I haven't blogged too much this year, but I haven't really knit that much either. My lovely husband gave me a set of sock needles from Knit Picks for Christmas and I immediately started a pair of socks for him with yarn that he picked out on our honeymoon. This week I finished the first sock. His feet are large, my hands and needles are tiny, so that explains that.

For the first few months of the year to distract myself, I mean, multi-task, I worked a good deal on my Mitered Square blanket from Mason Dixon Knitting. It's a really fun and inspiring project. My left wrist began to bother me something fierce, and consequently not so much knitting.

Here are my older projects that I've neglected to present until now.

Dishcloth Love

I really like themed/holiday dishcloths. Ravelry has crazy good patterns.


Project: Love Dishcloth #2
Source: Knits by Rachel
Yarn: Sugar 'n Cream in Red, .85 skein
Needles: US 7
Started: 1/9/08
Finished: 4/2/08
Comments: Lovely

Honeymoon Armwarmers

I wanted to make my new hubby something special for Christmas to thank him for all of the lovely yarn we purchased on our honeymoon (and for hours driving around a strange city in search of yet another yarn shop without a complaint). So I picked a special yarn that I chose simply because it was local to Oregon. Ta-da! We have his & hers fingerless mitts!



Project: Honeymoon Armwarmers
Source: Dashing (Knitty)
Yarn: Imperial Stock Ranch 2ply wool in Heathered Teal, .75 skeins
Needles: US 6
Started: 12/7/07
Finished: 12/19/07
Comments: Good pattern; they fit perfectly and I didn't even swatch! I really liked this yarn and the color is so pretty (he didn't seem to mind the flecks of pink)!

Hat & Scarf

Project: Squishy Hat
Source: Crazy Aunt Purl, "Brangelina Hat"
Yarn: Misti Alpaca Chunky in Chartreuse Melange/ 7238, 1 skein
Needles: US 11
Started: 9/4/07
Finished: 9/7/07
Comments: I had this yarn for about a year before I found the perfect pattern. I love Misti Alpaca and this hat is so soft and squishy, perfectly packable and matches a whole lot of my Fall & Winter clothes. Just perfect!




Project: Vintage Velvet
Source: Scarf Style
Yarn: Muench Touch Me, #3646, 5 skeins
Needles: US 8
Started: 9/6/07
Finished: 11/3/07
Comments: I was a little torn on whether or not to felt this scarf because it was already very soft and drapey, plus I had read horror stories about unraveling. Everyone knows this yarn is cost prohibitive and I wouldn't have been able to afford more if something had gone awry. FYI- I scored my five skeins at half price! I'm so glad I did felt it though. It softened up even more, if that's possible and really tightened the cables and made them pop (as you can see from the photos). The scarf is very chic and feels oh-so-luxurious, I would really love to use this yarn again. Some specs: the color is actually the one pictured in the post-felting photos, not the blue-purple color. Pre-felting dimensions: 5"w x 55"l, Post-felting: 4.75"w x 50"l

New Year, More Projects

I've got to be better at this blogging thing, but Ravelry is so much fun and it just keeps getting better!

I wasn't going to knit anything for Christmas presents, because I'm not sure if the recipients will really use them or are to their taste, but I can't stop myself. These were fun and easy though.


Project: Mosaic Mitts
Source: Interweave Knits Holiday 2007
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease in Navy, Gray, & Plymouth Encore Worsted in Wine
Needles: US 4
Started: 11/7/07
Finished: 11/21/07
Comments: Easy, fun pattern. I used leftovers and plan to make some for myself out of leftover Malabrigo.





Project: Airy Scarf
Source: Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Lord/593 & Fondant/630
Needles: US 10
Started: 11/22/07, 12/3/07 & 12/27/07
Finished: 12/3/07, 12/7/07 & 1/2/08
Comments: Very fast & easy. You can get 2 scarves from one skein. I got this book specifically for this pattern and I think the book is going to be a great resource.

Happy Holidays!!!

Big Daddy Needs New Yarn!

Not anymore, to say the least. I picked up a few things at my LYS at their Thanksgiving sale, but check out the haul from my honeymoon! I had no idea I'd bought so much until I was taking the photos!

Portland has dozens upon dozens of yarn shops spread out all over, so we didn't even touch half of them. We did manage to make it to 5 stores, not too shabby (in 3 days!). Don't feel too bad for DH's patience, he's been known to knit occasionally and some of this yarn is his.

Of course I picked up some Kureyon, as well as yarn for 7 (!) pairs of socks, but I also tried to buy locally. In addition to Oregon wool, and specially dyed yarn, I bought some handspun that comes from a 90-year old woman!

I was extremely impressed with yarn stores in Portland. They average about 3 times the size of the ones here, are absolutely bursting with yarn and they carry enough varied things that you'd have to shop at 2 or 3. Plus, perfect LYS manners: ask you if they can help, then leave you alone and when you do need help, they were very friendly and down-to-earth. We even got free handmade glass stitch markers at one because it was our honeymoon! None of the snobbery that keeps me out of a lot of places.

These are the places we visited and I hardily recommend all of them. The ones with an * had a tad more variety in my opinion.

*Yarn Garden
Dublin Bay Knitting Co. (specializes in yarn from the British Isles, very fun!)
*Abundunt Yarn & Dyeworks
The Naked Sheep
*Close Knit

Finally, the months-overdue Harry Potter beret. Probably not worth all the build-up, but I did get my photo taken with Hagrid, Mad-Eye Moody and Snape (sigh) while wearing it!



Project: Harry Potter Beret
Source: Charmed Knits
Yarn: Plymouth Encore Worsted in #999 & #1382 (maybe 1/2 skein of the red?)
Needles: US 6 & 7
Started: 5/6/07
Finished: 5/10/07
Comments: Easy Peasy!

Wedding Shawl

So here are the details on my beautiful wedding shawl.

This was my first big lace project and I was plenty nervous. Miriam, the designer, was very helpful when I had questions and other knitters helped me through my first time blocking with wires and how to wash the delicate yarn. Thanks a lot!!

I think this pattern is perfect for a beginning lace knitter. It's pretty straight-forward and the charts are easy to read. The yarn is the softest thing I've ever touched and I wish I could drape myself in it all the time. When knitting the shawl, I often stopped for minutes at a time to pet the yarn! The yarn also seems much sturdier when knit up. I only had breakage once and that was when I was pulling from the first center ball I had wound. I do tend to wind too tightly.

This is definitely my most loved of all the things I've knit. I'm extremely proud of it too!

Now for lots more photos!





Project: Seraphim Wedding Shawl
Source: Mim Knits
Yarn: Lobster Pot Lace Weight Cashmere in Salt Rose, 1.5 skeins
Needles: US 6
Started: 8/1/07
Finished: 9/5/07
Comments: I left out one repeat because I'm so short and also because I was worried of running out of yarn. I had plenty of yarn left over and the shawl ended up being only slightly shorter than the one the pattern calls for. This shawl was knit in secret and my sweet husband ended up being very surprised (he's my #1 knitting fan)! I only hope I can figure out how to wear this often.

Woo-hoo!

I just found about this yesterday and now there are photos! Kureyon Sock Yarn!

Between this and a new Joss Whedon show, well there's only so much a girl can take!
It's thanks to Ravelry for these juicy bits!

Back from Break

I've mostly been on a knitting and blogging break for the past few months because I was planning my wedding. Now that the wedding and honeymoon has come and gone, I'm going to try to get back up to date. I have lots of new yarn to post, fun projects and plenty of knitting to do. In the meantime, enjoy this shot of my first big 'ol complicated lace project. Oh, my luxurious wedding shawl, how I do love thee so!