Lily Magnolia

I started knitting Lily Magnolia as part of a KAL in Agnes Kutas' Ravelry group right when the pattern was released. In fact I preordered the pattern. For some reason I just couldn't finish it before the "deadline" for the KAL... But I finally finished and pulled off the blocking pins this afternoon.

I'm pretty happy with how it came out, even if I had a couple bloopers in the second repeat of the body chart. Too bad it's too hot to wear it today!

I had a lot of trouble getting the 1st stitch pattern to show the embossed definition that can be seen on the pattern page and most people's projects. Purl Bee commented on the pattern on March 17 to add that some people are having trouble getting the raised pattern when they k1below into a purl stitch, and posted an alternate for the odd rows. For rows 1,3,5,7 K2, p across, k last st, for rows 9,11,13,15 k1, p across. It really helped me, my last two photos are of the swatch with the original pattern and the modified pattern. The original pattern just looks flat and loose. The inch or so (one pattern repeat) at the end of the swatch pictured is k1b into a purl, the two pattern repeats closest to the needle are k1b into a knit.

Harbor Birthday

For my birthday, Jack got us tickets to the live Boston performance of Welcome to Nightvale - Librarians. I highly recommend Welcome to Nightvale if you are looking for a podcast to add a little existential dread to your life.  The show was entertaining, especially the opening/musical act/weather. I remembered him from an older episode of the podcast as someone I meant to look up, but never remembered. Jack got me the tour poster! 

We stayed over in Boston, and at the last second of packing I threw Jared Flood's Hemlock Ring pattern and a ball of Cascade Eco Wool into my tote bag. When I couldn't sleep in on Saturday morning, I watched the sun rise while the planes took off across the water. 

It was a great way to cast on and fall in love with the first 20 rows (with copious water and coffee to counteract Friday's bottle of Prosecco). After a truly impressive brunch buffet at the hotel, we picked up a cake from Flour and headed down to Weymouth to visit my parents and sisters.

The Eco Wool skein was half used up in an ugly sweater, and when we got home after spending most of Saturday in Weymouth, I frogged the crap out of that thing. It was cathartic to empty out the space in my yarn drawer, and make room to knit something much lovelier.

I've also been working away on the "Geek Along" over at Ravelry, put together by Lattes and Llamas. This is a great afghan project where the group moderators post one double-knitting chart per week, with the intention of making a 48 square afghan (or 24, or 16, for smaller blankets). The subjects of the squares are assorted geek idolatry, (Zelda, Battlestar, TMNT, to name a few) hence the name. They are encouraging people to auction or sell the finished article off with the proceeds to benefit the Child's Play charity, but I have a feeling a lot of people will be keeping them for themselves.