Update on Project Cardi Shawl

So I have been knitting on this project for 6 days! It has been a slow, but rewarding project. I am no where near half way yet. The first day of the project I casted on. It took forever! I had to learn a new way to cast on and everything. It was an interesting way…the cable cast on. Interesting.

So the next few days were filled with knitting the border of the project. That took quite sometime since I was knitting on size 4 needles. That translates to really tiny needles. The last few days have been working on the body of the piece. I love how it is starting to look. I am knitting the shawl out of Teal colored Alpaca yarn. It’s a nice light weight yarn that will be warm too. I can’t wait to finish this project. I am really enjoying it too so hopefully it won’t be over too soon. But, I really do want to wear it!

So, more updates to follow and I will post pictures too!

Phase 1b and 2 completed

After downloading the pattern, I grabbed my car keys and was off to Babetta's. I purchased the necessary needles and discussed yarn at great lengths. As it turns out, I already have a big bag of yarn that will work perfectly for this pattern. It's baby alpaca and has the right everything! Fabulous! So so far, this project has cost me $20! I am not counting the yarn since I already had that. Ok, fine...I spent $28 on the yarn thanks Ebay. So all in all, I have $48 into this project.

My plan, tonight after dinner, casting on! I hope it goes well. We shall see!

Phase 1a and 1b Complete

Ok! Not only have I purchased the pattern, but I got my email today saying it was processed and ready for printing. Yay! Printing has commenced. All 2 pages of it. So up next is talking to Babebtta to find out what type of yarn would be best. I may start out with Google before I call Babetta. I love her and her store, but sometimes they are on the pricey side. Sometimes not...you just need to pay attention to the price tags. I do love her selection.

I may be taking a trip to Michael's or JoAnn's to purchase my yarn with coupons. I wish Babetta had coupons. She does however have a frequent buyer card and when you fill it, you get $20 of your purchase. So I guess that's a pretty big coupon.

Along with this new knitting project, I am working on a crocheted bobble beret hat. The first one I made ended up being a little too small. So, I dug into my yarn stash and found some awesome green cotton yarn that is actually the correct yarn size and I have begun making a second hat. I will most likely put the first hat on Etsy for a young girl. It fits me, I personally don't like it on me. I feel like if I move too fast it will come off my head. So, I am making a new one.

Alright, back to the Endless Knitted Cardi Shawl, I will read through the pattern and hopefully I already have yarn that will work. From what I have read so far, I will need to purchase some knitting needles. And that does require a trip to Babetta's. So, it looks like I am heading there today. Woohoo! I love getting new knitting needles!

Well, I better be on my way. I have some work I need to do before I can go frolicking in the yarn store. Write more soon...

Phase 1 of the Knitted Cardi Shawl

Alright, so I have completed Phase 1 of the Knitted Cardi Shawl. I bought the pattern! Woohoo! Now I am waiting for Stitch Diva to finish processing the order so I can download the pattern. I hope it will be available soon. We shall see.

Phase 2: Purchasing the yarn. The pattern requires DK weight, so my pattern and I will take a journey to Babetta’s Yarn and Gifts to figure out what nice, but inexpensive yarn I can get for my pattern.

Phase 3: Knitting. Obviously right? So I will be posting pictures and updates on my progress.

Phase 4: Finished product and wearing it :o) I hope to take it with me to the biotech conference. I bet it will fit in quite nicely over there. I figure I would wear it with my skinny jeans and my brown boots. Or I could wear it with slacks. Hmmmm. Options, options. I have this awesome wooden hair pin that I bought at Babetta’s that can double as a shawl pin. I am so excited. I hope this product turns out well.

Stay tuned…more to come!

Ok, Now I know what to Blog about

Ok, I have a new project. I am going to blog about it as the project progressess on. Below is a picture of the Cardigan shrug thing that I am going to knit. It's pretty neat looking. I watched a Youtube video of the creator showing you how versatile it is. Now I just need to figure out what color to make it in. Oh yeah, buy the pattern too. I was thinking about a nice chocolate brown so I could wear it with my awesome boots and skinny jeans. Plus, the brown would look good with white, cream, blues, pinks and so on. Let me know if you guys have any color suggestions. Green would be pretty too.

So, let me know what you guys think. Looking forward to hearing your guys' suggestions.

What to write?

I like writing. I like blogging...but the thing is...what do I write about? I am working on reading through my FDA Regulatory Affairs book. I am working on reading through the classic Nancy Drew book series. I am working on finishing up the Twilight series as well. I know, lots of reading. Since I had injured my right hand, I have been spending more time reading and surfing the web. I am still knitting and crocheting, but not as much. I have to take it a little easier on the yarn crafts. Bummer. It makes it a little harder to work on items for my online store.

I have been super busy with work...getting things ready for our biotech conference in September. That has taken up so much of my day and energy...as it should. Now, I am working on getting the newsletter out too. Then there is the marketing for the conference, the newsletter, fastrain and some thing else that I know I have forgotten.

Ok, so my friend Michelle is working on some awesome new ideas for her online store. I can't wait to see it. I am working on a new line too. Along with my knitted and crocheted items, I am working on some jewelry made from stones I had found on the beach a couple of weeks ago. Dennis has been working on drilling holes in them. They look so good. Now I need to put jump rings on them and put them on chains. I hope they turn out well. We shall see.

Well, I should probably get back to work. Bleh. I wish I could just craft all day. That would be awesome. My dream...to someday own a yarn shop. Maybe Babetta (the owner of my fave yarn store) would go for the idea of opening a Babetta's yarn and gifts in Seattle, creating a chain of stores. Who knows. But I would really like to open a yarn store in the Seattle area. That would be cool.

Write again soon...

Sorry it's been so long...

So it's been a really long time since my last blog...Life has been nuts.

In the end of July, my grandma and grandpa were generous enough to fly me up to Vancouver, Wa for a family reunion. I was to meet cousins that I have never met before and to see a great-aunt that I haven't seen since I was 11 years old!

I got up there on a Thursday and my aunt, whom I work for, was kind enough to let me crash with her and her daughter, my first cousin. It was so fun! It was like a slumber party.

So, I met my cousins Karen, George, Kenny and Kristine. They all live in Texas, eeeewww, but they were all pretty cool for Texans. Only Karen and George had accents. It was funny. Kenny is 17 and Kristy is 23 and Cathy-my first cuz, is 13. So we all got a long pretty well. Saturday, there were like 45 of us that got together for a super and hang out. It was interesting.

Ok, now we are in August. So, my father-in-law, Jon, had a heart attack and was in the hospital for 4 days. That was pretty scary. But, he had a stint put in and is recovering quite nicely. So that was a scary moment and last weekend.

Ok, next bit of news...I have decided to take the plunge and study to get my RAC (GS) Certification. RAC means Regulatory Affairs Certification. GS means General Scope. This certification will tie in really nicely with my Political Science BA and will help me with my job. It will give me a better understanding of the biologics, biopharmaceutical and regulatory stuff that we write about for our newsletter. Also, I will understand what is said in the conferences better. The nice thing is my job will pay for this certification. Plus, it will look good on my resume. Yay!

Ok, so my thumb hurts...too much knitting...so I am done typing now. Will write again soon....