Cheese Heads

So this past weekend I picked up some Queensland Collection - Kathmandu Aran yarn. I purposely picked out green and yellow so I could make myself a Cheese Head Beer Sweater.

I knew the minute I picked up the Queensland yarn that I was going to love it. Its soft but sturdy and its thick enough to do what I need it to do without having to double it up.

Plus, I feel so damn fancy when I get to crochet with silk and cashmere. I mean really.

In other news. When I was in CA the last time I picked a bunch of lavender in my mom's garden. I then put all that lavender I cut in my carry on luggage and brought it home with me to SLC. I'll admit, I smelled really weird and I'm sure the security guards thought I was insane, but whatever.

But now I have a ton of lavender and not much to do with it.

I was thinking I could do a sachet with it, and make little bags with my really thin white yarn, but I'm still not sure how to do that.

But as of right now, my room smells like my mom's garden which is pretty awesome.

Lastly, in very exciting news, Pete and I bought a freakin' iMac last night. Its ENORMOUS! (27 in. screen). I have never bought something so expensive or so fancy in my whole life. The Dell that I'm working on right now is like half the size and not nearly as nice. I'm still a little sick over spending that much money in one fell swoop.

But still... its super exciting.

That's all the news I have for today. Keep on hookin!

Ho hum

So it rained today. All day. And I have absolutely no inspiration and an enormous deadline due. Crap. I made some itty bitty baby slippers based on this cute little pattern. It takes some reading and investigating to understand the phrasing on the pattern at first, but it comes and its a great one. I didn't like the top so I just lopped it off and now I have little tiny slippers. Adorable.

Anyway, if anyone know of some good hat patterns, send them my way!

photo from freefoto.com

Ho Ho Ho.

My Yarn Wishlist:

Oh how I love Christmas, and... yarn. God I love yarn. So here's my top 5 list of expensive yarns to use. I'll make a 2 buck chuck version next.

1. Manos Del Uruguay: This gorgeous yarn is so fun to work with. It moves with your hook, and it works up in the most interesting ways. Because its hand spun and hand dyed, no two skeins are the same, and it thickens and thins as you use it. Its never going to work up the same and no two projects will ever be the same. What's better though is who the company supports. The company is owned and operated by the women who spin and dye the yarns. They are a co-op that creates and sells the yarn made by hard working women for a fair price and its awesome.

2. Berroco: This yarn is amazing. Nuff said. But then you take into account how many different kinds of yarn this company puts out and you'll be stunned. From basic cotton to merino wool and all the way down to a linen blend that looks and feels like a pair of well worn jeans. This company has it all. Plus, the great thing about Berroco is you can try all their yarns and not go completely broke in the process. Always a plus.

3. Cascade: Cascade is a yarn unto itself. I think what I like the best about Cascade's skeins is that you get SO much for your money. And they don't skimp on the quality so you're paying for 2 buck chuck and you're getting 200 yards of high quality, beautiful yarn in every color imaginable.

4. Rowan: Rowan is a unique brand in my heart. They're yarn is gorgeous, and they're patterns are stunning but they are so expensive that I have a really hard time buying the stuff. They also seem a bit knit-centric with very little in the way of crochet patterns in all of their publications. But when this company puts out a magazine or a book its worth picking up just to look inside. They're stuff is to die for. I would die to be able to make the stuff they have and with their yarn. DIE I say.

5. Noro: This is probably my boyfriend's favorite yarn. And I have to say that its a fantastic yarn to work with. Its really very pricey, but the self striping effect added on top of the very unique color choices (I probably wouldn't choose to put any of the colors together that they do, yet somehow it always works when I buy their yarn). Plus you can felt it, or leave it be and always have an insane end product that will make even a knitter happy with your work.

So that's my list of the top 5 expensive yarns. Next up... the cheap ones! Yes!

Keep on hookin' my fine hookers.

All photos are from the website of the yarn producers. Click the links for more details.

All Hallows Eve.. and Blankets suck.

I think for my next project, I'm going to tackle the Moorish Mosaic Afghan from Interweave Crochet, Fall '09 But that's not really why I am posting (though, I will be posting pictures of my progress, it seems really cool...)

I don't know about anyone else, but I have the HARDEST time finishing blankets. I start them with joy, thinking "This is gonna be the best damn blanket of all time, people will come into my home, see this blanket and praise me as a goddess among blanket stitchers" and then I get 2 motifs in and I'm bored. Way bored. Thinking about the sweet hat I could be making if it weren't for this damn blanket on my hook. I've done this like 4 times. Its ridiculous.

On a completely separate, non-crochet, yet equally awesome note, I thought I would share what I am going to be for halloween. Last year I was Todd Palin and my boyfriend was Sarah (it wasn't cute...) and this year to throw everyone for a loop again... I'm going to be Indiana Jones and my half Korean boyfriend is gonna be Short Round. Oh yes people, we're doing it, and it will be amazing! He's going to be a much taller Short Round and a much older one too, but by god, it will be hilarious.

I know this has absolutely nothing to do with crocheting or yarn, but its Halloween, I couldn't help it.

Indy photo compliments of faithandfacts.com