tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26784176764296341452012-01-19T21:30:37.119-05:00In which I discuss yarn-related and running-related endeavors.Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.comBlogger2991100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-59546224936520816492012-01-19T10:01:00.002-05:002012-01-19T10:10:28.595-05:00

I solemnly swear ... I'm going to try to keep up with blogging FOs this year!These are the first pair of socks I finished this year. I knit them a lot while we were in Colorado last month skiing. And the yarn came from my trip to St. Louis with my mom last year, so it holds special memories that way, too.The yarn is Dyeabolical Strong Arm, which Ravelry tells me is now discontinued. Bummer, as

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-68143266127407064062012-01-09T00:24:00.002-05:002012-01-09T00:37:01.892-05:00

Hi, y'all!I thought I had blogged my year in knitting, but a quick check told me that nope, 'twasn't the case. I blame it on my new job (a promotion to assistant copy desk chief! Yay!), which is keeping me busier these days.Without further ado ...Plus a pair of socks I finished after I made the mosaic but before the end of the year:That is:24 pairs of socks (15 for others, nine for me)10 hats (

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-10215596808153691292011-12-24T10:55:00.001-05:002011-12-24T10:56:32.356-05:00

Josh's blanket isn't done yet. But I'm getting close!I'm putting it on hold so that I can knit on a secret project with a deadline looming. I told Josh that his blanket might be a birthday present instead of a Christmas present! (His birthday is in about six weeks.)Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-9049140536216103852011-12-10T06:35:00.002-05:002011-12-10T06:45:49.688-05:00

Oh, how I have been counting the days until my Verizon contract was eligible for renewal. The weekend after Thanksgiving, it was time, and I made two trips to the Apple store in order to find an iPhone in stock. Since then, I've barely put the phone down!I'm afraid I'm a little obsessed with Instagram and Hipstamatic.I brought it on a walk with Josh and Gracie ...To work (that's our Christmas

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-29883098403895626432011-12-02T12:47:00.003-05:002011-12-02T12:59:09.497-05:00

Oh hai.Things have been busy 'round these parts.Especially my knitting needles. I've got something like a dozen FOs since August + am going to do my best to blog about them. Tiffany is doing a blog-post-a-day thing in December, and while I clearly missed the boat on that, as it's Dec. 2, I'm going to do my best to post less sporadically this month.Speaking of Tiffany ...I knit her some socks (

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-59035728037368911002011-08-09T12:54:00.003-04:002011-08-09T12:59:23.681-04:00

I've just finished my first chemo cap. (Thankfully, my dad never needed chemo so I never had to knit him one. I just knit him lots of socks for his cold feet!) (Green is Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock in Edgewood. Tan is remnants from a shawl I knit a few years ago from an Etsy shop that has since closed.) This is for Kevin, a friend of my parents'. He is a homebuilder -- he built my

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-21000653656635522732011-08-01T09:51:00.001-04:002011-08-01T09:51:52.118-04:00

I promised I'd be back!Here's what else I've been up to, knitting-wise ...I knit yet another Sockhead Hat (a third!) -- this one for my college BFF's birthday:A confession: This was going to be for me. It is Koigu, and dammit, I deserve something knit from the only Koigu in my stash. But then I was daydreaming, and I thought, "BOY, J would love this." And once I visualize a possible recipient

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-16172004747110568162011-07-31T14:00:00.003-04:002011-07-31T14:21:11.464-04:00

Ahem, let's pretend I didn't take off the past two months from blogging ... instead, I'll show you what I've been up to, knitting-wise! This post is all about the socks ...First up is a pair of 2x2 rib socks I last blogged about in March ... This is yarn I got at Maryland Sheep & Wool last year -- Autumn House Farms Strideaway Twist sock yarn in colorway Montego Bay. It's really lovely yarn,

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-22618003484976721502011-05-27T12:39:00.003-04:002011-05-27T12:51:54.325-04:00

So, about Maryland Sheep & Wool.I bought yarn. (Duh.)Not as much as in years past, but I definitely got a lot of goodies!My first stop was at Spirit Trail Fiberworks. They were just opening their booth and I ended up being the first customer of the day!I got a skein of Frija (a merino-cashmere-nylon blend) in this beautiful blue-gray colorway:I have knit with Frija before (these cabled socks)

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-26110634245725580812011-05-18T12:57:00.002-04:002011-05-18T13:19:59.667-04:00

I have been an absent blogger as of late, but I'm back with a fiber festival update! Maryland Sheep & Wool has come and gone, and once again, my pals Lennis, Tiffany and I made the trip from our corner of Virginia. This year we were joined by the lovely Caysie, a longtime friend of Tiffany's. I've gotten to know Caysie over the past few months on Twitter and was so so glad to meet her!We were

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-62776133855432794842011-04-14T10:31:00.003-04:002011-04-14T10:35:33.184-04:00

410 cables -- that's how many are in the Habitat hat I knit last week.I picked up two skeins of Shelter on my visit to Fibre Space in northern Virginia a couple weeks ago, knowing I wanted to knit this pattern.I couldn't put this down - I knit it in five days. The crown decreases are so smart and pretty. I haven't looked too closely at my cables to see where I might have made a mistake and

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-54281562667769851252011-04-10T13:23:00.006-04:002011-04-10T13:34:08.241-04:00

The last pair of socks I made for my brother took more than two years (yikes). The most recent pair of socks took 13 days!Yarn: Wisdom Yarns Endurance sock yarn in Meteorite colorway (about 90% of a skein), Loopy Ewe Solid Series in strawberry for the heelsUS 2 needlesKnit: March 18-March 31, 2011Rav linkI picked up this yarn at the newest LYS in Virginia Beach because it reminded me of Ohio

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-59512759235804482142011-03-19T10:16:00.003-04:002011-03-19T10:32:19.228-04:00

It's my second blog post in a week ... what is going on here?!I have yet another FO to share ... some socks for me.Rav linkI started these way back in September -- it took me four months to knit the first one and about two and a half to knit the second. (I'm normally a pretty monogamous knitter, but my work on this second sock was interspersed with all the socks for my dad during his cancer

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-30170572249179259732011-03-16T10:25:00.004-04:002011-03-16T10:39:54.899-04:00

Whew. Where have I been the past month and a half? Doing lots of knitting, and unfortunately, not a lot of blogging. It seems that Twitter has become the site I use to keep in touch with pals + share my newly finished knitted items. A sense of balance is always a "work in progress' (ha. ha. See what I did there?).So without further ado, here's a round-up of everything I've been knitting

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-31672411933150336182011-02-09T16:13:00.003-05:002011-02-09T16:24:42.882-05:00

In my last post, I shared my black-and-gold socks and skipped over the last set of socks I knit for my dad! I got these 75% done when we were visiting my parents in Ohio and finished them by the time we made it back to Virginia. (Gotta love road trips where your significant other does ALL the driving.)This yarn just called out to me as being perfect for my dad. It's Socks that Rock

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-8343220555110353152011-02-06T16:31:00.002-05:002011-02-06T16:34:54.767-05:00

I am very excited to cheer on my beloved hometown Pittsburgh Steelers today. Two weeks ago, after they beat the Jets for the AFC title, I decided to knit a pair of socks for the Super Bowl. And I came up with these, finished with less than 48 hours to spare.These were knit from far less than a skein each of Loopy Ewe Solid Series sock yarn in Sunshine Yellow and Black. Here's a Rav link.Now if

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-50796747019872520722011-01-20T15:36:00.005-05:002011-01-20T15:44:39.198-05:00

Last month, I blogged about an awesome Christmas gift -- an early biopsy found my dad was cancer-free (after a mass was found during a colonoscopy). He had surgery on Jan. 5, and, weeeeeelllllll.....The more comprehensive post-surgery biopsy found that he actually has/had colon cancer. The surgeon is confident she got all of it out and that he won't need chemo, but we will see what's next after

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-23086127983964279622011-01-11T11:00:00.002-05:002011-01-11T11:25:59.862-05:00

These are some 2x2 rib socks for my dad -- he just got a pair at Christmas, but after I heard how cold he's been from his anemia, I had to make him another pair right away. The yarn is Jojoland Melody. It certainly looks lovely knit up, but the lack of nylon content leaves me a little worried about how they'll hold up. The twist on the yarn just isn't as tight as I'd like it. So we'll see ...

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-31570538307779962042010-12-29T11:02:00.003-05:002010-12-29T11:13:42.812-05:00

This year, I knit a total of 23 things:16 pairs of socks (15 pair adult-sized, 1 baby-sized) (9 for me, 7 gifts)5 hats (3 adult-sized, 2 infant-sized) (2 for me, 3 gifts)2 little shawls (both gifts)All of this means ... I met my knitting goals for this year! I wanted to knit 12 pairs of socks, and I most definitely topped that. I also wanted to make a shawl for my grandma, and I did that.It'd be

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-16662831574054368592010-12-22T11:33:00.005-05:002010-12-22T11:50:16.592-05:00

It's been done for weeks, and the recipients have received them, so it's time to blog about them!Knit out of a hair over two skeins of Regia Tweed (thank goodness I bought three!), these socks were started in August 2008. Yes, I know. Embarrassing! It was a visit from my brother in October that kicked my butt into gear and got the first sock finished, and the second one followed soon after.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-2517347337917526062010-11-25T12:45:00.001-05:002010-11-25T14:16:26.045-05:00

Wishing my American friends lots of happiness on Thanksgiving!

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-36288750130591161012010-11-21T14:39:00.004-05:002010-11-21T14:56:03.516-05:00

I nearly forgot to blog about the trip I took a week ago! My pals Tiffany, Tasha and I took a road trip to the Outer Banks to visit Knitting Addiction in Kill Devil Hills. I had been to the store's old location but this was my first visit to their new spot. I have to say, it is REALLY nice! The store was abuzz with activity when we were there, but the employees were helpful. It's a really

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-85883312388992036302010-11-18T11:47:00.002-05:002010-11-18T12:03:26.993-05:00

The astute among you might've realized that I missed Thankful Thursday last week. Oops! In my defense, I had a 12-hour day at work so my blogging time was slim to none. So here are some things I am thankful for:1. Fall weather. I've been taking advantage of these cool, crisp, not-a-cloud in the sky days as much as possible. Today, Josh and I took Gracie to the dog park and threw a ball for

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-49427922071588990962010-11-08T14:08:00.003-05:002010-11-08T14:19:52.378-05:00

I'm so excited that I can wear wool socks every day and NEED them. Compared with a year ago, I probably have twice as many handknit sock options. And these are the latest added to my collection:Yarn: Opal Kaleidoskop (90% of a skein)US 1 needlesTime to knit: 20 days, all of which were in October, making these a nice pair of Socktoberfest socks!Rav detailsI'm hard at work finishing up a pair of

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-49320571562042796512010-11-04T14:48:00.003-04:002010-11-04T14:58:06.619-04:00

I found out about the idea of Thankful Thursday on another knitting blog and thought: "I can totally manage blogging at least once a week. The idea behind Thankful Thursday is that you list three things you're thankful for, on each Thursday in November. So without further ado:1. My brother. He flew in from Ohio a week ago and we did the Wicked 10K together. Most people dress up since it's

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-60845939740852563502010-10-11T12:50:00.004-04:002010-10-11T13:17:14.316-04:00

oh hai.Vacation + life got in the way of blogging -- but not knitting! My beau and I went to Vegas a few weeks ago and had a blast. I even did lots of knitting, thanks to long flights each way.Most of my vacation knitting was a Sockhead Hat out of some luscious Madelinetosh Sock in Clematis:It took for-EVA to knit this thing. Four inches of ribbing + nine inches of stockinette. But I really

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-28965013851804350782010-09-02T08:52:00.002-04:002010-09-02T09:21:32.777-04:00

This hurricane is on my mind! I work at a newspaper so this is prime time for being busy. I picked up an OT shift Friday night. I live in an area that is 'cushioned' by the Outer Banks, so we won't get a direct hit, just tropical-storm-force winds and rain sustained for about 20 hours straight. It will start as I'm at work this afternoon and won't let up till noon or so tomorrow. (Then I get

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-818570892727362492010-08-29T11:15:00.003-04:002010-08-29T12:07:03.798-04:00

I've got a bevy of finished knits to show you, but first up will be the knitted good nearest and dearest to my heart: socks!These are my first Christmas gift of the year -- socks for my brother's girlfriend in Ohio State colors.Yarn: Loopy Ewe Solid Series in Strawberry and Smoke (about a half skein of each)US 2 needlesTime to knit: About 2.5 weeksRav detailsI'm happy with how the joins turned

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-25391006463962458652010-08-13T23:40:00.002-04:002010-08-13T23:49:40.557-04:00

Perhaps I will return to blogging more frequently now that this is in my hot little hands:I finally upgraded my 6-year-old Compaq laptop! The breaking point was sitting down at the computer as I ate my morning cereal (as I do every day), clicking on Firefox to open a browser window, and eating all of my cereal before the damn thing loaded. I decided to stop waiting and just plunk down the money

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-64891239976565919562010-08-10T14:45:00.002-04:002010-08-10T14:50:55.504-04:00

Well, dear readers, I'm in the midst of a summer funk. I've been working six-day weeks. I've been knitting, but not too much. I've taken zero pictures in the past three weeks or so. Just when summer tempts us and gives a day *only* in the mid-80s, the next day it returns to 95 degrees with a swampy heat index of 110. Ugh.I'm seeing my parents and brother in less than two weeks, so I hope

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-25868510513169097082010-07-14T12:18:00.004-04:002010-07-14T12:24:42.448-04:00

I'm checking in with two newly finished pairs of socks. This past weekend was very good to me, knitting-wise.Yarn: OnLine Supersocke Afrika (about 80% of the skein)US 1 needlesbasic stockinetteRav detailsI have a hunch that these socks will wear like iron. It wasn't the softest yarn to knit with, but BOY does it make for a solid pair of socks.Next up is my latest pair of Socks that Rock

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-73339278456017473232010-07-05T22:17:00.003-04:002010-07-05T22:24:01.092-04:00

After a furious few days of knitting (god bless the three-day holiday weekend, even if mine was Friday through Sunday unlike most Americans), the shawl for my grandma is DONE!Yarn: Fearless Fibers sock yarn, colorway: Speak Softly (about three-quarters of the skein)Pattern: In the Land of OzMods: Knit charts 2, 3, and (to make it larger) chart 2 through row 14Rav detailsThis was the second time

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-77394608116113880472010-06-30T12:04:00.002-04:002010-06-30T12:11:22.355-04:00

I've been a quiet blogger lately because I have little to show for my knitting progress. I've found it hard to knit the past few weeks because it's been so darn hot here - temperatures in the 90s or 100s with high humidity. Ugh. I think I finally found my groove with the In the Land of Oz shawl (rav link) I'm knitting for my grandma -- I'm seriously flying through the lace right now. Though

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-43197912863252251202010-06-13T16:05:00.005-04:002010-06-13T16:20:40.113-04:00

I have a couple finished knits to show ...First up, a finished pair of socks:Socks that Rock lightweight in TricoterUS 2 needles, 68 stitches, 2x2 ribI knit the first toe-up (to maximize height) and the second cuff-down, just for fun. I really love this colorway knit up.Next up, a sock that took about a week or 10 days (I think), because it was my trip knitting in Missouri:STR mediumweight in

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-60097446938594547742010-06-11T12:06:00.005-04:002010-06-11T14:20:46.812-04:00

Of *course* my mom and I plotted stops at several yarn shops on our trip -- would you expect anything less?The first shop we went to was Simply Fibers in Springfield, Mo. (Links are going to take you to my mom's photos of the shops.) A little Maltese-Yorkie pup named Charlie greeted us when we walked in. He was one of the cutest pups I've ever seen - when he got going with running, his front

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-44688686271011607552010-06-07T23:42:00.004-04:002010-06-07T23:53:32.749-04:00

I'm home from Missouri! (Um, I've been home for a week.) The trip was fabulous -- it felt so luxurious to get to spend four days with my mama!We visited the Arch (just the base of it -- rides to the top were sold out) ...Best of all, we drove nearly four hours to Mansfield, Mo., to visit Rocky Ridge Farm, home to Laura Ingalls Wilder (for whom I am named)!This was a trip my mom and I had talked

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-27149031039453754482010-05-22T14:09:00.003-04:002010-05-22T14:12:23.368-04:00

I feel like a boring blogger, because all I write about are socks. I have socks on the brain all the time! I can't help that they're the best knitting project around ...This is a 2x2 rib sock in Socks that Rock lightweight, colorway Tricoter. I bought this yarn at a LYS in Seattle with the same name. I love the colors so! The first sock was knit toe-up, but I decided to knit the second one

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-3124684675128357492010-05-11T15:59:00.004-04:002010-05-11T16:16:47.148-04:00

In my last post, I talked about the people. This post is about the yarny spoils.It was pretty crowded early Saturday at the booths I wanted to check out (Cloverhill Yarn Shop and The Fold), so I hunted elsewhere and came back when they were quieter.My first purchase was a skein of Yummy sock from Miss Babs -- Chocolate Roses (bottom left). (I'm thinking about a pair of Monkeys with it.)I got

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-64685407712279790602010-05-05T13:35:00.005-04:002010-05-05T13:46:42.570-04:00

I'm back from Maryland Sheep & Wool -- what a whirlwind, fun trip! (Also, hot and sweaty. Thanks, unpredictable spring weather!)I made the trip with two of my Stitch n' Bitch gals, Lennis and Tiffany.I kept texting my flickr pal, Karen (choochooknits) and got to meet up with her and fellow flickr-er Yarny Old Kim!It was so exciting to meet flickr friends! And then, later that night, we hung out

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-28361764975882490752010-04-24T21:19:00.004-04:002010-04-24T21:33:22.859-04:00

Many knitters (especially those on the East Coast) know that Maryland Sheep & Wool is THE event of the year. And it's almost here! And I will be there! So if you see me, and I know you in real life (or if you read my blog), say hi! For those who don't know me, I look like this:I will probably be standing in front of The Fold's booth, making a stupid face like this:(Can you blame me? All that

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-56549461457867829932010-04-18T16:39:00.004-04:002010-04-18T16:46:40.910-04:00

This, my friends, is one easy, lacy sock.Pattern: Lacy Ribs by Wendy Johnson (from her book "Socks from the Toe Up")Yarn: Wullenstudio Sock (Colorway: Bad Moon Rising)US 2 needlesRav detailsThe pattern is super, super easy. The sample in the book is variegated, but I didn't want the variegation to obscure this pretty pattern. I'm glad I went with a mostly solid yarn.I had switched to US 1

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-78592700750707632992010-04-06T11:29:00.003-04:002010-04-06T11:40:25.491-04:00

I finished the Marbles socks for my friend Jamie. We were classmates and dorm neighbors in college and often shared shoes (when you wear a size 11, that's a real thing of beauty!) -- so I took the opportunity to model these socks I knit for her.I gave her one of the first pairs I knit, two years ago, and she still texts me all the time to let me know when she's wearing them. I figured she was

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-15684083505845052022010-04-04T11:20:00.001-04:002010-04-04T11:24:13.902-04:00

I hope you have a wonderful Easter (or a wonderful Sunday, if Easter's not your thing).Today, I'll be trying to finish these socks:Perfect Easter colors!I'm making pancakes in a little bit, enjoying the day, and then it's off to work. (Yep, on Easter.)How will you spend this Sunday?

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-25517878601472751262010-04-01T14:41:00.002-04:002010-04-01T15:01:52.968-04:00

There are few things in life I enjoy more than giving handknits to good people. Yesterday was one of those days!I gave my friend L the shawl I blogged about a few days ago. Turns out, when I tried to deliver it over the weekend, she was in Iowa for the funeral. Her grandma died last Wednesday. She really, really loved it. And we both totally cried as we talked about it.It's uncanny how

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-75720718929028451832010-03-29T07:40:00.004-04:002010-03-29T07:47:57.074-04:00

"A knitted hug" is how I described this little shawl in the card I wrote to the recipient of this shawl. She's a dear, and she was there for me as I was losing my granddad to kidney cancer last year, and now her grandma is going through the same thing. Just as I knit baby stuff with good intentions for the wee one, I knit this shawl with thoughts of peace and healing for L and her grandma

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-4030797773714127242010-03-24T14:09:00.004-04:002010-03-24T14:31:11.094-04:00

I whipped through my socks-in-progress while I was in Ohio visiting my family ... and on the spur of the moment decided my mom should receive them!Here is a link to her shot. My photo didn't turn out so well, as you can see:I brought some "emergency sock yarn" with me, and I'm glad that I did, because I knit much of the foot of this sock in the airport and on planes:STR lightweight in MarblesUS

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-31044398546934664232010-03-07T10:35:00.002-05:002010-03-07T10:46:02.562-05:00

Here's what I'm working on these days:Toe-up sock, no pattern (yikes!)Socks that Rock Lightweight, ST-172 stitches, 2x2 ribUS 1 needlesI got together with some knitterly friends at an Irish pub yesterday and made a ton of progress on this and now I'm past the heel flap and onto the leg.I also am working on a shawlette for a friend:Pattern: In the Land of Oz shawlette (a very easy feather-and-fan

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-80923645086116574962010-02-26T11:56:00.004-05:002010-02-26T12:09:33.937-05:00

It's true; I have finished my first toe-up socks. Just typing those words made it sink in, I think. I can't believe it!Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy, Pansy Go LightlyPattern: Dead Simple Lace Socks by Wendy JohnsonUS 2 needlesTime to knit: About five months (with at least two months' break in the middle, for Christmas knitting)Rav detailsLearning toe-up came about rather spur-of-the-moment, as I

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-1845752423579228062010-02-17T14:37:00.003-05:002010-02-17T14:40:28.368-05:00

Above is my unofficial Knitting Olympics project. (It's 'unofficial' because I didn't sign up for any teams on Ravelry or sign up via the Yarn Harlot's blog. Just joining in with the spirit.) I'm trying to finish up some WIPs during the Vancouver games, and this is the only one I've worked on so far. I've got about 40 rounds of the pattern + 17 rounds of ribbing to go. I'm planning on

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-22826179267138408232010-02-12T21:02:00.003-05:002010-02-12T21:06:21.071-05:00

I can't say that I have a project in mind. I'm just going to knit as much as I can on my current WIPs. Not exciting, I know.I do, however, have a finished pair of socks - the first FO of 2010!Pattern: Shifty by Anne HansonYarn: Hazel Knits Artisan Sock in PacificMods: Knit one fewer repeat on the legNeedles: US 2Details on RavLoved, loved, loved this pattern. It was really intuitive, even for

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-3675505705992469112010-02-08T14:11:00.003-05:002010-02-08T14:23:02.932-05:00

Sorry for the radio silence - I feel like I start every post this way but man, I am bad about updating!Since I last posted, it has snowed not once but twice!We got five or six inches the last weekend in January. I hadn't seen more than dusting in my neck of the woods since I moved here four and a half years ago. So this was pretty darn exciting.Gracie loved running around in the snow drifts.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-14133594682477236162010-01-25T13:59:00.006-05:002010-01-25T14:28:53.517-05:00

Have you noticed the pattern sale benefiting earthquake relief in Haiti over on Ravelry? It has not escaped my eye. I have been drawn to shawlettes as of late - I purchased In the Land of Oz (perhaps it would make an appropriately named shawlette for my mother, Dorothy) and I plan on purchasing Daybreak before the sale ends at the end of the month.(I realize I am behind the curve, as I usually

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-7334292257613954762010-01-16T22:25:00.003-05:002010-01-16T22:31:05.313-05:00

Pattern: Shifty by Anne HansonYarn: Hazelknits Artisan Sock in Pacific (color is more accurate here)Rav details hereMods: Knit 5.5 repeats on leg instead of the 6.5 called for in pattern, though now (of course) I see I could've probably done 7.5 repeats. Oh well.This sock is super sproingy and fits my foot like a glove. The pattern is really easy and intuitive. I highly recommend it.I've cast

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-58551850217056197292010-01-13T13:25:00.002-05:002010-01-13T13:30:55.387-05:00

In my last post, I posed the question: Which sock would I finish first, a toe-up or cuff-down one?Ladies and gents, I share with you now my first toe-up sock:Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy in Pansy Go LightlyRav detailsI am thrilled with how this turned out. It is super tall on my leg (though it doesn't look especially tall in this photo). It's easily the tallest sock I've made. I could've made

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-25192667091087217892010-01-04T14:00:00.004-05:002010-01-04T14:09:50.141-05:00

Let me tell you, it was awesome finishing this shawl up in the glee of post-Christmas-knitting. I felt wicked spending all this time working on something for myself!The pattern is Mara, a shawl from Madelinetosh. Here is the Rav link to my project.I used 4.5 balls of Noro Silk Garden Lite in what I think is a discontinued colorway. I also used about 2.5 balls on the body and two balls on the

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-58140987987611297082009-12-31T10:38:00.003-05:002009-12-31T11:03:59.857-05:00

Whew. Now that all the gifts are opened and received, I can blog about them!I knit three pairs of socks for Christmas - one for my brother, one for my mom, one for my dad. First up was my mom's pair. I knit these in the summertime.(Rav details)The yarn is Knit Picks Swish DK. (In fact, all the yarn for the socks is Swish DK.) I will always associate these socks with my Granddad, because I

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-63031633244536523942009-12-25T17:05:00.002-05:002009-12-25T17:06:29.978-05:00

Merry Christmas, everyone! I've had this post in the works for a while and (now that Christmas gifts are given), I can share:By the numbers, here's what I knit in 2009:13 pairs of socks (12 adult-sized, one baby-sized) (Also: seven for me, six for others)six hats (five adult-sized, one baby-sized)three shawlettestwo pairs of mittens/mittstwo scarvestwo cowlsone baby sweaterI'm quite pleased

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-13247084526642243672009-12-22T14:25:00.004-05:002009-12-22T14:29:03.831-05:00

Merry (week of) Christmas, y'all!I'll be checking back in this weekend with a year-end knitting wrap-up post. Can't do it until my family opens their gifts, of course!I'm still hard at work on the Mara shawl:I just have a few more rows to go, but with 500+ stitches on the needle, it's taking a while!I knocked out a pair of tiny socks for a co-worker who's due in February:Each sock took less than

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-11318313564834790382009-12-04T08:22:00.003-05:002009-12-04T08:34:41.456-05:00

Good morning! I'm still in Christmas-knitting land.This is a hat (since finished but not photographed) for my brother's girlfriend, Meg. It's knit out of BMFA Icelandic - a rather chunky single-ply yarn. I made the brim extra tall in the hopes of giving it extra warmth for winter in Ohio. The skein was enormous, so I'm hoping to get a pair wrist/arm warmers out of it, too. Or maybe mittens.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-37382205059319301592009-11-25T10:22:00.003-05:002009-11-25T10:36:49.620-05:00

I'm cooking on Thanksgiving for the first time (just for Josh and me). On the menu is Alton Brown's city ham, creamy mashed potatoes, whiskey-glazed carrots, and the ubiquitous green bean casserole. For dessert I'm making key lime bars and a Tollhouse pie. (Yes, I realize that two desserts for two people is kind of ridiculous, but we've gotta have choices, people.)Today is my final furlough

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-20725207149848455582009-11-10T23:31:00.005-05:002009-11-11T00:18:17.494-05:00

Really, my vacation could be called a yarn-cation. When I packed my very full suitcase for our trip, I thought "how am I going to fit yarn in here, too?" But it all worked out somehow.First LYS I visited was Tricoter in Seattle. I wanted to visit Tricoter because it's the only store in Seattle to carry Blue Moon Fiber Arts. We had to drive there from downtown but found it easily with the GPS.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-56001475255199861112009-11-06T15:00:00.005-05:002009-11-06T15:37:21.857-05:00

My trip to the Pacific Northwest was really, really lovely. I can't stress that enough. It was just what I needed. We spent time in Seattle first ... (click to embiggen the photos)... before hitting up the Olympic Peninsula to visit Olympic National Park.We did some hiking, saw animals (salmon and black-tail deer and starfish!) and spent lots of time reading and (in my case) knitting. Then

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-86551935711346864842009-10-31T09:42:00.003-04:002009-10-31T09:44:53.334-04:00

Vacation was a blast.(click for a bigger version)That's me on the big, beautiful beach of Oceanside, Oregon. I have lots of pictures (779!) to go through and upload to flickr ... so I'll be back later this week with a full report, including my yarn haul!

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-28858396088848372612009-10-19T14:08:00.004-04:002009-10-19T14:22:11.601-04:00

In my last post, I fretted about finishing a hat for Josh before we left for vacation on Thursday. Well, not only did I finish it, I knit another hat, too!First up - Josh's hat:Yarn: Patons Classic MerinoUS 6 needles, 2x2 rib, 112 stitchesTime to knit: nine daysHe has a big noggin, so I was worried about the fit. But it turned out great! I hope it comes in handy as we explore the Pacific

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-2857977441744356162009-10-16T10:22:00.003-04:002009-10-16T10:35:19.402-04:00

I have a few FOs to show off - including one that was finished nearly a month ago. Things have just been so crazy around here, though, that I just haven't had time to blog. First up, a Simple Yet Effective Shawl (rav link):Yarn: Fibre Company Canopy Fingering in Palm Bud (two skeins, 400 yards)Time to knit: five weeks on and offSize: 21” by 46”This was really dreamy to work with. The yarn has

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-87248195957645039742009-10-04T00:25:00.003-04:002009-10-04T00:40:53.505-04:00

My granddad passed away tonight, Oct. 3. His health had gotten progressively worse since I visited there two weeks ago. He entered hospice care Thursday, my parents arrived this morning, and he passed away with my dad by his side.I didn't really blog about my trip there two weeks ago - but now I should share that it was truly wonderful. My parents and I arrived at the nursing home, and when we

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-57976786076511489872009-10-01T07:21:00.004-04:002009-10-01T07:30:43.456-04:00

Just stopping by to wish everyone a happy first day of Socktober!I have finished eight pairs of socks this year (seven of which can be found here). I'll definitely have at least three more finished (all gift knits) -- maybe not in Socktober, but definitely before the end of the year (because two of the three are Christmas gifts). That means I just need to knit one more pair to make it a pair a

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-2408103044048070522009-09-28T00:44:00.006-04:002009-09-28T15:37:45.043-04:00

That is a toe-up sock!I found out via e-mail Thursday night that there were a few openings in a toe-up sock class with Wendy Johnson (of Wendyknits) Saturday morning. I had heard about this a while ago from my SnB pals but wrote it off because I thought they were afternoon classes, and I work in the afternoon. I called the yarn store immediately Thursady night, got signed up, and went over

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-79977098102041990602009-09-20T13:58:00.004-04:002009-09-20T14:19:42.303-04:00

Back in June, I knit my first shawl and thought "yay! My first lace!" Well, I'm here today to amend that statement, for now I have *really* knit my first lace:Pattern: IshbelYarn:: Socks that Rock lightweight in Mustang SallyRecipient: My mamaTime to knit: about 3.5 months (thanks to my ineptitude with lace, which I will explain below) Mods: omitted charts D and E (details on Ravelry)This was a

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-11093723458695030702009-09-15T15:37:00.002-04:002009-09-16T10:46:53.728-04:00

My vacation beret is done!Pattern: One-Day BeretYarn: Dream in Color Classy, Blue LagoonI was a little worried before I started, because my two skeins of yarn are from very different dye lots.But alternating the skeins worked out just fine.Now I'm working on a matching cowl -- no pics yet, but it's the Birthday Cowl. I can't wait to wear these items on our trip to Washington and Oregon -- which

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-52323962196644619502009-09-05T21:08:00.003-04:002009-09-05T21:20:16.016-04:00

I knit these socks in a week and it took me even longer to get around to blogging about them!These are knit in STR lightweight in Bella Coola. 2x2 rib over 68 stitches.I'm really pleased with how the striping matched up on the legs and feet. I made a concerted effort to match the legs up when it got to knitting the heel flap -- and it worked out! I guess that's what happens when you knit socks

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-38616979528509046302009-08-21T11:44:00.004-04:002009-08-21T11:58:30.748-04:00

Hooray, new socks! These are knit in Trekking 100 -- 2x2 rib over 72 stitches on US 2 needles. These are definitely my new favorites. The yarn seems like it will wear well, it was quite pleasant to knit with, and boy did I love seeing the colors knit up.My only regret is that I didn't make them a little taller. I had 23g of yarn left when I was done! I weigh the yarn laboriously, but I

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-61264675194347217292009-08-08T14:09:00.004-04:002009-08-08T14:17:09.504-04:00

I've been a busy knitter lately and have three pairs of socks (and one single!) to show for it. I can't believe I've finished so many socks in a few weeks' time.First up is my first pair of socks for my boyfriend:I knit these out of contrasting colors of Knit Picks Swish DK -- an enjoyable yarn to knit with. I hope they hold up well. I'm hoping these socks come in handy on our trip to the

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-29828375610233675582009-08-05T10:24:00.003-04:002009-08-05T10:51:32.122-04:00

Finally! A knitting update! I know you all are shocked and amazed, just as I am.I finished these a month ago, but it took me a while to get around to blocking it, buying the buttons and, um, buying needle and thread. It was my first button-sewing experience, what can I say? I don't know why I dawdled because I'm really pleased with how the sweater turned out. I'll definitely be making more

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-15067561990392114872009-07-30T16:08:00.002-04:002009-07-30T16:39:38.102-04:00

I'm back from Pittsburgh. In fact, I have been since Friday night, but I just haven't had a chance to blog about it.I wish I could express how relieved I am that I was able to be there -- to see my granddad for myself, to see him smile and wink at me despite everything that is going on, to knit and watch Westerns and war movies with him and my dad in the silence, and especially to be there with

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-74212946438572259072009-07-21T10:46:00.001-04:002009-07-21T10:57:33.111-04:00

Things seem to move slower in summer ... the heat makes it hard for me to find the motivation to do as much. And now that I've finished my Project 365, I haven't been picking up my camera as frequently to document things.I do have a few photos to show you, though.Scenes at the Chesapeake Bay:I'm being shifted into high gear right now, because my granddad (my dad's dad) is in the hospital after

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-10152007756266498082009-07-01T00:24:00.005-04:002009-07-01T00:35:05.246-04:00

We have our winners!Congrats to Irishgirlieknits and One Sheep! I have e-mailed both of you.P.S. I put all names in a box and had my boyfriend pull two pieces of paper. As you can see, he gives the thumbs-up seal of approval to the drawing.

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-24959733102676436052009-06-25T09:32:00.004-04:002009-06-25T09:46:19.149-04:00

After a long hiatus from baby knits, I'm back at one. My co-worker Luis and his wife are expecting a baby in September, and they're being old school and not finding out the baby's gender in advance. Another co-worker and I are planning a co-ed baby shower to let more guys from work come. We're avoiding cheesy games (like wrapping toilet paper around the mom-to-be's tummy) but looking for good

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-60320380568831301432009-06-18T19:44:00.003-04:002009-06-18T20:02:40.648-04:00

First, a reminder - I'm giving away yarn!Now that that's out of the way, I can share my latest FO: a shawl.It's the Simple Yet Effective Shawl, knit from a skein of JulieSpins Not Sock Hop - Crown Mountain Farm roving (colorway: "It Takes Two, Baby) spun up into 432 yards of yummy sockweight goodness. I stumbled across it in Julie's Etsy shop a while back and decided to make it my first-ever

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-32527772684500063422009-06-12T12:20:00.005-04:002009-06-12T12:39:30.574-04:00

This isn't some landmark blog post. It's no. 233. But in all that time I haven't had a yarn giveaway. I've amassed a lot of sock yarn over the past two years. A kind of scary amount. So I want to give a few skeins away to my fellow knitters!The goodies up for grabs are:Fearless Fibers super-soft 100% merino sock yarn in a very generous, 550-yard put-up in a golden-y shade called Greed (

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-22391522737139107712009-05-27T10:59:00.005-04:002009-05-27T11:34:20.679-04:00

Well, I've still been knitting but I've got no FOs to show. I'm onto the lace portion in Ishbel:I've learned that I need absolute silence when working with charts. I sequester myself in the bedroom if Josh is around (and all he's doing is typing on his keyboard. Seriously.) or sit in the living room and get aggravated when the A/C kicks on. So yeah, this is slow going. I'm still on the first

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-50656778998764904322009-05-13T14:27:00.002-04:002009-05-13T14:36:27.937-04:00

Today is my Friday, and I'm really looking forward to having the next two days off. You wouldn't think I'd be so desperate for a weekend, because I just had four days off to go to Ohio, and, a few days later, a three-day weekend (thanks to a furlough day). But I am. I've been keeping my mornings busy with running and errands and dates with friends - I went to the beach Sunday, to a new Trader

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-83322147259600055122009-05-11T14:09:00.002-04:002009-05-11T14:16:39.250-04:00

I had a blast in Ohio. I was there for less than 72 hours but it felt like I was there for a week. Perhaps because I spent all day Friday knitting and ended up with a sock?STR mediumweight in Cockamamie, basic ribbed sockI'm already past the heel of the second sock. I really love the fabric of STR mediumweight on US 2 needles.I've also cast on for what I'm hoping will be my first shawl,

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-27734002040238810162009-04-28T09:58:00.002-04:002009-04-28T10:12:39.155-04:00

Hi, blogworld. I'm excited to show off the second pair of socks I've knitted for myself.These are knit in Prism Merino Mia in the Tahoe colorway: US 2.5 needles made them really fly by (the first was knit in a two weeks, the second ... a bit, ahem, longer. Like a-month-and-two-weeks longer.) They're really soft and squishy, and I hope they hold up well with no nylon ... we shall see.Of course,

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-39983295615214846362009-04-19T01:10:00.003-04:002009-04-19T01:23:19.575-04:00

No, I haven't taken up building completely accurate miniature dollhouse scenes. The above photo is tiltshifted! It's a photo I took last summer while at a Buccos game at PNC Park. I learned about tiltshifting through Flickr, one of the Web sites where I seem to spend all my time online. When I saw the first few tiltshifted pictures, I figured it required some fancy Photoshop skills I don't

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-27543387488343602752009-04-10T14:06:00.007-04:002009-04-10T14:54:19.883-04:00

... for myself. Seriously, I hadn't logged into blogger since forever ago and discovered a handful of comments that needed to be moderated. The e-mails about them must've been deleted when I checked my e-mail after my trip to New York. Whoops. I've been neglectful of this poor little blog lately ... but it's about time for an update.The trip to New York City was fabulous. We had overcast,

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-2836384161809056322009-03-25T17:46:00.003-04:002009-03-25T17:56:46.167-04:00

Ta da! My first beret. I really, really love it. Too bad I'm not keeping it. It's going to my friend Lori, who will look a bajillion times cuter in it as she wanders around Paris and Barcelona in a couple weeks. The Paris Marathon will be her first marathon, so I wanted to give her an extra special treat.The yarn is Malabrigo Worsted in Cuarzo. It took nearly a whole skein. US 7 needles

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-68520005619412344782009-03-22T20:15:00.003-04:002009-03-22T23:29:45.975-04:00

I've been a bad blogger, I know, but my half marathon is finally over (till the next one in six weeks!) and maybe things will eventually calm down around here. This one was my slowest yet (chip time - 3:30:05) but I'm totally fine with it. I don't care, really. This was the first half marathon where I felt like OK, I know the distance, and I can do this. It was a great feeling. I kept a

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-68901910908242010042009-03-02T13:05:00.004-05:002009-03-02T13:32:09.467-05:00

It's cold 'round these parts lately - we even have some snow on the ground! (It's a dusting, but that's pretty huge in coastal Virginia.) I've been pretty much housebound the past few days, thanks to my weekend + an ill-timed cold + rain for 48 hours straight. It's made for some good knitting times, that's for sure, and I have an FO to show off:Yarn: Socks that Rock mediumweight in Sapphire (

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-27421029762283033202009-02-25T15:12:00.003-05:002009-02-25T15:29:18.775-05:00

One of the ways I've noticed I've become more of a runner is that long runs don't freak me out the way they did two years ago or even a year ago. I remember fastidiously planning out my meals for the two days prior to a long run, fearful that eating the wrong thing would send my stomach into a tizzy during my run. Now, I watch what I eat, of course, but I don't stress the same way. (Ironically

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-87856284939621999342009-02-16T13:28:00.005-05:002009-02-16T15:52:53.318-05:00

Yarn: Malabrigo worsted in Pollen (2 skeins)Needles: US 8Knit between: December 2008 to Feb. 15, 2009This is unbelievably soft! I've knit several cowls out of it for friends but this is the first knitted object for myself (one of my resolutions this year, if you remember). Since I took the above photo, I soaked it in the tub with some Vo5 (no wool wash for me yet ... eventually I will pick

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-90947135047242586882009-02-11T10:28:00.003-05:002009-02-11T10:34:56.126-05:00

I am 26 today. Whee! I'm going to get a haircut (and have it blow-dried straight, a nice treat), maybe go to lunch with my honey, and go to work. And squeeze in knitting wherever possible.P.S. Gotta shout-out to my fellow Feb. 11 birthday gal and Socks that Rock fan, Irishgirlieknits!

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-56338094464579499152009-02-05T19:19:00.003-05:002009-02-05T19:31:33.763-05:00

I have been knitting socks since April 2007 and hadn't finished a pair for myself until yesterday. I'm so glad that these were my first matched socks!Yarn: Socks that Rock lightweight in Fire on the MountainNeedles: US 1Cast on first sock: June 18, 2008Cast off first sock: Aug 1, 2008Cast on second sock: Aug. 1, 2008Cast off second sock: Feb. 5, 2009These took a while to complete and have

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-59954847088066367312009-02-02T13:20:00.004-05:002009-02-02T13:29:27.411-05:00

I'm home from Georgia and I seem to have brought back a horrid sore throat with me. I was off yesterday for the Super Bowl (thanks to a generous co-worker who traded shifts with me) and called in sick today, something I hatehatehate to do. So I'm a little cranky, but I figured I'd make the most of my germ-y day at home and update the blog and find the energy to do a little knitting.It was a

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-71717919966206133712009-01-26T14:03:00.002-05:002009-01-26T14:14:15.633-05:00

Pattern: Old Shale Scarf (rav link to my project)Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill supersock in Burgundy (less than one skein, because I got frazzled by a huge knot with about 20% of the skein left and just cast off instead of untangling it!)Knit between Dec. 18 and Jan. 21This is my *final* Christmas gift. I know, it's kind of embarrassing. To be fair, I had many other things to make. I just heard from

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-31998565117959140992009-01-22T16:09:00.003-05:002009-01-22T16:32:59.734-05:00

... and it feels great! Today was my long run - 8 miles - and it went swimmingly. The first mile or two, my quads felt really heavy, and they haven't felt like that before. But they loosened up, thank goodness.Normally I do my runs in a big loop in order to avoid repeating turf. However, as my mileage has increased, I've had to do some ridiculous up-and-down running of street blocks to avoid

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-66903402192604916622009-01-09T09:33:00.004-05:002009-01-09T10:39:58.749-05:00

To recap, here's a link to my post for 2008's resolutions. I think I did OK overall - I didn't blow them away or anything, but I did a good job of sticking to them.Resolution no. 1 was about running year-round and not stopping after the Shamrock Half Marathon. I did a slightly better job this year - running through May, joining the Norfolk Fitness Center around Memorial Day, and resuming

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-84772929081554939672009-01-06T14:16:00.005-05:002009-01-06T14:59:45.653-05:00

I'm back from my second trip to Ohio in two weeks. It was a lovely visit, full of yummy homemade meals and well-received presents and football and knitting. Now I can reveal some knitted gifts!First up, my mom's Old Shale scarf:Rav link here.I used a skein of Noro Silk Garden sock yarn. It took me about a month, off and on, to finish this beauty. I'm really pleased with how it turned out and

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-21838925598105999372008-12-25T00:23:00.002-05:002008-12-25T00:32:44.645-05:00

I'm back from my trip to Ohio to surprise my brother when he got home from basic training for leave. He definitely didn't expect me. It was a very fun, very sleepless weekend. I got to see my parents' new house, which is nearly done and totally gorgeous. I can't wait for them to move in.I also got to meet their new-ish dog Husky. They took him in after their neighbors in South Carolina

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2678417676429634145.post-70407122109821096862008-12-18T10:03:00.003-05:002008-12-18T10:22:34.736-05:00

This post goes out to a certain restaurant that I am almost certain gave me food poisoning from its guacamole. Josh got it for me around 9 p.m., so maybe it had been sitting out for a while. Whatever the case, I've had a horribly upset stomach, chills, and was afraid I was going to barf for quite some time last night. It's eased off this morning, but I still am getting these waves of nausea,

Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960396482815007757noreply@blogger.com2