Joining the Party!

I've become quite the joiner today. I have the icarus shawl and the lotus blossom tank from the Summer Interweave Knits mag sitting (im)patiently on the side. So I am thinking that maybe a group or two will encourage me.



As a notorious blog lurker, I have enjoyed reading Lolly's blog. Her Project Spectrum idea has really caught on fire. So I decided today was the day. I am now an offical participant!






The Mason Dixon KAL may be next!

Backyard Views

While waiting for the AC Man to show up, I saw this outside:

Aren't they cute? I also have some young geese that have been playing in my backyard. Who'd have thought that these little guys:




Grow up to become full-size geese? This photo is from the beginning of April; all 6 have survived and are almost fully grown.

As for knitting content, this is what I have been working on using the Stacy Charles yarn I posted about last Thursday:



I call it the "Sweet Thing Shawl" since a friend worked up a shawl in a similar yarn for her son's girlfriend, dubbed "Sweet Thing." It has been working up really quickly. Oh, and that stack of yarn on the bottom? That would be what I had to rip out after I pulled it out of the bag wrong! Yet another reason for those point protectors!

I am looking at joing the Lotus Blossom Tank and the Icarus shawl KALs. The Mason Dixon KAL also looks like fun, so that may also be in my future.

When in doubt.....BUY YARN!

It has been a rather rough day. To top it off, I discovered several errors in the early beginnings of my Icarus shawl during lunch today. I decided it would be easier just to start over, so I'm going to cast back on this weekend.

So, to cheer me up, my car drove me over to one of the local yarn shops after work today and the following leaped into my arms:



South West Trading Company Oasis in Purplexed AND Stacy Charles Ritratto in #76. A closer look:

Obviously I still need to work on my photography! These two yarns are going to turn into the Lotus Blossom Tank (for me!) and a shawl (for a gift!). I just couldn't resist that purple and the Stacy Charles yarns have been calling my name for a while.

In other news, I've signed up to take part in the Mystery Stole #2 knitalong over at yahoogroups. When I first started knitting, I really got "into" lace, starting Branching Out and signing up for both Mystery Stole 1 and Mystery Shawl 1. (Did I mention that my brain also thinks I can knit 24 hours a day?) Work pressures drove me to distraction so my lace knitting got off track and I took them all off the needles. I am hoping I can stick this one out! I do have a friend in town who has also signed up for the new mystery stole and is doing the icarus shawl (in Sea Silk!!! ) so hopefully local encouragement will help.

Introductions

Hi! I’m Shell and this is my new blog! I plan to blog about my different projects - knitting, needlework, and whateverelse I can find to do in my spare time. I am a thirty-something southerner who is addicted to all things crafty. I share a house with two cats that allow me to keep a roof over our heads and buy them toys and food.

I read a lot of knitting blogs. A. Lot. What can I say, I enjoy seeing what other knitters knit, where they knit and so on. Nosy, yes, but the beautiful projects and designs that I have found…..priceless. I figured it was time I stepped up and joined the community.

So about me.....Being lucky enough to be born to a crafty mother, I experimented with different craft projects early on in between cartoons. Sewing. Drawing. Macramé. Crochet. Cross Stitch. You name it, I’ve probably tried it. I also have a heck of a perfectionist streak......which can really choke the heck out of creativity. Imagination, I've got. But completion doesn't always make it through the gate. But that's ok. It's about the process, right?

The cross stitch habit followed me out of childhood and I now have a nice solid stash and large stack of works-in-progress. I encountered scrapbooking a few years back and I have a nice collection of stickers, scissors, and paper. Papercrafts seemed like a good segue. Then I learned to knit in May of 2005 and haven't stopped. Now ask me about my yarn stash.....

OK, so it isn't just about the process for me, apparently it’s also about getting stuff!

I am an intermittent stitcher, since there are no stores nearby (other than Joanns and Michaels) and it is hard to find local stitchers when there isn't a stitching store. This year, I find that needlework is coming back in my life. A guild has just started up in my area and I have enjoyed being around other stitchers. I've also met a number of quilters in this past year and while tempting, I just don't have the room right now (for the stash).

As for knitting, I think I have wanted to learn to knit for about 12 years. Or more. Considering I live in Florida, I think it is pretty funny. But there you go. My early attempts were halted by my felines that wanted to help me learn. So finally, I gave up learning on my own, gathered up my pennies, and went to the local yarn shop.

That’s it for now. I have to be up early in the morning. More (with pictures) to come!