A cutie's hat and a failure . . .

Here's the success story: I made a small hat with a nice pointy top and a tassel for my niece Leone. I love it and it's so soft. I think I will have to crochet some ties for it, since babies often pull off their hats.

I watched Nenah Galati's video on knitting socks on two circs yesterday and tried to get the hang of it, but alas, even on bigger needles with bigger yarn I just couldn't get it going. I'll try again, but I was discouraged. :^( I'd feel dumber except that this week I've learned I-cord, have been courageous enough to frog an entire hat (too big) so I can re-knit it the right size, and have finished several projects. I just wish it had clicked so I could get going with a pair of socks for a certain recipient for Christmas. Ah well. Patience is a virtue.

Happy knitting!

Thankful for time to knit!

Among other things, I am so enjoying my weekend off, knitting up a storm. Here are the latest, and I am on hiatus from that other project since its recipient is at home until late tonight. Then, watch me go! I'll finish that baby in a day!

OK: Two little purses for my friends in Germany, Luisa and Adele. Guess which is for which??? I am putting small prizes and stickers in them too. Do I know little kids or what? BTW, I embroidered the name somewhat messily to make it look more authentic ;^). If I put half as much time into embroidery as I do into knitting, I guess it would look pretty competent. Note the I-cord handle??? My first successful foray into I-cord, and I am fine with it now.









Then a scarf out of the softest Rowan Baby Soft with a border crocheted in Bouton D'or (camel and wool). It is another gift, but I ain't sayin' any more about it.








Not pictured: I made a hat that has turned out well (at least not sized for a giant) but which was originally intended for DH when he goes camping and snow shoeing in the Sierras. Let's say it's sufficiently smaller that it won't fit a giant, and not sufficiently big that it will fit an adult. But oh well, it will fit one of several young nephews I have in mind!







The last here is another giftie whose recipient I haven't decided. It's Malabrigo (one skein!) in a color they call Molly (which is DD#2's name) and I am making it using a stitch I just love. Knit a row, then K1 P1 across, ending on a K1. Knit another row, etc. And I think both sides are quite attractive, which is always nice for a scarf. I've not used the Malabrigo before but am in love with it. How can it be only wool and still be so soft and not itchy?

Off to shower (finally--it's 2 p.m.--ah, vacation!) and take a kid to a rehearsal. Then to feed the friend's feline, and then home again for more . . . knitting!

Cheers!

Surprise! I sound like I'm from the West!!

Who'da thunk it???

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The West Your accent is the lowest common denominator of American speech. Unless you're a SoCal surfer, no one thinks you have an accent. And really, you may not even be from the West at all, you could easily be from Florida or one of those big Southern cities like Dallas or Atlanta.
The Midland
Boston
North Central
The Inland North
Philadelphia
The South
The Northeast
What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes

Knitting Knirvana and great yarn shop news

I have had a bit more time this week to seek out Knitting Knirvana, and have finished one whole panel and started the second. (Thank god for CSI Miami and Crossing Jordan reruns on cable!)




I used mistaken rib for the first of the colors, and now I'm doing a great stitch I hadn't noticed before in my stitchionary, called "sand stitch," that reminds me of popcorn or bobble-like patterns that are much harder (and which therefore I haven't tried to tackle). Here's what I have so far in both panels:



And I heard in passing yesterday that my former favorite knitting shop of the 90s, Carolea's Knitche, which had switched out to a quilter's store, has been bought and returned to its knitting focus. I loved Carolea's Knitsche and learned to use the continental style there. Not into quilting. So hallelujah! I'm headed there today!! I hear it has a new name like PurlEssence or something. Anyway, wish me a restrained buying impulse. ;^)

I got the flyer for Stitches West in the mail yesterday. It's not until February but I thought, wow, I should ask for this for Christmas--this being knitting classes you can sign up for over four days on a huge array of topics. I want to take classes in finish work, different cast ons (I only know the kiddie way and the long-tail cast on, which are great, but I want more in my repertoire, such as provisional and cable cast on), fixing mistakes, and the other nutsy boltsy things. And then I want to go shopping in the marketplace!!! No quiviuk for me this year though. :^/

Hoping to finish this second panel this week, and start the third, so that I can give this to Rachie when she's home for Turkey Day. Fall has finally really arriven in Northern Cali, and it's gray and chilly outside. Good weather to find a comfy chair, fire up the good lamp, and work on a knitting project. Happy knitting everyone.

The Promised Picture of Shangri-La

Life in Northern California . . . ah . . . just lovely. I hope that wherever you are if in the northern hemisphere, you are not chilly right now. And if in the southern, I hope your spring is well on its way to a lovely summer.

In blanket news, I got well into the first block of the next strip, in mistaken rib knit, which comes out great on these big needles with super bulky yarn. I'm starting to get really proud of myself. ;^)

Happy knitting!

Ah, finally, the weekend!

OK, last night I watched Pieces of April (I liked it, sweet movie) with my DH, and all the while knitted on the blanket to end all blankets. The mother of all blankets. That is a perfect name for a token of love from a mother (me) to a beloved DD. In chilly Connecticut, she needs something to drag over to her desk and wrap up in while she does her homework or her reading.



Can you sense how soft and cushy this blanket is already??? Lion Thick and Quick is a great compromise between the love of wooly things and the need for washability.

Here are the sections in close up so you can better see the patterns.




This gray is simple garter stitch, and is actually darker like the picture at the top.








See top photo for a better rendering of the dark maroon it really is. This block is in purl ridge, a really simple pattern. Row 1: Knit; Row 2: Purl; Row 3 K1 P1 across; Row 4: Purl.








This first block is in that fisherman's tweed off-white. Just K7 P7 all the way. I don't know if I love it, but it is interesting.




Here is the most recent block I have underway:



It is a checkerboard pattern, quite easy unless I stop paying attention, 56 stitches in K4 P4 for five rows, followed by P4 K4 for five rows, and again. I think I already messed it up but it's so hard to see what I'm doing with black yarn!!

This will end one set of blocks, and then I'll start the second set of four, and if it's big enough, that will be the blanket (sew it together and voila) but if it's still not wide enough, I'll knit the third set and set that together too. It's good when making gifts for teenaged people that if they don't truly LOVE the gift and intend to use it, one can politely offer to relieve them of the albatross, in which case I would have a great blanket all my own. :^) But actually I think she will like it. Let's all cross our fingers and toes.

Please send up a prayer to the knitting gods to make more time for Stacie to get out the needles. It keeps me sane!

Shout-out to Hell's Bells--what's this about "swings and roundabouts"?! Sounds too much like fun. ;^)

More alligators

It's just more and more of the same--eyeballs and alligators. Sigh.

"I will get back to my blog this weekend, as God is my witness, I'll never go without knitting again!" Isn't that what Scarlett said in the fields that day in GWTW?

Envying those of you with quieter (at least right now) lives. ~Stacie

The Blanket

[photo later--technical difficulties]

Here's a photo of autumn in Shangri-La, aka the SF Bay Area. I love living in this place with perfect weather, and the colors of fall are my favorite of the whole year.

On to knitting news: I haven't done anything on the blanket since the weekend really because I am up to my eyeballs in alligators. Grades are due tomorrow a.m. and student comments (what they're doing well, what they are struggling on) are due Friday. So I am a woman with a mission, and unfortunately it ain't a knitting mission. But I am thrilled with the look, the drape, and the cushy-ness of the blanket so far. DH helped me create a good pattern for a 12 "square" blanket, with as much variety and balance as possible. I'm onto the third of four blocks for this strip, and it's straight garter stitch so it will go fast.

I'll have to post it later today because the camera needs fresh batteries. :^(

Happy knitting, those of you who are lucky enough to have some time today.