Need a laptop bag?

For some reason, which I can only assume is related to phasing out a line or "last season's" style. A bunch of bags on the Timbuk2 website are on super sale.
I just got this bag and LOVE IT!

(Photo from Timbuk2.com, saved to my server)
More details are here but, for 38 bucks with shipping, it's a great deal for a solid bag.
I had been searching all over for a laptop bag for my new MacBook Air that protects the bag, is cute, not oversized, functional and, if needed, I can walk into a meeting with, without it being too ridiculous. So, yes, the bag is strawberry red, but I like it that way.
Happy Wednesday!

Justification for knitting

I'm not sure much else needs to be said.
Liam is a great model!
Oh yeah, San Francisco was awesome as always, and Napa is one of my loves. I'll be giving more of a synopsis when my brain isn't quite so wracked with allergies/a cold.

Did you think I was kidding?

Babies everywhere!
Granted, the intended recipient of this set was born last September... I mentioned work on this sweater a while ago and forgot to show you any progress as time went on.
The Tall Guy and I are heading to the West Coast this coming week and we're bringing a gift out to the littlest host.

I was having trouble with the colors this morning (overcast). So, they're probably the most accurate in the button photo (below) When Jessie was in Boston this spring she picked up buttons for me at Windsor Button. They're perfect!
I had plenty of left over yarn, so I couldn't resist making a matching hat. It's every parents duty to dress their child in something they'll be embarrassed about as a teenager. At least, that's what I think.

(Super) Local Craft Fair

Mark your calendars for May 31. If you're in town, c'mon up to downtown Silver Spring for
the Handmade Mart!

For more details click here. I think I'll be helping Woolarina out, and otherwise shopping and wandering around... for those interested, perhaps I can talk the Tall Guy into firing up the grill for a post-craft-BBQ? (We live about 3 blocks from here).

The Goods

I completely forgot to show off what I picked up at Maryland Sheep and Wool two weeks ago!
I was pretty restrained this year I think. I had a few projects in mind, picked up yarn for them and had only two impulse buys.. oh and fried dough and loaded ribbon chips... yum!


Socks that Rock, Medium weight Mill End. Not sure on the colorway, it seems to all be within the red, purple and pink family.

Two skeins of Malabrigo laceweight in Velvet Grapes... this is likely going to be the featherweight cardigan at some point.


And, lastly in yarn purchases, two skeins of Brooks Farm Willow. Not sure the colorway name, but its a grey/steel. I think it will be the Sahara top.

At the end of the day, we found Jennie The Potter's booth and I bought this necklace. How could I resist? I love unique pendants and this one was just too cute.

Overall, a great day, it's so easy to get overwhelmed, but Jessie and I had a great day of yarn and animals and managed to stay dry! (Jessie's recap of our day can be found here and here .)

The weather was just about perfect this weekend so, we went to the National Arboretum on Saturday (after a stop at a reallllly good roast beef sammie joint here. Go there. Seriously).In the midst of our walk, we came upon a baby snake who didn't appear to have a good exit strategy from the concrete path. I was the brave one who was willing to pick up the little guy. He was inside my hands, but is near impossible to see.
And, finished baby knitting!

For as much as I'm not ready for my own, I sure do love knitting baby goods for others... This is one of my favorite quick knits. Using less then 50 yd of fingering weight, and only takes about two hours of solid knitting with a good "gift reaction" always of "Ohhh! So cute and tiny!"

And for today's domestic excitement? The Tall Guy is riding his bike to work a few days a week (about 8 miles each way). He came home to tell me this evening that while he was very much alive, a squirrel was likely not. Luckily, he was okay (it was a high traffic area) and there was no evidence of the departed IN the bike, so I may stick to the idea that perhaps there's just a little squirrel with a bit of a limp out there.

Hooray Summer!!!!
Really, there's nothing better in my little world then the back porch, a summery beer, knitting, Annie and my Tall Guy.
Hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Spring Sweater!

The spring issue of Interweave had one pattern that really caught my eye (so far the Summer issue, not so much, but it often takes a little time for me to decide).
The Whisper Cardigan is light and airy which is great for a DC spring/summer, when moving between 90 degrees and humid to my 60 degree, frigid office.
I'm just about done with the first sleeve and moving on to the body. The construction is pretty interesting, yet it's plenty of stockinette to ease my otherwise scattered brain.
The yarn is Sanguine Gryphon, a lace weight called Sapphon (very similar to a Malabrigo lace weight base to me) and the colorway is The Black Earth.

So far, it's an easy knit and the yarn has been surprising me with a decent amount of teal/sea foam that I hadn't really noticed when I purchased at the Homespun Yarn Party in March.

This is pretty much a traveling/commuting/lunch project so I don't expect to finish it anytime soon...especially with all this baby knitting happening!

Finally, cooperation!

The weather is finally working with me today. I haven't been able to photo much lately due to a lack of decent light.
This is my first "real" lace project. I managed to finish it in time for Maryland Sheep and Wool and was sort of amazed at the compliments it received.Details: Ishbel was knit from a bit less then a skein of Neighborhood Fiber Co. "Watershed" base in the Logan Circle colorway. Knit on size six needles, it wasn't a difficult knit, but I'm not always the best at counting stitches while watching TV (with a glass of wine in my hand), so I know there are errors. A note on the yarn, my skein (as well as one that Jessie has too) has a good bit of blue in it, but the newer skeins we saw at Sheep and Wool didn't seem to have this.
What I think it pretty cool about the fiber-arts community, is that I managed to meet the designer, Ysolda at Sheep and Wool (I totally have a girl-crush on her) and have met Karida (who is Neighborhood Fiber Co) a number of times now. Personally, having a hobby that is not only productive and fun, but also means being able to support local and/or independent artists is a pretty cool thing.
While I'm expounding the virtues of local artists.. I picked this skein up at the Homespun Yarn Party back in March... Woolarina is a friend of mine and her colors are always vibrant and this base...which has a good bit of cashmere in it, is awesome.
And one final note for today... here's the hat I mentioned a couple of days ago.. I love this pattern, because not only does it make a super cute hat, but it's reallllllly fast. This was about an hour of knitting while watching Lost and it's time to start the decreases. Off to play outside! Hopefully the whole weekend is as nice as today!

Spring Chickens

I just decided that I'm a baby-knitting sweatshop at the moment. A large number of women I know are pregnant and I'm not the type to let these poor little babies go without a hand knit good or three! I'm playing with the photo booth feature on my computer, so excuse the quality.
This little bit of knitting will be the Umbilical Cord hat from the first Stitch and Bitch book. It's a speedy knit that's also cute and seems to fit babies of various sizes. The yarn is stash leftover's from the socks I made the Tall Guy for Christmas.. it's Lorna's Lace Worsted in Edgewater. *love*.

I have lots of finished knits and more blocking now that as soon as I get some nice light, I'll photo. Currently, it's rained everyday for the last week.
I did not agree to live in Seattle.