Frontier Jacket

It's finally done. Though, seems a little silly that I was so impatiently awaiting completion since this project came together in about a week. It seemed like the finishing, which was actually minimal, took longer than the sweater itself.

This is the Frontier Blues Jacket seen in Knitscene magazine's Winter 2007/Summer 2008 issue, by Wendy Bernard. I really enjoyed the thoughtful construction. I like a good yoke and the way the sleeves use a few decreases to bell out in a lovely way. I was lucky enough to get this yarn very cheaply at an event earlier this spring. Even luckier that it worked out for a project I've had in mind for a while. Of course it was the pattern yarn, but I was a little concerned that I might run out right at the end. Fortunately it worked out perfectly, with just a little bit leftover to play with.

The pictures show me trying to keep the sweater closed with my dinky little AIA pin, which just barely works. I do have an enameled pin I made years ago when I was taking classes, which works if it suits my color scheme of the day (the pin is purple & blue.) This has seen me adding some vintage brooches on Etsy to my favorites...though I may eventually decide to go the ribbon/snap route the pattern recommends. Regardless, it's very soft and comfy!

Too much to post...

I haven't been keeping up very well with blogging lately, and trying to reflect on everything going on lately, seems like too much to fit in one post! But I will try...

My family was in town this weekend, including my Aunt Cheryl, cousin Jill and her boyfriend Danny. Our adventures included waiting in an endless line to see the skydeck of the newly renamed Willis tower (formerly famously known as the Sears Tower) with brand new glass projecting lookouts called "the ledge." I survived. Actually after the first few nervous steps it was pretty cool.

Since it was their first time in town we went to many of the standard sites, the Bean, the Calder at Federal Plaza, the glass domes at the Cultural Arts Center, the Tiffany Ceiling at Marshall Fields. (One of my bean pics made it onto Chicagoist!) We ended that day with a trip to the Art Institute's Modern Wing, since they are having free evenings on Fridays from 5-9pm.

I came home to find a letter from Washington Dept. of Licensing. Could only be one thing, the results to the last architectural licensing test I took. I had convinced myself I had failed this one, since I was preoccupied with some other issues at the time I took it. But fortunately I was wrong! It's a relief, and it's exciting that I'm that much closer to licensed, even if it is only #3 out of the 7 total I need to take (which means only 4 more to go!) A pass always gets me pumped for the next exam...though that feeling passes rather quickly.

Anyway, Saturday my parents took everyone to the Botanic Garden, while Chuck and I stayed home. We sorta spent the day preparing to have them all over in the evening, among other things. There had been some discussion of cupcakes, so I decided to pull out Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. The Tiramisu recipe called to me. They were fairly easy to make, actually, and they turned out great. I think the cookies and cream recipe might still be our favorite, but I believe these have the potential to be made again. Cream cheese icing...Kahlua...coffee...I digress.

There was a Summerfest in Chinatown this weekend, so that was how we ended their trip. It was very crowded, there was a lot going on...somehow we pretty much managed to stay together. Pictures of it all are on my flickr, Chuck's flickr, etc.

Lastly I somehow managed to find time to fit in knitting an entire sweater/jacket this week. It's not quite done, but I have cast off, just leaving some finishing work. Progress pictures are mixed in with the others on my flickr photostream, with finished object photos coming soon!

Belated EtsyTwitter Shop of Last week

I'm really taken with this little chair from Sumkoshop.etsy.com Though she was the team's shop of the week last week, there are still great deals to be had in her adorable shop! Check it out. Also, there should be a new shop of the week over on the EtsyTwitter Team blog in the next day or so!

I tasted

The image above is actually from last year's Taste of Chicago, but it's a booth we hit again this year. Taste of Chicago, like many food festivals, isn't really the greatest place for vegetarians and vegans, but last year they added Soul Veg to the line up. It was a relief to find them there again. While the pic above shows 2 items we didn't get this year (the veggie gyros which they did have again, and the cauliflower, which was not on the menu) we did have the BBQ twist again. It's obviously quite messy, but good. Also featured both this year and last was a nice sweet potato pie, and new to the menu were some yummy spicy tamales. We tagged along with my parents last weekend, and since they are not vegetarians they got a little more of the experience of all the options there. I did get to snack on some taro root fries from Tamarind, a restaurant in our neighborhood, and they were very good. The festival is going on through the weekend, though based on our experience around this time last year and even though we are walking distance, the crowds are prohibitive around the fourth. So I think we had our fill.

Hope everyone has a happy and safe fourth. Not sure what we'll be doing yet, plans as, usual are kind of loose. There's talk of getting up to Evanston with my parents. Last year we attempted to get close to the main Chicago fireworks, got caught in the largest mess of people I've ever been in and decided just to go home and check out what the view from our new apartment would be. It turned out it was only slivers of fireworks, but it made for a pleasant evening anyway. This year I'm just pleased that for the first time in 5 years the 4th can be a family affair again!