Friday

Unfinished Object Update #1

by Joanna
I wrote a post back in February about facing my UFO's... and decided it is now time for an update.

The first project I decided to finish up was a simple pair of socks worked in Opal sock yarn. I left the socks linger because I made a mistake and the ribbing pattern on one sock is different than on the other one. I decided my feet wouldn't mind-- so I finished the foot of the second sock, which is all that remained to be completed. Ahhh. I forgot how good a new pair of handknit socks feels!


Another linger-er was my Atelier Cardigan. It was about halfway finished, I realized it would not be that hard to complete... AND that I could certainly wear it now, as we transition to spring weather in Colorado... so I wrapped it up. I love a top-down seamless knit like this. Hurray!


I am in love with the built-in garter stitch pockets. They are what sold me on the pattern in the first place.


So, my self-imposed rule is: "Finish 2, start something new"-- so I did!


This was my first big project in Blue Sky Alpaca's Metalico. It is a rather magical yarn to work with- half alpaca and half silk- dreamy. This is for a yet-to-be released publication from Interweave, so I can't show you any photos now. But the project is done: off needles, finished, written, blocked, delivered, and photographed already. I will show it to you as soon as I can!

Monday

~Snail Mail Love~


Last week, we received this lovely letter from a local library in New Hampshire. We get lovely emails, messages, and notes from our readers more often than I ever expected to, but this is our first "fan mail" from a library. What a treasure! We are so thankful for our readers!

Wednesday

~Prairie Road Trip~ Loveland, Colorado to Brown Sheep Company and back again!!

by Joanna
Eric and I work out of our home studios in Loveland, Colorado, which is about a three hour drive from the Brown Sheep Company wool mill in Mitchell, Nebraska. On Monday, my dad and I took at quick day trip up to the mill.

We drove north to Cheyenne, then east into Nebraska. Every time I go to Brown Sheep Co, I drive by this old Rambler station wagon. I always wanted to stop and snap a pic of it, so today I did.

This wonderful agricultural museum sits just east of the Scotts Bluff National Monument.

The skies could not have been more clear as we drove by! (Not in a covered wagon, but in a Ford pickup.)

I spotted this license plate as soon as we arrived at the mill, don't you love it? We had a great visit at the mill and talked through some exciting ideas to work on over the next few months. Also, we were able to pick up a pallet of books from their warehouse.

We took a shortcut through eastern Wyoming on the way home. There were a lot of spring calves out grazing on the plains.

My dad's "new" truck handled the load perfectly! The weather was forecasting rain, but we were able to dodge the raindrops and get home to Loveland safe and sound.

Here we are! 45 boxes of Phoebe's Birthday, brought in just before the rain arrived. 

When I say Eric does all of the "heavy lifting" around here, I mean it quite literally!