So I don't blog as often as I used to, right? So imagine my surprise when Potter Craft emailed me and offered to send me some books they were publishing and told me they linked to my blog. Let's say really surprised. This blog has had it's advantages for me. I get to imagine that people think I'm funny. I have gotten to meet some pretty cool people because of it, and now - knitting books. Yay blog!

So the first book I got wasTwinkle's Weekend Knits by designer Wenlan Chia. She is also the author of Twinkle's Big City Knits, and the designer behind the Twinkle line of clothing and yarn.

I combed through it and found a lot of patterns I'd like to try out. The styling in the photos is pretty cool, but not totally out of reach. Many of the projects truly do seem like they'd only take a weekend to knit (well for me, a weekend away from home to knit) since many of the patterns use super bulky yarn. There are really great looking patterns for interesting scarves that only take two skeins of her Twinkle Soft Chunky Yarn. I particularly like the Peony Scarf - a bulky petal pink scarf with looped fringe that resembles the flower. There are also several sweater patterns that use the super bulky yarn that are also appealing, and according to the author - flattering, so those are pretty intriguing to me as well. The one I'm most interested in? The Nimbus Sweater, a tight, white sweater with a funnel neck and clever shaping.

Twinkle's Soft Chunky yarn seems to run about $20 a skein which would make a sweater using 6 skeins a little out of my price range, but if I could find a suitable substitute, I'd definitely try out these patterns.

Posted by jen at 09:11 PM |Comments (0)

I have travelled approximately 5400 miles in the past 2 days. On Wednesday I travelled to Irvine California for work, went to a meeting Thursday, got on the red-eye and walked across my doorway at 7am this morning. Here's what I learned on my trip:

• If they tell you that the regular parking garage is full and you park in short term parking, it will cost you $76 by the time you get home, and your car WILL still be there.
• If your hotel has a free shuttle, you may still end up taking a cab there if you are lazy and it is really late at night
• When you have a baby at home - one cocktail, a night of uninterrupted sleep, and the chance to eat dinner at a leisurely pace may constitute a mini vacation - even if that dinner takes place at midnight your time and the sleep takes place from 3am to 9am.
• Business travelers do not follow the rules. The overhead bin is for your one carry on that will not fit under the seat in front of you. The other bag you brought goes under the seat in front of you. If you put both your bags and your coat in the overhead bin, by the time I board I will be forced to check my carry on. You are a bin hog. I don't like you.
• If a flight is delayed on it's way to Vegas, half the passengers will be stinking drunk by the time you get on the plane.
• It is not a good idea to take the red eye home and then go to the grocery store. Not a good idea at all.
• If you think you have pink eye, you probably do.
• Airport food is just as gross as ever, even if it has a famous name on it.
• Do not wear Uggs to the airport because you will be barefoot through security.
• Luxury to me is a bowl of steamy oatmeal delivered to my door with a hot pot of coffee.

Posted by jen at 08:40 PM |Comments (3)