FO Post: Miraldette

It's spring break, finally, and a few days ago I took the opportunity to block, weave in ends, and take pictures of four lace projects that have been lined up in my finishing queue for... an embarrassing amount of time.

I can't even say enough good things about this pattern.  It's a beautiful balance of texture and airiness, and in a cashmere/silk blend, it's light as air and warm to boot.

I still miss my first Miralda, which is why I'm currently knitting another in the same colorway that I first used (Vintage Rose in pure Mongolian cashmere), but this one I already think is going to be a favorite.

Pattern: Miralda's Triangular Shawl, from Knitted Lace of Estonia, by the fabulous Nancy Bush

Yarn: 1.75 balls of Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere/Silk blend, about 750 yards, colorway Hydrangea

Needles: Size 7 US

Approximate time: 2 weeks to knit, two months to block.  Eep.

Hell Week: 1 of 2

Yesterday I got to my knitalong at Smith's, plopped down, complained about the 2 page (single-spaced) paper and exam I had to study for by 10 am this morning, and my knitting buddies promptly sent me home.  I finished my exam, but I still have a 6-8 page paper to finish and a presentation to do before tomorrow night at 8 pm.

It's been that kind of week.

As an antidote, I've been working on a little Akimbo (rav link, normal link) for another knitalong at Smith's.  It's Mountain Colors Crazyfoot, and I've been enjoying the hell out of knitting it.  It's a really gorgeous deep brown with shots of turquoise and magenta throughout - some of my favorite colors, but nicely mitigated by the brown.

Next week is similarly terrible, but I hope to start posting again regularly soon!  I had some new jeans come in the mail because my normal ones are shredded to pieces, and have been for going on six months.  Fingers crossed that they fit and I can share them in one of my next postings.

Also: I almost wrote a post solely about the subject last Saturday, but decided not to.  Last Friday morning I woke up to the news of the earthquake in northeastern Japan, and since then the whole East Asian Studies department has been sitting on the edge of its seat making sure all of the faculty and students in Japan right now are okay.  All of my friends are in the Kansai region, so there's no direct damage, but I've also heard from some of my Japanese friends who are fine but deeply worried.  I've heard conflicting reports on how worried we should be, since the US media is jumping on it as a doomsday-style catastrophe.  I've basically been experiencing gratitude that it wasn't worse, but also awe at the sheer force of nature, sadness for those who were lost, and good thoughts for the people who are displaced without food, water or electricity.  I hope everyone will continue to send whatever types of support they can to the people of Japan, be it good thoughts, prayers, or material goods.

Stay safe out there.

Outfit Post: Bows and boots! (And a reindeer, sort of.)

Today I ripped my sock due to gauge issues, did 3 hours of Japanese homework, napped for five minutes, taught a knitalong that no one showed up to, and contemplated the suchness of how much I dislike school sometimes.  It's never been so much of an issue before, but at this point I am firmly in the clutches of senioritis and its slightly less formal cousin, get-me-out-of-here-already-itis.

Needless to say, a little silliness is merited.  You know, as a counterbalance.

Combat boots: J Shoes
Tights: Hue
Skirt: Mew, bought in Osaka
Pintuck shirt: Vintage
Slip: Vintage
Crochet beaded necklaces: Ginko Gallery, a local arts coop
Attitude: All mine. 

WIP: Waving Lace socks

Sometimes all you need is the ease of something you've done before...

...and a quiet moment between shuffling in which to do it...

...to finally cast on for that goddamn second sock.

WIP: Honeysuckle Cardigan

Huzzah!  After wearing a wrist brace for about a week, I got back on track - I've finally bound off for the body of Honeysuckle, and it looks like the fit will be very nice.  I'm expecting it to grow a little bit during blocking, but it's about at the right ease right now, so I probably won't block it very vigorously.  Now all that's left to do is knit the sleeves.

Please excuse my incessant need to make silly faces whenever I have a camera pointed at me.

The color is a little unusual for my wardrobe, which tends to rely more on jewel tones, but I think it'll be a nice neutral spring cardigan to throw over dresses for a little extra coverage.

Outfit Post: Samuel Dong coat

Here is the coat I mentioned yesterday!  This is another Samuel Dong piece, and I found it at one of my favorite local boutiques for 50% off its $299 pricetag.  I think it's an offering from Fall 2010, although it's also a nice early spring coat, so it might be a little older - unfortunately I haven't been able to find it online anywhere to show you.

I love it. It's a little baroque, but the floweriness is offset by the color and the slouchiness.  The belt provides a nice focal point - the coat looks pretty good without it, but the belt really adds a lovely shape and makes the fabric drape in that amazing gathered, cozy-but-refined sort of way.

I've gotten several compliments already, ranging from a "Wow, what an unusual coat!" from a coffee cart employee to an "おしゃれですね！" from my Japanese teacher/Capstone advisor, who knows how much I love clothes.  おしゃれ, oshare, roughly translates to "fashionable" or "smartly dressed". 

Beauty and quirk.  My favorite.