a combination

.......of a lace-weight mohair yarn with a dk weight alpaca and merino blend creates a most touchable texture in this Lace Tipped Striped Scarf. I have completed the first half of the project and ready to start the second half and then join the halves together with the Kitchener stitch.

I'm so anxious to block this and see the lace work come alive!

This is a pattern from Closely Knit.There are actually several projects under my consideration in the book; like the cabled cardigan, I love the simplicity of the cabled cardigan with the soft ruffle that grace the hemline and cuffs. An added bonus is the handsome cable that climbs the center back of the sweater. This would be lovely in an alpaca and wool yarn...so "sheepy"!

Then there is this Rustic sweater vest, yes... so perfect for my DH (he loves vests). A tweedy wool in a dk weight yarn would be fabulous for the V-neck pullover. Looks like this piece is longing to be knit in a Rowan Felted Tweed.

2008 Knit Ramblings

Guess I really didn't realize just how "knit" busy I had been in 2008.......until seeing this mosaic.

1. Undertow. My Favorite all time knit!
2. Tootie Two. Christmas Gift for my sister-in-law.
3. Monkey Cowl. An excellent use of sock yarn.
4. Wisp. The most versatile scarf ever.
5. Domino Scarf. Christmas Gift for Mom.
6. Elegant Kimono. Yummy.
7. Shadow Scarf. Let's just say, I'm proud to have even finished this one. UGH!

8. Heart Scarf. An enjoyable scarf to knit and wear.
9. Sasha. Love, Love, Love. Most time intense knit yet.
10. Great American Square. Designer, Sephanie Gildersleeve.
11. Great American Square. Designer, Ginette Belanger.
12. Great American Square. Designer, Carol Adams.
13. Great American Square. Designer, Susan Douglas.
14. Sampler Scarf. Lovely piece to knit and enjoy forever.
15. Sophia. So classic, a knit I am proud to wear.
16. Nina. Completion delivered a pleasant and beautiful knit.
17. Carousel Dish Cloth. Just because gift for Ronda.
18. Fake Fair Isle Hat. Totally enjoyable process.
19. Noro Sweater. A sweater to wear for all seasons.
20. Petal Cape. An underrated cape. Adore mine.
21. Sienna Hat. Birthday gift for Laurie.
22. Carpet Bag. A very unique, beautiful bag. One may not be enough.
23. Hemlock Gloves. Love these gloves. Would be great for 2009 Christmas gifting!
24. Heavenly Scarf. Soft and elegant piece.
25. Sock It To Me Scarf. A wonderful fun scarf to wear.
26. Leaf Lace Scarf. Just because gift for Jeannie.
27. Hemlock. Just because gift for sister-in-law.
28. Silver Belle. A project for those loving cables (like me). Perhaps my most difficult knit.

Enough about 2008 and time to look ahead at 2009 knit beginnings. With 9 balls of Rowan Kidsilk Haze in hand, this Modern Quilt Wrap will be the first of many projects planned for the new year.

my favorite thing

Of all the knits I have completed in my 2 years/10 months, this is my Favorite Thing!

Undertow is most capable of arousing interest from both men and women. I wore it Christmas shopping today and stopped counting the compliments I received and the numerous questions asked about my cape. What a conversation piece! I had questions like, may I feel of your cape (ahh..ahh..ahh!!)? did your Mom knit? how long did that take you? where did you get that wrap or is it a cape?
If I breathe life into another one (and I am thinking about knitting one in shades of grey) I would not change one thing or modify it in anyway and it would without question be knit with Blue Sky again. What a sweet-sweet yarn, the more I wear it, the softer it gets. No peeling with this yarn, it just gets a delightful bit fuzzy with wear...you know kind of like a pleasant glow that cast itself over the piece. I am intimately in love with Undertow and Blue Sky!

Tootie Two

Here's the Tootie Scoop! My sister-in-law has longed for her very own Tootie since the first day she laid eyes on her. Okay, now I think my Tootie is cute enough and a little object I love and have enjoyed traveling and playing with for the last year and a half, but I can't see anyone else longing soooo for one. It was on our Vegas trip when I realized SIL's desire for her own Tootie was as serious as a heart attack and it wasn't going away! She finally bluntly told me all she wanted for Christmas was a Tootie...just like my Tootie, same Tootie face, same Tootie ribbon, same Tootie everything....oh, she did inform me she would provide her new prized Tootie with the appropriate jewelry!

Tootie Two The Beginning.............I thought I had enough yarn to birth another cat and fortunately I did!

Before wrapping Tootie Two for giving, I introduced her to the original Tootie! Tootie Two is a bit larger...what's with that?? DUH...Same yarn and needle used!!

Poor New Tootie Two has no sparkles yet!!Tootie Two must think she is a Santa Cat.

I can hardly wait to see SIL open her red satin embossed box on Christmas eve...Meow!

birthday, monkey, cowl, jitterbug and all that stuff

How could I not blog about my birthday! THE day was last week and look at the birthday JitterBug yarn Laurie gave me....isn't it beautiful??? (My birthday package consisted of many knitting accessories, goodies and chocolates!)

And what could be more fun than a cowl knit with JitterBug!

This was my first cowl and was knit

patterned after Cookie A's Monkey Sock pattern. You can find the cowl pattern on Knottybits blog site.

I think the colors are delicious and the yarn is major soft around the neck and most wearable.

Now....back to my Birthday News!

Laurie and I were meeting for a birthday dinner at a local Mexican restaurant when upon my arrival I was totally shocked (surprised) to see many of my knitting friends there for a "Surprise Birthday Dinner"!! It was awesome and such a sweet thing for Laurie to do for me! After drinks, dinner, drinks, much laughter, and drinks, the party was moved to a LYS for more fun and a little knitting. The fun girls were Laurie, Pam, Pat, Dianne, Jo, Tiff, Karen & Karen, Ann Marie, Shanna, Melinda, Julie and of course me! I love you girls!

A Very Special Thanks to Laurie for making my day such a memorable one!

Lace-Tipped Striped Scarf

I have been looking for a striped scarf and found the Lace-Tipped Striped Scarf from Closely Knit to be The One!The yarn of my choice for this project is Debbie Bliss cashmerino dk in a pale pale blue and Rowan kidsilk haze in a grey colorway. I'm talking YUM!This will be a very warm, very soft piece and with the kidsilk haze lace work on both ends it will be an extremely feminine scarf. Check out Never Not Knitting's lovely finished piece.

what's up?

Undertow is finished, fabulous and I can't wait to wear it! Thank you again Stitch Poet for such a lovely design.

Next up is just an example of my persistence. I Never and I mean Never give up!

I adore the two colorways Yarn Hogs used in her chevron scarf, but found it impossible to locate the deep, rich brown Koigu that coordinates so beautifully with the Ruby Redman. I checked numerous yarn shops and surfed the web only to find the Koigu had been discontinued. Horrors!
Then one evening while working the Ebay scene, it hit me, "I had not checked Ebay"! How could I have overlooked Ebay?? Well, guess what? I found just the perfect deep, rich brown Koigu needed and this project will be started in the very near future.

Oh yeah, check out my new Star Buck's Cable Coffee Cup! On yet another note, my Domino scarf was completed a couple of weeks ago and as pleased as I was with the end result, the piece just didn't seem finished. It had been blocked and I was extremely pleased with the stitch work, but there was just something ......... it needed an edging! I had read several articles on Domino work and was convinced such knits always benefit from some sort of edging. So it happened last evening at midnight, I single crochet a two row edging and what a difference!

This is now truly a beautiful cashmere scarf that I am proud of.

just a few inches

to finish this baby alpaca Undertow cape!

See the sweet Picot neck edge.

Look at the unusual 5" seed stitch ruffle (still in process).

Only 3'' to the finish line! Once Undertow is complete, I have given myself permission to start this wrap. With plenty of Rowan Kidsilk Haze in hand and the pattern reviewed, it's "Ready Set & GO"!

over the edge

Dusty loves to stretch out, on his back, all four legs in the air and wait for me to rub his belly. Here he waits for the daily and nightly belly rub. But his favorite position is to be held and cradled in my arms like a baby.

Yesterday I think I went too far when I found myself holding him in my arms (favorite baby position of course) while filling the dishwasher. That would have to be a sign of a pet owner "over the edge"

tying up loose (scarf) ends

that's what I've been up to this week.

My Domino scarf and Wisp scarf complete me! OK...maybe that's a tad bit cheezzze, but I do adore them both.

Finally I have one pic that exhibits the true blues and mauves in this Domino piece.
The modern flare of this scarf makes for a pleasant wardrobe change and I was delighted when I realized it could worn with my blue sky shrug! YiPee...for versatility!`
We actually had a dusting of snow here yesterday and that was all needed to convicted me it is now officially scarf and sweater weather! A knitter's dream!

Hello.????..what's not to love

This will not be my last Wisp. Wisp is an enjoyable quick knit and such a lovely pattern that I cannot resist knitting up another one using some stashed black, brown and cream Colinette sock yarn. Oh..... and I simply cannot tell you the many ways to wear Wisp. She is nice and long, but not too long and nice and wide, but not too wide. Wisp loves to be doubled, buttoned, unbuttoned, hang free, tossed over the shoulder(s), wrapped around my head or tied in a soft loose bow. I mean HELLO???? what's not to love!
About 5o rows into this knit I was concerned about the pooling and came quite close to ripping, but was undecided and forged ahead. You can see a little of what I'm talking about below. I think it gives my piece personality!!!

the sleeves

Several of you asked about my Kimono sleeves, you know questions like how were they set in, did I add or modify the sleeve length and what color design was used on the lower sleeve??
Well, I always heard a picture is worth a thousand words and that may be the case in many situations, but when the pictures are from my household, it would certainly be questionable! I think such is the case with these meager shots. The oatmeal and white tones were not my friend while attempting to show Ms. Kimono's sleeve detail. Oh well................ As I was a Kimono virgin, I found it most interesting how the back and fronts become part of the sleeve. (Guess construction is similar for all Kimonos...huh??) Anyhow, I knew early into this knit I wanted to take advantage of the lower set in sleeve to add a little interest and thus came the white, oatmeal, white stripe. AND I love it!

I knit this piece per the pattern to a tee with no modifications. The sleeves are quite long, but when knit with the alpaca, I simply turn up the crochet trim and amazingly they stay right in place.

destashment & wisp

Wisp is a scarf from Knitty (summer '07) that I have admired for many months. I was finally pushed off the fence when I saw Knitswreck's Wisp knit with sock yarn! With the 9 lace rows and 6 rows of garter stitch, this is an exceptionally easy pattern and as a bonus, an exceptional super use of stashed sock yarn. At this moment, I have my eye on a black/brown/gray stashed sock yarn that is screaming to be a "wisp".

My scarf is knit on #9 needles and 1 skein of Cherry Tree Hill supersock yarn, colorway - Old Rose.

Off now to pick up wooden buttons for Wisp!

square by square...that's domino knitting

My first Domino piece is a scarf using Vivian Hoxbro's potholder #2 pattern. This pattern is from her fantantic book Domino Knitting. Her step by step instructions in this book are simple and easy to put into action.

Without doubt, this is the most difficult piece to capture it's true colors. Now keep in mind, I'm the aim and shoot kind (the first thing on my to do list upon retirement is take a photography class at the local college......but I'll leave those details for a later post) and cannot capture the true mauve in the yarn. The mauve comes out orange no matter where I shoot. You'll just have to take my word for it, the blues, greys and mauve are really rich and beautiful.

The 3 skeins of Knit One Crochet Too yarn of 70% baby alpaca/20% silk/1% cashmere is a dream! This project was started on size 3 needles, when after one row I realized the stitches were too relaxed and had to go down to #2s. I chose to knit row by row squares instead of the second option, column by column.

Domino Knitting may appear quite tedious, but actually is such fun! Even using #2 needles this scarf is knitting up rather quickly. Square by Square.

Kimono Correspondence

Dear Ms Kimono,

I loved knitting you! You were, by any definition, an easy knit. But let's be clear, you were not a quick knit. We shared many knitting hours on knit nights at my LYS(s), several air hours to and from Vegas in September and I can't forget the hours spent bonding with you during those Lifetime movies!

Ms. Kimono, you are in all your glory knit with yard after yard of Berroco Ultra Alpaca and ever so wearable, thank you for embracing me like a cozy cocoon! We always knew you wanted to be knit in an Oatmeal colorway, but were feeling quite bored with all that beige after beige. What a grand idea, when together and with much soul searching we decided to trim you out in an eggshell colorway. That decision was a Home Run!

I think your crochet edging is fabulous and gave me the opportunity to crochet again after 35 years! It was surprising when I found myself crocheting like it was yesterday! Suppose you could say it's like riding a bicycle...you never really forget. But Man.......all those miles of crocheting, I thought we would never complete the eight rows around you.

Just because the time has come for me to move on doesn't mean I will forget you or simply toss you to the back of a closet! I adore you and will enjoy "hanging out" with you for many years!

Love,
Knitting Diva

today

My kind of day.
Snuggling on the couch.
Knitting.
Solitude.
Sipping diet coke.
Nibbling tasty fall apple slices.
Watching lifetime movie after movie.
Just being me.
Just mellowing out.
Totally at peace.
My perfect day.
Knitting.

All this knitting time reserved for a Domino scarf. My kind of scarf and my kind of day!

this pile

believe it or not, is my elegant kimono! With knitting complete the pile is ready for blocking, seaming and edging out in single crochet.

One of the joys when working a basic pattern, is how the plain shape shows off a luxurious wool and it's texture. Ohhhh....the simplicity when in the end, the fiber and pattern intertwines and fuses to becomes one.

Fess Up Fiber Friday, #36

Yarn Details

Brand: Noro

Yarn Name: Matsuri

Color: 1

Content: 87% Cotton/13% Wool

Skein Weight 50gr/145 meters

Project Plans: Manon from Twisted Sisters

Comments: This pattern is from Twisted Sisters' pamplet, Double Trouble. I found the design of the Manon pullover very striking and the construction interesting.

Not my Color...Not my Style

Twisted Sisters Domino Scarf kit includes a nice wool fiber, but some of the color combinations are most unusual! I took a class here using the Twisted Sisters kit.

I find I am totally into the process....just have an issue with this pattern design and colorway of the kit. Perhaps it's just me, you know, Not My Color... Not My Style! Anyhow, I did learn the basic concept and hope a friend or family member might take a liking to piece!

A second Domino scarf has already been cast on for a three row Domino scarf. This design comes from the book, Domino Knitting by Vivian Hoxbroand. Domino knitting is not a fast process, but is a most interesting one. I have completed a row of three squares already and I likeeeee this project and feeling successes with each finished square. The Skinny: Knit One Crochet Too Yarn. Handpainted 70% Baby Alpaca, 20% Silk, 10% Cashmere. Color #1480 (Mauves, Blues, Greys)

I should have pics real soon!

Waiting My Turn

That's what my week has consisted of!

There was a dentist appointment, a 3,000 mile oil change, lab work (for my much dreaded annual physical), new shoes (tires) for my carriage and perhaps most important, a trip to the library to perform my duty as an American Citizen and cast my vote in the 2008 elections! Nicholas wanted to go, but was promised a sticker if he would happily stay home.

I spent plenty of time people watching and visiting with perfect strangers during "waiting my turn"! I find it fascinating that folks "waiting their turn" these days seem to have this connection and so much in common with you. Why??? Is it the sad condition of the economy or the unsettled state of our country? If I met these same individuals on the street or in the mall, there would be no verbal exchange and probably not even eye contact, but when put in the "waiting your turn" mode.....we are all comrades, friends, companions!

"Waiting my turn" conversations this week:

1. A young part-time working college girl shared her financial dilemma and parent problems with me. She was clueless as to how she would pay for the tires she was purchasing and how her unfair parents were not "helping her enough"!

2. While "waiting my turn" at the lab, there was a mother of three boys that had just returned from her home in India. I received far too much information as to why her husband wouldn't go with the family for the visit and just how much it would have meant to the boys!

3. Next was my counsel with a single Dad during "waiting my turn" at the dentist office. He was there with his two teenage daughters and while the daughters were in the treatment room, he shared his distress over his German wife that had left him with the two young girls this summer and had returned to Germany. He was truly was a broken man!

4. Then, during my oil change at the tire store, was the sweet elderly gentleman that was watching the TV re-run, Nanny 911. He had no personal issues (Thank God) to share, only instructions on how he reared his children and what is wrong with those "TV monster kids" and how they could be ""straighten out""!! I must admit I fully and completely enjoyed him and this part of "waiting my turn".

I felt like a total people magnet this week and that is highly unusual as strangers are not usually drawn to me. But this week, being a people magnet was effortless! During these epics I was starting to feel a little like Dr. Phil and found my concentration level very keen 'cause I was multi tasking by listening (I did very little talking) and knitting on my Kimono.

Most interesting.....not one person, I repeat, Not One Person, ask me what I was knitting while they were pouring out their hearts and souls to me and I was "waiting my turn"!

Fess Up Fiber Friday, #35

Yarn Details

Brand: Fly*Dyed

Yarn Name: Monarch

Color: Ruby Redmond

Content: Super Wash Merino Wool/ 3-ply Sport Weight

Skein Weight: 4.5 oz/370 yds.

Project Plans: Chevon Scarf

Comments: I am "ga ga" for this yarn! And what's with this Pinky Thing Going On?? Seems my every other project is Pink these days! It must be a Jeannie Thing (she looooves pink).

Call me a copycat, but when I saw YarnHog's Chevon Scarf (Ravelry handle - yarnhogsv) that was knit with the Fly*Dyed Monarch, I knew it was for me. Now the search is on to find a deep deep brown & cream to mate with the Ruby Redmond....a match made in heaven.