Volna

It became apparent that the weather was not going to cooperate so I got my friend and co-worker Tammy to model the shawl for me at work. Volna is a lovely pattern and will appear again in one of the long repeat yarns.





Specs:
Pattern: Volna by Grumperina aka Kathy
Yarn: Wisdom Yarns Poems Sock
Needles: 6 US addi Lace
For: Mom
Size: Medium
Started: November 22, 2010 Finished: November 30, 2010

Nothing to change. Pattern is wonderful written and though it appears intimidating at first it becomes very intuitive after a few repeats. The patterns comes in three sizes: small carf, medium scarf and shawl. It is perfect for yarns with long repeats.

A Change in Plans

I've snuck in a few Christmas gifts of the knitted hat form this month. Yesterday I finished the Caramel Cable Hat for my hairdresser Judy. Here it is modeled my my friend and co-worker Tammy.




Specs:

Pattern: Caramel Cable Hat
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca Pitch Black (leftover from the Mars Hat & Scarf)
Needles: 4 US & 6 US addi Turbo 16-inch needles.
Size: Medium
Started: December 16, 2010 Finished: December 17, 2010

Modifications: I deleted a full 18-stitch repeat to make the smaller size. This is one of the worst patterns I've ever used. It is supposed to be translated to English from German but it is actually a mash up of both languages. If you read charts this will solve most of the problems as this is what I used. I'm glad it was a free pattern. The hat is lovely but I would no recommend this pattern for beginners.

Christmas hat #2 is the Brambles Beret from the Deep Fall 2010 issue of Knitty. My co-worker Tammy admires most of the hats I wear, particularly the beret style, so I'm making one for her. This is another hat that I liked as soon as I saw it and made plans to knit. I'm knitting from the large stash of Cascade 220 so it is more than likely that this pattern will make another appearance.

I've cast on the body of my Brigitte cardigan. I can't wait to be finished with the first bit of colorwor so that I can sail through the stockinette portion. I've completed both sleeves so chances are good that this will be finished for the new year.

In the meantime, I'm sitting here wishing for a white Christmas realizing that the chances are slim and none. It's been snowing in Charlotte which isn't all that far away but it would be great to have snow day. To all of you who are currently experiencing these snow storms, here's hoping that you stay safe and warm.

I'm Hooked

When I learn something new I tend to jump in with both feet and so it has been with the jewelry making. I purchased a book from Joann's which exposes you to a lot of different jewelry making techniques. Yesterday I started a bracelet using jump rings. I couldn't start with the beginner's bracelet I had to jump to the next level. The pattern suggested using 3 different color jump rings to be able to better see what you are doing, but I knew I wouldn't get much use out of a multicolored bracelet so I opted to use silver only. After struggling a bit yesterday, I found my stride today and found a system that worked for me and finished it this afternoon.



I may need to remove one set of links but I'll leave it as is for now.

Earlier this year when Web's had their anniversary sale I bought enough Reynolds Lopi and Lite Lopi to make 3 sweaters. On Friday I cast on for the first of the three. The pattern is Brigitte from The Best of Lopi. I've had this book for several years and long ago picked out what I might like to make from it. This year I decided to try and knit at least one thing from most of the books I own instead of just buying them and putting them on the shelf.

I started out small and thus far I've finished the first sleeve.


If I manage to finish this before the end of the year this will be only my second completed adult sweater this year. I'm hoping that the fact that this is a bulky yarn means it will work up faster. It is super cold here for this time of year and the perfect weather for wearing this type of sweater.

We had the nephews this weekend. We went shopping Saturday and during our stop at Michael's I took Isaiah to the yarn section so that he could pick out his Carolina Gamecock colors. Since then he has worried me repeatedly about when am I going to start on his things. I finally got him to stop asking by measuring his head. The colors are garnet, black and white so I'm going with a basic striped hat and scarf with garnet and black mittens. It isn't a Christmas gift but based on what he wore to our house this weekend it is something that I need to get started on soon.

Time to get ready for another day and find something warm to brave these cold morning temps. Have a good one and holler at you later.

A Whole Lot of Knitting Going On

Even though the blog has been quiet there has been a lot of knitting going on. I took inventory of the projects I've knitted so far this year and I'm at 25+. I wish I had knitted more than one adult sweater but I'm pleased with all of the other projects. I still may be able to get in one more.

I have several projects that need to be photographed. Daylight savings time is killing me because by the time I get home the good daylight is already gone. I'm hoping to get some good photos this weekend. I also have 3 items that need to be blocked but the den is taken over by Christmas decorations. Mom is creating a different color scheme this year, we already have 3, which means they (mom and sis)are going through everything to pick out the right colors.

I finished the Volna scarf in the medium size. More details to come when the scarf is blocked and better pictures are taken.



I participated in Woolly Wormhead's Mystery KAL on Ravelry. She is a fabulous knitted hat designer. I was a little late joining in but I did manage to finish hat A. She has released the pattern as Bellefleur. It is the first hat I've knitted using fingering weight yarn and I loved it. I still have hat B to knit which has been released as Limpetiole. It is done in dk weight and has some of the same Elements as Bellefleur.

I received a request last year from one of my mom's friends for a hat and coordinating scarf. It took a while for me to decide on the patterns. I've finished the scarf which is in need of blocking and am currently working on the hat. The color is deeper and more intense than this picture shows. The hat is the Cabled Chapeau from Stitch Nation.


We had our final beading session of the year. We were joined by my mom and knitting friends Calvin and Gail. I made lasagna, Calvin made a wonderful salad and Millie made a delicious orange pound cake. My mom said she understands why we have such a great time when we get together.

Our project was crystal bracelets. We both used Swarovski crystals and Delica beads. I finished the blue bracelet while at Millie's and did the black one later that evening at home. This is my favorite project so far and I love the fact that I was able to complete the entire bracelet. I forgot to order gold jump rings so I still have to get some to complete the black bracelet. The pattern is Dazzling Diamonds from Bead&Button magazine.


I do plan to knit a few Christmas presents mainly hats. I'm adding some none-family to the list and I know they will appreciate them. I've made some beaded bracelets for the ladies in the family and still have to do the bags for the girls. Once the shopping for the boys is finished I'll be good to go.

This weekend I'm entertaining two young men so there won't be much room for crafting and after that it's time for the Christmas parties. Let the holidays begin.

Happy Thanksgiving 2010

On October 1st I came across this post on Grumperina's knitblog. I was immediately captivated by the design and waited patiently for her to finish and release the pattern. I purchased it as soon as it became available. I tried hard to be good and not cast on but temptation got the best of me.

The pattern is Volna. It is for 3 different size scarves and is available as a Raverly download. She used 3 different types of Noro for each scarf. That was my original plan but when I went to get it out of the sock yarn basket I saw this skein of Wisdom Yarns Poems Sock and the deal was sealed.


The color is cruise and I love the rainbow effect. We bought two skeins of this brand during one of our beach trips. This is the skein mom picked out. I started yesterday and quickly learned that I need to regularly check my stitch count. Because of all of the short-rows and shaping it isn't a mindless knit but neither is it all that hard. I created a spreadsheet to help track where I am and to keep count of the repeats. I've already decided that this is a repeater and I will be making one of these for myself.

I've pretty much decided that I will not be doing any Christmas knitting. I'm going to make some jewelry items for the ladies, purchase gift cards for some of the nephews and try to figure out what to get for my brothers.

I'm ready for the Thanksgiving weekend. For the first time since I was a teenager we are not having dinner with family. Mother and I are joining my brother's friend and her family for dinner. It is such a relief not to have to worry about preparing the meal. The past few years we have had dinner at our house and the responsibility fell on me and my mother but mostly me. This year all I have to do is make a Turtle Cheesecake and relax.

I hope you all have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving. God has blessed me this year with so many things to be thankful for that it is a truly special Thanksgiving season.

Morlynn Shawl

I've been working on a special gift. A gift from the heart and soul.

When Mrs. Edmonds passed I wondered what I could do for Sesame in the days, months and years to come. I can't imagine how it is to loose one's mother. My mother is not only my mother she is my best friend, confident, cheerleader, inspiration and I could go on and on. I wanted to do something that would give her comfort so I knitted her a prayer shawl. We she wears this she will be covered in not just the prayers from me but also those of my mother.




Specs:
Pattern: Morlynn Shawl / Tuch by Alexandra Wiedmayer
Yarn: Miss Babs Yummy Sock & Baby Handpainted Journey & Monochrome Roasted Pumpkin
Needles: 4 Addi Turbo
Started: November 6, 2010 Finished: November 16, 2010

There isn't a modification needed for this wonderful well-written pattern. The only decision is how to arrange your colors. The yarn is delicious and I can't wait to use it again.

Passing On

Life has been really busy and at times sad. My mom's good friend passed after a short illness. She was diagnosed with metastic gallblander cancer less than two weeks after my birthday party on the 18th of September and passed on the 24th of October. Mrs Edmonds was like a second mother to me and had let me know that she felt the same about me on my birthday. Our hearts have been heavy but we are so glad that she didn't surface for a long time. We were all blessed to have known and loved such a sweet and gentle soul.

Last week I got the pneumonia vaccine and after having a really bad reaction learned that at some point in time I actually had pneumonia instead of some generic respiratory infection. I felt like I had the flu and my arm is still sore around the injection site. I'm sure it is going to take several more days for the huge lump to go away. Benadryl and Motrin has helped to ease a lot of the swelling and irritation. The doctor said that reactions like this do occur but rarely and that I should never get the shot again. I was like yeah! You think so!

I've finally gotten around to taking pictures of some of my winning knits. This is the Heavenly Blue Cardigan which I knitted for myself but looks better on my mom so it is now hers. It won first place in the Women's Sweater category and the Sweepstakes in knitting at the South Carolina 2010 State Fair.




Specs:

Pattern: Heavenly Blue Cardigan from Beyond Wool by Candace Eisner Strick
Yarn: St-Denis Nordique in Fjord
Needles: US 4 & 5
Started: August 20, 2010 Finished: October 5, 2010

Mods: One of the mods I made was in the number of buttons. The specs for this size required 4 buttons every third slot. This would have resulted in a sweater that gapped badly so I used one in each slot. I also made the cables mirror on the back. This was only done only on the front. I also made sure that the sleeves mirrored on each side.

This was almost the sweater that wasn't meant to be. First were the e-mails between me and Webs trying to find a color with enough yarn of the same dyelot to send. Then I got all the pieces made only to find that my fronts were 1 1/2 shorter than the back. I re-knitted both of them and I'm glad I perserved. I believe this sweater is my best work ever on a knitted garment.

Up next is the Tuscan Leaves Hat which won a first place in the Hat category.




Specs:

Pattern: Tuscan Leaves Hat by Nina Machlin Dayton
Yarn: Universal Yarn Deluxe Worsted Gold Spice
Needles: US 6 & 7
Started: September 26, 2010 Finished: September 27, 2010

I'm steadily expanding my knowledge of beading and jewelry making. This past weekend I made magnetic hematite bracelets using beading wire for me and mom.



I'm not sure where this will lead but I do have plans to make some matching sets for us. It is so much fun learning something new. I hope my knitting doesn't suffer because of it.

***edited 11/2/2010 to correct modifications.