Lots of Exciting Updates!

I started writing a post yesterday at school about finishing The Boy's Hat. Stupid computer though wouldn't save my post (I was planning on adding a picture when I got home) but of course as usual, everything happens for a reason... I cleared off my bed so I could take a picture of the hat before The Boy came over only to realize the hat isn't actually finished- none of the ends are woven in! So that'll just have to wait for another day.

On to the news!

This weekend I received two knitting related packages...

This one is from Jacey for winning a giveaway on her blog. Thanks again Jacey! She sent me 2 back issues of Interweave and 2 skeins of Malabrigo yarns. These are officially my first issues of Interweave. I don't usually buy many knitting magazines (though I do like to look through them at the book stores). I've also never used Malabrigo before so I looked up some current projects using it on Ravelry and found lots of people using it for the Star Crossed Slouchy Beret. Funny story about this hat... I saw this pattern on Ravelry and thought "hmm this looks an awful lot like the hat Julia made for Jackie. I'll need to remember to ask her about that." At the same time I printed out the pattern for a someday project. I asked Julia about the hat...it's the same one and she's made it for herself (she was wearing it Friday night which is what reminded me to ask her) and for several other people. So now it's on the queue because I have the perfect yarn for it! Now just to decide which color...or both!

My KnitPicks order came! The needles have already been put on my cables and are working on The Boy's Surprise Scarf to match his hat and sometimes alternating to a pair of mittens to match a hat I recently made (so fast that there wasn't even a chance to photograph it!).

This part of the package is the Craftsman Afghan Kit. It's going to be a Christmas gift (hopefully if it's done in time) but not sure for who yet. I'm thinking for my Aunt Cathy and if it knits fast enough I might get yarn in more appropriate colors for Mom. The yarn it uses is Suri Dream and let me tell you that name is not lying! Touching this yarn is like a dream come true to the sense of touch. It looks and feels like the softest hair or fur ever and I can barely see the strands through all the fuzziness. Luckily the pattern calls for a size 11 needles so the stitches will be big enough to see on the needles through all that fuzziness. This is one of those yarns that you just have to hold up to your face and rub your cheek against :o)

This one is the Cheery Cup Cozies Kit. This will also be used for Christmas gifts (again, hopefully). They'll be nice small but interesting projects for the subway rides . The yarn is Wool of the Andes which I've never used before (this is actually my first KnitPicks yarn order ever!) but I see it used in soooooo many patterns. The only thing I'm worried about with this project is the felting. I've never done machine felting and I don't really want to do it by hand in the sink again plus it has to be made the right size to fit a coffee cup. We'll see with that one. There's enough yarn in the kit to make a lot of cozies though so there's room for experiment.

I can't believe I haven't mentioned this yet, but I will be starting a 4 year long knit-along this coming January. The Knitting on Top of the World Knitathon was Mary's idea. You can find the whole backstory on her blog, but here's the condensed version: Mary saw Julie and Julia and was inspired. She decided to do something similar with her knitting idol, Nicky Epstein. She chose to knit every project in Knitting on Top of the World, one pattern a month, over the course of the next four years starting January 1, 2010 and has invited the world to join her. I jumped on the bandwagon pretty early on and have had several little convos back and forth with Mary over email. But today's message through the Yahoo group was the BEST! Mary is having a kick-off celebration in NYC just after the new year's holiday. She and Nicky will both be at Lion Brand Studio on January 3rd for a knitting and book signing session. Lion Brand will be offering discounts to those who come. But wait, it gets better. The last thing Mary says in the email... "Anyway, I'm sure hoping I'll get a chance to meet any of you who might be in the New York City area (that means YOU, Steph!!!)" Yup, that's me :o). Boy, don't I feel special today!