BeanMama Knits

Just a quick update: Shaker is ALMOST done. The sleeve caps are re-knit (turns out I only had to eliminate 2 rows, which I did. But I could have fudged it. Grf. Oh well, I can always claim to be a perfectionist. I'm not one, but I can claim to be one now!) and the shoulder seams are sewn (which I ended up doing twice because I didn't like the way it came out the first time. I'd never done back-stitch on knitting before.) (Are my excessively long parentheticals bugging you yet?) I knit the button band about 4 times. I kept ripping it out. Turns out the first way I did it was the most pleasing and so I did it that way again. (rolleyes). Now the left button band is knit and mattress-stitched on and the 2nd button band with the buttonholes is about 2/3 of the way finished now. Then it's do the neck band and sew the sleeves in and sew on the buttons. I'm planning to wear it when I go to Portland 6/19. I think I will make it! I even am going to make it with the original ...

I am still plugging away on my Shaker from Rowan 25. I've knit the back and one sleeve complete. The other sleeve is knit up to the beginning of the armhole shaping. The left front is knit up to the neckline shaping and the right front is almost to that point as well. Then, I need to figure out how to re-do the shoulder shaping or the armscythe is going to be too big and I will not like the cardigan. I think the width is actually okay, as I don't want it to have to stretch at all to fit me. I am going to have to master the math. I can do this. I can. I think. Eep. Meanwhile, I also have a few other wips to talk about. Shawl with Melon Pattern from Victorian Lace Today : This is finished. I have a few ends to weave in yet, but otherwise it is waiting to be dyed. I have knit 3 swatches and I ordered "purple" and "burgundy" jacquard dyes from KnitPicks. I got a large pot from the thrift store that I can use for dying and now I just need to dye my test swatch...

First, the good!! Recognize that amazing gal in the middle? We went to the Maker Faire on Saturday. We went last year and LOVED it and we had always planned to attend this year as well. Come to find out that the Yarn Harlot was appearing there in the morning! It seems to have been a last-minute addition because the Harlot did not mention that she was attending in her blog until a few scant days before the event. And traffic getting into the event was AWFUL. Since she spoke at 11AM and the event opened at 10AM, her talk was pretty poorly attended, IMO, for a Harlot Event. We planned to get there in plenty of time and I ended up missing 1/2 of her talk. But what I heard was great!! She came back to the craft area to knit with people and talk, so I got her to sign my book. And I got to ask her a question that resulted in her giving a detailed explanation of how she knits, which was fascinating. Someone got behind her with a camera, so I'll be checking YouTube for that footage. The...