Spool Knitting with Wire

This morning in my inbox was an email newsletter from Beading Daily all about spool knitting jewelry with wire. Makes me want to give it a shot since I've been into wire knitting jewelry lately. I don't have a suitable spool knitter though...hmm.

Here's a link to the article: How to Wire Spool Knit in 7 Easy Steps

First FO of 2010

My mom gifted me this yarn last year in a Valentine's Day package. It works surprising well with this pattern "Uptown Boot Socks" that I got out of my Interweave Knits Favorite Socks book. These were my over the Christmas holiday knitting project while at home. They took exactly a week to make. Very easy pattern - after getting the gist of the cabling, I only looked at it for the heel and toe directions. Well written and very straight forward.

Stats on these:
Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Sockin' Sox
Colorway: #006 - a pretty teal/blue/green variegated
Needles: Size 2 Harmony Circulars
Size Made: Medium

Here's some more pics...

Vacation Knitting

I have plenty of sock yarn I have to knit through and I need mittens. On the new Knitty there is a pattern for mittens made from sock yarn...perfect. The pattern is called Ailbe - very detailed cable pattern on the back. Since I enjoyed making the Shedir cap (also a Knitty pattern) for a swap partner so much I thought these mittens were perfect. So far I've finished the first mitten. I didn't bring the correct needle size for the cuff of the second mitten with me on vacation. I have to wait til I get home to knit the mate. I love my mitten #1 and can't wait to get the other one done.

The yarn is from the November shipment of Rockin Sock Club. Gorgeous yarn and it works great with the pattern.






While I'm waiting to continue my mittens I moved on to a pair of socks from my Favorite Socks book. It's an easy pair of cabled socks that I've been meaning to make for a while. The pattern is easy and very pretty. The yarn is Plymouth Yarn Sockin' Sox that I had in my stash. Slightly variegated but looks great with the tiny cables. I have one finished and the other one on the needles.

Lace and Bulk

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm on a mission to make myself more scarves and use up some of my single skein stash. The Strangling Vine Lace scarf was my first...now I've added a couple cowls. Cowls are so easy and quick. With these two I've used up 3 skeins of left over stash.

The first cowl I made from a pattern. It's a super simple ribbed lace weight, close fitting bit of awesomeness. I had super soft lace weight left over from from the Seraphim shawl. Yarn so soft I knew it would make a great cowl...super cozy.

The Stats:
Yarn: Elann Peruvian Baby Silk
Colorway: Abergine
Needles: size 7 Denise circulars
Pattern: Cashmere Cowl by the Purl Bee




The second is a cowl I made up. I had a single skein of Super Bulky yarn and I wanted a bulky weight cowl. Lots of texture, big enough to be somewhat close fitting but open up enough to be worn loosely. I took ideas from a bunch of patterns on Ravelry and put them together for "A Bit of Bulk" Cowl. I like it but will have to try it out in the Boston winter to really see. I added ties to either side so it can be worn open or tied close.

The Stats:
Yarn: Lion Brand Thick & Quick
Needles: size 15 Denise Circulars
Pattern: My own experiment

Lace Scarf from the Stash

Yesterday I finished a lace scarf for myself. I realized not long ago that I like wearing scarves and most of the ones I have are store bought. There are a lot of beautiful lace scarf patterns, they are usually pretty easy to memorize the pattern and they are small portable project I can stuff in my purse. I have stash lace weight I need to use...so why not make myself a bunch of scarves. This is the first but there will be more...

Stats on the first:

Yarn: Knitpicks Shadow
Colorway: Raisin (no longer available)
Needles: Size 5 Addi Lace Turbos
Pattern: Strangling Vine Scarf by All Buttoned Up
Finished Measurements: about 70" by 8" wide
Notes: This yarn was left over from the Serendipity - Mystery Stole 4 that I started in September of 2008 but finished this past April. (That stole was entered in a local fair and won a blue ribbon). In order to make the blocking a bit easier, I blocked it doubled, folded in half. The pictures show it doubled so the actual scarf is lacier then it appears.

More pictures to come...but here's a close up of the doubled over lace fabric...so pretty :)

Swap Package Received

I just received a lovely swap package from my partner Neila in the Ravelry Starbucks and Yarn swap group. Really cute package so I thought I'd share:

October WoolGirl shipment

Latest Woolgirl Shipment arrived last Monday. If you haven't gotten your package...there are SPOILERS below!

Sorry for the bad pictures...I get home after the sun goes down and of course I couldn't wait to open it when there was better light.

This package is so pretty. "Birch" colors and the accessories have browns and orange. Fall but not the typical fall colors. I like both of the patterns that came with it but I'm not sure I can picture them in the variegated yarn.

I can't really start this anytime soon, anyway. I have time to decide what to make and in which yarn.

Here's another picture of the package contents. The painted cards that came in it are gorgeous! I can't imagine being able to paint like that...