Knitting has taken over my world

There was a lovely winter coat at the store today.

I knew it had to be mine before I even tried it on: 80% lambswool, 20% cashmere.

I never had this problem before I was knitting... totally becoming absorbed with the fibre, and not being able to look at anything else.

And now, I have a lovely new coat.
Good thing it was on sale!

Another Christmas Scarf

My friend, Matt, has requested a scarf for Christmas.

We just bought him a herringbone charcoal grey coat today. It's lovely.

So I am trying to figure out what scarf he needs to go with it -- especially now that I know he loves wool, and especially merino. Any boy that knows his favourite type of wool gets bonus points and a nice scarf in my book.

I know a plain rib would work, but that's kind of dull.

Do you think this is masculine? (Or could be in a more masculine colour?)


It's the Irish Hiking Scarf from Helloyarn. Isn't it delicious.

Do you think this is appropriate, and if so what do you think would be a good colour for a guy (with a herringbone grey coat)?

Edited to add:
This is the coat:

And I was debating this colour scarf... too light for a guy? Because the coat is so dark, I don't quite know what to do.


I'm wondering if this is too dark:


I wish I could find a speckled, tweedy grey that wasn't quite so dark.

Spurred into action!

Hmmm... a day like today really gets me feeling the need to get some knitting done:


I don't know how. But it's snowing. Brrrrr.

Swatchitis

Well, I have been swatching and frogging more than knitting.

I have some lovely nonokitty wool/silk that is asking me to make it into armwarmers:

It knits up so nicely. I will definitely be needing more.

The gorgeous sweetgeorgia laceweight that seems to want to be a lace scarf:

But I don't care for this design . . . back to the drawing board.

My Brooks Farm mohair that is designing itself into a sweater:




And today, from my SP, arrived some gorgeous extrafine merino (in the most beautiful red!). There's about 550 yards of it... it would like to be a soft scarf:

I just keep petting it. That's not wrong. Lots of fine knitters do this.

Why am I stalled? It's not for lack of knitting time. . . it's because I have 3.75mm needles winging their way to me, and that's what I need for oh, let's say, all of these projects!

I've also decided I could give up all yarnweights except sport/DK and be perfectly happy in life.

Lurve

Ok, I totally have the best SP - and I think she's stalking me... 'cause check out how perfect the things I got are:

The Renee Fleming bio!, chocolate (mmm, tasty), Hallowe'en stuff, POST-ITS!, shower gel (it smells sooo good), shower gloves and yarn!



mmmm, merino...

Covet...

I've got to stop finding things I want to make.
Like this:


I think it's lovely.

But it's not perfect. Hmmm... is it wrong to spend an afternoon looking for a knit corset pattern?

Oh, how I love my SP

We have an exercise that we use: "Oh, how I lo--ove to sing!" It works equally well with this post's subject line. And it also happens to be true.

I got THE CUTEST Hallowe'en card today -- with a little mouse!!!!
SO SWEET!



Thanks, SP!

A welcome is in order

I want to welcome my dear friend, The Sinister Knitter to blogland.

She knits very lovely things and keeps me entertained daily with great knitting photos.

Go say hi, ok?

The Surprise - Revealed!

Well, this weekend I gave the sneaky surprise gift to my sister. She knows about this blog, but doesn't really read it... I thought she might check it seeing as my whole family knows to expect knitted stuff for birthdays!

A little backstory is needed to understand this prezzie though... she goes to the same school that I went to, and they have houses (like in Harry Potter). The house I was in was Tudor. Any family member is then put in the same house, so she is in Tudor too. Not only that - but she is the HEAD of Tudor House this year, as it is her grad year.

The mascot for Tudor is the elephant, and the house colour is red. The girls have to wear school uniforms, which are a navy skirt and tie in the warmer months. They wear boxers under the skirts -- the boxers are always longer, and peak out from beneath the skirts.

Now that you've sat through all that, you can thoroughly enjoy the prezzie!

I present to you . . . a Tudor elephant:


And of course, you need to get an idea of her attitude:


Daydreaming:


Project Details:
Pattern: Modified girl elephant from Jean Greenhowe's Knitted Animals
Yarn: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes

I have to say, the Jean Greenhowe pattern was great!!!! And of course, I had to add a few embellishments!

YAY!

I finally have my knitting stash!
Oh, the joy and wonderful knitting that will ensue!

(Just you wait . . .)

Blogger was acting up so you got a double post.
Sorry, I'm a nerd.

Susan's Scarf

Susan's Scarf is done!

And it is so squishy and wonderful. I think it will be very hard to give this up. Good thing I like Susan!

And of course, you need to see pics. Here's one:


And another:


Project Details:

Yarn: Plymouth Baby Alpaca Brush (80% baby alpaca, 20% acrylic) in colour 1805 . . . it's divine!

Needles: 5.5mm Addi Turbos & a random DPN for cabling

Pattern: Adapted from Lily Chin's Reversible Rib Shawl from Vogue Knitting: American Collection. 8 stitches of garter stitch border on each side, 24 stitch 2x2 rib cabled every 24 rows. Knit until you run out of yarn.

Skills Learned: Reversible cables!

And until Christmas, my renard will be nice and warm:

Blocking rocks my socks . . .

Wow!
First of all, I am so proud. I have knit lace!

It's part of a surprise blanket. There are a number of us each doing squares.

But check it out... this is before I blocked it:


And this is while it's blocking:


And just because you need a close-up:


Oh yes. I am proud.

Specifications:

Yarn: Knitpicks Paint Your Own 100% Merino Wool in natural - Laceweight - 2 strands held together

Needles: Addi Turbo size 4mm

Pattern: Pine Trees from Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls by Martha Waterman.

Skills Learned:lace, reading charts, blocking!

This was a great little project! I feel so accomplished!

Inspired!

I totally need to learn to do this kind of shaping:


The design is Mermaid by Hanne Falkenberg. Her designs only come in kits, to preserve their integrity.

But just look at the shaping!

Amazing!

Why have I not discovered the magic of charts until now?

Oh, I am a happy knitter.

This makes so much sense to me! You can actually see the pattern on the chart!!

The Scarf . . .

Well, the scarf is coming along very nicely. She is almost done! Just one more TV night, and she should be ready to go.


I have learned that DPNs are great not only for cabling, but as hair sticks, and to hold your work together, while it's in transport:


(Just be careful using them as hairsticks, people don't like being jabbed by them... and you know it's bound to happen.)

I still can't quite get a shot with accurate colour on this one. But I think these are the closest yet!

The scarf is going to smell quite lovely, I'm sure. Some split splicing was done at the SnB at the cafe the other night. Orange Ginger Mint tea was used. (What? As a knitter, you use what you have close to hand, right?)

Oh, and alpaca in your tea is way fun.

Update soon . . .

It's just that all my knitting is sneaky right now, so posting pictures doesn't help much.

Soon, I promise!

I leave you with one more photo of the mystery gift in the meantime.


And as a Canadian here in the States, away from my family for a holiday for the first time: Happy Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, everyone!

A couple more clues...

Any more guesses?




And my favourite:

A surprise prezzie

Someone is getting a surprise in about two weeks.

I can't give the details until it's given... so you get to see sneaky pictures that won't give it away until then.

Like this one:


Any guesses?

A little bit o' lace

Well, everyone says that pre-blocked lace looks like cat barf before you block it. Here is my evidence:


But you know what? It's my cat barf, and I like it.