Many Photos

Okay - I know it is nothing knitting, but here is a selection of photos I took while in Alaska. Most of my favorite niece in the whole wide world (okay - my only one, but she is the cutest!!). Also a few pictures of Austin, her half brother. One of my sister that she is going to be SOOOOOOOO mad at me for. And I think one of me and Teagan together. There are very few of those because I am always the one with the camera attached to my face. During the year I lived in Alaska I took something like one thousand plus pictures - mostly of Teagan. The few times I make it into a picture, it is usually because I set the self timer.

enjoy...

Here is Teagan on one of the many presants I brought up to Alaska for her. She is the most adorable little girl (when she isn't beating you up ~ she is in a hitting phase) but I love her none the less. 

What a cutie my niece is. 

Teagan is always fashionable. She likes to be nakid, but as a comprimise, Tara lets her wear this robe with nothing on underneath. Teagan also likes to wear socks of different colors. She is quite obsessed with colors. 

Teddy Bears and Teagan make up a stylish combo! 

Okay - Tara is going to yell at me for posting this picture. But I love it. She looks like the prow of some ship or something. The pants are from my dad (he wore them when he was in the navy back many, many (MANY) years ago. Kyle said she looks like an Old Navy (the store, not the Navy) ad. How funny! 

Teagan is helping her Dad with some exercise. 

Austin and Teagan on the bench from Gramby!

On the bench from Gramby and with the chair from Auntie! We love (and spoil) this little girl too much!! 

In the bath. 

Teagan with some of her teddy bears. She loves all things teddy! 

Me with Teagan in her chicken costume from last Halloween. (it was from me) 

Austin jumping onto the couch. 

Teagan likes to fall off the couch. 

Andean Silk Bag

Here is the Andean Silk Bag that caused so much commotion between Tara and I. I was really motivated and made it very quickly (two or three days to knit it). I spent just as much time on the lining as I did knitting the whole bag. And to be a nice and fabulous sister (I am nice and fabulous all the time) I gave it to Tara as a birthday present. So what does she do?? Calls me last night and asks that I knit an I-cord for it for a handle. Why did I spend several thousand hours and two trips to Jo-Ann's to buy boning if Tara doesn't even want it as a hand bag. Oh well ~ I understand she has a baby and you need all the hands you can get. So I'll be making a handle for her and shipping it up to Alaska for her. She has to attach it, I spend enough time hand sewing in the lining. (Can you tell I kind of hate the lining - so much time for what seems like a part no one would look at anyways.) I really like the bag and told Tara she could have it only if she gives it back to me when she no longer wants it. So if anyone I know gets this bag as a gift in a few years, forget I gave it to Tara first, she just had it for a trial run.


Andean Silk Bag


Andean Silk Bag


Andean Silk Bag - lining


Andean Silk Bag - lining

BIG SLIPPERS

Here are the felted slippers (pre-Felting) They are quite monstrous. Kyle tried what I had completed before I left for Alaska and they fit his (HUGE) feet. He wears a size 13. I wear a men's 8. These are supposed to shrink down to fit my feet. I have to admit I was a little skeptical but after 2 cycles they are very nearly there. Sorry Kyle, I guess you won't get them anyways. I told him that he could have them if they did not shrink. I asked him if he would like his own pair. And him being the skeptical little man he is, he said I'd like to see yours completed before I commit to getting a pair of my own. I know he doesn't want me to spend the time making them and have them be horrible because he knows he better wear them if he wants me to marry him. I will add pictures later of the finished product. They are thick and fantastic. I think I already said that. Just goes to show how thick and fantastic they really are. And they are quite easy to make, a pretty quick knit. And since I found the really cheap yarn I made these bad boys for $8.95! That is an amazing price for yarn. I just bought (for the faint of heart don't read this part) one skein for $20 in Alaska. It is not a very big skein either. Tara made me feel guilty about it and I kept telling her to stop because I knew I shouldn't have bought it. Kyle will probably yell at me for it.

Kyle keeps telling me he loves that I am knitting and I really think it is because he likes that I have a hobby to spend my money on because I give him less grief for all the money he spends on his like sixty hobbies. He has however cut back and is working more. Kind of ironic, when he had the time, he did not have the money and now that he has the money, he doesn't have the time. I guess that is how it always works.


Pair of slippers


slipper


Side view of slipper

I love these two pictures (the one above and the one below). They are great examples of how huge these slippers are. And now they nearly fit. Fantastic!!


Big Slippers

Tara's Creation

Tara's Bag-
Tara made a bag from noro with a brocade style lining. It is so cute! I bought some Lopi and am planning to make one as well. I love her lining, it is so bright and fantastic. She inspired me to line some of my bags, including the fish bowl manos bag (which I still have not lined yet, the lining is there and just waiting for me to sew it in.)


Tara's Bag



Lining of Tara's Bag

Alaska is great!!

I have been sooo productive knit wise while here. Much to my sisters annoyance. She would rather have me tending to her children so she can pursue her hobbies. Selfish girl. I'm on vacation, I've no time for children, only knitting and reading. I read the Shop on Blossom Street, a cute book about 4 women taking a knitting class. I'm all about all things knit.

I made a pair of felted slippers. I ran them through 2 cycles in the wash and want to send them through one more time for optimal felting. They are thick and luxurious, I can't wait to wear them. Alas, I will be heading back to Fresno soon where it will be unbearably hot and slippers will be the last thing I want to wear.

I also made a little hand bag with the Andean Silk yarn mentioned in the previous post. I plan to add pictures once home, I don't have the proper programs on my sisters computer. The bag is the prettiest shades of green and orange, my favorite colors. (But then I have so many fave's) I love this yarn it is soft and fabulous to knit with. If I get some acrylic after this I'll be sadly disappointed. As it runs through my fingers it won't be near as pleasant as the silk/alpaca yarn is.

I've been anxious to start a new project but don't really know what to make and don't have many sets of needles with me so I am at a loss. I will try to head to some yarn stores tomorrow (fingers crossed that they are open) and see what I can find. I won't have the kids with me so I'm free!! It will be nice.

Off I must go.

P.S. Those brown with pink stripe mittens will come about as soon as the yarn store gets my pink back-ordered yarn in stock. I checked on it on the Wed. I left for Alaska, I've had it on order now for, ummmm.... 2-3 months. Urgh!!

The Sweater is Complete!!

YEAH!! The sweater is done (all except for weaving in some ends. Yuck) and possible picking up the bottom and extending it a little bit. I need to block it to see if I can eliminate the roll. If not I will have to add a little to the bottom. Kyle does not like the roll. But he does love the sweater. And I finished it just in time for his birthday. It was done last night and today is his b-day. Unfortunatley he won't be wearing this bad boy any time soon. I am so excited to have completed my first sweater. And the best part is I have enough of this yarn left to make myself a matching sweater as well. We will be the cutest couple around!! I'm leaving for Alaska on Wed. maybe I should take the sweater with me for those chilly nights.


Front View



Front View Two


Back View


Side View

Next project: I am going to make myself a pair of felted slippers with some birthday yarn. (My birthday was two weeks ago). I stumbled across a great website (http://knitpicks.com/) and ordered some yarn with some of my birthday money. I like the yarn, the colors were not entirely what I was expecting, but it should be fine. I bought some Wool of the Andes (http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/yarn_display.aspx?itemid=5420103) for the slippers and some Andean Silk and Andean Silk Twist (http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/yarn_display.aspx?itemid=5420126) to maybe make a bag. It is really pretty, soft and silky. I really like it. It is not as cheap as the Wool of the Andes, so it is not as great of a buy.

Off I must go... Rhiannon