More Malabrigo

This caught my eye several months ago.



It sat at the top of my stash for a few months while trying to get me to pick up on the vibe it was sending me as to what it wanted to become.

Apparently my project radar was down for a while as I was unable to figure out what this beautiful brown and blue Malabrigo wanted to be.

So, I took it with me to knit night at the shop where I adopted it.

There, my LYS owner, Leslie, and I scoured books for inspiration. We narrowed it down to a couple of scarves (because Malabrigo is totally wasted if you don't get to feel it close to you!!)

I decided on this Criss-Cross Stitch Scarf.



It's about four inches wide and four and a half feet long. Here's a close up of the stitch pattern:



It's very easy, mindless knitting. I really like what the stitch pattern is doing for the color way/varigation.

I've decided this colorscheme reminds me of Siamese or Persian cats with their blue eyes (even if the browns are a bit too dark!)

On another note: I taught my first sock knitting class last night. Six ladies attended and it was really fun! We meet again in 2 weeks with cuffs/legs completed and ready to learn how to make a heel flap and and turn a heel!

Hope your projects are coming along swimmingly!

Happy Knitting!

Felted Slippers

Add one more thing to Martha Stewart's list of "good things." I got the slippers felted Thursday evening and they've been drying since. This morning, thanks in part to snowfall, a high temperature of only 28*F (again!??!) and the furnace running more, the slippers were dry. I sewed the buttons and flaps on and here is the finished product!





As I said, we've had a little return of winter, so my feet are enjoying their new-found best friends!

Happy Knitting!

Pre-Felting Slippers

Well, I finished off all the pieces to the French Press Knits Felted Slippers and got them sewn together.



I'm planning to felt them tomorrow when I'm able to give it my full attention (no pun intended....)

Will keep you posted!

Happy Knitting!

Yarn On The House

My new project is the lovely French Press Knits felted ballet slippers. This is the photo of the original pair from the pattern site on Ravelry.



The random number generator over at Yarn On The House chose my name to win both the pattern and two balls of Paton's Classic Wool in a very lovely Deep Olive color with which to make my first pair.

Knitting on the project commenced last night. So far it's going very well! Since you knit with either 2 or 3 strands of wool on size US #15 needles, it's knitting quite quickly too. I only knit for about an hour last night and finished off both bottoms and one of four sides.

I will take photos of them when I get them assembled, prior to felting. (They are going to look a bit like clown slippers at that point I suspect since they are about 4 inches longer than my feet!) Of course, I'll post pics post-felting too!

I highly recommend this pattern! And this may be my Christmas 2010 project for the ladies in the family!

If you're a knitter and haven't visited Yarn On The House, what are you waiting for??!! It's a great blog...and she gives away free yarn! It doesn't get much better than that dear readers. Head on over there; I'll see you later!

Happy Knitting!

Plymouth Sockin' Sox

Isn't this a lovely colorway for sock yarn?

This is the gorgeous stuff I won from Romancing The Yarn, specifically from author Fran Baker who resides in my neighboring state to the south.

I'm excited about the opportunity to try this yarn as I've not had access to it at any of the local stores where I shop. I love the fact that it has a bit of bamboo in the content....I am almost certain this is what lends a very soft feel to the yarn. And I suspect it will wear well too.

The skein is a very generous 436 yards of blues & greys goodness, so I won't have to skimp on the leg/cuff either.

Thank you so much Fran and the wonderful ladies at Romancing the Yarn!

Happy Knitting!

FO Alert!

I have a FO to report!! (Finally!) Although I still have quite a lot to do in weaving in loose ends, I finally got the afghan put together.



I really like how it turned out. Even DH said last night, "That's really nice! The colors are great!"

Also, I was much surprised to learn that I've won another blog give-away. The ladies over at Romancing The Yarn are so awesome! Fran Baker has some sock yarn she was parting with and I will be the fortunate receipient!

Look what else came my way today!



Here's the rules:
• Thank the person who gave this to you.
THANKS Val!!
• Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
• Link the person who nominated you.
• Name ten fun facts about yourself.

1) I like a splash of milk in my tea.

2) My guilty pleasure is watching Desperate Housewives.

3) I spent too much $$ on magazines last time I was at a real bookstore.

4) My favorite indulgence right now is a cup of almond biscotti flavored tea (with milk as stated above) and a real biscotti to go with it.

5) I used to visit a "rock shop" located in the basement of a house in my nieghborhood as a kid and buy up pretty, polished rocks. Then my friend Linda got her own rock tumbler and we made our own. I was so jealous of her rock tumbler! Then the kids received one for Christmas a few years ago. What fun!

6) I used to love riding my bike around the neighborhood I grew up in during the late afternoon in autumn. I could hear other people in their homes sometimes. On occasion delicious smells of something baking in someone's oven for their supper would waft by in the air. Sometimes when I'm out on a walk and catch a smell on the breeze I am transported back to those days of leisurely riding around Riverside.

7) I played the organ for my church for one terrifying, gut-wrenching summer. I was truly horrible and it made me throw-up from the nerves. (Sorry if you were eating while reading this....)

8) A couple times my sibs and I rode our bikes up the state highway a few miles to the near-by Stone State Park. We carried back packs and took a picnic with us. It was fun.

9) I enjoyed all the fishing outings I went on with my grandparents and family as a kid. Even when I didn't catch anything, I still had a good time.

10) Some days I'm still not sure what I want to be when I grow up.

Ok - I'm supposed to give this to the most frequent commentors on my blog.

That would be:

McVal
Two Cables & A Frap
Cathy over at Kerowynsmom
Marie-Jolie
Caffeine Girl

Congrats Blogger Buddies!

Oh So Close

Well, the Knitting Olympics has drawn to a close and I'm afraid I did not earn a medal.

I feel I came oh so close and truly gave it an olympic effort, however, I fell short of having a completed afghan at the close of the day yesterday.

Here's where my efforts got me at day's end:



All squares are knit. (Yeah! This in itself was quite a goal given the fact I do have a life other than knitting and ended up with 2 days of unforeseen travels which took out my ability to knit!)

8 of the 12 squares have their first round of edging done. I think this will be the slowest part of putting the pieces together as the rest of the edge colors will have much easier to sort out and pick up stitches in lovely bound-off rows. (Unlike the first edge, which is being picked up rather slowly in an attempt to get it somewhat even across!)

I do LOVE the colors, as well as the pattern. It will definitely cheer up the living room on cold, wintry nights.

(However, now that it's March, we're not going to acknowledge the potential for more cold, wintry nights!)

Happy knitting (even if there are no medals involved!)