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Monthly Archives: February 2010

Finish Line

28 Feb

Today is the last day of the 2010 Winter Olympics, and in turn, the final day for the Ravelry Olympics.  I finished my fifth hat last a couple nights ago.

  • Project : Ravelympics Hat #5
  • Pattern : Utopia Cable Hat by SmarieK
  • Yarn : Peace Fleece Worsted

So, as I cross the finish line, I have four hats finished for Warm Up Winchester, one that went to a friend for his birthday, and a shawl – after many frustrating starts that isn’t finished but  is on the right path.  At least I really don’t have to finish that until the summer.

Next up for knitting?  I am SO CLOSE to finishing John’s sweater!  I want to finish tomorrow and with all good hope, block it as well.  I have some sample knitting to do for Amanda over at NH Knitting Mama, once the sock needles come in from Knit Picks.  The test knit scarf for my Mom is about 75% done and should be blocked by the end of the week.

So much knitting, so little time!  And sadly, I’m going to have to make time for sewing as well, with Civil War re-enactment season quickly approaching.  I need at least two new petite coats, one new chemise,  and one new pair of bloomers, not to mention a new dress – all by May 1st!  I’d better get busy!

 
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Posted by on February 28, 2010 in FO

 

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NY Weekend Part Two

24 Feb

Before I re-cap Saturday and Sunday, I want to share with you the yarn that Tina dyed just for me!  What a great birthday gift … two luscious skeins of sock yarn.  The color is called “Mean Girls” and is inspired by one of our favorite tv shows, True Blood. 

Saturday started off lazy, just sitting around and relaxing.  Steve made waffles and Tina bacon … yum!  Around lunch time, with the smell of beef stew filling the house, some old friends started to drop by!  And I just realized that I did not get a picture of Jess!  Shame on me.

Becky

 

Becky's dog, Felix

 

Avagayil and Me

 

Tina, spinning

 

Katie and Felix

Oy – how I miss these folks.  They are the reason I am always tempted to stay in New York and not come back home.  We laughed, joked, carried on.  There was much movie quoting (especially Jay and Silent Bob – thank Jess!)

Later that evening we descended on Kingston and The 99 restaurant for the first UnCool Con!  There is a group of folks that I know through Corey, all equally crazy, geeky, and chaotic!  Screaming out Star Trek and Mad Maxx references, dishing on hockey and baseball, not to mention the fair amount of knit speak!  Of all the wonderful swag I received for my birthday, this was the best of all.  To have all these folks in one place, at one time … amazing.  And Russell, Celia, and Amanda came all the way from Stanton Island just to see me for the first time!!!!

Meghan

 

Corey and Amanda

 

Russell and Corey

Can you see now why I hate to leave when I visit?  Seriously … these folks need to move closer!  At least Corey is only three hours away.  Everyone else is at least a six hour drive!  Leaving on Sunday was sad, as it always is, but I was glad that this year, I got exactly what I wanted for my birthday!  To spend time with my dearest and most loved of friends!

 
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Posted by on February 24, 2010 in Friends and Family

 

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Ravelry Olympics : Day 12

23 Feb

I do not like to admit defeat, especially when it comes to a personal challenge.  When I say I’m going to do something, I do it.  Sadly, I do not think that I’m going to finish the Fountain Pen Shawl in the next week.  This shawl has been a challenge in itself from the start.  First, the yarn didn’t want to wind, so I had to wind it by hand.  Then, I realized that my knitting gauge is too tight to work with lace weight yarn comfortably.  So, I switched to something more along the lines of heavy fingering weight.  While it’s going well now, I still don’t think it will be finished in time.  But I’m steadily growing okay with this fact.

I have, however, pushed through and am doing well with my second goal, which is knitting hats for my charity, Warm Up Winchester.  So far I have three hats and I hope that I can get at least two or three more done.

 

  • Project : Ravelympic Hats
  • Patterns : (left) Slouchy Copy Cat Hat and (right) Slouchy Ridged Hat
  • Yarn : (left) Himalaya Tibet Wool/Silk and (right) Cascade 220

The hat on the right turned out great; perfect slouch and a great fit!  The hat on the left isn’t as slouchy, but still a great pattern and very easy too!

 

 
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Posted by on February 23, 2010 in FO

 

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NY Weekend Part One

22 Feb

I’m back in Virginia; sad but true.  It is always hard for me to rip myself away from my friends in New York.  These people are amazing – the true salt of the earth.  So while I love to visit, it is always painful to leave them and go back to the ‘real world’.  But I also missed my fur babies, as well as my family and friends here, south of the Mason-Dixon line. 

The Hudson River, from Athens

 

Thursday was all about catching up and relaxing with Tina and Steve.  Their new house is fantastic!  I love the layout of the house and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little jealous of their fireplace.  They are still unpacking and settling in, but it was wonderful for them to give us a place to sleep while we were visiting. 

Goofing around with Tina

 

On Friday we ventured out to Hudson and Chatham, two places that I frequented when I lived there.  There is a tea shop in Hudson that I’ve been dying to try.  Verdigris Tea is a full service tea shop, as well as a cafe.  I brought home a few samples ( a black tea with coconut being my favorite so far!)  

Verdigris Tea

 

The Hubby

 

After tea, we drove down to the train station in Hudson to check out the new coffee place that is across the street, Strongtree Coffee.  It has been so hard for John to get decent coffee in town since the Daily Grind went out of business.  He found a great espresso blend and even got a free cup of coffee for buying a pound to take home!  Afterwards we drove to Chatham to visit on of my favorite yarn stores, The Warm Ewe.  

That evening we headed into Catskill for sushi at Oscar’s, and to meet up with more knitting friends, Tim and Harriet.  Tim has the same birthday as I do, just different years.  How cool is that?  I was so pleased that Tim liked the hat I knit for him! 

Tim wearing his new hat.

They gave me a sweet gift; two skeins of Melody sock yarn in a blue/teal shade.  I can’t wait to use it!  Sushi was great (as it always is at Oscar’s.)  After dinner we headed back to Tina’s, and while everyone stayed up to chat/knit, I headed to bed.  I was exhausted, but happy.

Okay … in a couple days I’ll have part two of the New York adventures, which include pictures of yarn, friends, and The Uncool Con of 2010!

 
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Posted by on February 22, 2010 in Friends and Family

 

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New York State of Mind

18 Feb

Hudson Lighthouse - Athens, NY

Have a good weekend, kids.  In just a couple hours, John and I are loading up the car and heading to see friends in NY!  I’ll take lots of photos to share when I return from the best birthday weekend a gal could ask for!

 
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Posted by on February 18, 2010 in Friends and Family

 

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Happy Birth ‘Week’

17 Feb

Woot – today is my birthday!  But I say that I’m having a birth-week because the celebrations have only yet begun. 

Today, I’m relaxing at home.  Baking bread, knitting, and listening to Nina Simone on my IPOD.  My husband made me an amazing steak and baked potato dinner last night, topped off with my favorite beer, chocolate, and cup cakes!  Most of the cupcakes became my birthday breakfast.  I stopped in to see my Uncle Roger at his workshop, ran some errands, and now I’m taking it easy until Knit Night tonight.  Tomorrow is another exciting day; John and I are driving to New York to visit with Tina, Steve, and many other good friends who we don’t get to see enough of.  Saturday we’re having dinner in Kingston, NY with ALL my NY friends (well, most of them.  Those that can’t make it, I hope, are going to be at Tina’s knitting.)  I’m really stoked because I get to meet a couple on-line friends for the first time.

Speaking of knitting, the Ravelry Olympics has been keeping me busy.

 

  • Project : Ravelympic Hats
  • Patterns: (left) Armando Hat and (right) Floating Spiral Hat
  • Yarn : Peace Fleece Worsted and Kathmandu Aran

I’m really happy with both of these, and I think they will be fine additions to the Warm Up Winchester pile that I have already started for the year.  I’ve wound up a couple more skeins of Peace Fleece and hope to get it all used up.

The other project I am working on is the Fountain Pen Shawl.  At this point, I really have no idea if it will be finished in two weeks, but I’m going to try.  I’ve just been so stressed out from work that hats are easier to work on than delicate and complicated lace.  But, we’ll see how it all goes. 

 

 

 

 
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Posted by on February 17, 2010 in FO

 

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Casa Nueva

16 Feb

I’ve been wanting a new home for my blog for some time.  While I really enjoyed blogging from The Yarn Closet, I felt that I was starting to out grow it.  So, I’d like to welcome all of you to my new home …

Mrs. Darsie’s Menagerie

It is truly a collection of the ’exotic’ items that make up my life.  Knitting, spinning, and sewing.  Civil War re-enactment and writing.  Friends, family, crazy felines, and my hubby.  I’m hoping to get a better layout and work more with the design in the coming months, but for now, I think this theme will do.

I also want to say thank you to all of you who read my blog.  It started as a way to further express myself and has grown to mean so much more.  It is a key element in the way I communicate with most of the world, not to mention a doorway to meeting new and amazing people, especially in the fiber world!

 
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Posted by on February 16, 2010 in Misc

 

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