Pictures from the Calvin

I had a great time at the Calvin tonight! Stephanie was brilliant and being in the Calvin was very cool. I was at Webs earlier today to drop off my charity donation and buy a pre-signed book. They already had lots of food and hats at 4 pm so I imagine they did quite well tonight.

Here's Stephanie receiving a beer from Steve Elkin before she started.
Stephanie fielding questions.
I wish I had taken more photos, but I was busy knitting my afghan square and was a little out of it from the Cosmo my friend Annie got me (yes, there was a bar there too). There were many many knitters there, though we didn't fill the Calvin to capacity. I can only imagine what it must be like at Webs now. I'm glad I went earlier today. Good times!

Bears and Harlots

Just got my email reminder from Webs about the Yarn Harlot event tomorrow evening (as if I'd forget). Wow. 600 people. Wow. Makes me glad I live within walking distance to the Calvin. Should be pretty awesome. I think I may skip out on standing in line to have my book signed in person this time. Last year I just babbled uninspired things to Stephanie.

I wonder if this event will overshadow last week's surprise visitor to downtown Northampton: the bear. While I did not actually see this bear in person, I was walking downtown with Owen in the stroller at the time. When a policeman stopped to tell me that there was a bear on the next street, I booked it out of there. That bear must have been seriously lost and I wasn't about to tempt it with my tasty morsel of a baby.


Aside from taking my baby for walks in bear-infested downtowns, I have been knitting. Not much to show, but a did finish a sock tonight. I'm really liking the Trekking XXL. More on this once I finish its mate.

Happy Mother's Day!

My mom was up visiting a few weeks ago and of course we went to Webs. I told her to pick out some sock yarn and I would make her a pair of socks for Mother's Day. She chose Mega Boots Stretch Softcolor yarn and I set to work. I wanted a fairly easy pattern so I could finish them quickly. I did and they were sent off on Wednesday. I spoke to my mom this morning. She loves them and they fit. Yay!

Yarn: Lana Grossa Mega Boots Stretch Softcolor
Pattern: my own using the figure 8 cast on toe up start, Wendy's short row heel, and the April 29th pattern from the 365 Knitting Patterns a Day calendar (Vandyke Lace panel 2).
Needles: size 2

Thoughts: I love the figure 8 cast on! I'm never completely satisfied with top down socks because my toe grafts always look a bit too squared at the ends of the graft. Not a problem with the figure 8 cast on. This was my second short row heel now. I'm becoming a fan. The yarn okay, but I don't think I'd get it again. There are nicer ones out there. I do like the color my mom picked out though. It will look very nice with jeans. Now for some socks for my dad. I'm all about giving wrong season gifts this year.

A few WIPs to share

Hey, it's me. I'm afraid things have been a bit stressful lately and I just haven't had the time or will to blog. But I have been knitting. Unfortunately, the one project I have been working on the most is a secret project. The other projects are all in varying stages of boring-ness. But here are a couple you haven't seen yet.

First is a guernsey for Owen. I started this during the Nor' Easter when it seemed that winter would never end. Now that Spring (or has it jumped straight to Summer?) is here, I'm feeling less inclined to work on it.
It will be "Guernsey with Ribbed Yoke" in Debbie Bliss' Great Knits for Kids.

I'm also knitting another pair of socks for myself. It's another Nancy Bush pattern: "Conwy" from Knitting on the Road.
I like this pattern a lot. The fact that I've been to Conwy makes it extra meaningful. Here's a picture of me at Conwy Castle back in 2002.
I highly recommend a castle tour of Wales. They have the most intact castles that I've seen. We want to bring Owen to see the castles in a few years when he's a bit older. Speaking of the little guy, here's a picture of him wearing his striped cardigan. It's still a bit big.