A Year in the Making

I have written this post in my head for, well, almost a year now.

I say "I really need to blog about this, but I have to block it first. I'll do it tomorrow." Tomorrow comes and I never feel like blocking. I knit a new thing, I weave in ends on another thing, I sew a little something. Summer turns to Fall, Fall turns to Winter, Winter turns to Spring and $!@&;^%$ it's Summer AGAIN??!

I have been saying " I really should block this." about once a week and somehow I never do it. I think
"I kinda want to wear it" as I lay trying to fall asleep. Tomorrow...

Tomorrow came and I did it!!!Maybe all this foot dragging is due to the fact that this was my second Buttercup tunic and so it wasn't a thrill to knit or finish. I made another one because I wasn't really that happy with how the first one turned out and I had to make some modifications.

The Low Down
Pattern: Buttercup by Heidi Kirrmaier
Yarn: Jaeger Trinity
Modifications: There are a ton and since I finished knitting this almost a year ago and didn't take good notes I'm making some grand guesses as to how exactly I modified my top. First off I omitted the gathering at the back neck to result in a more overall fitted look. According to my notes I did this "body, knit until measures 10 cm from underarm. after marker ssk knit until 2 st before next marker k2tog sm ssk knit until 2 stitches before marker k2tog"  I assume this was to take it in a bit so it fit better.   I knit the sleeve much shorter. In fact I only did a couple rounds after picking up the stitches for the sleeves then I bound off loosely and I didn't do the "puff" sleeve so I could get a tighter trimmer fit.

My overall goal was a more fitted top and I am so much happier with this version then I am with my first attempt.

Notice the red bracelet?

Here's a close up

It was a birthday gift from my friend Christy who has a wonderful line of jewelry over at B-side Metalworks. It's a wish bracelet that is so sweet in it's concept and look that I couldn't resist tell you about it. The idea behind it is to make a wish when putting it on and when the bracelet falls off your wish will come true. So cute!

Summertime

It's really not news that the weather has been in the 80-90 degree range in the Mid West with an occasional chilly dip into the 70's for some time now, but I only just now feel ready to welcome the summer with open arms.

Earlier in the year I ordered myself a new pair of sandals to take on vacation. They arrived a day before we left, so I though I'd better skip it and the potential blisters.

Fast forward to today when I wore them walking around farmers market and to the grocery store. I am in LOVE with them. They are so comfy it's what prompted this post, not to mention cute.

So what are these glorious sandals? They are Sseko's! Not only are they ridiculously comfy they can be styled in a million different ways with all kinds of colors of interchangeable straps. I'm still figuring out all the ways. Just type in Sseko to YouTube and you will have more tying styles then you have time.

Beyond the stylish exterior lies a company doing really good work in Uganda.

  

Click HERE to read the whole story.

How Cute is this strap?