Finally!

Finally, my BBFF (best blog friend forever), Liz, and I met up! She was in our area for a national fencing competition, and I went to meet her. I missed her fencing, but together we visited The San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, where they had an interesting exhibit of very untraditional knitted items. Downright political, some of them. I took a few pictures, then realized I wasn't supposed to, so those won't appear here.

But here is a picture of Liz and me, taken in front of a display of crocheted coral reefs:


Finally, I have actually been pretty single-minded in my attention to a knitting project -- to the extent I have been finding time for knitting, that is. Things have been pretty crazy around here this summer, what with the remodel and actually moving out for a couple of weeks and everything. We have finally moved back into the house, although it is far from done. It will be months before I find some of my stuff, I'm sure.

But as I said, my knitting time has been going toward just one project, this one:


That's only part of the back, so it's not very exciting to look at for you, I suppose. I actually have the fronts and sleeves done already, so if I don't run out of yarn, I should be done soon. I could run out of yarn, though. It's going to be close. I got this yarn at Stitches in 2007, if you can believe that -- a 10-pack of DK merino in a lovely red color. I have to admit its not my favorite yarn, though, it has what to me is an unacceptable number of knots and flaws in the spinning, resulting in an enormous number of ends still to be woven in.

The pattern is the Refined Aran Jacket from the cover of the Winter 2007 Interweave Knits. I sure hope it turns out.

I also made more stitch markers. Apparently I am a magpie -- if it's shiny, I am drawn to buy it.



This is another adjustable pattern row counting marker, similar to this one.



I'm pretty happy with these.

And -- I finally have found a great knitting bag! I actually got this at the running shoe store, on sale.



The bottom is yoga mat material! Supposedly it was saved from being tossed into the landfill. I figure it will make the bottom water resistant -- and it makes the bag stand up.



Look, it has a built-in water bottle holder yarn bra and key fob yarn guide!