the perfect day

We’re married now, Mr. and Mrs. R. Richard Brown. Despite mediocre weather, the day was superb. The only hiccup was my slip – it kept rotating around under my dress, making the strap hang out. Otherwise everything went perfectly! We had a great group of friends come support us. We had delicious food, a positive atmosphere, and lots of fun. Thanks to everyone who helped with cookies. And thank you for showing us so much love!

weee!

This is my final post as Miss Gwen Shriver!

in just a few days I will become…

MRS Gwen Brown!

weeeee!

see you in a week.

questioning.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not very creative when it comes to writing my own patterns. For mittens, I don’t really need a pattern because I’ve made so many pairs that I have an idea of the stitches to cast on and when to increase, but they aren’t very interesting. They are just mittens. So I can’t claim with any amount of pride that “this is MY pattern”.  In fact, I don’t even know what to do to make them unique or special. Your hand goes in, there is a thumb hole, your fingers come out the top. I suppose using a stitch pattern of some sort would add a bit of intrigue, but the basic structure is the same. My brain just doesn’t think outside the box.

But another reason I have difficulty either claiming a pattern as “mine” or even attempting to write my own is because there are so many out there already.

• How does one determine that a pattern has become theirs?
• What if you start with a written pattern and make modifications?
• At what point is it a new pattern?
• What if two people simultaneously write patterns that are so close they are indistinguishable?
• Or you start with something like Ann Budd’s basics book to get an idea of the number of stitches to cast on, but from there you just wander off?

These questions stress me out. Whenever I do knit something that doesn’t really follow a pattern, I neither write it down nor share it because it looks so basic and average that I figure someone else must have already written it. I bring this up because someone asked if the Green Circles hat that I made a few weeks ago was an Ann Budd pattern. Well, I cast-on her recommended stitches (actually for a cap, not a tam), but I didn’t follow anything else. In fact, the hat didn’t even turn out how I wanted it. So am I wrong for not saying it is HER pattern? None of her hats look like that – at least to me.

I’d appreciate any thoughtful comments on the subject.

Thank you.

less than a month now

The official countdown begins, although I’m not officially counting down. My grandmother sent up the cake-topper from her wedding over 50 years ago. I’m not sure I’ll be putting it at the top of my cupcake tower, but it will definitely be present.

The lady appears to be missing a bit of her chin.

wedding bells news

It’s happening in just less than two months. I’m glad I’ve had this time to mentally prepare and whatnot. Pennsic was a bit of a road block to a lot of our preparations, but with that out of the way, we’ve moved forward successfully. The day after we returned home from Pennsic, we spent the entire day rearranging the furniture in Rich’s apartment. He takes his couch/futon to camp, so we wanted to take advantage of the living room being mostly empty. We’ve made room for some of my furniture which consists only of one chair, a coffee table, and spinning wheels.

As for planning the wedding itself, we had nearly everything taken care of before Pennsic except for a photographer. It was really difficult to find someone who was available and affordable. I didn’t think we’d get out without spending at least $1,000. However, through the grapevine, we reconnected with someone I knew from high school. She actually remembered me from when she worked there. We’re going to have a video done too, which I hadn’t considered before. And in a week or so we’ll meet with the caterer to discuss menu and cake!

Just a few days ago I finally decided on a head-topper. I really liked the look of the birdcage veils or little hat/veil thing rather than a large fluffy veil. My mom put together a few different things, but I just felt uncomfortable. In the end I decided on a birdcage attached to a headband since I have short hair and combs do NOT stay in! I found it at [Psalm117]

Also, I purchased an overnight carrying case to use as a card box from [Great Lakes Vintage], another Etsy shop. It’s actually a lot bigger than I had anticipated, even though I had a measuring tape in from of me at time of purchase. At the end of the night, I can just close the box and take it home! And then it’s reusable later. I’m not into this single-purpose-chatchka-lying-around-the house business.

this and that.

It’s raining today. Can’t say I’m too bummed about being at home instead of at Pennsic. Tomorrow is my last day at work. At 1:00 I will leave and drive straight up 422 to Cooper’s Lake and stay there until Sunday afternoon. Next Sunday.

I had to run some errands before coming home to wash my blankets and sheets. Otherwise my packing is mostly complete. In one box I have all of my garb and accessories. In another box I have towels and sheets. And finally, I have a project basket, which is bigger than last year. I didn’t try to pretend by using a smaller basket.

The wedding plans are coming along so well I haven’t done anything in a while. My mum and I did go to the florist last week to put together the bouquet. It’s going to be green hydrangea and green kermits. Yes, the flowers AND the leaves will be green. My cousin had a little photo display at her wedding of she and fiance as kids with photos from their parents’ weddings. I thought that sounded neat, so Rich and I went looking for baby pictures. Guess who this is. And no, It’s not me.

who needs mitts in july?

No one, I suppose, but this is probably the best time to be making them. Last summer I decided I’d make for-sale items all through the year and not be scrambling in November. And guess what? It was a good idea. But did I do that again this year? Not really.

Over the past few weeks I have not been able to decide what to knit. I look through my books and my print-outs and my Ravelry queue, but nothing seems interesting. That’s when I figured it would be smart of me to knit for my December sale. Brilliant!

My goals for this year’s sale include:
Fingerless mitts
Full mittens (new)
Tea cozies with pots (new)
Tea cozies without pots (new)

I will not be making any new neckwarmers. Those don’t sell very well. Part of the problem is that people don’t like wool (especially on the neck). Part of the problem is that I have a skinny neck and not everyone else does, so what fits me doesn’t fit them and I’m miserable at making multiple sizes. If I do the tea cozies, it’s like making neckwarmers except the teapots don’t complain!

Nearly complete fingerless mitt. Knit from handdyed recycled sweater wool

Two brown teapots who need sweaters.

kitty

preview!

While at the Great Lakes Fiber Show this year I purchased two pounds of Corriedale lambswool and I’ve been dyeing it. Actually I might have dyed all of it. Some I’m keeping and some I’m selling. So here is a little preview of what will be added to the shop next Wednesday.

And we’ve been getting some things accomplished as far as the wedding planning is concerned. The location is settled, and that is the Buhl Mansion in Sharon, PA. We also have a theme of sorts… primarily it will be a 1960s cocktail party with a circles and squares decor developing. Color scheme of blue, turquoise, lime green. Invitations have been chosen. The dress has been tried on and determined precisely correct. At Michael’s we found a kit of paper flower pom poms, brought to you by Martha Stewart. I bought the blue kit with additional packets of green tissue paper. They’re fun, easy, and big!! Those will be hanging from the ceiling in some configuration. Things are coming together! I almost can’t believe it! Weee!

sigh of relief!

It’s nice to be back on my regular schedule! If anything it has made me realize how wonderful it is to have my afternoons free. I should definitely take advantage of the time, not waste it! For whatever reason, I have not done anything in the past few weeks – no knitting, no spinning, no dyeing, no nothing. The Frock Camisole is so close to being finished it’s pitiful. And I’ve got lots of wool to photograph. Those are on my list of things to do today. I’ll be back with pictures!