Beach Day and a Coincidence?

I took the girls to the beach today. It was perfect timing. Low tide, a break in the clouds and nap time for my baby girl. Noa & I picked stones from the sand and admired the beautiful range of colors. Some inspiration for another knitting project maybe?

And yes, the sand did feel good between my toes! Such a treat to get out of the house after having a week of coughs & colds.

I found out about Project Spectrum 3 today. Just in time for the completion of Soli as well as the current project that is on my needles using the yarn I bought 2 weeks ago and the legwarmers that I still haven't finished. Coincidence? Some people say there is no such thing...

Soli

I finished my first real design (where I've actually kept track of the pattern for publishing later). The whole process was so exciting that I think I'm addicted. Here is Soli, named for My Sunshine as in You Are My Sunshine, a song my daughter really loves.


I had orignially planned some embroidery details, but decided to keep it clean and simple. I'm really happy with the results (after a short love/hate period). The yarn is a cotton/rayon Berocco Touche, which has a really nice drape and should be great for warm weather.

I had quite a time figuring out the simple decreases. I couldn't work out how to space them evenly to reach my finaly measurements. Finally I got it though! Here's a bit of the craziness of my thought process.

It can be worn as a tunic or a dress in the summer. The style allows for some growing room which is imperative if you have a toddler! I'm currently working on a pattern to be available on Ravelry soon.

And just a note about what a wonderful, supportive husband I have. Guess what he got me for Valentine's Day? Yes, a copy of Vogue's Ultimate Knitting Book, which I have been wanting for quite a while. Is that romantic or what?!

For All My Cold Weather Readers

Ahhhh, San Diego. One of the reasons we moved back here from the East Coast was for the weather. Not to be cruel to my cold weather friends, but I love looking at the weather in New Hampshire and comparing it to here. What better way to spend a Saturday morning in February than to go to the beach? No wonder I'm not doing much knitting lately...


I've been tagged by SASKnitsItAgain for a fun little trivia list, so here you go:

4 Movies I like:
Ferris Beuller's Day Off
Run Lola Run
The Usual Suspects
The Borne Identity/Supremacy/Ultimatum

4 Places I've been:
Amsterdam

Tel Aviv
Curacao

Quebec

4 Places I've Lived:
Dover, NH

Boston, MA
San Francisco, CA
San Diego, CA

4 TV Shows I Watch:
Project Runway Christian is my favorite to win
Man vs. Wild That Bear is something!
Ace of Cakes Don't know why I like this show, but I do
Top Chef New season starting soon

4 Radio Shows I Listen To:
The only time I can listen to the radio is driving in the car when my girls aren't listening to their music. I usually tune in to NPR or switch back and forth between 91X or 94/9 during commercials.

4 Favorite Foods:
Red Wine (wine IS food)

Olives

Chips & Guacamole with a Margarita on the rocks with salt from PB Bar & Grill
Steak Tip Caesar Salad and a pint of Guinness from Kelly's Row

4 Places I'd Rather Be:

Nowhere (San Diego is looking pretty good right about now!)...but if we're talking where I'd mentally rather be that's another story...hmmm, how about more settled on a decision if I'm going back to work full time as an analytical chemist in the biotechnology industry or continue to be a SAHM and try to develop my own at-home business? Oh, if money wasn't an issue....

OK, you guys are tagged next:
Taravera
The Shetland Trader
FloppyJalopy

Garden & Yarn Day

Wednesdays are turning into Yarn Purchase Day as well as Garden Day. My LYS is conveniently on the way home from the garden (if I take the scenic route) and I can convince my daughter to go because she wants to see Cocoa, the cat, as well as get a piece of chocolate that Nancy & Caryl keep next to the checkout area. Here's my latest purchase:


I love the colors and want to design something cool for my daugher (more on that later...). By the way, I have finished one legwarmer. Yes just one. Noa doesn't like it. Hmmmmmmm. She definitely has an opinionated mind of her own (just like her mother). Do I finish the other one & hope that she'll wear them? I definitely should finish it now otherwise it will never get done.

Back to designing. I am currently working on 3 of my own designs that I will (hopefully) submit to Knitty. It's very exciting, but nervewracking at the same time. What if I can't translate what's in my head into a finished object? What if the editors don't like my designs? What if I write up the pattern wrong & there's a ton of errors? OK, enough of that. I really don't want to psyche myself out of at least submitting my designs. If anyone has any tips or suggestions I welcome them here!