Easter Sunday Prep & Earth Day!

Its been a long winter and from the looks of it, it doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon. In mid April, just two days away from Easter, its snowing here. And not just a little snow, its full on, get-the-snow-tires-out, put-the-winter-coat-on, don't-forget-your-boots snowing.

This picture does no justice to the amount of snow coming down. Mother nature is punishing us on Earth Day for being bad environmentalists. We are going to be burried in snow by Easter Sunday whether we like it or not. The snow hasn't stopped the summer knitting bug. Earlier this week I was compelled to visit my LYS and found some of the cutest yarns of the season!

Ella Rae's Phoenix yarns caught my eye right away. Its a 100% cotton yarn that was sitting, nestled away amongst all the other spring time yarns. The second I laid eyes on it I knew it would be mine and it would make a fabulous shawl. I loved the Light Yellow, it was so springtimey pretty that I knew I'd have to find a light and lacey shawl pattern.

Snookie really likes this yarn, Simba does too but he wouldn't sit still long enough to have his picture taken. I've had to wrestle it out of their paws a few times...they seem to always know which yarns I'm using and they pick that stuff to drag around the house!

I searched my queue and found a pattern that I saved months ago. I've wanted to knit this one for a while but just couldn't find the right yarn. Ella Rae is the perfect match! The Vernal Equinox Shawl Surprise is a half circle lace shawl. Its knit in "Clues", such a cute idea and makes the knitting easy to break up into different nights.

There are a few variations on this shawl. The bottom edge can be rounded, scallopedish like in this pictures or it can be batwinged every other inch. I'm thinking I'll probably just round it off that way the shawl won't be so dramatic in design that I can't wear it with certain things.

I've been so busy with school and work and volunteering for different things that I haven't had much time to knit. I lost a good friend in February. He was fighting in Afghanistan with the Marines. Its been a rough year with a lot going on, and I just haven't been able to knit as much as I would like. I feel a little out of practice, and I can see it a little in my knitting right now. No worries though, it won't take long to bring it back.

I'm just about done with Clue 2. Knitters be warned, make sure you keep an eye on your stitch count. Its very easy to lose track and miss a YO or a PSSO.  I don't know what made me think it was a good idea to knit with out stitch markers. I regret it already.

Don't forget, today is Earth Day! Do something earth friendly! I planted seeds for a vegetable garden, what are you going to do for the earth today?