Good bye, October

I had to get a couple of shots of the color in the back yard. Yes, I know it's not yarn related but maybe it will inspire some dyeing?




Anyway, Happy Halloween!!

Meet Joey

Elise is my knitted toy baby. I so enjoy knitting things for her because she really, truly loves them. Take the latest, "Joey", for example. I found this free pattern by Curly Purly on the internet and just had to make my very own miniature pumpkin. It really only takes an hour or so, and Elise requested that I give this one to her. She also requested the vampire teeth, or I would have made it smiling. Now she has to sleep with Joey, Pasha, and two little fish from The World of Knitted Toys. Oh, and Spotless of course (I didn't make her.) :o)

Cheers to you, Elise!

If you must know, Joey was made from scraps of orange lamb's pride worsted and Paton's wool I haven't gotten around to making his brothers yet.

Icarus Shawl

I finished the Icarus Shawl from summer 2006 Interweave Knits. It went very quickly, and due to the seductive nature of the yarn I subbed for it I was virtually unable to work on anything else for about 2 weeks.

Here she is pre-blocking and blocking, with the medium Kong for size reference. I'm posting the blocking pictures because someone asked me the other day how I do it. Yes, on my living room carpet on top of beach towels, with blocking wires and pins. Some day perhaps I will show it on a person because it is much bigger than I expected.








Pattern: Icarus Shawl IK summer 2006
Yarn: I subbed Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Meadow (581) 4 complete balls, and since my LYS was out of it I finished the last few rows with Kidsilk Night in white with sparklies - I can't find the label but it's probably 607.
Needles: Addi Natura Bamboo US size 4
Notes: I would recommend this as a beginner shawl for anyone wanting to knit an easy lace shawl. The pattern begins at the center top and works down to 500 something stitches at the edge, and the bulk of the pattern is just simple yo/decrease combinations and stocking stitch to make the rays from the center. The feathery edge pattern is very simple to follow as well, and if you are new to lace, by the time you finish the simple part you would be ready for a little challenge. The yarn, the luscious yarn!! I had 2 balls of this in my stash for at least 2 years, probably 3, waiting for the right project. I have to say I think this was worth the wait, but the 3 balls of magenta I picked up on sale will not languish in the stash because this stuff is fabulous to knit up. Like butter. ahhh.

I did a little 'accounting' after I got this puppy off the needles, and have quite a few things awaiting my attention. I will first finish Little Majolica, since I want to get it done before Elise outgrows it. I also have to finish Roger's socks, and make some new mittens for Emily. Oh, and I have those other fairisle gloves for me, those might be next. So much to make, so little time.

Oh! Check out my poor friend Kay. She is known in our circle as the Sock Princess, and the poor dear just broke her wrist. I got my Posh Yarn in the mail the other day (isn't it gorgeous!?!) and it reminded me of some sock yarn I had dyed (although mine pales in comparison!!), so I gave my home-dyed to Kay to cheer her up. If I were a real friend I would have given her the Posh, but I'm not quite that generous. I'm thinking it's almost too nice for socks, too. :o) Anyway, Kay is too sweet, and is one of the best enablers I know. Love you Kay, get better fast!!!

Emily's sweater and some unfinished stuff

I realized yesterday when I posted about my big win that I hadn't posted any of my knitting stuff for a little while. We have been very busy with school and dance and cello and soccer, and well, I just hadn't gotten around to posting a picture of Emily's finished sweater.

Yarn: Elann.com Peruvian Highland Chunky
Needles: I've forgotten since I didn't write it down immediately, but I'm thinkin' US 7 bamboo
Pattern: Loosely based on this pattern book from Paton's. I used some motifs from the Best of Lopi and then kinda when off on my own for the yoke. I'm sure it's someone's pattern...
Notes: I loved the way this yarn felt to knit up, and it blocked out beautifully for a nice even finish. The yarn is very soft, so when(if) it becomes available again I'm sure I'll come up with something I need it for. I have enough yarn left over for a matching hat and mittens, but am not ready to make those just yet. You can see the colors nicely in this picture and how well it blocked. I would like to have a picture of her wearing it because it really fits very well.

I also finished the toe up socks: and I'm pretty happy with them. They are softer since they've been washed and are comfortable to wear, but I think that unless I have to toe up for a specific pattern, I'll stick with cuff down. And yes, I have big feet.

I finished Roger's smoke tire tread gloves as well, but he's got them in his car so I couldn't photograph the finished pair. I really like the way they turned out, and it was fun getting his input on the design. I made them out of Paton's Kroy sock yarn for ease of care and durability.

So, what have I been working on? Well, I'm making snowflake socks from Magknits.com out of undyed knitpicks sock yarn, and some ribby socks for Roger out of -gasp!- Koigu. I'm also working on this absolutely gorgeous little girl sweater from the Fall 2006 Interweave issue: Little Majolica, for Elise. For some reason the pattern is written to be knit flat, but I couldn't stand doing the colorwork that way and ended up joining the first sleeve in the round just above the cuff. For the body I'm going to learn to steek and do that in the round as well, I just hate doing color while purling!

I am sooo lucky!

Got an email this morning from Posh Yarn saying they were having a contest to win a skein of their totally gorgeous sock club sock yarn (bummer, the club is closed to new members) in the Weekend in Vermont colorway. Drool, drool. I made my guess of 71 by counting the picture Dee posted of the pile of yarn, and then she gave a clue that someone was only 1 skein off. Whee! I'm thrilled!!

Check out their stuff, I see more yarns in my future...
thanks, Dee!