WIP Wednesday - It's a Hockey Night In Pittsburgh!

As a reminder, there is a giveaway going on so check out my Blogiversary Post for details.  Remember, the answers are in the blog so check out my old posts for the answers to the clues :)

Hello all, what a busy two weeks I have had.  Work is kinda crazy with a project going live and my class is a bit intense, but hockey is back!  I know that I am basically answering one of the questions for my Blogiversary (see big link above!) but I am just so happy to have hockey back on the air.

For those of you who may not know, the NHL was in a lockout due to contract re-negotiations for the collective bargaining agreement (CBA).  As a fan, this stoppage was annoying and frustrating but it's over an the excitement is pretty awesome.    I don't know what it about hockey.  I love the speed and precision of 6 players flying around on the ice a mile a minute.  It's intense and always can turn on you at any moment.

As a result, I love the Penguins.  They are my favorite but I love the sport.  The rivalries are great and the players and owners are amazing and generous.  Let's Go Pens!

Image from Wikipedia

But the best thing about hockey, is hockey knitting.  Seriously, a huge driver of my knitting and crocheting throughout the year is to keep my hands busy while I watch the game. While watching the playoffs in 2008 and the following year 2009 I could feel my blood pressure go up and my anxiety build as the games got more intense.  So when I started to knit, I realized how a bit of distraction kept me from throwing my TV out the window.  As a result, a ton of knitted objects are completed.

So this weekend when the season started, I made sure my knitting was handy and got so much done as a result.  Let's check out the yarny goodness!

Sun and Stars Trillian

I am so pleased with how the colors are coming together!

So this is really starting to get big.  I am about half way to the finished size before I start the final border.  I am in love with this pattern.  Seriously a great knit while watching any sporting event.  You zip across with garter stitch and then a bit of pattern and you zip back.

Really what I love is the yarn.  I had been acquiring skeins of Wollmeise over the summer but hadn't found the guts to crack open the hank and use the yarn.  Really the skeins are beautiful just to look at.  So with this pattern I knew it was time try out the yarn.

I am so happy with it.  The colors are intense and not bleed into my skin or my needles like some other saturated colored yarn I have tried.  but the colors are just popping in their own special way, I particularly love the way the color pooled in the middle there.  I feel like it's a shooting star amid a sea of sun beams and starry night.  I just keep picking it up to see what will happen next.

Hue Shift Afghan

All the pretty hues!

While this has been playing second fiddle to the Trillian Shawl above, I did manage to get two more squares done to finish the pink row.  I think finishing the row is a great driver to keep going and I know I will need to cast on for the second set of squares soon after I get done with this set.  I really love how these five colors look and can't wait to get the blues and greens.

Sweet Azalea Blanket

Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend!

Although the Trillian has been the star of my crafting show lately, this one has been playing a supporting role. I suspect it's more about the character than the looks perhaps?   This blanket is made with the lovely pashmina base from Madelinetosh and it is so soft and luxurious.

But really, when you combine wool, silk and cashmere what wouldn't be soft and luxurious!   So thanks to the amazing yarn, I keep working at this shawl.  I want to finish the first skein soon so I can gauge the size of the finished shawl.

Well that's it for this week.    For other WIPs check out Tami's Amis and Frontier Dreams

And Remember, It's a great day for hockey!!

<3 Heather

It's My Blogiversary!

Hello all, I didn't mean to have an extended hiatus but this Holidays were a busy 2 weeks.  In the coming days I plan on catching up and finishing out the blog posts I had planned for December.

One year ago today, I took the plunge and started this blog.  I really had no idea what tone it was going to take but I wanted to start something.  I was still reeling from losing my mother and just wanted something positive in my life.

So with all new things, I posted a lot, trying to find my voice and what this blog was going to become.  As time passed, I knew the yarn updates were going to probably drive the blog but was surprised at how much of my life I shared.

As the seasons changed I reflected on life and the world, I reflected on my mother and family and just became thankful for finding myself.

You all were a salvation in that you were interested in me and drove me to keep writing.  To tell stories of my family, my mom and my weekends and everything in between.

So in honor of my 1 year blog anniversary I have a quest for you to complete for a chance to win the giveaway.

But what is in this giveaway?

1 Skein of Madelinetosh Sock Yarn in Magenta

 I would have guessed a berry red but it's purple

5 Stitch markers of your color choice that I make

These are examples

And a pattern of your choice from Ravelry as a gift ($6.00 Max)

So here is the quest, by completing each step you will get an entry for the giveaway.

• one entry for commenting on this post
• one entry if you are a follower of my blog
• one entry if you answer, "Who is the blog named after?" in email or Rav message
• two entries if you can answer, "What did I bake the most of and what type were they?" in email or Rav message
• two entries if you can answer, "What is my favorite sport and team?" in email or Rav message (hint: they just came off of strike)
• finally three entries if you can answer, "What are the names of the dogs in my life?" in email or Rav message

The contest will go through February 6th where I will draw a winner!

Good luck!

<3 Heather

As a reminder, here is my email and Rav ID

Email: amaryllismusings@gmail.com
Rav ID: Junebug2285

WIP Wednesday - And the Scarves Have It!

Hello again, it has been a busy week this week but I did manage to get some work done on my WIPs. Here is the compilation picture.

Progress Picture for 4/4/2012

In the picture above are the projects that I worked on last week.  Falling Water Scarf , Gryffindor Scarf, and the Hummingbird Socks.

I am really pleased with what I got accomplished this week but with Easter coming up and finals (test and paper) for my grad class coming up.  I think my crafting will have to go on hiatus, but we shall see.

This scarf has faux cables through the magic of SSK and K2tog!

I have been epically frustrated with the falling water scarf because it just didn't seem to be turning out the way I expect.  I am using Space Cadet Creations fingering yarn I got at the Knit and Crochet festival and I just wanted to show the tonal color and the sparkle to the best of it's ability.

Well, this guy went into time out and when I picked it back up this week everything just seemed to click and I was able to see the pattern emerge from the yarn.  So happy that I stuck with it, as this is going to be a beautiful scarf.

About another inch or so to go until the heel flap.

I have added a couple inches to the Hummingbird sock and can't wait to get to the heel flap but am comfortable with the pace I am keeping on this sock.

The Gryffindor scarf really is my go to project right now, particularly when watching the Penguins or any TV program.  The Pens won last night against the Boston Bruins, but I had to switch over to another program because I felt like I was jinxing the game.  I did get about 9 rows done on the scarf.

I am going to the next game on Thursday.  It's against the Rangers and I am so excited.  Not only am I going to the game, but I am volunteering through work to sell raffle tickets for the Flight 93 Memorial before the start of the game and through the first period of play.

You will also notice that I have some stitch markers in the compilation picture.  After receiving and purchasing some awesome markers, I thought that I could make some.  Really I just love how they hang from your work and are more attractive that the plain old plastic ones.

Aren't the Bumblebees and Lady Bugs adorable?

I still have some finishing work left to do on many of them but the above is just a sampling of what I was able to create. Really I know they look complicated but after about 15 minutes of work I end up with a handful of these colorful gems.

I do want to plug my own handy-work a bit, my good friend Samie at Not Your Gram's Afghan is doing a giveaway for her blog-aversary.  Not only do you win 2 skeins of King Cole Riot and a pattern for the Spring Ripple Scarf, but you get 5 stitch markers that I made!

Stitch Markers for Samie's Giveaway!

Go check it out and register to win!  *And may the odds be ever in your favor!*

Check out other WIPs at Tami's Amis!

<3 Heather

* First person who comments below with the source material of the starred text above will get a set of stitch markers in their color of choice!  Good Luck!