golden bird knits: March 2011

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Celebrating Pride & Prejudice Appreciation Day

I read somewhere on the Internet that today is Pride & Prejudice Appreciation Day. (And as you know, it is a universal truth that everything on the Internet is factually accurate.) So, as a huge P&P fan, I decided to have a celebration here on my blog. mmmmm mm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm m m m m

And now for that age old question ... which actor is your favorite Mr. Darcy?mmmmm mm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I must confess I'm partial to Matthew McFayden. It has something to do with his voice, the misty meadow scene, and the line, "You have bewitched me, body and soul ..." Yum. But Colin Firth is definitely a fan favorite, especially in his wet white shirt.

However, I prefer him as Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones. mmmmm mm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

The last Pride & Prejudice remake was the Keira Knightley version in 2005. I dare say it's time for a new one, and I flatter myself that the producers will seriously consider my suggestions for casting some of the major roles. mmmmm mm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

~~Edward Cullen~~ Robert Pattinson as Mr. Darcy. mmmmm mm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Emma Watson as Elizabeth Bennet. Her fine eyes and light, pleasing figure make her a natural for the part. mmmmm mm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Andrew Garfield as Mr. Bingley. I liked him so much in The Social Network that I had to have him in my movie. mmmmm mm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Alan Rickman as Mr. Bennet. I have been violently in love with his unusually deep voice for many years now. mmmmm mm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Sienna Miller as Jane Bennet, basically because I couldn't think of any other pretty blonde British actresses (although I'm sure there are plenty). mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm mmmm mm mm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm mm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Have a happy Pride & Prejudice Appreciation Day! ♥ ♥ ♥

NOTE: I am having major problems with Blogger and had to delete the original version of this post. Thank you to everyone who left such wonderful comments and I'm so sorry they were lost. I did read them all before they disappeared.

Monday, March 21, 2011

A pink hat kind of a weekend

We've been getting absolutely pounded with rain around here. It pretty much poured all weekend and at night a frenzied wind whipped through the trees.

My peaceful little creek has turned in to a raging river. I watched it most of the day yesterday as I sat by the window and knit a little pink hat for my niece, who is due in June.

The hat is my March project for the New Techniques Knit-Along. It is the first hat that I knit completely in the round using circular needles and double-points. Everything went well until I had to switch to the DPNs ... I really struggle with those. The hat has all sorts of holes and other mistakes at the top, mainly on the side that you can't see.

I really don't like how the hat turned out. It reminds me of the holey, uneven scarves I made when I was first learning to knit. But I keep reminding myself I'm just learning to use the DPNs and practice makes perfect.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

A winged awakening

When you start bird watching, there is a type of awakening that occurs, an awareness that wasn't present beforehand.

First, you begin to see more birds than you ever noticed before. A robin bouncing across the lawn. A phoebe perched on a fence post. You ask yourself if there were always this many birds in the neighborhood.

Second, you hear the birdsong. The chirp of a hummingbird outside the kitchen window. The melody of a warbler in a magnolia tree. A purple finch singing her nest song.

Small miracles begin to occur. You step out on the porch one night in time to see a barn owl glide silently over the roof top. In March, when the cedar waxwings should be long gone, you spot a flock in your neighbor’s tree, and the miracle isn't that they are still hanging around, it’s that earlier in the day you wished you could see them one more time before the arrival of spring. And there they were.

You open to the possibility of miracles in other areas of your life, catching more and more glimpses of beauty throughout the day.

Life becomes less ordinary, less habitual. Possibilities exist everywhere. Little winged jewels emerge.

You wonder, what else have I not been seeing?

And you begin to look with new eyes.

And you begin to see.

Friday, March 11, 2011

More mesh scarves

I was fortunate to have my Mesh Bamboo Scarf pattern published on All Free Knitting a while back because it has brought many visitors to my blog, which has led to new friendships. Some of those new friends have sent me photos of their versions of the mesh scarf, which I want to share with you.

This keyhole version was knit by Connie on size 10 needles with worsted weight yarn and an 18 stitch cast on. I really like the bulkiness and the way it looks pulled through the keyhole. Connie knit a matching floppy hat and is donating the set to a cancer center.

These four scarves were knit by Sheila. The pink and ivory scarf was knit on size ten needles and the stripe was made by changing colors every six rows and carrying the yarn up the side. Sheila then added the pink crochet border around the entire scarf, covering up the carried yarn.

The blue infinity scarf was also done on size 10 needles. She knit it flat for about 30 inches, gave it a few twists and then seamed the edges together.

The gold scarf is for a gentleman because, "It's not too foo foo." :o)

This last one is a work in progress by Tracey. I stole the photo off her blog, Clover, which is one of my new favorite places to visit. Tracey is using Fisherman's Wool and size 8 needles. She modified the pattern a bit ... maybe she will tell us more in the comments.

Thank you to everyone who has sent me photos of their scarves and dropped me a note about the pattern, it's wonderful to hear from you.

Update: Here is a photo of Tracey's finished scarf. Looks so good with the fringe!

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Cozy neck

I've been meaning to post photos of the neck cozy I recently finished. The pattern is from The Knitter's Guide to Hand Dyed and Variegated Yarn by Lorna Miser. I like that it is stretchy enough to pull over your head without having to unbutton it. The yarn is Panda Silk, a blend of bamboo, wool, and silk. I used two balls, one solid and one variegated, based on a technique I learned at the talk Lorna gave at my LYS.

Works nicely as a cat cozy, too.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Endearing knits

Thanks everyone for the vintage hand towel love. There are several reasons I don't care for it --the pattern got really dull toward the end, my hands ached from knitting with two strands of cotton, and the variegated yarn looked prettier in a ball than it did knit. I'll never knit one of those again.

The yellow Bunny Love Blanket is done. Now this I like. It's my first blanket, full of holes and lumps and other boo-boo's, but that just makes it all the more endearing. I knit it for my niece who is due to arrive in June, but I may not be able to let it go. Perhaps she can just cuddle up in it when she comes to visit me. (Sorry, sis.)

I started a new knitting project that must remain a mystery because it's a gift. Here is a little glimpse. It's weird to knit with wool again after working with cotton the last few projects. I forgot how beautifully wool knits up.

I took a little break from blogging last week but now I'm back and will come and visit you. Hope you enjoy your weekend.