By and large, the average (non-knitting) person automatically thinks of wool as the go-to fiber for knitting.  And while I could extoll wool for many a-blog post, I can also say that wool just is not suited for warm weather knits in my “neck of the woods” where it gets hot and steamy and sticky in the humid summer.  While we seem to be in a bit of a cool spell after a little heat wave earlier in the week, my mind is racing thinking about all of the spring/summer knits for those 90+ degree days!

 I made a tank top – so simple and fast to complete – out of some leftover yarns (stashbusting continues!) and I am nearing completion on a simple spring pullover next…

This is the A-Line tank from the Spring/Summer 2007 issue of Knit Simple.  I used leftover Classic Elite Classic Silk yarn in this lovely perwinkle color.  The tank is knit bottom-up, flared at the bottom with small decreases all the way up along these faux princess seams – then a small ribbing in the middle to gather the stitches.  I modified it to knit in the round,  adding an edge stitch to each side.  The pattern only goes up to a 36″ bust, and since I wanted a little ease, I went up a needle size (size US 8 and 9s) to make it more of a 37/38″ bust.  My plan worked, for the most part.  It isn’t the most “flattering” knit I have ever made, but it is cute and it will be worn. 

If I made this again, I would add some more length to it.  I often forget that my torso is longer than I think it is, and I tend to like my tops and tanks to be longer – around the top of the hip.  Luckily, I have a periwinkle camisole that is nearly the same color underneath to give the illusion of a bit more length. 

This pattern page on Ravelry has some lovely projects by other knitters, but none of the other knitters have my body shape – so I wasn’t quite sure how this one would out since I have a larger bust and wider hips.  Jury is still out if it is a success or not!

My newest knit – which is nearly done after lots of weekend knitting! – is another version of the Forrest Pulli top that I made last March.  This time, I am using a different fiber to get a more relaxed shape with some more ease.  This RYC Natural Silk Aran reeled me in hook. line. sinker. at the LYS awhile back.  The steeley blue/gray with little color flecks was just too much for me to turn down.  I didn’t have a pattern in mind when I bought it, so I was quite happy to match this pattern to this yarn.  The picture shows the knit as it looked late last week… you can now imagine a completed back and a front left panel.  Now onto the right and the sleeves, and it will be good!  I didn’t expect to motor through this knit so quickly, but now that I have, it seems almost possible that it could be done by the weekend – for Maryland Sheep and Wool festival

I am analyzing many garment shapes in my Ravelry queue to see if this is really the best style and knit shape for my body… luckily, I have Amy’s *amazing* new series of blog posts called “Fit to Flatter” to help me determine this kind of thing.  Amy has put together two amazing tutorials (so far) with lots of visuals, drawings, models, etc.  to aid the knitters/crocheters out there on the search for the perfect garment for your body shape.  Check it out.  You will definitely learn something.

Right now, I am particularly drawn to long tunic-style tanks and shifts – and while it’s a lot of knitting, it’s also a nice stashbuster too.  Some of the patterns that have caught my eye:

• Berroco’s Moska
• Interweave’s Summertime Tunic
• Purl Bee’s Leah Tunic
• Pegboard Lace Tunic
• Bottoms Up Tank
• Rebecca Yoked Lace Pulli

…and the list could go on and on!  Wonder how many I will realistically make this summer…

Many thanks for your comments on my Noro blanket! thank you also for all the feedback on interchangeable needles – since I was borrowing the needles, I did not have the little key that many of you said comes along with the set, so that could be why I kept having problems…

Before I went to British Columbia back in February, I pulled together some yarns from my sock yarn stash and decided to make some socks. This was kind of a big deal because it had been well over a year since I had made any socks, or had the desire to do such.  Socks are a great travel project, so I packed the yarn and started them at the airport. In no time, I had the colorwork chart done, and started to work down the leg – these are the Canada socks from Nancy Bush’s Knitting on the Road:

The random yarns are Schoeller+Stahl Fortissima Socka in deep red and ivory, and the semi-solid gray is my old favorite – Tess Yarns Merino Sock.

Andrea knits!

Unfortunately, the sock bug was short-lived, and I went on to work on a number of other projects while this sock sat on the needles.  I just needed to turn the heel before I could quickly finish sock #1, but it sat in the bottom of the bag for over 2 months.  Finally, as I was sitting in my hotel room in Philadelphia last week (fresh back from my yarn shop + dinner date with Andrea) I turned the heel.  Yeah, it was over in about 20 minutes.  I don’t know why I didn’t do it sooner…

Now, sock #1 is done, and the clock is counting down.  I have to at least cast on for sock #2 in the next 24 hours or these socks will end up at the bottom of the bag again.  I just know this to be true, because I know myself… and my eyes are already wandering and my fingers are already itching to cast on for *another* new project.

Luckily, I have a lot of knitting time right now (which sounds much better than “sitting in front of the TV time”, doesn’t it?)  with the NHL playoffs…   My team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, is playing some great hockey, and with games on every.single.night (and some afternoons) there is never a dull moment.  I am moderating a bit and trying to do some other things (gardening! cooking! yoga!) but hockey is pretty much the big deal right now. 

My friend Gillian over on the Ravelry hockey boards made my day – she sent these amazing Penguins cups that she picked up on a recent visit to her mother in Pittsburgh.  They are holographic cups.  I have a theory that whichever cup I choose to drink out of – that player will have a great night (lots of goals, etc.) and so far it’s worked – well, twice.  So, it may be true!

... drinking with the guys ...

The Ravelry Stanley Cup Stashbusting Knit-along/Crochet-along is going really well, and there are lots of great projects over there… and it’s giving me lots of inspiration to do even more stashbusting.  I already finished the tank I started last week, and I am planning some baby knits, and maybe even jump-starting some holiday gift knitting.  Since I enjoyed the recent Noro project so much, my eyes are wandering towards the remaining Noro skeins in my stash wondering what they will become… and the crochet practice continues!

A supernova of Noro!

Noro Star Blanket
Yarn: Noro Cash Island, colorway 11
Pattern:  Free pattern from Bernat
Needles: Size US 8-10, graduated as the blanket got bigger
Ravelry Notebook Page

What a joy it was to knit… I loved every minute, and I plan to make another.  The yarn was obviously the biggest draw here – the Noro Cash Island was decadent to knit with the brilliant colors and the mix of cashmere, wool, and all of the other goodies.  I bought this yarn in the sale bin at Maryland Sheep and Wool a few years ago; initially, I was planning a garment, so I only got one bag.  Had I known that I would make an afghan, I would have picked up two bags (20 skeins).  That would have definitely made it bigger and more “afghan-like”, but it would have been quite the feat to find circular needles for it to fit on!  This was nearly 1000 stitches in the round with 10 skeins.  It was becoming quite heavy, but never became a chore to knit in anyway.

I came across this pattern when searching the free pattern library on Bernat’s website – there are some great patterns for both knitting and crochet – and when I saw this pattern, the wheels started to turn.  (You have to register on the site, and then all the patterns are free!) Noro has that amazing self-striping quality, and in a star-shape afghan, that could be quite eye-catching!  Luckily, my bet was right.  I am thrilled with the way it turned out!

I used a friend’s interchangeable needles from Knitpicks.  I have not taken the plunge to get my own set of interchangeables, but I must say, it is tempting.  I plan to make more circular afghans, and 40″ circs are not available in most stores in a range of needle sizes.  This Knitpicks kit was useful, but I was annoyed that the joints kept coming unscrewed.  I don’t know if this is something that happens often in other brands, but it’s a quick way to lose stitches, and that is not good…  Do you have an interchangeable kit that you recommend?

I didn’t know as I was making this the star points would create this wavey edge, but I really like it!  As I bound off the stitches and saw the natural curve, I was thrilled with the results.  Blocking only made it better.

Stashbusting is at an all-time high over here – and with all the hockey-viewing lately, my hands have been quite busy.  I have more projects to share very soon!

Although not quite the break-neck speed of last year, my reading is still going strong.  My jaunt with young adult novels continues – this genre is *rich* right now – and I have recently gotten into some graphic novels too.   My book club at work chose graphic novels as our next selection, and instead of just reading one, we are all reading different ones so that we can report back to the group.  I used that opportunity to check out quite a few.

Graphic novels have been on the scene for just over a decade, and they are really starting to gain some steam.  They can be like comic books in style, but are bound in a book format, and usually have a wide variety of topics.  The ones that I have been particularly drawn to are the autobiographical stories.

The best of this genre – that I have read – is definitely The Photographer: Into War-torn Afghanistan with Doctors Without Borders by Emmanuel Guibert (illustrator) and Didier Lefèvre (writer). 

Lefèvre was a French photojournalist (who passed away in 2007) whose work appeared in many newspapers and magazines. For the assignment described in the book, Lefèvre worked alongside a team from Médicins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders. Lefèvre captures many moments on film; his photographs are interspersed with the drawings in the graphic novel.

The book is a stunning piece of literature – a true “snapshot” of life at that time in Afghanistan (~1985). The story is recounted by Lefèvre, so you also have several stories about his relationships with the people in the team – Juliette, the strong and independent leader, who knows how to mix with both men and women in this fundamentalist Islamic culture; John, the burly American doctor with a hear of gold; Régis, the anesthesiologist who dreams of opening a winery in sourthern France… and the many Afghans – Mahmud, Najmudin, and the patients who are treated in the team.

Highly recommended book.

My full review on Goodreads

 Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis is a very well-known book in the graphic novel genre.  Satrapi recounts her life in Iran in the late 1970s and early 1980s.  Persepolis 2, the book that I read, continues the story as Marjane’s parents have sent her to school in Austra.  You can get both books as one single volume with The Complete Persepolis.  This review covers only Book 2:

Through Marjane’s eyes, we see this changed society – the broken lives and buildings of Tehran, but we also see the strength of her family.  There are several times that she writes (and draws) and says “I have never told anyone this…” and then lays it all out. It must have been quite cathartic and liberating.

Ultimately, this book seemed much more introspective – describing the immigrant experience, as well as the “homecoming” experience after years away. Marjane’s story is not flowery and happy – and she does not sugarcoat it. It is extremely educational though. If you read the first part of story and want a reprisal and some closure, this is it. She is quite talented – both in this genre of literature, memoir, and in translating her feelings into words and pictures.

Full review of Persepolis 2 on Goodreads(may contain some minor spoilers)

The third graphic novel I read was probably the most visually interesting – the artist is really good – but the story was lacking, unfortunately. Shortcomings follows the lives of several urban late twenty-/early thirty-somethings.

It’s character-driven, with very little “action” but a lot of subtext. One of the over-arching themes seems to be how these first-generation Asian-Americans (Ben and Miko are Japanese-American and Alice is Korean-American) face the various stereotypes in modern society. The relationships are screwed up… but at the same time, these people seem so very real – like co-workers, or people you meet at a party. Perhaps being the same age range as the characters added to this familiarity, but I really did feel like I knew these people. The reviews on this one vary widely, and my rating was at the lower end of the spectrum, but I can see how this book can be meaningful and important to others.

Full review on Goodreads

 The last three books that I read are part of this re-emergence of great young-adult literature. The Mysterious Benedict Society is a sheer delight for older readers (10-14 years):  an adventurous tale with kids saving the world from an evil genius… the heroes are a special group of children that are chosen specifically after a battery of tests is adminstered to the general kid population.  They succeed and then move on to the next test – a covert mission into a secret school… this is the first of a series that will be sure to keep kids reading – it’s just fun to read!

A real page-turner and lots of fun to read. The author captures a lot of elements of fantasy and whimsy that will really appeal to his intended audience. There was definitely a “Kids Rule!” message, being that the kids were the heroes who essentially “saved the world”…

Full review on Goodreads

Trying to describe these next two books is difficult – I enjoyed them so much that I really had a hard time writing a review. Again, they are written with a young adult in mind, but much like some of the other modern classics (Harry Potter, specifically) they can be enjoyed by everyone. And wow, did I enjoy them. The Hunger Games is the first of the three-part series, with Catching Fire as its immediate sequel. The third and final book in the series, Mockingjay will be out later in the summer, and it will undoubtedly be an instant hit – there are scores of people anticipating it!   

My excitement for these books make my critical mind go out the window, so they are hard to review. They are not perfect, but hands down, some of the most entertaining works of fiction I have ever read!  The books are set in the near future on the North American continent.  A governmental body has dissolved the national lines and created this set of districts that supply the great entity – Panem.  Each year, the government requires every district to enter their children into a lottery – and the children/teens that are chosen (2 from each of the 12 districts) are sent into a battlefield – The Hunger Games – where they must fight to the death.  It is brutal – like gladitorial games – and televised for all of Panem. The government uses this impending tribute as a way to stop any resistance – knowing that their own children could be sacrificed next.  The story follows the tributes from District 12 – one of the poorest districts, the coalmining district - Katniss and Peeta.  These books are already in the works to become movies – so go ahead and get a jumpstart!  They will undoubtedly be the next big thing – so you can be ahead of the game!

~~

I have been reading a lot… but also knitting up a storm… photos to come

Mid-April and life is moving along quite nicely… then again, when there is so much natural beauty around, it’s hard to not put a smile on…

(Bradford Pear, Azalea, Dogwood)

Kris and I have both had busy schedules at work – which makes the downtime that much more enjoyable.  Last weekend, we took the doggie girls over to the dog park (my good friend Ang joined us with her two pups), we went to a show in DC (Vampire Weekend!) and then had a nice Easter Sunday with both sets of family.

(Jenny and Bella are worn out after running around the dog park!)

This past weekend, we woke up early on Saturday to set up a yard sale, and then went to Kris’s brother’s surprise birthday party.  Sunday offered some downtime – I read some books (graphic novels are my flavor of the month – book reviews to follow) and we did some gardening.  This afternoon/evening, we are heading up to Delaware – Kris is giving a presentation and I am hitching along for the ride.  And tomorrow I am heading to Philly for a work conference (Caring for Unusual Formats!) and I am gonna meet up with this amazing lady.

I have been in a bit of a cast-on frenzy… I have started several new projects over the course of the week, but some didn’t quite make the cut since they were more crochet practice.  I am still trying to work on my tension, but the stitches are coming a bit easier.  My recent project of choice has been cotton washcloths – made with Sugar n’ Cream Cotton.  Practical and functional.  I like using the small swatches to practice stitches – this one is half-double crochet:

The newest knit on the needles is the A-Line Swingy Tank from an old issue of Knit Simple (Spring/Summer 2007) [Ravelry link]- it’s a simple and flattering tank that seems like a good shape for me.  It would be cute with a camisole underneath, or with a cardigan on top.  I am using leftovers from the Sienna Cardigan I made last year – Classic Elite Classic Silk.

The recent spike in stashbusting is because 1) I always do this before MDSW – less than one month away and I start to get serious stash guilt and 2) the Stanley Cup Stashbusting KAL/CAL over on Ravelry’s Puck This! group.  I am heading it up again as I eagerly anticipate the NHL playoffs.  Feel free to join us if you are interested!

How are you enjoying the change of season?  Are you outside more?  I would love to hear what you are up to!