Old and New

It is such a great feeling when you knit something and it turns out exactly as you had imaged it in your head. And better yet, when it is a sweater and turns out to be great. Not just Okay, - "I'd where this around the house", But GREAT!!! - "This looks like something others would want"

I finished my sweater and I am so proud of it.






I really do not have a pattern for this sweater. I only have my notes. Before I forget exactly what I did, I will try to write it out. I'm finding that just working out the pattern as you go is very fun. It is writing out the patterns that I don't seem to like very much.

And because I cannot be without a project. I immediately started a Vest . The Yarn is a Bulky wool (another cone yarn from eBay). It just cries out to be some kind of outerwear. So I am trying to pull together a hooded vest design. This is my progress so far. Of course the back is the easiest part.


The pattern is a neat stitch design. It is called Elm Seeds (from Leisure Arts book: 99 Knit Stitches) I'll keep you posted as I go along.

Oh and I have not forgot to post the pattern for the scarf from my last entry. As I said before, I hate writing out patterns. So I have been very lax on getting that typed up. It is exceptionally easy so I just need to sit down and do it!! The funny thing is I still have not finished the scarf. I actually needed 1 more skein to get it to the length I really wanted it to be. As it turns out ,my LYS was out of that particular color, so they did a search on the yarn and turned up a skein for me. I've been waiting for the yarn to be shipped to the store to pick it up. So my "filler project" is now a UFO. Oh well, it is a Christmas present. I think I will have no problem finishing it up before then.

New Projects - on the hook and on the mind

I've started a filler project. Not socks this time. But a scarf in a great crochet stitch. I've swatched this stitch with this yarn ( Classic Elite-Miracle) and I absolutely loved the look. It forms a wavy pattern that creates bumps in the fabric. Very nice!!! These are the pictures. Oh and the bird in the pictures is my yarn buddy. Her name is Skye. She is a minature Parrot called a Parrotlet. She loves to hang on my work as I do it. She also loves to cuddle up with all my latest swatches in her tent. Yes, this bird sleeps in a tent and actually lays down. You gotta loves Parrots!!





I call this scarf a filler project, because I always have to have something on the needles. I am finishing my cotton sweater - Almost done. I need to have a small project I can finish in about a week until I decide what large project I am going to start next. I'm thinkg about a sweater in a bulky weight yarn I got on ebay this summer. I've really found that you can find some great deals on really cool yarns on Ebay. I'm particularly hooked on Cone yarns. I like getting them in and winding them out into skeins. I sometimes wash the skeins. (Sometimes not). Then I wind them into balls. Or leave them as skeins. I just love working with the yarns; imagining what projects I will do with them. I think I enjoy the process of deciding what to do with a yarn, Fanasizing about what the yarn will become as, much as I love knitting up the yarn.

High Yarn Season

The start of a Great Month. The beginning of "High Yarn Season". The time when everyday is an adventure to your maibox to get the newest yarn magazine. I study every page and every yarn. Ones I've seen before, and all the new designs. I have more than enough projects on my list, but I am constantly reshuffling the list priority.
If I wasn't organized I would never get anything done, and I would constantly be starting new projects. Since, I am a compulsive finisher, this is a big part of my knitting process.
I am already on the hunt for my next project. I've finished a couple of bags this summer ( 2 backpacks) http://static.flickr.com/80/238015888_ca3a688bee_b.jpg and I am thinking of doing another cable knitted bag. But it is time to start thinking about getting started with all my Christmas gift.

I found a great soft wool at my LYS (Yarns and Fabrications in West Chester OH - Just the nicest folks) . It is from Universal Yarn Company http://www.universalyarn.com/yarn.php. The wool is very soft. And the colors are very nice and rich. I'm planning on making a pair of socks from the Pace for my Sister-in-law for her birthday.

Also, I've seen that Caron has come out with a few new lines of yarn http://www.caron.com/ouryarns.html. I've always been a Carons Simply Soft fan. It is SOOOOO easy to take care of, and it is really very soft yarn. Not like what you think of for an acrylic yarn. Well the new colors are called :
Tweed - http://www.caron.com/color_cards/cc_sstweed.html
and Shadows-http://www.caron.com/color_cards/cc_ssshadows.html.
Hope they inspire you when you want to try something interesting, but don't have the money to spend on those high end yarns.

I am currently working on a cotton open work sweater. I should be finishing it within about 2 weeks. I am almost done with the first sleeve. It is a redesign of the Bookworm Tunic from Hip Knits-65 Easy Projects from Hot Designers- Better Homes and Garden. I love the material that the stitch makes and the cotton I am using is very soft. Actually the yarn was a great buy from Ebay. It is a plied blue and cream fingering weigh 100% cotton yarn. I was not sure how it would knit up but the swatch was very soft. So I just went for it, and I am so far very pleased.
http://static.flickr.com/95/238015884_4e649ea461.jpg