Sunday, April 26, 2015

I've been knitting!

Knitting's been in the forefront of what I've been up to.  Can't exactly tell you when this knitting frenzy will end.  I've got quilting to do and I need to get busy sewing, plus there's the garden to tend to.  Oh, did I mention?  I need to feed my hubby; he's generous, multi-tasked, multi-talented, but he does not cook.  Knitting is at the top of my list...hard to stop.  Multiple projects going on here...sigh; is that how it is for other knitters, I wonder.  In the picture, see the rust-colored sweater?  It only needs a few yarn ends woven in and buttons applied to be complete; the capelet (love this pattern, so easy, so quick)...same thing; the little lavender sweater is for Natalie, Size 3T in the making; see the beginnings of puffed sleeves?  I'd say my knitting skills have moved up, probably from advanced beginner to intermediate.  There's been a lot of looking up of stitches and techniques to help me along as I go.  So there you go.

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Ballymurphy Scarf in progress (#2)

I simply adore this scarf...the yarn, the pattern.  At time of purchase, the buttons that come with this kit were missing from the bag; they told me they'd mail them along to my home address, and I agreed.  I'm thinking I'll be needing those buttons sooner than later.  It's movin' along!

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Ballymurphy Scarf in progress (#1)

Ballymurphy Scarf
 
While at Vogue Knitting Live! in Pasadena, on April 18, 2015, we stopped in at the MaggiKnits booth, where Maggi herself was there to meet and greet.  I was taken by her fabulous, artsy designs and my primary purchase at the show was one of her kits.  The yarn in this kit is a 3-ply linen.  The scarf is knit from side to side, and I am using a US Size 8 straight needles.  I had my doubts that I could handle the knitting required, but so far it's going well; not as complicated as I had feared.  Work in progress...

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

My Little Toy Dragon, pattern by Susan B. Anderson

This past weekend, Vogue Knitting Live came to Pasadena, California.  In anticipation, I had signed up for a class months in advance.  I chose the Little Dragon Toy Workshop, featuring designer Susan B. Anderson, because I thought it would be a fun project.  Due to a long and tedious drive from Temecula to Pasadena and problematic parking at the Convention Center once I got there, I was late to class by 1/2 hour, the last one to sign in.  Of course, this put me out of sync and I never did settle in and enjoy the class as much as I might otherwise have done.  Still, I was able to absorb most of the tips and insight which the instructor offered for this pattern in her lecture.  I took the written instructions and was able to finish my dragon at home, as there simply was not enough time to complete this fellow in class.  My toy dragon is knit with two strands of fingering-weight yarn (Knit Picks Stroll Tonal Sock Yarn) and Size 5 double pointed needles; a fun and relatively easy pattern that knitted up very quickly.  He's a keeper!