Let the Holidays Begin

Yesterday was just another day....

in New York City!!

I have the most wonderful friends in the world! Cassie asked me if I wanted to take a day trip up to NYC to see the Christmas sites of the city and enjoy a show by the Rockettes! Having never been to NYC before, how could I refuse. So, on Saturday morning we woke up bright and early...well it wasn't quite bright yet, but it was early...and headed up to the city. We took a short drive up to Trenton and then hopped on a NJ train into the city.

Our first stop was...

Radio City Music Hall to see the Rockettes! I wish I could have taken pictures of the show because words just cannot describe it. The Rockettes were quite possibly the most talented performers I have ever seen. Such precision, grace, and beauty all wrapped up into an incredible performance! If you EVER have the chance to see them, pay the money. It would be worth every dime to enjoy the most famous Christmas show ever! For now, though, you can check out their site and see some clips! A BIG thanks goes out to Cassie's parents for the tickets!

Cassie's face after the show says it all!

Myself flanked by the Shular Sisters! You may not be able to tell, but we were very cold.

What is a trip to NYC without a stop at...


Rockefeller Plaza! The pictures don't show how beautiful the tree really is. I believe that this was the first year that they added blue lights to the tree. Now, I am very opposed to the majority of displays that I have seen with blue lights. But they really added an amazing dimension to the tree. I will say that I was surprised at how small the skating rink is. I believe that my parent's house would fit inside of it with just a little room to spare. We had no desire to spend the time waiting in line to skate, so off we were to hit several more brief stops. I didn't take many other pictures, but we did hit Saks and Grand Central Station on our way to lunch. I did capture a great picture of...


the Chrysler Building! I was amazed at how much it really does shine amongst all the buildings in the city. After a wonderful lunch at El Rio Grande off Park Avenue (Another BIG thanks to the Holzberg's for lunch) , Cassie and I made a quick stop to...


Time Square. We walked around the block, checked out a few Starbucks where the lines were WAY too long, and then headed back to Penn Station to catch a train home. It was an amazing first trip to NYC and I left with a few impressions:

1) The air in the city REALLY smells like roasted chestnuts

2) You have to be willing to push your way through a bunch of people when no one is moving

3) I can walk dozens of blocks in heeled boots and live to talk about it

4) Incoming trains are posted at the LAST minute meaning that everyone bolts for the same skinny escalator down to the tracks at the same time. You better book it!

5) I can run through a train station in heeled boots and live to talk about it

6) New Jersey is an ugly state

7) I need another trip to NYC to capture the rest of the Christmas spirit that it has to offer! Check back after the 14th as Jason and I head up with some friends to do just that.

In the meantime...enjoy the holiday spirit that is all around!

Welcome to the World, Cameron Grace

Our close friends Ryan and Lindsay welcomed their second child, a daughter named Cameron Grace, into the world two weeks ago. I had really hoped to have the Aran blanket finished before she arrived, but all good plans get delayed. Plus, they didn't need more things to take home from the hospital...their gorgeous daughter was plenty! We were able to enjoy a wonderful dinner with our friends after they returned home, and I gave it to them at that time.


Of all the things I have made so far, this has been the most enjoyable! The pattern is quite easy once you get into it. It looks so much more complicated than it is. It's just 2 types of cables, seed stitching, and a double moss stitch. Since there are several panels that repeat, the stitches change frequently, so I never got bored with it. I also love how it looks like an heirloom piece, making it something that they may be able to pass down or possibly pass off as being passed down to them!!

Here's a closeup of the panels so you can get an idea of the detail. The picture isn't that great because the lighting was low. I had forgotten to take pictures before I wrapped it, so I had to wait until our friends opened it.
All in all, I will keep this pattern very handy for any future babies that come into this world!!

Now on the needles: A Cardigan for Arwen. I haven't gotten a lot more done since my last post, but I am making progess on the back, which is just 25 inches of stockinette stitching. This basic stitching made it the perfect project for Wednesday as my students took their first exam. I had a full 75 minutes of knitting while I kept an eye out for possible cheating! (none to report!)

PhDKnitter is going full steam ahead on her Arwen and making notes where slight alterations or attention needs to be paid. The front is knit in 2 separate pieces and then those are stitched together to the back to create the final piece. My guru came up with the brilliant idea to knit the two pieces at the same time. This allows us to make sure that both pieces are the same length and will hopefully help when starting the sleeves so that they are even across the chest. Don't want a sweater with one sleeve lower than the other!!! If you want a better idea of this process, check out her page because she has started the front panels already.

So, even though I have a LONG WAY to go on Arwen, it's time to get the next project going. My nephew, who I have lovingly named Seamus Hannan for now, is due on Nov 19th. However, with the way things go with my sisters, there is a strong chance that he'll grace us with his presence early. Us Trame girls never like to follow the rules!

All that long diatribe being said, I need to just pick a damn pattern for him!! I have so many to choose from, but I can't decide. I mean, it's my nephew...the pattern has to be just perfect! I have given myself a deadline of Friday the 12th as that is the day that PhDKnitter and I are heading to Stitches East in Baltimore! I am ready to be overwhelmed by all the possibilities and dive into a full convention center of yarn and assundries!!! With my pattern in hand for my new nephew, I know I'll be able to find the perfect yarn. Unfortunately, I won't be able to tell you any more than this as the rest will have to be a surprise for the whole Hannan family!!!

Been a long time comin'

Contrary to what our blog might suggest, we are open for business at Casa de Fred! We closed for a bit while we enjoyed a great vakay to Minnesota for a lot of family and a ton more more. Upon returning, I went through a whirlwind of writing new papers, revising old ones, and preparing for my first day of teaching. Now that the semester is well under way, I feel like I have a little more time to think and post.

Here are just a few pics from our lovely visit to Duluth and Brainerd! Wish I could post them all.










































Yup...you read that correctly...Bri is teaching!!! One of the best features of my graduate program is that they provide us the opportunity to teach our own course. So, I am responsible for molding and educating the young minds of 40 UMD students as we delve into understanding development across the lifespan. It's a lot more work than I ever thought it would be, but it's also invigorating. In the three lectures I have done thus far I have learned just a few things:

1) The same student will ALWAYS be 5 minutes late to class
2) Wearing heels is just a bad idea
3) I can teach a whole lot in 75 minutes, but not as much as I would like

Amongst all the prepping and practicing of my lectures, I have found a bit of time to work on my knitting projects. I still have my Aran blanket to finish. I managed to get a ton completed on it as flew to Minnesota and drove all around the state. It's to the point now that I have to just decide when to stop knitting...but when is a blanket big enough for a baby? I keep dreaming that it would be great if he/she would also be able to use it as a toddler blanket, so I keep on knitting. What do you think??
I have also started my very first sweater!! My knitting guru and I are both delving into A Cardigan for Arwen. It's a whole lot of stockinette stitch, which can be mind-numbingly boring, but it is so exciting to know that soon I'll have my very own hand-knitted cardigan! Plus, the yarn I bought for it...I have decided to call it my "butta yarn" because it knits up as soft and smooth as butter.

Stay tuned for additional photos as I learn about short rows for sleeves, backwards cast-on method, and so much more.

Now I lay me down to sleep

I have finished this very creative blanket for one of my close friends at work. She has been bugging me for weeks about when she'll finally get to see it. I put on the last 2 faces and 4 hooves this afternoon when I was experiencing a writing block this afternoon.

Pattern: Sheep Dreams from "Knit Baby Blankets!" by Dori Betjemann

Yarn: KnitPicks Swish Superwash in Dublin; Bernat Satin in Silk & Ebony

Needles: Size 7 circular

I loved the pattern for this blanket. There were a number of different stitches that came together for an interesting, yet simple design. Plus, it kept my attention throughout as the stitches changed every couple rows. Even without the sheep, I thought it was beautiful blanket. But, the sheep just add so much to it.

Will I make this one again? I am not sure. The blanket itself was simple and didn't take that much time. However, each sheep took almost an hour to do. That's 14 hours of just "sheep work". There are so many other amazing patterns that I am dying to make for the next baby to come into this world that I'm sure it'll be awhile before I feel the bug to do this one again.

Perhaps this will be a one of kind blanket...perfect for that one of a kind friend!

Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep)

I do count my blessings every night before I sleep...

But during the evenings, I have to start counting sheep. I'm on crunch time on getting my Sheep Dreams baby blanket finished for my friend. I'm heading out of town in 2 weeks, and then she goes on maternity leave right when I get back. Which means I have roughly 12 days to finish 16 sheep.

After doing my first sheep I didn't think that was possible. I've never done duplicate stitching before, so it took me awhile to figure it out. I had the instructions from the pattern and my two handy "how-to-knit" books on my lap to tackle the first one. Took me about 3 times of stitching and removing and stitching and removing and stitching and removing again before I was happy with the finished project. The problem with this type of pattern is that the blanket has its "ugly" parts of the backside of the blanket...with all the winding colors of yarn that have passed over top of one another. The best part, though, is that the right side of the blanket turns out amazing.

So, I have 1 1/2 sheep done...only 14 1/2 to go in the next 12 days.

If I could turn back time

Oh where oh where has my summer gone? Oh where oh where could she be?

It's hard to believe that it is already the middle of July, but the calendar doesn't lie. Hubby and I just got back from a fabulous trip to KY to see our family and friends. We were there for 4 days, but it's just never long enough. But, we had a BLAST! We played with our niece and nephew, ate tons and tons and tons of yummy food with our family, and met up with friends each night for a few drinks. I realized when I started looking at the pictures that Jason was the one behind the camera the whole time...only managed to get a few pictures of him.

Jason and his sister enjoying the sun

I also took a short trip up to Indy to spend the day with my sister and brother-in-law. They usually come down to KY whenever we make it into town, but they already had their son shipped off to the grandparent's house for the weekend so they could work on getting the rooms ready for the arrival of my nephew. It was a short trip, but an absolutely wonderful one! I got to help them out with their cleaning and laugh at all the funny stuff they found. The bonus came when my sister found a tape recording of her 3rd grade violin concert. We sat in their car...where the only tape recorder could be found...and laughed at the whole thing! Again...too short of a visit :(

Many people would groan at the thought of an 8 hour car trip, but I saw it as a chance to finish a few things up. On the way out, I worked on an Emma Grace Headband for my niece until it was so dark that I couldn't see my needles anymore. When I saw her the next day, I measured to see how much more I would need to make it the proper length. Both she and her brother were quite enthralled watching me knit...maybe next time I"ll have more time to sit down and teach them! I managed to lose one of my DPN's in the car...and it still hasn't been found. A small price to pay to bring a smile to this one's face.

Isn't she adorable?

On the way back, I tried so hard to finish the final border on my Sheep Dreams blanket for a close friend. But it is just an agonizing pattern so I can only do 2 rows at a time. For row one, you increase 1 into EVERY stitch...for row two, you K2tog or P2tog along all of the 240 stitches that you have on your needles. It's hard on my fingers and boring as hell. So, right around Columbus, I decided to cast on my new blanket for another friend having a baby. It is an Aran blanket design and is turning out just beautifully. I love the simplicity of this pattern, but it looks like it is much more involved when you see the final output. Here's what I managed to get done in about 5 hours:


So, now it's back to work again. Of course, I do have to wait for one more thing...a special FedEx package from KY. In all of my insanity of packing to leave on Monday morning, I left my laptop and laptop bag at my parent's house! In it are not only my wonderful computer, but also ALL of my files for every paper I'm writing, every project I'm working on, and every data file I need to work on everything else. Thanks to my hubby's wonderful family for breaking into my parent's house and shipping my lifeline back to me as quickly as possible. You are all wonderful! So, until I get that back, I'll be trying to come up with things to work on...guess my blog and Ravelry will do for now!

Thank You!

Just a quick note to my few, but loyal readers! I hope that everyone has a safe and wonderful 4th of July holiday. DH and I are heading down to VA to hang out with some friends who get into the 4th like I get into Halloween!!

To all those serving or have served in the military: THANKS! Thanks for choosing to do a job that is very difficult and fraught with experiences that you don't have any choice over. We are all here today because of what those before you have done and what you are doing today. I wish there was more I could do than simply say thanks...but know that you are in my thoughts and prayers!

Sorry for the lack of pictures and posts lately. I finally got my invitation to Ravelry, so I have spent a lot of time taking pictures and uploading things for that. If you are a knitter/crocheter and haven't heard of Ravelry, than check it out!!! It's the latest rage!

DH and I will be heading to Flo-town for some family, friends, and as I've been told "At least 2 Skyline trips" next week. Look out KY...here come the Fredstrom's! I'll post pictures of all of our summer adventures soon!!!