Last fall, I picked up some bulbs at the nursery - just a little whim to add some color to my front yard. We don’t usually plant “non-functional” plants in our yard, favoring sustenance plants instead. I didn’t think the bulbs were going to do anything, and honestly I kind of forgot about them. Until now.

It was the perfect time to see them too.  After a week of uncertainty and apprehension, I needed the unexpected beauty of these gladiolias to calm my nerves. And for that reason, they are very functional, maybe just not in the way I was expecting.

After a good three months, I picked up the Jacquard Pulli again, itching for a little colorwork action.  With my audiobook* in the background, I completed most of the body of the pullover.  The armholes are bound off, and soon I will start the sleeves, to be yoked together with the body soon after.  I so enjoy the construction of yoked sweaters - they just seems so intuitive.

This pattern is from the German pattern magazine, Rebecca #34.  Instead of using the yarn called for in the pattern, I am using this pullover as the ultimate stashbuster: each of the yarns in the colorwork have been in my stash for at least 2 years.  It feels good to work with these yarns again!  You may recall that my colors were just paired together as I was digging around in my stash shelves, and I am happy with how they are working together in the pattern.  (Two of the yarns used to be other sweaters… before the big rip of 2006.) It is quite similar to the color scheme in the book, but different enough for my own personal stamp - “lolly-fying it”, if you will

I started this project during the “EARTH” element of Project Spectrum, but with the vibrant colors, it really is a perfect project for all of the colors.  As we are in the waning days of the AIR element (holey moley, can you believe it?) my mind is thinking ahead to all of the prospects for WATER - one of my favorites.

If I continue in my progress, this one pullover can span at least three of the elements… and I will have a nice warm wooly/alpaca sweater just in time for the sweltering August…

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*The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner.  I added some thoughts on GoodReads.  I really liked this one… and it definitely fired up the wanderlust.

Four years of LollyKnitting Around. I can’t believe how time flies.

Sometimes, I can’t imagine my life without the blog, and in turn, all of you.  I am blessed to be a part of this vibrant community. I thank you so much for coming to visit and taking the time to share yourselves and your creativity.  You inspire me.

Many thanks, my friends~

**The above graphic is a wordle word cloud.  I entered many words:  things that I care about and love, places I have been and experiences I have had, and words that (I think) describe me.  If you make one, please let me know - I would love to see the visual representation of you!

It is a very rare occasion when I knit something that has had so little “face” time on this blog.  The Pintuck Tee has been steadily growing over the last few weeks, and on Friday night, I looked at it and knew that I could finish it soon.  So, once I set my mind to it…

Pattern: Pintuck Tee [rav link]
Yarn: Schulana Sojabama (bamboo/soy blend)
Source: The Loop in Halifax, NS
Needles: Size US 3 / 3.25mm

You may recall that I purchased this yarn in Nova Scotia.  Mimi made a beautiful Wyvern Wrap [rav] out of it, and when I talked to her at the shop in Halifax, I decided to take the plunge and try the 55/45 bamboo soy blend.  This pattern had recently come to my attention on Ravelry, and right there in the shop, we did the math, and I walked out with 7 balls of yarn specifically for this project. Beautiful gray with blue and purple flecks.  I should have picked up another ball (hindsight is 20/20, don’t you know) so that I could have added sleeves.  Honestly, I don’t wear too many tanks because… well, I don’t like my arms.  But, this one will get worn.  Maybe with a shrug on some occasions

Other than the sleeve, I also omitted the buttons on the little “bib” portion, favoring the open neckline more.

[More photos of Pintuck here]

This pattern was well-written, and the designer, Lien Ngo, incorporates some great techniques to keep the shaping and inserts interesting.  I really liked the short rows; they provided a crisp look on the armholes and neckline.

I have a feeling that the yarn is going to grow - I have heard that about bamboo and soy yarns.  That is why I chose the 37″ size, hoping that it would relax a little with wear.  I think it may get a little longer too.  Have you had this experience with these fibers?

It is nice to have such a timely knit - it is soft and cool to the touch and will be perfect for the hot summer days.

I may be behind, but I saw this meme making the rounds again (thanks to Andrea and Parikha) and remembered that I answered a similar one a few years ago… but, it kind of looked like fun, and since the answers are different this time, why not answer it myself.

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?

I was 17 and had just finished my junior year of high school. My family moved to Maryland from New Mexico in January of 1998, and while the transition was not too difficult, there were new things to get used to… like this cute boy in my American History class… and well, you may remember that story. The summer of ‘98 was low-key. I got a summer job doing HTML at a tech company, and we visited my family in Alabama. It was the last time we got to see my grandmother in a healthy state, as she got sick and passed away in 1999.

2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today the weekend?

• Company picnic at a nearby park today - so, my plan?  eat a little ice cream and play bingo.
• Sleep in tomorrow morning - till at least 7:00am.
• Work on my projects:  I have several knits near completion, and a new warp on the loom.
• Brunch with dear Bec, recipient of the afghan that I recently started working on again.
• More reading and (listening to) books - really enjoying this book and this audiobook right now.

3) Snacks I enjoy:

fresh fruits, ice cream, and yogurt

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

• Fiber/reading/yoga/writing/photography FULL time
• Pay off the house
• Give money to the family
• Help fund research and development for sustainable alternative energies (this would enable me to travel everywhere without having “greenie guilt“)
• Donate to an array of respectable organizations

5) Places I have lived:

I was born in Morristown, Tennessee.  We moved to Houston, Texas when I was very young, and my middle sister was born there.  I do have some vague memories of this time.  We then moved to Jackson, Mississippi for a short time before going to Phoenix, Arizona.  We moved to Worland, Wyoming where I started school.  My youngest sister was born there.  Then, we moved to Hedgesville, West Virginia where we stayed for three years before moving to Roswell, New Mexico.  I spent most of my “definitive” years of childhood in Roswell, so when asked where I grew up, I say New Mexico.  When I was 17, we moved to Crofton, Maryland.  For college, I lived in Baltimore, Maryland, and now Kris and I live in Columbia, Maryland.  I have lived in Maryland longer than any other place.  There are times I want to leave the hustle and bustle of the DC-area, but there are also some amazing things to do and see here - plus our jobs! - so we enjoy it overall.

6) Jobs I have had:

• Babysitter
• HTML editor
• Library Page
• Bookstore Manager
• Library Assistant
• Graduate Student (TA)
• Archivist

Photos above: 1) a very unique succulent plant in my small dish garden 2) fresh strawberries and peaches from the farmers’ market, now frozen for treats all year long 3) a sneak peek at Tess Designer Yarns new sock line - Twinkle Toes (silk, nylon, merino) and Baby Bunny (merino/angora/nylon)… perfect for the water element of Project Spectrum, no?