The Key(hole) to Knitting

 

I used some wonderfully soft alpaca bulky yarn to make this keyhole scarf. This is mine. Since our house can get cold every now and then, I keep it by my recliner to put on as I am knitting. I really, really love it. And lavender is on my color chart!

Newly Anointed Shawl

I just finished blocking this lace shawl in a creamy light lavender color alpaca yarn. I laid it out to take a picture and then went in search of my camera. When I came back, the shawl was newly anointed with black cat hair.

Yes, my shedding little Neko decided this shawl was the perfect place to rid himself of his winter coat. When I asked him why he was on my shawl, he told me (in cat language) that black is the most ideal contrast to lavender. Not only does he make his presence known on the shawl, but he has to rub his fur into the lace as well. Beside, he said (once again in cat language), the black fur accents will then match everything else in my wardrobe. At least he didn't use his claws to see how fine the yarn is. That's only because his claws have been recently trimmed.

I will now spend the next few minutes removing fine black hairs from my new shawl. Oh, the price I pay to be both a cat owner and a knitter!

Back to the needles.

Heaven, I'm in Heaven!

Downton Hat Pattern

Since I have received so many requests for it, the Downton Hat pattern is free at http://ravelry.com/patterns/library/downton.

It's a pattern by knitsofacto on Ravelry. Check out all the hats on her page.

My next hat will probably be purple.

Back to the needles.

I Love This Hat!! Downton Hat Finished

I bet I have made over 300 hats in the past 20 years, maybe more. But I have to admit that this is one of the most fun hats I have ever made. I made this hat in an alpaca wool double knit and basically followed the pattern as written. (If you have read my blog, you know that is not always easy for me).

It took several days because I used 2.75 mm needles. With such little needles and as many as 136 stitches in one round, you just seem to knit and knit without making any progress. So this is one of those patterns that are easy to take along when you are riding in the car, waiting in the doctor's office, on your lunch hour, etc. I even knit during my women's circle meetings. Gradually, the hat grows in length, and you see the beauty of the yarn and the stitch pattern emerge. Finally, the hat is done, and you try it on. It fits beautifully and it is incredibly warm!

Like the rest of the country, we have had some very, very cold weather in Colorado with the coldest temperatures that we have had in 20 years. Usually I don't like to wear really warm clothing (yes, I am the rare creature that loves the cold weather), but this hat is perfect for some of those below-zero days and nights.

I am now going down to my yarn room to see what yarn I will use to make another Downton Hat. Stay tuned!

If you make this pattern, I would like to see your final hat, so be sure to sent it to me! My email is pribfam@gmail.com. I look forward to seeing them.

Ashley's Lacy Scarf

 My niece Ashley wanted a lacy delicate scarf in purple, so being the cool aunt that I am, I pulled out my knitting needles and designed this one. It is make with Cascade Alpaca lace in a beautiful color. If you look really closely at the yarn, it is variegated blue and pink. However, it makes this lovely lavender and seems to shimmer in different lights.  The only thing that I don't like about Cascade Alpaca Lace is that it is so delicate that it breaks easily.

Thank goodness I have nieces because I love knitting lace. Never could talk my husband or sons into lace.

I have never been big on blocking, but for some reason, I love blocking lace. It is so stretchy and pliable. I made the points on the ends very prominent for more effect. I may have to make one of these for me as well.

I posted this pattern for sale on Craftsy patterns, but if you really want it, leave a comment and I'll get you a copy. http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/knitting/accessory/ashleys-lacy-scarf/41087?fresh=true

Fluffy Scarves

Just a quick note about me.  I hope this doesn't change your opinion of me but I don't read romance novels. I never cared much for Jane Austen or Wuthering Heights and I have maybe read four modern romance novels in my life. I prefer murder mysteries. If someone doesn't die in the first 20 pages, I go on to the next book. My threshold used to be death within 30 pages, but I'm older now -- I have less patience with normal life in my books and there are still too many books to read.

That being said, I absolutely love the new series of knitting magazines Jane Austen Knits.  I am saying a series because there are two magazines so far, and I hope they keep them coming. The patterns are lacy and airy and the yarns used are more delicate. The lavender scarf is make with an alpaca lace yarn and the orange and red one is a worsted in a self-striping yarn. Both are using the pattern displayed on the cover. The pattern uses short rows to create the ruffles and flow, and it is very fun to knit. It is also an easy travel project because it is quick to memorize. It's also impressive as the scarf gives longer and longer and you have a cloud of fluffy yarn in your lap. I have both issues of Jane Austin Knit, and have ear-marked at least six projects in each magazine.

So here's to lacy and romantic knitting. I've had my real life Mr. Darcy for 31 years so maybe that's the romance on my needles is more appealing. Back to the needles.

What I Did on Summer Vacation

These are my adorable sweet sons, Lorne and Dane.
They reluctantly allowed me to take pictures
of them with their hats.

One last note about our trip to Canada. When I not driving or sleeping during the car trip, I was knitting. I finished the watch hats for my sons and hubby, all three made out of an ulta-soft alpaca yarn that is very warm.

I also made two shawls  although I didn't finish the blue one until I got home. They are made from three skeins of Mini Mochi, and I only had two skeins of the blue.  When I got home, I went to my local yarn store to see if they had another skein, only to find out that these colors have been discontinued. I searched the web and finally found some. Whew! I really love the blue and purple colors, so I would have been disappointed if I couldn't finish it.  I will probably offer the rainbow one at my church auction this fall.

The pattern is Wingspan, and can be found on Ravelry. It is very, very addictive, especially if you like doing short rows. There is an array of yarns making this pattern so the variations are endless. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wingspan-2

Estes Park Wool Market

It is Sunday and I am recovering in woolly bliss from the Estes Park Wool Market. It's an explosion of color and fiber surrounding by an estrogen-raving environment of knitters, crocheters, spinners, and just basic lovers of all things wool, cotton, silk, bamboo, cashmere, etc.

A felted helicopter -- ingenious! 

Yes, I bought stuff even though my finances shouldn't really allow it, but it's only once a year, right? I prefer to look at it at what I didn't purchase, okay? I resisted the ultra-soft vicuna skein in cream which was $99.00, lace-weight brown buffalo yarn at $60.00, not to mention the small tiny cake-like ball of tan qiviut which is like holding a pre-heated cloud about the size of a golf ball. I read once the qiviut yarn is 8 times warmer than wool, and all you have to do is hold onto it to realize that might be true. I think that golf ball was $55.00.  It didn't buy any of those, so I 'done good.'

100% Baby Alpaca from Bliss Ranch Wool
in red, navy blue and pink

I find that I have color moods, which is usually purple, but this year, I found myself drawn to pinks and reds. Maybe that's because every time I picked up a skein of purple yarn, I thought "I have this already at home." I used to think "I better buy this now because I'll never see it again." I guess I have hit the tipping point that I have more in my stash than I need to purchase. I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

Lace weight yarn 50% wool, 50% silk
from Skaska Design in coral

It also gave me chance to visit one of my favorite vendors, Skaska Designs. They have the most wonderful lace yarn and I always seem to buy something from them and talk to Galina Khmeleva (author of Gossamer Webs) who makes these wonderful lace shawls and scarves. I told her that instead of buying more lace yarn, I should just knit the lace I purchased from them five years ago ...  or four years ago ... three year, ... well, you get the picture. She said "I am so thankful that knitters don't think way!" I purchased the coral lace yarn.

52% cotton / 48% rayon from
Textiles a Manos in either
light blue or lavender,
depending on the light.

So I purchased yarn for three projects. The coral lace from Skaska will be used to make either a shawl or lace scarf, depending on what I feel at the time I finally wind it. The blue/lavender cotton rayon will be used to make a sweater. I have the pattern picked out and it will probably be on of the first projects I start with once I finished some UFOs (unfinished projects), hopefully this week. I think I purchased enough of the baby alpaca to mix and match to make five or six hats.

My Wool Market Buddies:
Amber and Zane Beach

I designed and re-designed several hats, scarves, and sweaters in my head while walking through all those aisles of fibers being bumped and jostled by bulging bags, overweight backpacks, strollers of sleeping children and full-hipped women, all with that glossy look on their faces of total bliss and anticipation. Yarn shoppers are wonderful people because as our bags knock each other slightly off balance as we pass, we laugh at each other, and then open the bags to show total strangers our newly purchased treasures as well as the detailed plans for their final endeavor.

Back to the needles.

Angora Bunny

Paco Vicuna - the softest wool ever!

Off to the Estes Park Wool Festival

Tomorrow is World Wide Knit In Public Day, and I am celebrating by going to the Estes Park Wool Festival. This wool festival is like Christmas and the Super Bowl all in one day! I am going with my friend Amber and her little boy Zane (who is the cutest little boy since my boys were little).

I think this is the 5th or 6th time I have attended in Estes Park festival and I never get tired of it. In fact, I have also been to the wool festival in Taos NM, and the one in Frederick, MD. The Maryland Wool Festival was my Mecca, you know, that once in a lifetime trip. Aw...

This year, I am doing some planning. Usually I just go there and buy yarn I like with no idea of what I am going to make with it.  Then I find out I either have too much to justify using it for a simple hat, or not enough to make a sweater, even though it is the perfect yarn for that raglan sleeve swing sweater. Sure, I could contact the website on the label, but I never get around to it.  So, I will do it right.

More once I make my purchases! I must get a good night's sleep.  So much to plan, so much to do, so much to knit ...

When Pattern and Yarn Comes Together

I am so LOVING this project.

This scarf is on the cover of the Jane Austen Knits 2011.  If you let it flow, it is a gorgeous fluffy scarf, and if you wrap it around your neck, it looks like a ruffled cowl. The magazine is filled with very feminine patterns and this is not the only pattern I will be making from it.

The scarf uses short rows to create the flowing ruffles and is only done in garter stitch. I love doing short rows for some reason, so I just keep knitting and knitting.

I am using a 50% alpaca/50% wool lace yarn called in AlpacaWare in a light lavender. I got about ten skeins on this yarn on eBay a few years ago for a really cheap price and still have four skeins left. I made a shawl with four skeins that I still need to block. I better get on that.

The new Jane Austen Knit magazine is out now and I picked it up at my local yarn store (A Knitted Peace in Littleton, CO) last week. I have already marked several projects to do.