FO: Oregon Beaumont

In the lead up to the Oregon vs. Auburn game I knew that I had to "represent" in a big way. What bigger way to do that than to knit a hat! In green and yellow no less!!!

It just so happened that I was traveling to St. Louis for the game and I was a tish worried that I would be the only duck there! (Boy was I wrong) So I packed every piece of oregon/green/yellow clothing I had and headed on my way

But my favorite piece was my new hat. It's modified from the Beaumont pattern which I have knit before but instead of the beautiful intricate hearts on the top I decided to knit the Oregon "O"s in their place

I had the perfect yellow yarn to use from Knitabulous Yarns in Loquat and went and grabbed some Cascade Heritage in a deep forest green as the main color.

It took a few tries and a LOT of graph paper but the end result was well worth the work

As we pulled into St Louis I just couldn't resist getting a picture of me wearing my new hat in front of the Arch

I really love the way this hat came out. Yes it screams Oregon Ducks but I love that about it! I also love the subtle variations in the yellow yarn. It adds a little something extra that only hand dyed yarns can add.

This will definitely be my new go-to "Go Ducks!" hat!

Project Details:

Pattern: Beaumont Tam by Jared Flood

Needles: knit using magic loop with US size 3 & 6

Yarn: Knitabulous Yarn Supertwist Marino in Loquat (yellow) and Cascade Heritage in Forest Green

Mods: the "O"s!!!

Da Bears

Chicago is all a-buz with talk of the "big game" against the Green Bay Packers tomorrow...

The whole city is out showing it's support. There is blue and orange everywhere

Also I have been really careful not to sport my duck colors (sans duck) in case I might be mistaken for a :::gasp::: packer's fan! There's only room for one Green n Yellow team in my heart.

And seeing as Oregon has no NFL team to support I have decided to adopt Da Bears -

It opens up a whole new knitting world of blue and orange (not to be confused with black and orange - oh no) sqeee!

Go Bears!

2010 - where did it go?

What a year 2010 was. It brought me so many changes that sometimes I can't believe it all happened in the course of 12 months.

2010 brought me and my husband to the US and then to Chicago. Talk about a dramatic change from the deserts of UAE

The year over all was wonderful. We're healthy, we're happy and we're staying afloat - can't ask for much more.

I have made some new amazing friends who have instantly invited me into their knitting world as if I had always been there. When I think of how much has happened this last year I wouldn't change a thing (except for the nasty colds that seem to be following me around... but I digress) but the part that still brings me sadness and grief are all the wonderful amazing friends I left behind. Emails and online chatter just doesn't seem to convey how much I miss them. But I know one day we will be together again, knitting in a cafe for hours, showing off our newest yarn acquisitions and our latest WIPs and FOs.

The year has also brought me great changes in my knitting

I published my first pattern

And I also published my first "for sale" pattern

I managed to complete over 40 knitted FOs

But I didn't meet many of my other knitting goals for 2010

• I didn't knit with my own dyed yarn - but that's in the works for 2011 (more later)
• I definitely bought yarn before June - Hey I was back in the states and all my yarn was in transit... I'm strong but not THAT strong
• I didn't knit one stitch on that cabled purse. Not one
• I made NO sweaters for my self - but that's another thing in the works for 2011 (more later)

But I'm not too worried about my lack of accomplishments because, first, I have knit more than I ever have before and, second, I have let this craft take me in new directions that I hadn't foreseen

• I did colorwork! and I love it
• I started designing my own patterns - this amazes me mostly because I was always so intimidated to even modify a pattern I was working on but now that I have started I just can't stop!
• I knit for swaps! Loads of fun!

So here are my 2011 goals:

• Write up the patterns that are waiting patiently to be shared with the world (currently three!)
• Knit more socks. I love hand knit socks
• Knit more sweaters. I need more sweaters cause Chicago has loads of "sweater" weather (or deathly chill with a side of frostbite weather)
• NO YARN UNITL SOCK SUMMIT. Well, not counting next week. I'm going to the loopy ewe next week and I'm just not that strong. So after next week NO MORE YARN UNTIL SOCK SUMMIT!!!

But mostly I'm going to see where the year takes me. I hope it includes family, love and friends...

Oh and some red orange juice would be great if anyone knows how to get some.

Happy New Year Everyone! I hop this year is even better than the last...

The pictures are of some of my very favorite and most used FO's

Jimmy and the Duck

This is CRAZY! I love love love it! Who knew Jimmy Fallon was such a big Duck fan... but then again I'm amazed when anyone isn't a duck fan.

only 3 days until the big game!

Oregon Ducks Power Ballad Music Video with Jimmy Fallon and Sabastian Bach