Today, without even realizing that it WAS MeMadeMay, I wore two me-made things:

I posted a tutorial for sewing an easy kaftan on the blog that I just started writing with my sister.  She’s a really great cook, and has lots of other good ideas, too!

For my next seamed project, I’ve decided to knit Breckon, by Amy Christoffers from Brooklyn Tweed WoolPeople 3. I love the texture of this sweater, and the mix of the tweed and the lace is really interesting to me.  After reading the pattern, I see that the body is knit in one pice from the bottom up to the shoulders – so the only seams are at the shoulders and armholes…the sleeves are set in.

This might be a good segue for me into the wide world of seaming!

I’ve ordered enough Brooklyn Tweed Loft in Thistle, and as soon as I finish my next Hope Shawlette, I’ll cast on for it!

The yarn arrived this week, and it’s so airy and the color is perfect.  I knit Nathan a hat in Shelter – so I know that I’m going to LOVE this sweater!  I can’t wait!

has it really been five years since this happened??

Here’s my big girl now:

This is Mazie’s first birthday since starting school, and so it was her first ‘real’ party – with people other than family.

We went to The Denver Puppet Theater.  The kids were able to run around and explore for a while,

They each got to make their own puppets: Then, we had pizza and cake.  Mazie got to sit in a really fancy chair!

After we had our pizza and cake, we all watched a puppet show (in 3 acts) about coyotes.   Three acts was a bit long for the parents, but the kids LOVED it and talked to the puppets through the entire ~45 minute long show.

The walls, even in the bathroom, are covered with marionettes and costumes.  Really funky and cool.  I’d love to know more about the owner and her career.

Interesting to imagine her travelling the world as a puppet master – lots of the posters & ephemera are from Europe.    

If you’re in Denver and looking for a different spot to have your next kids’ party – this is a good one.

Hi Everyone! I hope that you’re having a lovely Saturday!  It’s a very snowy March day here in Colorado – we’re expecting a few (up to 12!) inches today.

In the old (pre-kids) days, I’d get a list of indoor activities decided on and get to work, accomplishing most-if-not-all of the stuff on the list.  Nowadays, I find that it’s better not to try for a whole list – I choose one main thing that I want to do and a couple of little things.  After all, the whole point of having kids is to interact with them, no?

If I can get the main thing done, I feel pretty good.  And if I can get a couple of little things done, too – well, that’s just bonus.  And if my kids and I have a fun day together, that’s the best possible outcome.  (This is why my house is usually messy, and there’s always more laundry to do.  It’s a lifestyle choice, I guess.)

Today, I’m hoping to get my new alpaca (yarn bought at STITCHES) Hope Shawlette ends woven in and pinned out.  It’s so dry here in CO, even on a day with such heavy precipitation, that the shawl could be dry in a few hours.  Then…if I’m really lucky, I’ll get some fun pics of it in the snow, too.

Because this time I knit it I was practicing the chart more than anything, I made a few extra insertions of the lace chart.  I did a couple repeats of the lace chart every time I had a multiple of 10 + 3 stitches with 20 rows in between.  So, at something like 33, 53, 73, and 93 sts on the needles.  Even unblocked, I like how it came out.  I’m not normally a “tan” person – but I love the natural color of the alpaca, and how fuzzy and soft it is, and will probably wear this one a LOT.

OK, here I go.  I’m getting up from the couch.  Time to see how much of this one task I can accomplish today!

PS: I worked with the tech editor to get the pattern updated.  So if you’ve purchased it through Craftsy or Ravelry, you’ve been emailed the new version.

I had a blast Feb 21 – 24 at STITCHES West in Santa Clara, CA.  I took a few classes, hung out in our booth (number 1025) and saw lots of friends.

We went to the fashion show:

We spent a lot of time on the show floor:

(Edie Eckman, Heather Walker, and Me.)

This is Laura, of Slipped Stitch Studios! She makes the most awesome knitting bags and gadgets!   I especially love her new knitting pattern keeper.

We were stranded for an extra night, due to massive snow in Denver!  Thank Goodness for FaceTime!

I saw a teeny bit of San Francisco on the last night / early the next morning:

Here’s the snow from above:

This iPhone photo really doesn’t do the color any justice, but it does show the stitchwork well.

After this one is finished (ore maybe even before) I’m planning to dive into the wide world of seamed sweaters!

I’ve been talking to a LOT of knitting teachers lately, and have decided to open my mind to  seaming.  I’m one of those knitters who LOVES weaving in ends, picking up and working button bands and collars, and making the whole finished sweater look perfect.  If I ever send a sweater to a sample knitter, I ask for it back so that I can do all of the finishing and trims.  SO – this leads me to believe that I might also love seaming.

I took a class at the ost recent TNNA  from Chris Bylsma on seaming.  She is not only completely gorgeous (had to throw that in there!) she is a great teacher.  Funny, charismatic, and really helpful.  She also draws these great sketches that, along with her explanation, really help the class to understand what the needle and yarn should be doing.

Here are some of my class seams – so amazingly easy and pretty:

So, yes, I am now very – very excited to try out my first seamed sweater!!  I’ve even got some ideas as to what I’d like to make!

The Green Mountain Spinnery Wonderfully Wooly that I used to knit it is SO cozy! I asked my friend Dan how weird it would be to just not steek it and he said something like, “Kinda weird, but who cares – do what you want!”  SO. I continued to wear it for a few days.  Then I decided that I’d come this far, and bit the bullet.

Mazie, Olive, and I watched the part of Ragga’s class about steeking a few times on the iPad.  Notice that in the photo below, I’m still wearing the sweater.

I crocheted along each edge of the steek stitch, to create borders for the cardigan fronts.

Then, with Ragga’s help, I cut through the body right up through the center of the steek stitch.  The yarn I chose is so sticky that the stitchwork held together just fine – not even a slight bit of unravelling.

Here is the whole front, steeked:

The next and final part was to stitch ribbon to the inside fronts to make a facing that holds it all together:

I used the same ribbon from Fancy Tiger that Ragga used in her class. I still haven’t stitched any buttons to the front. And I’m wearing it all the time!   (I like to live with a garment for a while before going to the next step. )

The color oversaturated my iPhone in the afternoon sun – it’s a gorgeous kelly green.  I’ll try to get a modelled pic soon.

I put my Fit Your Knits students through the ringer – they had to split up into pairs and take a complete set of figure measurements.  This is the thing that seems to make people the most uncomfortable – and at the same time, students say is the thing that makes the whole experience worth it! We not only take the measurements, but learn how to use them to make any sweater fit better.   I also taught a class on how to Design Your Own Textured Beret.  It’s not necessarily only a beret-making class, you can choose how poofy you want (or don’t want) your hat to be.  Essentially, we divide the hat up into a pizza, and you add your own toppings.  From plain cheese to gourmet – we do it all.

I ran into Choochooknits Karen!  We have known each other for EVER – she took my very first “one the road” design class with Knit-a-gogo, before Danielle opened Fibre Space! By the way – if you ever have a chance to go to Fibre Space – do it! SUCH a well-curated shop!

My friend Dan from Craftsy went with me – and couldn’t hep helping the Vouge ladies wind yarn! He’s so sweet, and knowledgeable!  We had a great time! I also ran into Karida of Neighborhood Fibre Co.  I bought some gorgeous kelly green worsted wool from her.  And I left my purse in her booth.  Madness ensued.

Later on, I ran into the Tall Girl Club:

(Jacqueline Sava of Soak, and Fiona Ellis of — Fiona Ellis.)

VKL was SO well-organized, the students were on it, and I had a great time!! I also ran into this madwoman – Susan Juvet.

…and this happened – several times.