Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Why Helloooo Spring. So Nice of you to Join Us!

Spring is here and now I can reach deep into the back of my closet and pull out some of the things I finished just in time for the snow to fall last year. They got tossed around in the closet, and some almost near- forgotten, but it's nice to see them again.
Especially because it means that the warm weather is here.

I can feel it.

What is it? Roundabout Leaf Tank by Norah Gaughan from her book Knitting Nature.
What yarn? Kelly by Filtes King- sadly, it is no longer. It's a cotton/acrylic blend.
What needles? 5 mm
Get it? Hmmm??? The name? See the leafs? And the round-about ways of this tank? Man. It was so fun I want to relive this whole project.

Another day, another yarn.

The tank is knit in a big strip, starting at the bottom and going up around and around. I felt very much like I was being forced to think out of the knitted-tank-top-box and this is a good thing. We need a good knitting kick-in-the-pants every now and again.

Norah Gaughan gives good kicks.

And one more thing.


I don't think I have been this happy to see Spring in my entire life.

I hope you all had lovely long weekend with your knitting and/or amongst the flowers.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Mod Babies Only Need Apply

Once again, inspired by a customer I cast on this blanket on a whim, and was blocking within the week. I couldn't stop. It was addictive. I canceled social plans so I could carry on with this blanket. You people have got to stop with this 'inspiration' stuff. I need to learn to live more vicariously through other people's projects.
Sigh...

Too bad I had so much darned fun!


The yarn? King Cole Splash (3 balls)
The pattern? Argosy Baby Blanket (click HERE for the free pattern)
The needles? 4.5 mm
The mods? The original pattern is written for a worsted weight, and I used a DK weight. SO- I made the blanket two extra increases to get the size I was going for (start knitting and you'll know what I mean when I say that).


Look at the blanket getting all cheeky with the flowers...

The best part? Someone pointed out that this colourway is 'Hannah Montana Purple'.
Fabulous.


ALSO- I would like to point out that the idea given to me to make a nail polish cozy in the previous post is nothing short of brilliant.
I'm on it.

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

It Just 'Felt' Right

I got a phone call last Tuesday from my dear friend Meghan's soon-to-be-Mother-in-law.
Meghan is getting married in six weeks, and made it quite clear to all of her loved ones that a shower was not expected, or even really wanted. Having to do SOMETHING to celebrate this exciting event, a 'bottle party' was thrown in her honor instead.
Each person brought her a bottle of wine.
I brought her a felted wine cozy.


No home should be without.

I am not the most knowledgeable wine person, but I do know a thing or two about anything knitted/felted.
My immediate reaction to an invitation of this sort was to cast on.

So, I did.
And this was the result.

Meghan is a knitter so I knew it wouldn't go unappreciated.

What fun!

The pattern? I sort of made it up by combining several patterns I had come across to get exactly what I wanted. The flower however is from the pattern by Noni for the Felted Farmer's Market Bags.
The yarn? Cascade 220 of course! What dreamy stuff to felt with.
The fun factor? Let's just say that if I didn't have 300 other things on the needles right now, I would be making everybody I have ever met one of these babies.

You can be sure you will see more of these.

Oh. And one more thing.
Of course I included a bottle of nail polish with her bottle of wine.
It was a bottle party after all.