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.