Knitting Plans and Progress

It's Work-in-Progress Wednesday! I have a few amigurumi that have been in-progress for a few weeks months...

However, that's not what I want to talk about today! Knitting has taken a new lead in my life! I've wanted to learn to knit for quite some time-- I knew how to do knit stitch, purl stitch, increase, decrease, and all the other basics taught in the Craftsy Knit-Lab course. Actually finishing a knit project is a different story. But then I discovered a shawl pattern that was calling my name over, and over, and over! 

I've started a Multnomah shawl! 

Quite a bit of progress has been made since this picture was taken, but it's 12:34 in the morning... so this one will suffice! The yarn is Knit Picks' Stroll Tonal in 'Deep Waters'. So far, I'm really liking this pattern, yarn, and needles. 

In fact, knitting shawls might just be a new obsession. I've decided that my next shawl will probably be another Multnomah, but will be with Candy Skein yarn. Since FreshStitches posted her Lime Love shawl, Candy Skeins' bright coloured yarn has entranced me! Now that I can actually justify buying skeins for shawls-- I'm eager to finally purchase! I've set certain parameters before I can buy a skein, though:
1. My second paycheck (I start work on Monday). 
2. I finish this shawl. 
3. Tami has a random flash sale. 

Whichever of those comes first, I'm buying a skein (or, you know, two or four).

For more Work-in-Progress Wednesday posts visit Tami (yes, the same one mentioned above)'s blog! 

Graduation Gifts

I haven't written a blog post in a while. Specifically, I haven't written a finished objects Friday post. So here we go!

This has been a week of graduations. Elementary schools are finishing up their end-of-the-year parties, high school seniors are graduating, and college kids like me have been done for a while. All of my cousins are relatively close in age, which means I have a high school graduation to attend on both sides.

Originally, I wasn't going to make them anything-- we're not particularly close... But I decided they needed something special! 

First to graduate was Cousin 1. He's leaving on his mission in the next few months, and I wanted to make something special for him that kind of signified that. (Plus, I had to finish a pattern test... two birds, one stone!)

The pattern is an upcoming design from Monster's Toybox. I'm not sure of an official release yet, but definitely keep an eye out! 

The second cousin is an incredibly talented singer and I wanted to give him something that signified his gift. Thus, I gave him the Gift of Music (get the pun? do 'ya??)

There were no non-applique patterns on Ravelry so I made the design up as I went. I'm considering typing up the pattern and listing it for free to anyone who wants to make it. The same pattern could also make the Pi symbol... or, individually, they resemble golf clubs. Diverse pattern! 

That's what I've been up to this week!

For more finished objects, check out Tami's blog: 

Freedom and Fibers!

Hooray! Schooool's out for the summer! :) (You sang that, right?) 

To celebrate the beginning of my last school break, I took an adventure to a yarn store I've wanted to go to for months! Now that I've gone, I wonder what took me so long. Tempe Yarn & Fiber is amazing! They had tons of samples, including amigurumi ones:

They were both knitted and felted, but so cute! If I could have taken that hedgehog home, I would have. It's a lot more adorable in person (he doesn't photograph well). 

The yarn selection was also spectacular. They had a wide range of fun, vibrant yarns in a variety of contents: cotton, wool, acrylic, etc. Probably the most exciting find was a basket of yarn made from sheep wool in Arizona (my state). The tags say the the name of the sheep the wool was taken from. 

Needless to say, I bought a skein! One of the ones on the far right with texture. The wool was taken from a sheep named King. Awesome, right?!

That yarn will become, what better, a sheep! I'll use Monster's Toybox upcoming sheep pattern. A sheep made out of wool directly from a sheep!

These are my other finds. Bright green skein is Manos del Uruguay 100% Extrafine Merino Wool. The bottom skein was on clearance! It's Natural Fiber Mill by Lonesome Stone in the BFF Color Line; 100% wool merino. These will most likely become monsters. 

I highly recommend checking out Tempe Yarn if you're in Arizona! The workers and shoppers are incredibly friendly, the yarn selection is wonderful, and it's a great atmosphere. Definitely my new favourite Local Yarn Shop!