Goodbye to Yellow and Orange

One last picture to finish off the yellow/orange Project Spectrum month. This is the flower of a Poplar tree. On to Green.

April project -- Stitch Markers

I was really not interested in knitting with yellow or orange yarn, I as I mentioned before, but thought making some stitch markers with these colors sounded interesting. So here is my Yellow/Orange Project Spectrum project. The metal is these markers is gold-tone, except one copper colored bead (still in the yellow / orange theme.

While at the bead store, I also found some really pretty beads in shades of blue, which also became stitch markers. For both of these sets, I used rings that will fit (hopefully) sock needles, a few for regular needles, and one that will go up to a US size 17 -- not sure if I'll ever need that, but there it is.

Scarf progress and new needles

I'm still working on the cabled seaman's scarf from the 2006 Pattern a Day calendar. Pardon the blurriness of the photo, but the flash just didn't highlight the cables, which is the most interesting part of the scarf. I'm enjoying this scarf, and I am learning the "workings" of cables -- which way they twist, etc. Fun!

We're in Lexington, and I bought a pair of Lantern Moon rosewood needles, size US7. These are the smallest rosewood needles I have. I am constantly worried about snapping them in half. Not very relaxing to knit and worry about your needles. Anyway, I switched the scarf from my US7 addis to these rosewoods. In her new book (Knitting Rules!) the Yarn Harlot mentions that she likes to knit with staight needles because it links her to all the knitters who have come before. Using these wood needles and wool yarn, I can see what she means.

Stitch Markers

I've been thinking about Project Spectrum -- yellow and orange. I don't have a knitting project planned with these colors -- just not my favorite (I'm all ready for green, though!). Instead I was planning on stitch markers -- I have a weakness for stitch markers.

So I went digging through my bead stash. No yellow. No orange. Told you they weren't my favorites. I did find some dark blue beads, though, so I went with those. Maybe I'll stop at Dandelion Beads in Lexington this weekend and pick up some appropriately colored beads.

Speaking of stitch markers, I joined the Project Spectrum Sheep club -- a different colored sheep stitch marker each month. For more info, click on the button on my sidebar (That's a picture of the sheep -- aren't they cute?).

Knitting Rules!

I just finished the Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's new book, "Knitting Rules! The Yarn Harlot's Bag of Knitting Tricks."

Again, she does not ever disappoint. Such a great book! I enjoyed every minute of it. I thought about listing some of the great lines from the book, but I don't want to spoil it for you.

It's different from her other books -- this one is not knitting stories, but is instead a book of -- well -- hints. These include a generic sock recipe, a few basic hat patterns, information about supplies and gauge. It make it sound dry, but that's why the Yarn Harlot is selling books, and I am not. Read this one. You'll laugh yourself silly and learn some great hints.

And, look, it's kind of orange, so it came out in the right month. It's the only orange thing I've found so far.

I ordered Mason-Dixon's new book today and pre-ordered Wendy Knit's new book. Waiting for my mail to arrive!

Dandelion

Knitting progress is such that a new picture of the same scarf isn't going to be that entertaining. The cabled seaman scarf is progressing; I'm almost ready for the ribbing.

Spring is just starting to stick out its nose around here. I'm so desperate for color and for spring that I actually took a picture of a dandelion today. Doesn't it just scream YELLOW? Another one for Project Spectrum.

Fun from Iceland

We're heading back to red for a moment, because I have something cool to show you. I got a card from Carola of Sheep and No City today (my Project Spectrum Post card partner for March).

First, because I love to look at stamps, take at look at the RED envelope (now, why didn't I think of that?) Cool stamps. I wonder why Iceland has a mouse on a stamp. The roses are beautiful. I think I owe Carola some stamps -- when I took her card to the post office, the post office guy just printed off the postage and stuck it on the envelope -- very unattractive.

And here is a postcard from Hafnarfjörður. Carola told me that near her are several streets named for waves -- different kinds of waves. Isn't that interesting?

Also in the brilliantly red envelope was corrugateded folder -- red, of course, sealed shut with a --wait for it -- red safety pinIngeniousus. Inside the folder were pink pull tabs -- visible in the picture -- and a CD with what Carola calls red music. I'm listening to the CD now -- it's wonderful music, and they are singing in -- I guess -- Icelandic. I'm very much enjoying it.

So, to celebrate the reception of such a great mail surprise, here are some facts for you about Iceland (which I just looked up, because I feel extra uninformed):

• Capital = Reykjavík -- I did know that.
• Area = 103,000 km² / 39,758 sq mi. (Glaciers: 12,000 km², lava: 11,000 km², lakes: 3,000 km², arable land: 1,100 km²).
• Name = Lýðveldið Ísland
• Icelandic alphabet: a á b c d ð e é f g h i í j k l m n o ó p q r s t u ú v w x y ý z þ æ ö

Project Spectrum -- Yellow

With all the blue and green knitting going on around here, I probably won't be knitting with yellow. So to contribute to Project Spectrum Yellow/Orange, how about some flowers?

These are from Disney (my trip last month).

I have no idea what kind of tree this is, but I like it, and I am guessing that it might be part of my yellow Postcard. How about some yellow flowers? Beautiful. No orange yet, and no good photos of my daffodils, but those are coming.