Graduation Gifts

I can't believe it's been four years since I graduated from high school, as it really doesn't feel like I've already been in the university for those four years! But I have and some people I still think of as kids have graduated and are graduating, and I feel so old! This year, my stepsister is graduating and to celebrate that I made her a card and crocheted earrings. The card has two origami butterflies made from Marimekko advertisement (Marimekko is a pretty famous Finnish textile company). It also has some lace I crocheted myself and a blue satin ribbon bow and border. The golden lyre at the top right corner is kind of the symbol of scholarship here in Finland, as the graduation caps have the same golden lyre. The white lace and dark blue satin ribbon remind me of the colors of the graduation caps, white and black, without being funeral-y. Here is the card, which I am quite pleased with.

The earrings I crocheted from red thread with a 1.00 mm hook. Was that a pain! But otherwise they would have been too big, as they are quite big even now, 5x5cm. But because I crocheted them with such a small hook, they are sturdy enough so that they didn't need to be starched (plus I think earrings don't really have to be "hard", they can bend a little). I love these earrings, and I hope she does, too, 'cause otherwise I just want to keep to myself!

Stalagmite

Although I am somewhat concerned and saddened that it seems most of the activity on my blog is spam-related, I am however going to keep posting, if just to entertain myself. I recently finished my Stalagmite socks, another pattern from Knit.Sock.Love by Cookie A. I used Cascade Heritage, the softest sock yarn I have ever come across. You wouldn't believe it's really wool, but it is, and very warm, too. I knit the legs of these socks on 2.5 mm needles, as the cables tend to get a little tight, but after the heel flap I changed to 2.25 to get a tight enough gauge so my socks won't wear through quickly. I am very happy with these socks, they are very soft, fit well and are very, very warm. The color I used is 5655, Como blue.

The socks don't differ in height, one foot is just  up from the floor!

They are pretty from behind, too!

I have also finished a little cowl I need to take pictures of and almost finished a crocheted purse, also not pictured yet. Now I am knitting Satlburn from Rachel Coopey's new book, Coop Knits Socks. You can get it as an easy e-book from Ravelry, it features ten great designs and there's a knit-along on her Ravelry group, too. Next month I'll be knitting a lot of her patterns, as the Sock Knitters Anonymous sockdown will be literary theme, and I alreasy have two Coop knits patterns that fit the bill: Jane Bennet socks from Interweave knits Jane Austen Knits and Sleeping Beauty that was a part of last year's Once Upon a Time club but is now released to everyone. I really like so many of the patterns that were designed for that club. The patterns were exclusive for a year so I'm very glad that I only found about it earlier this year and not so that I had to wait a whole year for the patterns to be released. Verybusymonkey's Rumpelstiltskin was also designer for said club I if I have time, I might also knit that for next month's sockdown. And of course there's my only club pattern Snozzberries from Rachel Coopey's and Knitting Goddess' 7 degrees of Kevin Bacon club which was the pattern in April and which I own along with the purple-pink yarn that goes with it!

Cubist

I just finished my Cubist socks today, and am quite pleased with them. I also continued to knit my Stalagmites although I am feeling a little sock fatigued so I might knit (or crochet) something other than socks soon. But here are the socks this post is about:

They are quite cute, the busy yarn works nicely with this pattern, and that is always fun. The yarn is Hjertegarn sock wool in 1417, something I picked up for just five euros. It's always fun to get a good bargain.

In other news, I've continued to watch Gossip Girl, I just watched season 5, episode 17. There's just something about that show, it's definitely not the best show there is in my opinion, but it takes me in and makes me forget about the world for a while. And I think that's great and something that a TV show should do!

What I've been up to lately

Mostly stressing out, to tell you the truth. Spring is always stressful when you at the same time have to worry about finals and stuff, try to get a summer job and inevitably, start thinking about next year (school year that is) and all you want from it and hope for it to be. But that is not what I'm writing to you about, no, I just want to show you something new I've made!

First we have the Huntress shawl by Jennifer Chase-Rappaport, I'm calling mine Foxy Shawlette for obvious reasons. It was a quick project and not very difficult, but if you are not familiar with reading charts, then it might be a bit much. I found this great pattern in Knitscene magazine Fall 2012.

I've also been knitting socks, duh, I have two and a half socks done for May now. The patterns I've been knitting are both Cookie A. patterns, Stalagmite and Cubist. Cubist is a free pattern and Stalagmite is found in my perhaps favorite socks book, Knit.Sock.Love. I'll get you more pictures as soon as I'm finished with the socks.

Stalagmite in Cascade Heritage 5655 Como Blue

I also made a wedding card to couple of friends who were getting married. Found the picture online, printed it black and white and colored with pencils. Added some lace and spring-y green paper and voilá! I really love the result, and as they (or at least she) like cats, I think they liked it, too.

I have also cooked a lot, as I always do. I don't write much about cooking as this is mostly a knitting blog, but one day I made Cobb's salad and as it looked so good, took a picture which I am now going to show you. It was some good salad, with chicken and bacon and blue cheese. What could be better?

Now I'll get back to knitting or maybe go to the store to get some food, as I find myself suddenly very, very hungry.