Butterfly Finished…and it’s my Birthday

Take a good look:

I can’t believe it is done. I finished yesterday in time to wear it out for the evening. I love the way it turned out and am tempted to do it again. It was a perfect gift to myself for my birthday. Which is today…

Today, I turn 30. Or should I say, today, I am 30. This means: I am no longer in my 20′s. I know that is stating the obvious but it is a meaningful point to me. I have been dreading this day but then oddly the weekend came and I feel empowered. A good friend sent me an email sharing that once she turned 30, all pressure to do or to achieve x before she turned 30 was off. I agree with her. I like who I am and am proud of what I have accomplished and I know I am more equipped to handle what life throws at me. How can that be bad? So happy birthday to me.

My birthday weekend began with my sister taking me to the Beehive Tea Room for knitting and herbal tea.

I am working on the last strap of Butterfly, Kara on a shrug:

The tea room is beautiful and a great place to sit and knit. A perfect present from my knitting sister Kara. Last night I went out to dinner with my sisters and a couple friends wearing this:

Yes it’s my pretty butterfly. I kept switching my outfit to see how many ways I could wear butterfly in the fall. So below is the cardigan butterfly look. I am blowing out my candles after a good 5 minutes of thought on my birthday wish.

Look closely and you will see butterfly:

The stunning cake was made by domestic goddess sister Kara. Thanks to my beautiful sisters for making my birthday special. How cute are they?:

Kara and Bri: don’t hate me for the morning breakfast shot. See, you are even beautiful first thing in the morning…wearing aprons…making cheesy poses with your hands. I love you both so much.

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The following 7 comments were originally left at blogspirit:

Hello, I was at Kara’s little knitting shindig the other day and I saw you putting this thing together… Well, I must say it’s turned out gorgeous and you look just lovely in it

Happy Birthday!! What a great present for yourself

Posted by: Crystal | 10/24/2005

Hi, I came to look from Craftster and it looks beautiful. I also didn’t use as much yarn as I thought I’d need for mine. Well done!

Posted by: Stephanie Earp | 10/24/2005

Uber Fabulouso! What a truly beautiful creation, you should be proud. I’m considering making on myself. Lovely!

Posted by: Bad Amy | 10/25/2005

I came from Crafster too. Your Butterfly cami is beautiful! I made the dress in size M and used 2.5 balls, so I have no idea why the cami would use 3 balls! I’m hooked on this pattern and want to make a cami (more wearable) but… there is so much other stuff to knit.
Happy birthday! That was a great gift you gave yourself.

Posted by: Veronique | 10/26/2005

I just discovered your blog through a search and decided you are a girl of my own heart! Our “Sparkle” hats are EXACTLY the same, and I am working on the Basic Cable hat right at this very moment! Butterfly is just beautiful! Hope you had a very happy birthday!

Posted by: Kim | 11/02/2005

Hi Erin,

I want to ask you something Veronica Mars related-ish but I would rather do it by email. Will you send me one so I can reply? jemjerika[at]yahoo[dot]ca Thanks!!!

Posted by: Posted by: Stephanie | 11/03/2005

hi, this is my first visit to your blog. i love your projects, especially butterfly. the cami is gorgeous. i’m about to start mine for the second time!!

Posted by: blossom | 11/04/2005

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Beautiful Butterfly Blocked

Actually, it is seemed too but I really liked the a lliteration of the title so I am pretending that is as far as I got. I finally found those pesky bead needles and got to work on the second panel, finishing much faster then the first one took me. This pattern really goes quickly once you get the hang of it. And it is so…beautiful. I love it.

Here is a so-so picture of my baby on the blocking board:

Now on to the Picot edging which I hope isn’t too hard. One thing I am mystified about is how little Kidsilk Haze I needed. I have really only gone through about 1 and a half skeins where the pattern called for three balls. I made size M and even made it a little longer then the pattern called for�??as I am a tall girl. So the leftover ball will be added to the stash I guess

Speaking of the stash, I went through mine this week and was surprised at how much I have accumulated in the year I have been knitting.

Some of my stash:

These are deep containers filled with yarn. When did I buy all this yarn?! It is crazy, I am crazy. Strange to think that a year ago I was struggling to make an even swatch. Strange but cool.

Tonight, my sister threw a knitting party for some of her co-workers. Here is the fall knitting decor:

So fun. I have done some more work on the Clapotis but I put it aside to finish Butterfly. I am really glad I stuck with the Koigu. I will post progress pictures soon (along with final pictures of Butterfly.) I need to get a picture outside so you can get a good look at the colors. The lighting inside doesn’t give it justice. Once these two projects are off the needles I am going to finish Paula and then I am not sure what I will embark on. What I really want to make is a lace scarf but I am not sure what pattern I want to use. Suggestions are always welcome.

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The following 5 comments were originally left at blogspirit:

Butterfly looks amazing. i’ve been eyeing that pattern, but i just recently found out the KSH itches me! *sob*

Posted by: kate | 10/21/2005

Wow! Your sister must be so cool…

Posted by: Posted by: Not Kara | 10/21/2005

I saw somewhere, on a blog, I can’t remember which one someone made a beautiful lace scarf out of the Butterfly pattern! You could do that…if you’re not too sick of it. Your Butterly looks gorgeous on you!

Posted by: Tammie | 10/28/2005

Oh…and Happy Birthday!

Posted by: Tammie | 10/28/2005

Congrats Erin. It looks so fab! Kara just showed me your blog and I have to admit I’m smitten. You galz are so sickening sweet. From the Butterfly to the awesome cake.

I turn 30 in April. Can you knit me a butterfly?

Posted by: Posted by: Not Kara’s friend Jaimi | 10/28/2005

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Clapotis taking over

Clapotis begins…

I know, I wasn’t supposed to start on anything new as I had a due date and everything but hey, I do what I want. I did finish the frill of my second butterfly panel a week ago. I want to start on the body but for the life of me I can’t find the small needles I bought to thread the beads on so…I can’t start yet. I refuse to buy new needles as I know I have them somewhere. I just need to buckle down and find them. So, wanting to knit and sick of looking for the pesky thin needles and not ready to knit Paula sleeves, I decided to swatch my Koigu PPPM for Clapotis. Problem is, my swatching turned into real knitting and I just haven’t stopped. I think I love it. Here is a close up:

I love this yarn so much. I know the Clapotis won’t be as thick as if I used the recommended worsted weight yarn but I still think it works. The pattern is easy and is very fun once you start dropping those stitches. I am using US 7 needles and think it will be done in a week or so. I guess that depends on if I find those bead needles. Where could they be?

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The following 2 comments were originally left at blogspirit:

Your Clapotis looks lovely! I have seen two in person so far and wears well. Looking forward to your FO.

~Abi

Posted by: SpiderWomanKnits | 10/19/2005

Your Clapotis looks lovely! I have seen two in person so far and it wears well. Looking forward to pictures of your FO.

~Abi

Posted by: SpiderWomanKnits | 10/19/2005

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New obsessions…

I did it! I finished the first panel of Butterfly:

Isn’t it beautiful? I can’t wait to see it all blocked out. As promised, I cast on for the frill of the other side and completed about 3 repeats. Not a huge dent but at least it’s a start.

I also purchased this book from my LYS yesterday:

I needed a baby pattern book for my soon to be born nephew and found plenty of great patterns here. My only problem is the patterns I am most drawn to are the girl ones. How much do I want to make this for my 3 year old niece?

A lot. I want to make it a lot. She would be so cute. But really I need to focus on the baby. Problem is, the boy pattern I want to do is for a toddler and NOT a baby:

See…how cute is that??!? I am hopeless. I will just have to get it figured out. Baby comes in November so I need to get thinking. Also, my new obsession…the Clapotis. I know. EVERYONE and their dog has knit this and it is very unoriginal of me but I can’t stop thinking about it. What I can’t decide is what yarn to use. I have researched and I think I have looked at almost every Clapotis (pronounced Clap-o-tee–REALLY glad I learned that as it sounds dirty otherwise) in knitting blog land. My sister put a bug in my ear and I think I might try to do it in the Koigu PPPM that I am currently using to make opera gloves. I decided that I love the idea of Opera Gloves but I love this yarn and color palette so much that I don’t think I should use it on something that is so not practical and could very well look comical and not be used as much. So why not try it for the Clapotis. I only have 3 skeins so I may need more but first I am going to swatch this weekend and see what I think. I am not sure it will drape as I want it too so I need to do more thinking. Either way, the opera gloves are frogged and off the list.

Remember how I wasn’t going to obsess over new projects until my current ones are finished? I need help. But I haven’t forgotten about Paula and Butterfly. In fact, tonight is dedicated solely to Butterfly. I want to finish this weekend but I think that may be too lofty of a goal…especially with so many new projects turning my head. Tonight, my sister and I are staying up late, watching season 4 of Gilmore Girls, and knitting until we can’t knit any more. Sounds fun doesn’t it? I think there may be Baskin Robbins Peanut Butter and Chocolate ice cream involved too which sounds even more fun. Yum.

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The following 5 comments were originally left at blogspirit:

Awesome. I have so much else on my list, but you are motivating me to get back to mine in a hurry.

Posted by: Sumitra | 10/07/2005

your Butterfly is beautiful! wow.
I am also one of the few people in blogland not to knit clapotis!! I found the yarn that I want to knit it out of. I love to knit baby items. Goes super fast, and they are so cute! Enjoy your ice cream! : )

Posted by: Amanda | 10/09/2005

Butterfly looks fabulous! Is that the pearl color? That is what I did mine in. I love this cami!

Posted by: Eilene | 10/11/2005

I am knitting it in Majestic which has this great purple-ish undertone to it. Although now I am thinking I want one in pearl, cranberry, turquoise…I wonder how many I can make?

Posted by: Erin | 10/11/2005

Oh, Butterfly is going to be a stunner! I’m only allowing myself one lace project at a time, or I’ll never finish anything, but you sure make me want to cast on for that baby!

Posted by: Sarah | 10/19/2005

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On a deadline

I am trying to keep to my October 16th deadline for finishing Butterfly and Paula but I have noticed the deadline does not inspire me quite as much as I would like it to. Deadlines don’t work without consequences and frankly, I have a hard time disciplining myself. I would love to believe I would take away my yarn budget or something as a consequence but who am I kidding? I won’t. I do what I want. So by bringing up the deadline here I am trying to use one of the few things that can shame me�??that being pride. Plus I want to finish. Really.

I do have new projects I want to do. Like the mimi verylong I have seen on several blogs. Perfect for fall. I also want to do Beth from the Rowan Ribbon Twist book:

Also, I have various hats, scarves, booties, etc. that I need/want to knit for friends and myself. I wish someone would pay me to knit all day. But not to knit for them…for me, all for me. Does this job exist? Anyone want to hire me?

I am almost done with one side of Butterfly. It looks v. v. pretty. I should finish this tonight and will post pictures when I do. I can’t wait to see it blocked. I feel so advanced when I look at it. Okay, how about a mini-deadline…I will finish one side of butterfly and cast on for the frill of the second side tonight. Or else.

Tonight I am looking forward to LOST and knitting after a dinner with my parent’s before they leave town tomorrow. I am not looking forward to them leaving though. But if all goes well�??I am crossing my fingers�??my sisters and I will be visiting them in Hong Kong for Christmas. Can you say, Hong Kong knitting stores? I can. I don’t even care if it is the same stuff I can get here. I just want to answer when someone asks “where did you get that yarn?”…”Hong Kong. I got it Hong Kong.” I am a dork, I know.

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