Mar 17 2007
Too Quick
This week completely slipped away from me - I had busy days at work, and events nearly every night. Good things of course, like knit nights, dinner with a friend, etc. Plus, there was the gorgeous weather, so I had to spend some time outdoors; I wore sandals on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Even wore a skirt too. It was that nice outside. So, why in the world is there snow on the ground out there now? March is a strange month. In like a lamb- calm, unassuming - and then the middle of the month was weird - more akin to a mythical beast (a liger, perhaps?) How will it end? All I am hoping for is some warmer temps. I have tasted the goods, and now I want more. (Really, I just want to wear my sandals, and see some trees blossoming!)
I need more green in my world than this houseplant.
Anyone else feeling the spring fever? My knits are definitely reflecting these feelings as well… I have pulled out the cotton!
Blue Angie pulli - any chance of finishing this before the PS colors change?
I am also putting the finishing touches on Glee. Of course, my eye is wandering to all of the great summer knits that are coming out right now too. I really should invest in some blinders - I have so many projects planned as it is, but when the Berroco KnitBits email newsletter sends out free pattern beauties like this one, it is hard to ignore.
“Wren” cardigan - free Berroco pattern
My first thought was stashbusting - honest. However, I don’t have anything that quite fits the bill. A little net search yielded an interesting result. WEBS is having a closeout on this yarn. *Sigh* I have not done the deed yet, but I am mighty close to clicking the Continue Checkout for the pink/green Zodiac (Colorway 9633).
I spent most of my Saturday organizing. I cleaned out my closet. That was a huge task that I have been putting off for far too long. I have eight bags to take the thrift shop. Eight. I also started organizing my craft room, which had fallen into a sad state of disarray. And just to be extra nerdy about it, I started a spreadsheet with a yarn inventory. I knew I had a lot of yarn, and this inventory is proving it… yeah, and wasn’t I just talking about buying more in my last paragraph? While organizing/cleaning, I started listening to The Secret Life of Bees. Great story so far. Have you read it?
Hope the rest of your weekend goes well :)
**Lil’ sis, hope you had a good birthday! Love ya!










Doesn’t wearing sandals mean no more wool socks until the fall? Oh dear. That won’t happen where I am as I can wear them in the summertime, too.
I just finished listening to The Thirteenth Tale after hearing your recommendation. What an interesting audio! Didn’t you LOVE the part about the old lady knitting and turning the heel TWICE??? Fortunately, I’ve never made THAT mistake yet.
I was just thinking about you and there you go and post! Hope to see you Monday!
I’m right there with you….give me my Spring back!!!!
I’ve read the Secret Life of Bees….very good! Have you read any of Ms. Kidd’s other books? I also liked The Mermaid Chair.
Wow, that Berocco pattern is beautiful!
I have spring fever, too. I’m in NH, and we went from 70+ weather to 30+/- and 12″ of snow (((sign))) life in New England!
I like your blog a lot!
http://nhknittingmama.blogspot.com/
LOVED Secret Life of Bees and also The Mermaid Chair, which was quite different but still very enjoyable! I noticed in the previous comment that you enjoyed The Thirteenth Tale - I have it on my request list from the library.
Love the Berrocco sweater. Buy the yarn!
Oh, I love the Wren pattern too. It’s beautiful. I have it on my future knits list too.
Happy weekend!
I HAVE read it - you’ll love it. Now I’ve started The Kite Runner - only a few chapters in, but it’s compelling so far.
I listened to the Secret Life of Bees while commuting. I loved it and I think you will too.
The Secret Life of Bees is absolutely fantastic and you will love it. Yay for Spring! Come on already!
The liger isn’t mythical, is it? I thought it was one of the two names of the result of a lion and tiger (the other being a tigon) depending on a certain… ‘genetic’ dominance.
i 2nd the need for green…spring just kinda does that to us, i think….
I sure have spring fever and here in Holland we had a few wonderful days. I even started with pastel socks. Real spring. Now the wind is howling like autumn again.
berroco pattern, even the free ones, have been really pretty lately. that norah gaughn has definitely been a positive change.
and i started doing a yarn inventory, with an excel spreadsheet/pictures, and i’m on 100 entries and i haven’t even entered my sock yarn. it’s embarrassing really.
Warm is OK, but not nasty hot, please!
I got some more green in my life yesterday…the kind that needs to be entered in my Yarnventory!!! Shhhh.
And you better get to work on you other projects before you start a new one, missy!
Although I can see how you could just go for it; it’s a very cute pattern.
I really enjoyed reading The Secret Life of Bees; her writing is captivating.
i’ve got spring fever for knitting too… thinking about tanks and cotton but realizing at the same time that my stash is 95% wool
but i am thisclose to being done with my cotton hoodie (gray!) and i’m very happy about that.
berroco has been doing some lovely patterns lately, aren’t they? very clean and modern and drapey… i was really impressed with the ad they had in vogue knitting!
I know! I was wearing skirt few days ago and it’s windy and nasty again today!
Maybe one day I’d actually work out an excel spreadsheet for my stash too, my only comfort would be that if my parents saw it they won’t understand what it means.
I’m dreaming of cotton right now too! I think it’s going to be a Cece and a Fad Classic for sure.
Secret Life of Bees is a fantastic book.
wow- you did it- spring cleaning.
yes, I have been thinking about spring cleaning but we got another snow/ice/hail storm, so I gave that up for now…
I loved The Secret Life of Bees.
Thank you for the birthday wishes! It was a fabulous day!! Make some green in your life!!!
it is so strange to look outside and see snow on the ground. i could have sworn it was near 70 degrees this week! i love the drop stitches on that knit you’re making. i can’t wait to see what it’s going to look like.
I am so ready for spring and the greening of the earth, as we call it in my family. I did knit with cotton this weekend but only for another washcloth.
I loved The Secret Life of Bees. The characters are instantly lovable and real. Enjoy it.
I keep my yarn in a spreadsheet too! I like using Google Docs, so that when i want to swap with someone, or checkout my stash while at work (not that I EVER yarn shop at work ;), I can access it or share access. You can see it here.
i love the yarn inventory idea! i really need to do that too, thanks for the tip. and I agree that The Secret Life of Bees is a great book. Enjoy!
I just started reading The Secret Life of Bees and it is fantastic.
Oh the yarn spreadsheet isn’t nerdy–I have one too! But it did make me think twice about buying more yarn. At the rate I’m going, I have enough sock yarn for 60 pairs. Urgh.
The green of the house plant is so inviting…love the spreadsheet idea, it just makes sense.
I LOVED “Secret Lives of Bees”. It was a random book I picked out at the local library giveaway (every year they give away books that haven’t been checked out in more than two years - their loss, I say!) and I read it in pretty much one sitting.
And yes - definitely feeling the spring fever! It almost hit 80 here the other day, and I was stuck inside at work. It certainly has caused me to lose interest in the WOOL sweater I’m knitting right now. But it looks like it is going to cool down this week, so I’ve continued working on it.
And finally: liger… I may have rofled a little at that one, heh!
Love the new sweater!
I read the Secret Life of Bees - it’s a great story - I think you’ll enjoy it!
That sweater is looking great! I have 3 blue and 2 pink balls of that rowan cotton tape that I have no idea what to do with, it feels so comfy though! Can’t wait to see how this turns out.
I also loved the Secret Life of Bees. Have fun!
The forecast says it’s going to get warmer throughout the week - I sure hope so, because yesturday was brutal. I’m worried about some of the daffodils and magnolias I’m starting to see pop out.
That’s a very cute cardigan, I see the temptation. You’re definitely showing spring knitting fever!
The Secret Life of Bees was one those rare (for me) books that I couldn’t put down. I found the story very appealing and the style to my liking.
The sweater is really coming along nicely! Happy Spring:)
I’m from the midwest originally, and that sounds like spring there, too. One day it would be in the 70s and the next would be a snow storm. That’s what makes the warm days so great though–they’re like a peak into summer!
What a great book–hope you enjoy it:)
Oh, I love that sweater–thanks for linking to it!
I’m with you on the weather. I live outside of Philly, and it was beautiful here for 3 days, and then we had an ice storm. Lovely.
This weather is the pitts! What was with that 70 degree tease last week? I was so excited thinking about walking outside with the warm weather!
That’s a great cardigan pattern!
I too have an extreme case of spring fever - I feel your pain!
Secret Life of Bees is one of my very favorite books - enjoy.
I am finishing up a fair of fall colored socks, and was rooting through my stash, and picked up a skein of black, grey, and brown, looked out my window at the piles of snow and decided that perhaps bright pink might be better for my mental health right now!
Glee is so beautiful…and how cathartic to take eight bags to Goodwill. Closet cleaning is feng shui for the soul.
Here in western Washington the greens are peeking out…we have crocuses & everything. We did have snow on the 1st of March, though–is that lionish or lambish?
I love the pullover…great color! I love the Berroco pattern too. Just another one for the list.
The Secret Life of Bees is an awesome book. I loved it and will share it with my girls someday.
I l-o-v-e-d the Secret Life of Bees. I spent a rainy afternoon curled up with it a few years ago and it was such a lovely read. Totally made it to my small list of favorite books.
I’m with you on being ready for spring. Fortunately we have it here! All the redbuds and Bradford pear trees are in bloom and it’s wonderful! Inspires all new colorways in my little head. Might the desire for warmer weather tempt you to try some lace?
The weather has gone crazy worldwide I reckon. Same here in London, we’ve had beautiful sunshine for a week now. My garden shouts spring is here, but the forecast for tomorrow is snow!! A strange world.
Love the Berroco pattern.
aren’t GOOD free patterns just the best?!
it’s so funny that you are planning spring knitting. down here i am already dreaming of fair isle sweaters, more socks, mittens…..i’m so tired of the heat. if i could send some your way Lolly, believe me, i would! ;0)
I’m so ready for sandals too! Happy spring!
thank you for posting that pattern - it is really super and a perfect little spring wrap. hmmmm.
don’t you love books on cd? i just listened to one in the car and my trip went by in a flash.
Everything is better when you make a spreadsheet for it. If that is nerdy, I’m there with ya.
Sandals. We have been having nice weather here too. Love that.
Very weird weather this past week. your knits look great abd i love the new pattern, perfect for spring.
We’ve been having very warm days here, but lots of green. Things are blooming and growing everywhere.
What a cute pattern. I’ll have to check that out, I just recently got some more yarn. Maybe that’s the pattern it’s waiting for.
The Secret Life of Bees is great!
how horrible - we had 70 degrees, and now 10″ of snow on the ground. Mother Nature can be mean!!!!
the new sweater looks great - that is a perfect shade of blue!
Love the dropped stitches…that blue makes me want to go to the beach…
I’m so wishing for spring! This weekend looks like it will be beautiful!
Love the Wren!!! It will look very good on you, dear. XXOO
I need blinders as well. I get so distracted by all the new patterns! Just when I thought I had my warm weather knitting all planned out. Wren is a nice find!
Secret Life of Bees is awesome. One of my favorite books. I hope you’re enjoying it.
We have had the most beautiful weather here, too! But it’s supposed to snow tommorrow. sigh. I’m glad I had this past week off so I could enjoy it.
I LOVED that book! I’m due for a re-read soon. I also just started the Kite Runner and it’s wonderful writing even though the story is harsh. We are having bout of spring weather too, but the winter stuff will be back again I’m sure.
We had a couple of really nice days here too, as in I didn’t have to wear a long sleeved tee shirt under whatever else it was I wanted to wear. But alas, now I’m back in my tee and a sweatshirt, with closed toed shoes. It’ll happen though!
So jealous of the warm weather you are having! That last snowstorm left us too much snow to wear sandals around here, that’s for sure.
Love that berroco cardi. With a pretty pin? So lovely.
i don’t know of anyone that didn’t love that book!
Secret Life of Bees is great— I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!
I’ve already sniffled my way through the first few chapters of The Secret Life of Bees.
That new Berroco Pattern is pretty and I hope you managed to find some stash yarn to make it with. Although, clearance yarn is really helping someone else stash bust and we really should support one another.
We had the ice storm too, and I also cleaned out the closet and drawers. I think spring does that…it makes us want to start with a fresh clean slate. It also makes us want to knit for spring and summer! So many things to choose from. The blinders are definitely in order.
I totally have spring fever… and I really liked Secret Life of Bees. A great story about strong women.
And here we are in Australia looking forward to the cooler weather, buying chunky wool and dreaming of fire places alight and drinking hot tea. Imagine, actually being able to wear a jersey without sweating up a storm..!
I love that cardi!! I say buy the yarn!!!!
Can’t wait to see glee all done!
Lolly, I immediately lusted after Wren cardigan also. I might actually have a cotton rayon blend yarn that would work!
Loved “The Secret Life of Bees” and also her second book, “The Mermaid Chair”.
PS: Thanks for not being a yarn snob! I usually knit with natural fibers as well, but come on, there’s a role (or an allergy or a lack of budget) for (almost) any yarn out there. Maybe it would be less offensive to the snobbish among knitters if the word acrylic was replaced with, hmmmm, manmade?
I loved the Secret Life of Bees - it’s a great story.
What is that house plant you have? It looks very nice and I would like to have similar