Illusionist Shawl

The Illusionist Shawl
Pattern by Olga Pobedinskaya

Gorgeous, gorgeous yarn from Alchemy called Haiku. (40% silk/60% mohair) It's the only non-itchy mohair I have ever experienced. This is a sample for Urban Yarns in color 112c - Secret Agent Blue. I didn't realize at the time when I chose the color but it matches a dress I already own! I love it when things work out like that. Now if I only had somewhere to wear the dress....

Go on and be seduced by the delicious yarn, but I will warn you! This pattern is epic in the sense that it takes for freakin' ever. It's 1300yds (4 skeins) of slippery yarn (I knit these on Addi Turbos, do NOT do this. For sanity's sake, please use bamboo or Addi Lace needles!) and at times rows have up to 520sts. I have knit entire sweaters in half the time that this shawl took. The pattern for the Illusionist Shawl can be found in the book Destination Alchemy. You do end up using almost all of the yarn (I had maybe a 5th left from the last skein) but if you wanted you could easily halve the pattern to make a scarf, though I think the size of the shawl makes it more versatile.

Anyway, I LOVE the results, I recommend going with the Haiku and though I love the shawl now I'm never knitting it again. =)

Blooming Superwash Scarf

The Blooming Cotton Scarf Pattern by Eunny Jang

The colors I chose!

So many colors, so much fun! If you're like me and have some trouble with tension when doing color work, try this pattern. Because you're only using one strand per round, you don't have to juggle multiple strands. It's all ingenious slipped stitches. The pattern is easy to remember and it's easy to see where you are in the pattern, thanks to all those colors!

The scarf is knit in the round, then cut and partially unraveled to create the fringe. See Below.

I've decided not to do the full pattern and knit only half the width of the scarf. I've also decided to sew a fabric backing onto the scarf. The back of the scarf has all those wonderful carried strands from the slipped stitches and seem prone to snagging.

Pretty green fabric

More on all this once the scarf is totally finished.

Wavy

Wavy Scarf Pattern from Handmaiden

This was a super easy quick knit. Urban Yarns has tons of this Fleece Artist yarn. The yarn I used was Merino 2/6 with AngelHair(mohair) in the Peacock colorway. The 2 separate skeins are sold together with the idea that you knit with both yarns at the same time. My favorite part was watching the colors change. So pretty.

Spring Cleaning

Tulips from my Fella. =)

Well, it's done. I've got my stuff updated on Ravelry, photos and all. I have ALL of my yarn pulled off of my shelves and I am doing another great re-organization. It feels good to finally be getting around to tidying up. I've wanted to for a while. I think I can thank working at my LYS for that.

The sun is out today and I think spring is finally on it's way here.

Dragging my @ss....

I've had a Ravelry account since October '07. You would think I'd be on it more often than I am, which is never. I've decided to show some more effort. Take photos of my stash etc. And I want to start doing a better job of this old blog too. We'll see though I guess.

Does Anyone Know What This Means?

We all knew this would happen sooner or later....

I bought a loom.

A 36" LeClerc Nilus floor loom to be exact. Something that is $2575.00 new, I got for $350.00. Holy crap!!! The price included a custom handmade bench and a warping board, bobbins, bobbin winder, shuttles etc..... The awesome lady that was keeping an ear to the ground for me was also kind enough to pick it up and drop it off at my place. =) Wonderful people crafters are, I tell ya. Then, my Fella decided to rearrange half of our one-bedroom apartment to accommodate the newest addition to our household. What a lucky girl I am. I have been grinning all day today. =D

Catching Up

Flower Brooch

Flower Brooch on Knitted Pouch

And some pretty knitted lace....

.....to make a classy little scarf.

This is the Juliet Scarf from Louisa Harding's book Knitting Little Luxuries. Originally for a light and fluffy yarn (angora blend), this one was knit with 2 strands of different yarns together for some added weight and density. I used Hand Maiden's Cashemere and Silk and Great Big Sea, both in the Ivory colorway.

The knitted pouch which contains the scarf was a quick pattern that I whipped up that echoes one of the lace motifs from the original pattern. I started at the bottom using the provisional cast-on, added 4 reps of the lace pattern on both sides, made some yarn over holes for the crocheted cord to go through and voila! Little knitted pouch. I just thought a scarf like this should have sometime to protect it when it's put away. So. There we go. This is another one for Sherry. She'll get it tomorrow. =)

Sherry's Hat and Scarf

Me modeling a hat and scarf I'm working on for my friend Sherry.


"Hey Sherry! I'm almost done! Almost."

Wow.

I have not posted in FOREVER. I haven't knitted much either since I've been on this photography kick. I've only got one FO that I haven't taken a picture of yet. I've gotten so lazy! Anyway, I may start posting more frequently soon. Stay tuned!

Happy New Year!

The first FO of the year!

This gray scarf is a gift for my sister. Not really a late X-mas gift.... A simple 'just because' gift. (Basically, I asked if she wanted me to knit her anything and this is what she requested.) It is so. Freaking. SOFT. Chunky Baby Alpaca yarn... *drool* I'll be sending it off in the mail soon!

I've got a bunch of projects lined up and it's just a matter of choosing which ones to work on. I am going to try very hard to not spend any extra money this year which means I'll be working on slimming down my stash.

For starters!

I'm going to knit this.....

Which I found in this....

And I'm going to knit it with this.