Ravelry

I'm in. For everyone still waiting, I encourage you to wait patiently for your invite. I've been waiting for weeks and it is so worth the wait! It definitely isn't a replacement for blogging (though it may suck some time away from it), but an enhancement. You can easily see who is doing the same projects as you (or the ones you want to do) and what yarns they are using. You can see what your friends have in their queue and you can see everyone's projects in one place. It really is a wonderfully done site and is absolutely incredible! If you're already on, feel free to stop by and say hi. My user name is Alianne.

As promised, the headless model returns with Sahara:

And Bonsai:

(Please excuse the blindingly white shirt. I do need a cream-colored tee to wear under it, but the white shirt isn't quite as white as it shows up in the picture.)

Thank you to everyone for your kind words about the loss of my uncle. It means a lot.

Finished Bonsai

Here she is all finished:

I actually had modeled shots, but the shirt I was wearing underneath was way too white and just looked too odd in the pictures. I think I need something slightly off white. Other than that, the fit is perfect though I haven't decided whether to make the i-cord belt yet or not. I hate making i-cord and it's always not just right, so I'll decide later. For now, the specs:
Pattern: Bonsai Tunic from IK Spring 2007
Yarn: Berroco Bonsai color 4148 (this has to be the first time ever that I've actually used the suggested yarn, except for the color)
Needles: Size 8s and 6s
Modifications: None; I might have made the armholes just a tiny bit bigger, but other than that, I love the fit.

I plan to wear it out today. I wore my Regia skirt over the weekend and it is still in good shape. The only weirdness is where it's sewn together at the lace insert. It's sort of wonky because of the way the lace biases. The blocking didn't quite hold for that. It doesn't make the skirt look weird or anything because the bias on the other side balances it out. Does that even make sense? Anyway, hope everyone had a good, long weekend. I might have a swatch and new project to show soon. As for now, I have to tink a whole diamond pattern on the diamond stole because I forgot a row at the beginning of the diamond. *Sigh*

Singularly Focused No More

I think Debi put my recent one-project devotion best - I am "singularly focused". And I do think that is a more accurate description. I occasionally do get very focused on one of my many WIPs and decide it needs to be finished. And occasionally, I decide that working on just one thing at a time really isn't me at all and I pick up something else.

I worked on the front of Bonsai and am about halfway done and I picked the purple stole back up and worked a couple of patterns on that. (It's overcast today and I couldn't get a better picture, but you can click on the Purple Diamond Stole label at the end of the post and scroll down for a better one.) I took both to my weekly Sit 'N' Knit and switched between the two during the evening. Now, that's more like me, isn't it?

I also ordered more yarn for a couple (okay, maybe more than a couple) more projects. I ordered a couple of patterns from Stitch Diva - Sahara and Simple Knitted Bodice.

A lot of you seemed to be impressed that I'm reading Harrius Potter (and that I want to read the Greek version), but I want to emphasize that I'm not exactly cruising through it. I am going very slowly and I have the English version right there for occasional help. I've read the books in English so many times and know the story so well that it really is helping my Latin reading a lot more than something like Cicero. I do hope to read more original Latin authors someday, but for now, I'm enjoying Harry Potter.

One-Project Knitter? and a Meme

Bonsai's back is finished and I've begun the front. It's been pointed out to me recently that I'm a one-project knitter and I was sort of taken by surprise because that's not how I would ever describe myself. I mean just look at the sidebar; that's hardly one project there. But my friend is sort of right. Lately, though I have lots on the needles, I've been working on just one project at a time. I worked on the Shapely tank front, then the skirt front, then I finished the tank, then I finished the skirt, but I did work each piece one at a time, not simultaneously. To be quite honest, it's weirding me out because it's not at all like me. I usually jump from one project to the next, usually a pair of socks, maybe a bit of lace, and some sort of sweater/tank. I almost always have at least two projects in my knitting bag and will work on both in the space of ten minutes. But right now all my focus is on Bonsai. Though thoughts have occasionally entered my head of my poor languishing Forest Path Stole and the Purple Diamond Stole (and maybe a couple of other things), I just want to finish Bonsai before picking them back up. Maybe I've just been choosing quick projects; the tank didn't take long and Bonsai isn't going to either. Maybe I just really want some stuff to wear for the summer quickly.

Brenda tagged me, so here goes:

Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and need to read your blog.

The 7 Facts:
1. I've never lived outside of the South - Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia.
2. I had never been out of the country before college. I've now been to three continents besides North America - Australia, Asia and Europe.
3. I'm reading the first Harry Potter book translated into Latin. I plan to start Harrius Potter Et Camera Secretorum when I'm done. I'm also teaching myself Ancient Greek and plan to someday read the Ancient Greek translation of the first HP. (They are currently planning on translating all the books into both languages. And I'm excited about it.)
4. I'm very cynical about almost everything - politics, our country's educational system, celebrities, people in general.
5. I homeschool.
6. I hate making phone calls to strangers. I avoid it like the plague.
7. I've yet to meet a craft that I didn't like - tatting, crocheting, embroidery, sewing, cross-stitch, polymer clay, miniatures, beading, temari, and probably a few others. Someday, I hope to extend the list to bobbin lace and maybe weaving.

If you want to do the meme and haven't been tagged yet, consider yourself tagged!

WIP Wednesday - Bonsai Edition

The back of the Bonsai Tunic is just about finished:

I'm to the armholes. It's been a rough week, so I haven't gotten too much done on it, but things are looking better much now. I've been drawn to Norah Gaughan's designs ever since I took knitting back up a couple of years ago because she always does something unusual or unexpected. The first sweater I ever made was her Ballet Wrap from IK because it had such an interesting construction. I have the Hex Coat from Knitting Nature in the works (but probably on hold until end of summer/fall). This particular design has a reverse stockinette back as well as just looking different on the front. She's just definitely one of my favorite clothing designers.

Another good thing: I was Margene's 27,000th commenter on Monday. (That's a lot of comments!) She's going to be sending me a package next week to celebrate and I'm looking forward to it! I really did time it perfectly because I had gone to her site, looked up something else, and borrowed her meme before finally going back to leave my comment, fully expecting that she would have already had the magic number. A few minutes later, I got an email telling me that it was me. Happy, happy!

WIP Wednesday

The A-line skirt is just about done:

It's now off the blocking board and I've woven ribbon through the lace of one half. Today, I hope to weave the rest and do the embroidery; maybe I'll even get it sewn up today. I hope it's going to fit well. After having the tank fit so perfectly, I'm wondering if I should make a yarn sacrifice to the knitting gods now.

My other project that is actually seeing some progress is the Bonsai Tunic from the current issue of Interweave Knits:

It's overcast, so it's really impossible to capture the yarn well. It has little shiny bits in it and you can't tell that from the picture. And the color should actually have just a smidgen more grey. It's really pretty though.

I actually dreamed about the Sheep and Wool festival the night before last. I was trying to find the Golding booth, as if I didn't know exactly where it is. You think my subconscious is trying to tell me that I really need another Golding?

Bonsai!

Here's my Bonsai yarn:

for my Bonsai Tunic.

I'm just about finished with the Shapely Tank, just the armhole edging and sewing up the sides to go. Hopefully, I'll have pictures tomorrow, depending on whether I can get decent picture or not. I tried it on pinned yesterday and it looks like it fits perfectly!