Snowpocalypse

Well I got my wish.

I wanted to be away from the sand storms. I wanted to be away from the heat. I wanted to be away from the relentless sunny skies (for an Oregonian it's just not natural for it to only rain 2 weeks a year!).

So what did a get? My very first blizzard.

I don't know what is in my blood that I seem to end up living the extreme of possible weathers. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest where people get all fidgety if it's dry for too long (like three days in a row). Spent three years in Dubai where 90 degrees is often a relief from the heat and now living in Chicago where apparently it's normal to get 50'' of snow a year.

I happened to be in Detroit when The Great Blizzard of 2011 (imagine a movie announcer saying that) hit. Detroit didn't get hit nearly as badly (only 10" instead of the 20" Chicago go) but boy it's was kinda freaky. Wind so strong the snow was flying from left to right and it was howling. It's really hard to sleep when the wind is howling... it's just too creepy.

This is the courtyard in the Hotel before the storm hit

And here is after. And this is after a day of me not leaving the room! If there's a blizzard and food can be delivered I see no reason to leave

You can see the snow coming up past the windows

This is our windshield. The wind blew so strongly that the car didn't get buried just frozen.

When we finally did make it back to Chicago this is what we found (These pics aren't very pretty because let's face it snow isn't very pretty after the first day...)

Glad that wasn't my car!

This is the INSIDE of our parking garage. Snow is like sand and it gets EVERYWHERE!

There are still piles of snow like this all over the place. And dump trucks filled with snow driving down the roads. I think they just keep moving it from one place to another.

The path through the park by our house still had snow up to the knees

Fortunately Chicago does a great job of clearing the roads and for the most part it wasn't a problem just 2 days after the blizzard.

And it still wasn't a problem when it started snowing again

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!

Pendleton Blanket

Right after Thanksgiving I decided to finally check the mail... I wasn't expecting anything and who wants to get bills over a holiday weekend. Right?

But I was surprised when I went to my box and there was a note saying I had a package! OOOh the excitement! A surprise!!!

I ran to grab the package and found a HUGE box from my dad and step mom!

Once I got upstairs I ripped off the paper (Let's pretend that I waited patiently for the hubbs to get home... I tried. I really did. For like five whole minutes) I got all excited when I saw the logo on the box. Pendleton. It's a PENDLETON box!!! (I guess for anyone from the Pacific Northwest this is like a 6 year old girl getting a princess barbie) wrapped in sparkles. Pendleton Woolen Mills makes gorgeous woolen goods that will keep you warm through just about anything and are passed down through generations.

I had to catch my breath and regroup as remembered that sometimes my parents like to reuse boxes, and sometimes they put yarn in those boxes. So a list of possibilities ran through my head before I lifted the lid on the box. I found, to my excitement, a perfectly folded Pendleton blanket. Our very own (and very first) Pendleton blanket!

I unfolded it from the box and laid it out so I could see the beautiful images that the blankets are so well known for. As you can see the blanket my parents picked out has a compass with four moons. It's perfect.

It immediately found the perfect home on our couch where it's always just a reach away

And I love that it's reversible! (I'm thinking it's double knit then felted? hmm something to ponder)

But let's be honest, this is how it usually looks... Especially as the temperature out side creeps closer and closer to the single digits.

It's perfect for snuggling under while knitting and watching the snow fall outside.

I love it!

FO: Ducky Socks!

I finally have an FO to show everyone! It feels like it had been forever - when really I guess it's only been a couple week. Although it might also just feel like a long time because I cast on for these socks on Dec 31st! So it has taken me two months to knit a pair of socks... my excuse: Ravelympics

I started these socks to show my obvious support for the Oregon Ducks (as embarrassing as they are at the moment)... In case wearing a t-shirt, hoodie and sweats weren't enough I thought my feet should show my allegiance as well.... not to mention I love love love the vibrant colors of this yarn!

Pattern Details
Pattern: Duckies by Samantha Hayes
Yarn: flydesigns Monarch, Colorway - Spring
Needles: US 2’s Addi circs
Mods: I knit these two at a time using magic loop. The pattern calls for DPNs so the only modifications I had to make was the math in my head to convert the pattern to magic loop.

This was my first top down sock and my first time knitting two at a time. I love the two at a time process it feels great when they are done at the same time not to mention I love that I don’t have to remember for the second sock when I turned the heel or when I started on the toe – the two socks just come out the exact same!

I also, under normal circumstances, wouldn’t pair this bright vibrant yarn with this pattern only because I think a softer colorway would do this pattern more justice however how could I pass up making my Oregon Duck sock in a pattern named duckies? Just not possible.

The more socks I knit the more I like them and the more I come to the conclusion that I am going to have to get shoes that show them off better!

A gift from my Grandma

While I was home in Portland I decided to go through a trunk of stuff my Grandmother had left my dad when she passed away some 20 years ago (yeesh I can't believe it's been that long). I did this because when I got into knitting my dad had found a skein of yarn that my grandmother had and gave it to me. It's 500 yards of Royal Society Ever Sheen in a gorgeous cream color (I also think it must be a lace weight but I'm not positive). So in my mind I thought it would be perfect to make some heirloom lace shawl that could passed down from generation to generation. I wanted to make sure I had all of it as I thought it would be fantastic to make something like the Pi Shawl. But 500 yds isn't enough for something that big. So on 4th of July evening, before the fireworks, I went on a hunt through the trunk.

Can I just say how nice it was to be home for a holiday. Especially a holiday that is purely American. Having a barbeque with my family then watching the fireworks together was so much fun. It's great to not be the only one in a room celebrating a holiday.

Ok back on topic.

So we opened the trunk and found that my Grandmother really liked table cloths with matching napkins. There were seriously like 15 sets in there. Some of them even hand embroidered. There were some dresses and an old cub scouts uniform, a wallet and a kimono (very interesting) and some fabric just waiting to be made into a quilt. But no yarn.

Then my step-mom said "There's a smaller trunk that matches this one we should check that as well" So my dad found it and brought it over. Again no yarn but here is what I did find inside...

Knitting magazines!! From the 1950's! and two old crochet hooks.

In the pile are two magazines with baby patterns (they are adorable), one with sock patterns (even hunting socks!), one with women's clothes and one with men's sweaters. All the magazines are from Handknits by Beehive.

I was so excited! This was as good as finding yarn if not better! Old pattern books that my grandmother worked from and now I have them. I never knew that she was knitter before then. I knew she liked to crochet but the knitting was a surprise. Also I was quite young when she passed away and I just seems really special that we had this one thing in common and that some how, after all this time, she was able to give me something that I will always value and cherish.

My family on my dad's side has always been known for their ability to keep things long past their need. We're a family of stashers (In fact I'll remind my husband of that next time I buy more yarn)! But this is one time I will be forever grateful that we keep everything. Even if at one point it seemed to have no value it sure does have a lot of value to someone today.

Portland, Oregon

ok ok sorry i have been so lazy but this whole working-5-days-a-week thing is hard to get use to again.... oh and BTW this will be a bit picture heavy

so after having a fantastic time in Texas and a spectacular experience in the Dallas Airport we headed off to my home town. PORTLAND!!! Woot woot!

I was so excited to get home and even better was that my dad was waiting for us as we walked out of the airport. I turned into a little kid again as I ran up to him to get a big bear hug. We arrived pretty late at night so he took us straight home where we promptly fell asleep after exciting hello's to my mom.

The day after our arrival we did something so exciting. Something that I took for granted when I was younger and living in the States. We went to Safeway and Costco! I know!!! It was so much fun.

In Safeway we went up and down every isle and oooed and awwed over all the exciting things like red onions that are bigger than a golf ball and darker in color than watered down pink lemonade. There we giant cucumbers and rice mixes in al flavors. There was an entire isle dedicated to cereal and another to salad dressings. There was all kinds of milk and sour cream. You should have seen all the yogurt flavors. They even had blackberry my very favorite!!! It was fantastic!!

Then in Costco we wandered around looking at the bargain packaging of dish soap and tortilla chips then looked at all the reduced price books (that would make them nearly half the price of the same book here) and oooh the packages of socks!!! We even got a jumbo size bottle of vitamins. Then on our way out I got a hotdog and a coke for a dollar fifty! $1.50!!! Why cant we get hotdogs made with beef out here that are that good. Seriously. I know they exist and I want them. Now! So tasty.

The next day we headed over to my dad's where a bunch of family had come over and we had a proper barbeque. We had barbecued chicken with pasta salad and fruit. YUM! It was great to see all the family as it's been sooooo long! All the kids grew loads while I have been away.... Apparently kids grow whether you are there or not. Go figure.

Monday was Knitting Bee Day! My all time favorite LYS... Need I say more?
Dream in Color Smooshy in Pansy Golightly - Used this for my very first pair of socks (stay tuned)

Plymouth Yarn Dye For Me Happy Feet will be for my first Kool-Aid dyeing attempt. And my brother came to town from Oakland to hang out with us while we were in town

Tuesday it was off to the Oregon Coast where we had lunch watching the surf break and then headed to the Tillamook Cheese Factory . Then we headed over to one of my favorite places, the outlet mall! Oh that was good times... although for some reason my husband wasn't as excited as I by this last stop.

On the following day Mom, husband and I headed downtown to my all time favorite bookstore, Powells and we roamed around there. All I can say is that it's a good thing we had luggage that was already full otherwise I could have bought hundreds of books. Hundreds I tell you! Then we headed over to Knit Purl.
Fleece Artist Woolie Silk. I just couldn't resist these colors! The pic doesn't do them justice

Artyarns Regal Silk

The Fibre Company Canopy Fingering which I used for the Knot Hat - more on that later

My sister came to town as well! It was so much fun to see everyone and hang out. We (sis, brother, hubby & I) went and wandered all around downtown again. I just can't get enough of that place. We ended up at a little cafe that has fantasic juices and get this: Sheesha! Hahaha!

Finally after more days of lounging around, eating and chatting with all my family ooooh and there was shopping. Lots and lots of shopping we headed over to (drum roll please) Twisted!!!! They carry Blue Moon Fiber Arts and I had been itching to get there the entire trip.

Look at all that yarny goodness!!! I got four skeins of BMFA Socks That Rock in different weights (if you are interested in colors and weights you can check out my stash on Ravelry) and I got another skein of Smooshy and the Monarch on the end in Green & Yellow.... My schools colors. How could I pass that up!?!? I'm going to knit socks that represent the Ducks! Woot woot!

Overall the trip was great. I got to see everyone. The weather was fantastic and I went to all my favorite hangouts. It was just so nice to be home. It made me realize just how much I miss my family. I think it's a feeling I try to surpress a lot because when you live on the other side of the world there isn't a whole lot you can do about home sickness so you just try not to think about it. But to be home, seeing everyone, talking to everyone whenever we wanted, just made me realize how much I miss everyone... How much I miss home.

I think I'll go cuddle some of my new yarn to cheer my self up now....

FLS: Starting over

I re-cast on my February Lady Sweater and I have been knitting away. This is where I am at so far.

I am actually pretty proud of my self here because I was really worried that if I frogged the project that I would never start it again. I would just hide the yarn in the bottom of my yarn drawer where it would forever taunting me as the failure project that never was. And we're not talking some complicated double knit, fair isle, steak project (gives me cold sweats just thinking about it), no we're talking about a project that has been made over 4800 times and those are just the ones on ravelry!

When I was learning to drive on a manual shift (my dad insisted, saying I would be grateful for it and really he turned out to be right I'm so happy I can drive a manual and I actually prefer them) and I was having problems figuring it out and getting frustrated, I would just looked around the roads and figured if ALL of them can figure out how to drive and if ALL of them can pass their drivers license test so then I knew I could do it too (of course that was in Oregon out here I'm not sure half the people on the roads actually know how to drive but that's another story).

So now with the FLS I'm using the same technique. If 4800 people can make beautiful, well fitting sweaters well then SO CAN I and I will. Oh you don't know how stubborn I can be (well mom you probably do). I will make this sweater and it will fit me and I will wear it!

Home Sweet Home

I'm a little reminiscent of home today. The weather was beautiful in Dubai today and the air smelled like home, like Portland.

So I thought I would share a little of home with you. Just a peek because I know I will want to share more in the future.

These two pictures are from a Washington Park which sits in the middle or Portland City. It's the biggest national park that sits inside city limits in the nation. Yes I'm proud of that. Anyhow just a drive up a hill in the city will bring you smack dab into the middle of a dense forest with trails winding all through the park. This is something I completely took for granted living so close to it all the time. I should have spent more time there wandering around and enjoying the natural beauty of the forest.



This is the Portland Rose Garden. It's huge and has thousands of types of roses. I love it there. Totally worth the allergy attack. In fact the purple rose that I keep to the right here is my very favorite of them all.



This is the Oregon Coast. Cannon Beach to be precise. It's seriously gorgeous. And if your a fan of Goonies then you'll recogize Haystack rock.

summer vacation is over

yep it's all over.

we are now on the decent in to fall. and i'm looking forward to it. it's so flipping hot and boring here and i'm ready for normal weather. i was talking to my dad and he was saying that back home, in the Pacific Northwest, it had been pouring rain. i was jealous. jealous i tell you! i miss the smell, i miss the sound and i miss the feel of the air. this ridiculous heat out here is just no fun. there's no leaves changing color or rain jackets (we don't use umbrellas where i come from), no pumpkin picking or fresh apple pie, no nip in the air as we get closer to winter.... :::sigh:::

but then something wonderful happened as i was driving down Sheikh Zayed Road complaining to my dad... it rained. here. in the United Arab Emirates. it was like 8 drops, not even enough to wet the car or the roads but it was rain i tell you. glorious rain! rain that us Ducks just can't live with out! rain that cleans the air and nourishes the plants! of course it was rain planted as an experiment by the government but rain none the less.

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the end of summer also marks another important event. the beginning of (American) football season. yes collage football season has begun and i'm proud to say that my team, the University of Oregon, Ducks, have gotten off to a good start.... by winning. i'll keep you posted as the season continues