... I will be at the old age of 26), I think I will hold off on purchasing things (so very difficult... I keep wandering into book stores and yarn stores and coming out with additions to my collection without trying to think of where I'm putting any of it...) until I get birthday money/presents.

I also highly recommend Yarn Harlot's newest book "Things I learned from Knitting... whether I wanted to or not." Had me laughing in Pizzarama while I was waiting for my lunch on Wednesday and I read some of it aloud to Philip to my own amusement. Unfortunately I felt encouraged by the book to spend more money on yarn like it's a good thing to do... and it's okay to start more and more projects while I have loads of things hanging out on the needles awaiting my love and attention... something I think he will be very unhappy about. He encourages me to buy only what I need and can store... unless we're in IKEA and I bring home along with my new EKTORP chair, a Drake and a fluffy black pillow with eyes and a tail. Yeah... well, my excuse is I'm more likely to use the yarn and store them than the fuzzies... the fuzzies I just give personalities and bury helpless visitors under while they're on my couch, also known as the MIMIC who devours everything (even a knitting needle from my very first set... I have not seen it since...).

Oops, it's been a while hasn't it?

I got a little carried away with things over the past weeks, but I have kept up with my knitting. This past Mother's Day I delivered the following "secret project" to my mother to a delighted response.This pattern is called Andean Treasure Shawl and I used the Andean Treasure yarn from knitpicks (and the pattern is free from there as well).

This shawl I had been working on since February and I just finally got around to figuring out how to block it just so. It turned out so nice I'm considering making a banner for my blog with this picture:
I have also been working on a new project called Stargazer. It was published in MagKnits awhile ago, but since that online mag no longer exists I was glad to purchase it from the designer Sarah Wilson on Ravelry. I love being on Ravelry so much I forgot I had the Facebook Application called StitchBook... it's so much easier to manage things you're working on in Ravelry.

With Stargazer I had to frog the beginning because I did the ribbing wrong and had the wrong amount of stitches in a row... but that's okay... since now I'm almost done with the second sleeve.

I am using elann.com's Pure Alpaca Fina for this pattern. The yarn turned out thinner than I expected, but it is knitting up real nice and I think it is just what I was looking for. I do intend to make another one of these in the future, but I have so many new projects on my backburner now.
I purchased a new pattern that I have been eying for months from StitchDiva called Casual Glamour Capelet. I've been wanting to try it for a while and I think I found the yarn to do it with. I may end up making two with the amount of yarn I just bought (yay stimulus check that I stimulated my credit cards and the Swedish economy read: IKEA... and my yarn collection with). I made the Mary Jane Pithy hat with this yarn, NaturallyCaron.com Country, before and I like it. I think it should make a nice cape. And NatuallyCaron.com Spa will probably make some good Knucks in the future.In the future I hope to post here more often.. but I say this a lot. Other than that, there will be more to come... eventually.