Category Archive for ‘vacation’ at adam knits!

Archive for the 'vacation' CategoryPage 2 of 5

Putting It All Together 10 Nov 07

Thank you all for the wonderful comments on my knitting anniversary, and the encouragement for my portly pooches! They’re doing quite well, and after a nice haircut, Emma is not as pudgy as initially suspected. I suspect Dallas is mostly a giant hairball too, he just hasn’t gotten his haircut yet. A few more weeks of regular evening walks and I’m sure they’ll be back to their skinny supermodel selves. And extra walking is something they certainly don’t mind. :)

I did just receive the BFL yarn yesterday, so I’ll pick the winners from the contest in the next blog post. I’m quite flattered that so many people think I’ve been knitting much longer than 2 years, but I assure you, any perceived skill is merely ridiculous amounts of practice. My friends and family deserve the credit, since they’ve put up with me knitting non stop for this long! (I think those warm hats and socks might have something to do with it…)

Also, if you haven’t picked up any Yarn Nerd from The Loopy Ewe, there’s still a few skeins left, so get on over before it’s all gone!

I’ve been hard at work this week, trying to get my Seamless Hybrid finished before the onslaught of winter, and I’m starting to make progress. I finished the 2nd sleeve this week, which means I’m now ready to start the yoke, and join the body and sleeves together.

I’m very close, but still, I haven’t been able to find time to sit down and start on the yoke. I want a nice block of uninterrupted time, since it’s the first time I’ve done anything like this, but I couldn’t seem to find that in my schedule this week. I think I might retreat to my favorite coffee shop tomorrow morning for a bit of solitude with my notes and the wool. It’s shaping up to be a good weekend. :)

I also got a bit of mail love this week, in the form of a stunning sock from Megan, as part of a single sock swap. She knit me the first sock, and sent me some yarn and the pattern so I can knit the second one. It’s an I Love Gansey sock (modified to have diamonds instead of hearts, you know, since hearts have cooties), knit up in a lovely chocolate shade of Rowan 4-Ply. It’s super squishy, and I can’t wait to knit the mate! Now if I can only find the time to cast on…

Megan also sent me this amazing sock cube from Schrodinger Originals, which has become my de-facto European Carryall for my knitting. There’s just something so awesome and so geometric about keeping your knitting in a sewn cube, it’s like storing structure inside structure, math inside math, etc…

So thanks Megan, you rock! I can’t wait to knit the second one; now if I could just finish the other socks and sweaters and shawls first!

Published

Adam

in gifts, knitting, knitting techniques, patterns, schnauzers, sweaters, weekend! and yarn nerd

Fiber Heaven 09 Oct 07

20 Comments

So I went to the Taos Wool Festival this past weekend, and it was heaven. I’ve never been to a fiber festival before, and wow was I missing out! I drove up with a friend, and we had a great day involving fiber, food and a winery detour on the way home. There was so much delicious yarn and fiber, it was nearly impossible to make a choice on what to buy. In the end I did make a choice, and ended up picking the following:

A lovely Maple Spindle, which has already been put to good use.
A skein of brown Alpaca for only $10!
A skein of white Cormo wool for dyeing fun. (this is a new breed of sheep and I must say it’s fantastic. let’s just say that it might be a future addition to Yarn Nerd’s bases…)
A big skein of gray Border Leicester, also for dyeing fun.
A skein of 80% Llama/20% Soysilk, which is pretty much as soft as it comes, and it’s tweedy!

I think I did pretty well, although my checkbook might not agree. I did resist bringing this guy home though…

Somehow I don’t think that the city of Albuquerque, and Dallas and Emma would have agreed with that decision ;)

I also got to meet up with Amber, who was in town from Virginia visiting family, for a bit of lunch and fiber shopping. Her Grandma came with her and was quite the sport while we caressed yarn and talked knitting. It was good to meet you Amber, and if you ever decide to move back to New Mexico we can hang out! Hint hint. ;)

Amidst all the new stash, I’ve also been working on depleting some of the stuff I have already. It’s Fall TV Season, which means lots of evenings hanging out in the living room, working away like a sweatshop knitter. Gotta get those Christmas Knits done! Some of the big things I’m working on include my Seamless Hybrid (almost done with the body, and I’m working on a sleeve in the photo) and my Mom’s Garden Shawl (that’s right Mom, I’m knitting on the shawl!).

It’s also Socktoberfest, which means I have a few pairs in the works. I just finished this sock, which Emma is so delighted to model for you. It’s a Gentleman’s Fancy Sock (from Knitting Vintage Socks), knit in one of my favorite sock yarns, Austermann Step. And as much as I love it, I’m going to be strong and put it in the Christmas pile. I just have to remind myself that other people need warm handknit socks too. ;)

I’m also working on a Thelonious sock in the Pumpkin yarn from the last post, for a swap that I’m doing. It’s quite tasty. The socks are the perfect bus knitting project, since the sweater and the shawl are a bit much to carry in my bike bags.

Oh, and I finished a hat a bit ago, for a friend’s birthday, as shown by my lovely model. (Don’t you just love dogs in knits? I do!)

It’s the Foliage pattern from Knitty, knit up in 3/4 of a skein of Manos 100% Wool. It’s fast and it looks great, so it’s a really good gift knit. Or you can use it for making your dogs look dorky… ;)

Well it’s bedtime, so I better shove off, but I thought I’d pop in to say that I am alive, and that I’m keeping quite busy these days. It must be this cold snap that’s making me all knit crazy…nothing like the feel of wool through your hands when it dips to 50 degrees outside.

Published

Adam

in finished objects, gifts, hats, knitting, socks, socktoberfest and weekend!

Ah, Dry Heat, I Love You. 11 Aug 07

18 Comments

So I’ve been home since yesterday morning, just spending the time unpacking, dyeing up and shipping Yarn Nerd orders (thanks guys!) and hugging the dogs. Both Dallas and Emma are super happy that I’m home, and keep following me around like I might leave them again at any second. Needless to say, I’m glad to see them too, I missed waking up to Dallas’ big wet tongue every morning (well, maybe not the tongue so much), and coming home to Emma’s howling chorus every afternoon.

I don’t have too much to say now, except that I had a great time. Can you tell?

It was a really great trip, and most of the week after the wedding was spent just hanging out, walking around and drinking ridiculous amounts of coffee. My friend Holly kept telling me my heart would explode from all the caffeine ;) Oh and buying yarn too. I actually ended up shipping my yarn back to myself, since it would have been a stretch to cram into my suitcase, and I really didn’t want it smelling like dirty clothes when I got home. I just got the box a few hours ago and am super excited to dive into the stuff. Want to see?

Austermann Step → I loved using this stuff for my Broad Spiral Ribbed Socks, and this color called my name
Trekking → Who can resist the Trekking? This stuff is destined to become some fancy evening socks, since I’m tired of wearing lame black socks to formal events.
Rowan Calmer → For a Shedir hat. My head will be happy this winter.
Hemp for Knitting → I’m doing a soap/yarn swap with Knitting Philistine, and figured a hemp washcloth would go with my soon to be here soaps perfectly.
Blue Sky Alpaca’s Dyed Cotton → This stuff is the softest cotton I’ve ever felt. I know exactly what I’m making, but it’s a secret! ;)

I also scored some Yarn Pirate Knitting Needles (thanks Georgia, I love them!), along with a mini-soap from Knitting Philistine/Good Soap Works of Athens that Georgia had leftover from last month’s Yarn Pirate Booty Club. (I packed that w/ the yarn, and now the yarn smells so nice, ah….)

I certainly got spoiled, and spoiled myself in Seattle, eh? It’s not too often that I get such a great vacation, so I just had to take advantage. ;)

I also got to spoil my friend Holly, with a moving away present that I’ve been sitting on for quite a while. You may have seen the finished pictures of this hat back in July on my Flickr page, and now I’m happy to show off pictures of it being worn by it’s happy recipient. (*Can you tell that she likes pirates?*) Not bad for a first stranded project ever huh? I think it’s pretty swank myself. Hope it keeps your head warm this winter Holly, it’s gonna be cold up there in Seattle!

I’m gonna go have an Arrested Development marathon now and see if I and finish up a pair of socks that’s been languishing on the needles for a bit. I finished one pair in Seattle and am hoping to get this one cranked out before casting on some new stuff. I’ll let you know how that goes…

Published

Adam

in dallas, emma, finished objects, friends, gifts, hats, knitting and vacation

Caffeination Nation 06 Aug 07

23 Comments

Ah, nothing like a good vacation! Especially when it’s filled with lots of relaxation, friends, knitting and tasty coffee. I may not even come back. Anyone know of any engineering jobs up here? ;) (Don’t worry Mom, I’ll come back for Emma and Dallas!)

The wedding was really beautiful, as it was right outside near the shore of the Puget Sound. Nothing like a beautiful lodge, a dynamite view and a nice sea breeze for a great wedding. Oh, and waking up to this nearby view helps too. ;)

The flowers at the wedding lodge didn’t hurt either.

I’m also getting quite my caffeine fill these days too. Nothing like some perfectly extracted espresso and smooth microfoamed milk to start out the morning with. Or an hour after morning. Or an hour before lunch. Or after lunch. Or…ok, I think you get the picture.

Then I met up with Georgia and Sarah for an afternoon yarn crawl. Those gals sure know how to get a guy to buy lots of yarn! They were both super fun, and I’m so glad to finally meet them! Sarah took a picture of Georgia and I, and it wasn’t until later I realized that we never got a picture of her! Sorry Sarah!

We hit up both Hilltop Yarns (the clerk had a blog and was super nice, but I don’t remember her blog name! trash!) and Fiber Gallery (where we saw Jessica who works there!) I’ve never met anyone I’ve only known online before, so 2 people in one day was lots of fun! Thanks so much to both Georgia and Sarah, I had a really awesome time, and got some awesome yarns.

I’m looking forward to the rest of the week, hanging out with my awesome friend Holly and just relaxing. Check out the view from her apartment’s roof!

It’s gonna be awesome. ;)

Published

Adam

in coffee, friends, knitting and vacation

Adios Amigos! 03 Aug 07

19 Comments

Whew, it’s vacation time! I’m sitting here in the airport, waiting to hop on that jet plane and fly off into the Seattle sunset. I can’t wait! I’ll be attending a wedding near Bremerton this weekend, and then spending next week bumming around Seattle. The extent of my plans include meeting some groovy knit bloggers, drinking ridiculous amounts of coffee, and knitting until my fingers fall off. It’s going to be magnificent.

sorry Mom, it’s another feet picture!

And I’m super glad this week is over, since it’s been a doozy. Between work, new dog schedules and packing up Yarn Nerd orders (thanks guys!), I’ve been swamped. Definitely ready for a nice vacation. I also took up a new hobby this week…one that I think I’m already addicted to. Thanks to Adrian for being my enabler!