Mitten fun ~

This mitten is really looking like a Nordic mitten! The fair isle pattern with "floats" in the back are creating that double layer that makes the mitten warm but not bulky.

I love how it looks!

Rockstar Knitter ~

I am blessed to have a few Rockstar Knitters among my knitting friends. They inspire and motivate, and support and encourage. Plus, of course, they knit as only Rockstars can knit. Amazing....

Here is the Jitteryknitter in her Rockstar fair isle vest knit out of alpaca....oh so lovely, oh so soft, oh so perfect.... Hats off to you!!! Hurrah!!!!

Fair Isle deux ~

I finished the second Fair Isle hat for the church bazaar this week, out of stash Manos. Very good use of stash leftovers, and I think the colors worked out well.

Instead of adding a third color, I stuck with the two blues, and it worked out well....

only four more weeks until the church bazaar....not sure if I'll get all my projects done in time!!

Finish Fair Isle ~

This hat turned out very nice, indeed. Knit out of Manos, this was a fun knit.

It was such a fun knit, I think I'll be casting on another one soon!

Handspun sale ~

We were at the Sew Expo this weekend and I didn't buy any fabric. First time, ever... in the 20 years we've been going.

We took some classes, and even got lucky as "stand by" for a beginning crochet class that was sort of fun to play around with....

There were only a few booths in the entire fairgrounds that had yarn or fiber.. I do wish they would expand with more yarn. Sew Expo is the place I bought my Philosopher's Wool sweater kit several years ago, and learned to "Fair Isle Knit" with two hands from a class with Ann. I did score this handspun yarn for just $5 a skein...not bad for soft wool barber pole...

Harry Potter is here ~

We have all been waiting for the movie, Half Blood Prince for a very long time. We are thrilled that today is the day, and we can finally see the next book on the screen. From a knitting perspective, it is delightful to see the many knitting books and individual patterns dedicated to Harry and his friends, and some of his enemies, too. The books and movies have entertained us, and inspired some great knitting too! In one of the movie pictures, Hermione is wearing a great cabled hat, so if you can find that pattern, please let me know. She's also wearing a Fair Isle scarf....it looks great!

Bravo Harry Potter!

(picture from Yahoo Movies site)

Meet Bonnie ~

Since we're all family here, I feel bad that you've not met my dear Bonnie. She is a lovely tank top in progress, knit out of some beautiful ribbon yarn (named Bonnie) that I scored last year on eBay for 99 cents. There are some magical times on eBay when no one, absolutely no one, bids against me... and I do love those deals....This was such a deal ~ a bag of ribbon yarn (12 balls) for 99 cents. Crazy deal...anyway, Bonnie is one of my 4 "on the needles" that I cast on last summer and is still waiting to be complete. Given my waxing poetic on Friend L's many lovely & inspiring projects, I thought I'd find Bonnie to see if she still gave my heart a thrill. Although no alpaca or silk, nor any complicated lace or fair isle, I think Bonnie & I will be friends again soon, seeing a lot of each other & catching up on past events. This is good to be reunited again, I hope you'll enjoy our time together.

On her needles ~

During vacation, I read Vicki Square's article in the new Interweave Knits called "Start as Many New Projects as You Can," and her last sentence amazed me: "Knit anything and everything you want--and enjoy the scenery!" I had the delightful journey of looking through many "on the needles" of my great knitting friend who lives this casting on dream. As I held each and every piece of beautiful yarn and thought of the new pattern she used, I was starting to be twitchy as I wanted to finish each one....they were all so beautiful ~ lace scarves ~ alpaca scarves ~ socks out of pink delights~ socks out of boot wool ~ a hat out of Frog Tree ~ a sweater out of silky wool ~ so many chocolates to sample, so much inspiration in each bin and bag. I'm not sure I feel the need to finish up a project to its tidy ending..... when all those projects were singing a sirens' song of "play with me" in so many languages of silk, alpaca, wool and blends ~ lace, entralac and fair isle....So I will continue to live vicariously through her projects.... I wish I had some pictures of her great starts to share with you.....but here are her finished hats!

I need more projects on my needles!!!!

Amazing Projects ~

On our vacation, there was a flurry of amazing projects going on. Some cast on, some cast off and some were moving forward on projects of great patience and talent. Here is one that has been in progress for a few years ~ a stunning Fair Isle vest that was recently steeked! This weekend its shoulder seems were BLOCKED and sewn, and one arm opening ribbed... Bravo!!!!

Isn't this stunning!!!!!

Doing my part ~

As part of the historic inauguration, I purchased some great yarn for two reasons: for the sluggish economy; and to use the yarn for charity knitting (knitting bazaar hats for church) ~ both aims of the new President, as he wants to improve the economy and he wants us all to help in our community doing some bit of community service. So, given I found a sale on this wonderful yarn (1/2 price plus free shipping) I decided it was the Right Thing To Do to celebrate the inauguration!
The yarn is Cascade Cloud and sooooo soft and beautiful!!! It arrived today, so I am casting on a Fair Isle hat!

Twitchy ~

My knitting chair has been empty since Monday. I have not knit since Monday and am getting a bit twitchy. On Tuesday, P wore her beautiful mohair cardigan she knit, and I had to pet it. On Wednesday, MO brought her newly knit alpaca fair isle hat to work, and I desperately wanted to cast one on immediately (except I don't have needles or yarn at work....but I keep some in my car....) as the hat is stunning with the colors and pattern - another A+ project by MO. I had trouble handing the hat back to her, as the alpaca is sooooo soft.....By Thursday, I was plagued by fantasy knitting, fantasy patterns and fantasy yarn purchases... I should cast on a fair isle hat, I should buy some alpaca, I could cast on the sweet hat Lisa made, I could figure out the tricky cast on in the Nups & Braids hat.......Friday, I came to work wearing the sample sweater from a knit shop in Michigan. MO was wearing her A+ amazing blue sweater she knit I was hopelessly and completely in a fantasy world of knitting ~ combating knitting withdrawal with all weapons and strategies..... Helpless, I asked DK if we could go to our local yarn shop...and we bought some yarn... and then I could breathe normally again..

Note: I will be knitting tomorrow. Count on it.