I Heart Knitting

A few weeks ago, Sew Mama Sew hosted a giveaway, where they gathered the links to SO MANY BLOGS that were having a giveaway over the weekend.  I decided that this would be a great way to a) possibly score some free swag and b) discover more sewing blogs, as I’ve really had a desire to sew.  Well, I was lucky enough to accomplish both!  First, the swag:

This fabric came from the giveaway over at Terri’s Notebook.  And what a great prize it is!  There are three fat quarters (the pieces on the left) and three half yard pieces (over there on the right).  I’m so thrilled with it, as it really is going to make something great.  I’m thinking of getting my stitch on and making a patchwork bag.  Or… I might try my had at something Denyse Schmidt-y since this fabric is from her Katie Jump Rope collection.  It really is great!

Aside from the fantastic swag, I was able to discover a few (or more) blogs.   I fully intend to go back to the giveaway posts (more here) and checking out things again.  There really were so many blogs on there (even some knitting ones!).

My adventures in dress shopping were interesting on Saturday.  We picked a local bridal shop based on the fact that they carried a brand who made very nice looking plus-size dresses, based on my perusings on the Interwebs.    I had six dresses I wanted to see.  None were in stock.  Not only that, but the ladies at the shop really weren’t that helpful.  They pretty much told me to tag what I wanted and they’d put them in the dressing room, and then let me go on my merry way.  Didn’t ask me much about what I was interested in, or really even talk to me all that much.  Also, because it was 80 degrees this weekend, it was HOT in the shop.  I tried on one dress, and wasn’t super in love with it.  We left the shop disappointed.  The next shop we went to was slightly more helpful, but they didn’t have a whole lot of dresses with straps.  I wasn’t interested in a strapless dress.  So we headed over to the last place I thought I’d go dress shopping, David’s Bridal.  Let me tell you, my experience there was fantastic!  They only had a few dresses in my size, and I didn’t find a whole lot with straps, but my mom convinced me to try a few things on.  Wouldn’t you know the dress that I wasn’t all that interested in turned out to be THE DRESS!  It was strapless, but David’s Bridal has an option with their dresses that you can add straps, so I did.  But I really didn’t need to.  The dress was great without the straps!  And it was VERY flattering.  If anyone out there (Manda, I’m looking at you) has any reservations about dress shopping, take a look at David’s Bridal – and if you’re interested in which dress I got, let me know.  It has received tons of great reviews on the David’s Bridal site.  I’m so excited to wear the dress on our wedding day.  I can’t wait for Chris to see me in it!

Today, I am going to go wedding dress shopping.  I’m frightened!  I am, in all truthfulness, a big girl.  Most days I’m ok with this.  It isn’t my favorite thing about myself, but I’m mostly ok with it.  Today, however, I am not.  Not. At. All.  The bridal shop we (my mom, Chris’s mom, and my niece, Grace) are going to has plus-size samples, and I already have a good idea of what dress I’d like to buy, so it really shouldn’t be horrible, but I’m not looking forward to this!  Shouldn’t this be the happiest time of my life?  Why am I letting my chubby arms get in the way of me being the Bride?  Am I not supposed to want people to pamper me?  Man, I feel some deep rooted psychological issues coming on! I will just enjoy myself.  I will work out so that I don’t feel like this on my Big Day.  And I will stop worrying about what others think of me.  After all, the only person whose opinion I truly care about loves me to pieces and thinks I’m beautiful.

On a MUCH happier note (sorry about the self-esteem talk there, I dont’ usually do that!), I bought myself some yarn last weekend.  Not only is it yarny – it is CASHMERE!!  And its for a shawl I’m wearing on my wedding day.  I’m going to make Eunny Yang’s Print O’ the Wave Stole(pdf link, here is the Ravelry link).  I’m one repeat in and I think its the most gorgeous thing ever!  I’ll probably post some photos later today, as I can’t get to the camera right now.