A good week of knitting!

Knitting, On My Needles

Here’s one for ya. . . a knitter walks into a bar . . .

Yup, that’d be me. I went to the MN knitters gathering at a local pub/restaurant on the right day, wrong week. I was so excited to meet some ravelry knitters that I went a week early. It was a very pleasant experience actually. I knit for about 1 1/2 hours on a comfortable sofa. The wait staff was very friendly and helpful. . . they fed me dinner and didn’t laugh at me. One of the servers is a knitting fanatic and sat and chatted with me about two color knitting, as she examined my colorful mittens, inside and out. She tried them on and found the hole in the thumb. (one of these days I’ll fix that)

christmasmitts.jpg On Christmas eve about 2 years ago I woke up wanting a new pair of mittens. I knit one on Christmas eve and the other Christmas day. I knit them from the top down, making the design up as I went along. The increases for the thumb are in the middle of the front/back of the glove. Thought I’d try that for a change from the more common thumb gusset. The yarn is a blend of wool/angora I purchased from Fairy Hare Fiber. They are really soft and cushy. Obviously, they are also worn often, i.e. the key hand thumb has been chewed off by keys.

I’ve digressed from my knitting in the bar. . . but that’s all there is to it. I am totally looking forward to the coming Thursday and hoping I won’t be knitting alone again.

I had a fun little side trip during our Thanxgiving trip to Chicago. . . on the way home to St. Paul we stopped in Mount Horeb at Blackberry Ridge Mill. We saw the mill running and I had nightmares about all the cones of wool that were hooked up and plying. After about an hour of oohing and awing at yarn, patterns and knit samples, I bought some 4 ply yarn to knit a fisherman sweater. Enough to fit me. This color red is great! It isn’t very traditional for a fisherman knit with lots of cables etc, but oooh this color says power.

redfisherman.jpg Don’t know when I’ll get to designing this sweater but I’ve got the best yarn for it!

Off to a Holiday Party! Cheers,
Shawn

New Socks are done

Knitting

I finished Ellen’s socks on the trip to Chicago. This is the first time I’ve knit with this yarn: Pagewood Farm, handy dyed sock yarn, Merino/bamboo/nylon. It’s really comfortable to knit and wear! I can’t wait to go back and get some more to knit a pair for myself.

ellenpagewood.jpg ellenpagewood2.jpg

This month we are fortunate to have lots of blossoms on our Christmas cactus.

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I have lots of must do knitting but all I want to do is start new projects. . . hmmm. . . must be the time of year.

Shawn

New sock idea

Knitting, On My Needles, ,

Well, I tried the knit/purl leaf pattern for my new pair of socks and it didn’t work. I thought the design might get lost in the variegation of the yarn and it did. So, I have worked up another great scheme.

It is a 2/3 rib using a slip cable. I don’t know if there is any other socks out there like this, but I think it will be fun. Especially since I learned to purl while picking, it will take no time at all to knit these up. Good thing I am traveling over the Thanxgiving weekend. . . lots of car time for knitting socks!! WOOHOO. I love traveling when I don’t have to drive. And we may get stuck in a snow storm so it will take even longer to arrive in Chicago! Who but a knitter looks for reasons to take longer to get some place?

I just joined a couple new groups in Ravelry. One of them is Musical Knitters. I thought I better introduce the musical part of my personality. I play Old TIme Appalachian fiddle music. I play for fun with friends, for square dances and once in a while in concert. I am a member of an all girl band, Lulu Gals. I also am a square dance caller. Dang I lead a good life!

Well, time to get to work and dreaming about knitting!

Lost in knitting computerland

Knitting, , , ,

Wow, it is hard to keep up with it all!

I’m just back from Flicker-land and feel a bit woozy. I posted photos that are on this site already. Baby steps. . . baby steps.

I also am on Ravelry If you are a member, my Ravelry name is Lulugal. Now there is a wonderland of knitters! Whew! I am so impressed with what people are knitting! It is AMAZING!

I also joined the Sock knit along from the Yarnery
I went and bought my sock yarn yesterday and am really excited about the pattern idea pattern idea I have.
I have also been knitting wrist warmers. . . wanna see?

redlace.jpgfuzzwristwarmers.jpgredspiral.jpg

Aren’t they fun? The first pair is knit using the same lace pattern as in the leg warmers.

I guess its time for me to jump out of this computer world and rake the yard.
Shawn

Needlfelt decorating hats

Knitting, Needle Felting, , ,

Yesterday I led a needlefelting party at a friend’s home and I thought I’d share some of the beautiful work done by the participants. We shared good conversation, red wine and our creative juices were flowing.

2bluehagt.jpg the top of a beautiful blue hat!

1bluehat.jpg And here is what it looks like from the side.

1brownhat.jpg Look at this classy teak hat with it’s whimsical flower!

1orangehat.jpg I wanted to take this beauty home!

2tracyhat.jpg 3tracyhat.jpg 1tracyhat.jpg 4tracyhat.jpg The hostess of the party decorated this fine hat! A splash of color all the way around that looks GREAT on her.

Just a few examples of how these great hats (for sale at my esty store) can look.

Off to do some well deserved knitting! Tata.

Work avoidance and new yarn!

Knitting, On My Needles, , , ,

I finally figured out that when I don’t want to work I think of all the things I want to knit. I’m sitting here, eating my chicken pot pie for lunch, and wondering where I’m going to squeeze in an hour or two for hand knitting. The next thought is, what am I going to knit in that cherished, well-earned hour for hand knitting?!

My sweater of silk/wool blend yarn, I promised I would finish before starting another project Hah!

The second wrist warmer in the same pattern as my leg warmers. (BTW hope you all like the leg warmer pattern) The wrist warmer was quick and fun and when I get the second one done I’ll post a photo.

Or I could knit a new lace project in my kidmohair.jpgnew mohair purchased yesterday ON SALE at the Clickity Sticks which is having a going out of business sale. Yes, another yarn shop in the community is going out of business. It was like being at a wake shopping at the store yesterday. It was crowded with customers offering condolences to Tamara. Lots of sad knitters saying how much they will miss the store, but also inspiring listening to them talk about previous yarn purchases and their finished projects.

The lace sample pinned out in the photo I knit while walking at the dog park yesterday. (The only hour I could find in my day to hand knit.) I’ve been daydreaming of a lace shawl or throw for months and so thought I’d work up some lace to get a gauge. The blustering wind troubled me a bit while walking and knitting. . . the yarn is so light that it kept twisting around my elbows and in the zipper of my jacket. Bother! But it gave me enough to get a gauge, I think.

The other yarn I purchased I will use for accents in as yet to be determined projects.

funfur.jpg

I can’t imagine an entire project in this fun fur, glittery stuff but it makes great accents!

The sale at Clickity Sticks will continue until all the merchandise is gone. Don’t delay, if you want to find good deals. Everything is marked down, yarn, books, patterns, and even needles. I might have to make another trip out there this weekend.

Happy knitting!

Lace Leg warmer pattern

Knitting, , ,

I’ve finally finished the leg warmers! I actually finished writing the pattern too. I posted it as a separate page. . .

I have included pictures of them lying flat in the grass. . . on a pair of smaller legs. . . and on my bigger legs. (17″ around at the calf) The pattern is written in only one size but from the pictures you can see they will fit different sizes. And I have included in the pattern a few ways to change the size if you want to.

1legwarmersflat.jpg Here they are lying flat

1legwarmersideview.jpg Side view showing increase and shaping

1legwarmeroneleg.jpgOn the smaller leg. . . isn’t it a beautiful leg!

1legwarmersstanding1.jpgAnother view of the smaller legs.

1legwarmersgside.jpg Okay, here are my larger legs

1legwarmersgfront.jpgfront view of my legs in side the leg warmers.

The Plymouth yarn was really nice to knit. It is soft and warm and has good memory so the leg warmers will contract back to size when not on a leg.

Happy Knitting,

Shawn

Reading, not much time for knitting, and Ravelry

Knitting, ,

Thursday I went to the Yarnery to meet and listen to Laurie Perry, author of the web blog Crazy Aunt Purl and the book, “Drunk, Divorced, and Covered in Cat Hair”. I’m glad I took the time off to go see her. About 20 knitting enthusiasts filled the small classroom and Laurie came bouncing in with an air of excitement and gave me the easy feeling I was visiting with friends. A lovely, personable person with a soft southern accent, it was a pleasure to listen to her read from her book (the side comments not included in the book were especially entertaining).

Of course I bought the book and got it signed! This of course led to an entire afternoon of work avoidance while I drank a bottle of wine (in honor of Laurie) and read the entire book. Her voice is so contagious that my own inner voice became just like hers. Her writing feels so honest and “in the moment” that I found myself remembering past events and feelings and had the incredible urge to write it all down. (don’t worry, I won’t do it here!)

I cried tears of laughter reading her description of hair removal techniques she experimented with as a young girl. It’s not only a story of how she survived her divorce but a story of many of the rites of passage that we go through. I loved every minute of it! Now I’m enjoying my thoughts of who to pass the book on to, and imagining them reading it.

On to another topic: I’m patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) waiting to get invited to the Ravelry site. I keep checking back and I’m now number 9748 on the list. Whew! Finally made it under the 10,000 mark. It looks like it will be such a great knitting community site!

On to more knitting

Shawn

Beaded hand knit socks

Knitting, Knitting with beads, , ,

I had fun this summer knitting with beads. I forgot I knit these fun socks until it got cold enough to wear them. What a treat to find hand knit socks ready-to-wear in this cool weather.

beadedsocksfeet.jpg

The pink ones are knit in Liisu Yarn. This sock yarn is left over from my Fingerless Glove pattern. In the Glam Glove pattern I describe three ways to add beads to knitting. If you have a favorite plain sock pattern, try adding a beaded anklet! Even my sturdy peasant ankles, (great for support while dancing but not as skinny as current design deems attractive) look great adorned by beaded anklets.

beadedsockscloseankles.jpg

The blue socks are knit in Cherry Tree Hill yarn left over from the swing jacket that I knit.

I bought the beads for these socks at a great bead store in St. Paul, Storm Cloud Bead Company, located on Snelling at Minnehaha Avenue. Really fun place to go! I took about a yard of yarn with me to the store and shopped around until I found beads that fit the yarn and in the color I wanted.

I also found that I didn’t want to keep moving a bunch of beads down the yarn while knitting the cuff and sock leg so I knit to where I wanted the beads, cut the yarn, strung the beads, and then continued knitting. The ankle bracelet on the blue socks is not as wide as the one on the pink sock. But I think they both look great!

Happy knitting,

Shawn

New yarn! Lace weight, aran weight, and Linen!

Knitting, On My Needles, , , ,

I have new yarn, nah, nah, na-nah, nah! Sorry, don’t mean to gloat but this stuff is really beautiful and a gift!

A friend of mine, Lil, who owns At Loose Ends in Perham, Minnesota was in town for a three day workshop at the Textile Center and she stayed at my house. As a gift, she gave me a bag of yarn and this is what was in it.

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This golden color linen. Don’t know what to do with it yet, but can’t wait to start swatching! I’m thinking a nice spring scarf/shawl? I think I’ll knit it in a nice open lace pattern.

malabrigolace.jpg

And this lovely lace weight Malabrigo. Ooh I love these colors. I love knitting lace!! Just don’t know what to do with this either. It’s driving me crazy having this yarn wound and not knitting with it yet!

And last but not least!

mistialpaca.jpg

Misti alpaca in this nice warm colorway. Lil told me it is enough yarn to knit the Clapotis shawl-scarf from Knitty that is so popular. Hmm. Don’t know yet what this will be either. My fingers are itching with anticipation. I’m wanting some leg warmers. . . I wear them all winter since the temperature in my studio is cool. . . maybe I’ll spoil myself and have alpaca leg warmers!

I have projects that are on deadline to finish and I have a sweater that is about 1/2 done that I swore I would finish before starting another project. . . but this yarn is calling my naaaaammmmmmee.

BTW, I added three more colors of hats to my etsy store

I’m off to work so that tomorrow I can knit!