If there’s one thing that makes me happier than my FIRST finished sweater, it’s pictures of me wearing said sweater in BLUEBONNETS! (especially since this sweater had a rough start)

Texas cooled off nicely one last time and I feel like it was just for me. (No, I’m not self absorbed, I’m not sure what you’re talking about.)

Meghan graciously agreed to play photographer. What I love about Meghan is that when I say, “I want a picture of me doing a handstand”, she just nods and asks, “which way are you going to face?”

Handstands were more difficult than I remembered. I blame the uneven ground (but I started doing pushups more regularly after this, so you can make your own assumptions). Luckily, Meghan has AMAZING timing.

And since the Delias socks were present, we couldn’t leave them out!

Back to our regularly scheduled sweater report….
Pattern: Owls by Kate Davies
Yarn: Cascade Yarns 128 Superwash
Colorways: Mocha Heather, Bitter Chocolate (edging)

Notes:
Seriously, try this sweater on as you go. You’ll be happier.

If you see a picture of the owls sweater that looks like it has increases or something near the boobs, that was an earlier version of the pattern.

My dark chocolate edging was inspired by Lladybird’s owl sweater.

If you graft toes of socks, that skill will come in handy for the underarms.

If you put your hands under your arms like you would in the chicken dance, that’s where you should stop knitting the body and when you should stop knitting the sleeves. (read this tip in the Owls group on ravelry)

I tried the Tubular Cast On, but I just didn’t love the way it looked, so I went back to my old friend, the German Twisted Cast On.

Make sure to start your owls where you want them so they are symmetrical or centered as you prefer. I used the crap out of stitch markers while knitting this puppy.

Mods:
Cast On for two sizes larger than my size.

Back decreases as written and continued decreasing until I couldn’t any more.

Didn’t do any back increases (did them all under the arms so they were less noticeable)

(Meghan is also the kind of friend that will loan you her jacket so you don’t have to go back to work with bluebonnet stains on your pants.)

Sleeves:
Cast On for two sizes larger than my size with 5.5mm needle (German twisted co). Did the ribbing with 6.0mm and then switched to 5.5mm for the arms. Did 8 inches even (including ribbing) and THEN started the increases as written until I got the number of sts called for in my size and then just knit even to my underarm.

Put 6 sts aside for underarm (4 just did not seem like enough to me)

Regrets:
I wish I’d done a more loose cast on (like over two needles even though that seemed too loose at the time). For me, getting the cast on even close to right was the hardest part of this sweater.


* Meghan and I tiptoed through the bluebonnets, being careful not to crush the wee beasties. Thanks for being my photographer, Meghan! The funny thing about this pic was her twin toddlers’ reaction, “Two Mamas!”. I guess when you’re a twin you think there’s two of everyone else too.

Ps. Check out what others have finished at:
Tami’s Amis

Wisdom begins in Wonder

Natural Suburbia

First, if you are a fan of the blue/purple swoopy thing on the foot socks, the pattern is out sometime today on violentlydomestic.com

Second, here are my green socks in progress with some bluebonnets because. well. because I LOVE bluebonnets, so I’m going to enjoy the hell out of them while I can!

And finally, because I was wearing them, here’s a glamour shot of my Linaria Bipartita Socks

This yarn (Plucky Knitter Primo Fingering) has pilled, but putting these on feels like snuggling happy baby bunnies against my toes, so I don’t care.

Ps. To see what others are working on, check out:
Tami’s Amis
Small Things(I started listening to Uglies but I wasn’t feeling it. Not sure what I’ll start next.)
Frontier Dreams

A friend of mine has been extolling the virtues of green smoothies and was trying to talk me into the 30 day green smoothie challenge. I figured I should probably eat one green smoothie before I committed to a month. She agreed and took one last opportunity to tell me how good kale was for me.

I read a quick guide on what I might put in my smoothie and got started.

Take 1:
2 cups of kale
2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup blackberries
(smoothie is no longer green, I’ll add another half cup of kale just in case…in case of what? I don’t know.)
1 cup blueberries
1. 5 cup strawberries
2 tbsp. flax seed

Tasted it.

It’s not bad, but it’s not good. It doesn’t taste like anything I can identify.

Take 2:
Add 150g Chobani vanilla nonfat yogurt (13 g of sugar can’t hurt.)
Nope. Something is bitter? or something. Can’t quite put my finger on it.

Take 3:
Add a packet of stevia to each glass.
It’s getting there, but it’s too runny.

Take 4:
Freeze it.

The next day, I eat a smoothie with a spoon.
The day after that, I let it melt a little and drink the second smoothie.

Later that day, I realize that kale has more fiber than expected.

And so it was that I started the 6 week Crossfit at Home challenge (recommended by a friend) with a Kale Cleanse.
I think I need new friends.

Ps. When I asked my friend how she LOVED green kale smoothies, she sweetly responded, “oh……..I only use Spinach.”

Pps. Here are the green socks I’m working on. Pattern to be re-released by Hunter Hammersen sometime in the future. I’ll let ya’ll know when it’s available.

You’ll note the foods in these photos are not green smoothie in nature.

Ppps. To see what others are working on, check out:
Tami’s Amis
Small Things
Frontier Dreams