From weaving leftovers to knitting pattern

I have had this beautiful yarn sitting in my stash for more than 4 years: the blue colorway of Blue Sky Alpacas, Alpaca/Silk.It was leftover from a weaving project I did for a small show in Tacoma, WA.
The piece is called Walk on the Beach and includes shells, dried algae and drift wood from a beach on San Juan Island. These items were woven into the piece with the help of supplemental warp threads made of a stainless steel/silk thread.

I had 4 skeins of the blue yarn left over and finally found the perfect knitting project for it: a light shrug that drapes beautifully and features armholes so it doesn't slip off my shoulders.


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It can be worn with the front panels hanging down loosely or pinned across the bust with a nice shawl pin.

Since some of my friends would also like to knit this shrug, I wrote up the pattern which is currently up for testing on Ravelry in the Free Pattern Testers group. It will be published when the test knit is compelted.

Free Shawlette pattern

Now that test knitting has been completed I posted the pattern for this semicircular shawl as a free download. Click on the pattern image in the right column.

The pattern is also available on Ravelry.

Happy knitting!

Proudest knitting mom ever

My 2 and a half year old's first knitting project:

He prefers size 6 mm needles and cotton yarn :-)



On my needles

Recently I purchased B. Walker's book Mosaic Knitting. I love the idea of creating two-color designs without stranding the yarn. Mosaic knitting patterns are accomplished by slipping stitches which appear in the color of the row below. I started a shawl with a diamond pattern. Here it is before blocking:

I am quite excited to see what blocking will do!

Soon on my wheel
My sister bought these lovely batts from Needlework's Pleasure. She wants me to spin this into fingering weight yarn for a shawl. I am excited to get my current project spun up, so that I can get started on this!

Pebbles

I am so happy I finshed a few items recently. Because I keep wanting to start new projects...

Pebbles
Yes, after many variations the name is Pebbles now... And finally, here is a picture of the completed sweater I knit for my son. I am still not done writing up the pattern but promised myself I will do this now since I want to knit him another one using the same construction style. I love the hems and the longer back side covers his behind nicely. If you remember it's an almost seamless construction with the upper sleeves knit with the body, not Raglan shaping but the shape of set-in sleeves.

Dewdrops
Dewdrops is a lovely design by Bex Hopkins. I used a beautiful handpainted yarn from Needlework's Pleasure in the colorway Fresh Mint.

Rosebud
And I have finally finished knitting Rosebud by Tonia Barry with some lovely handspun Alpaca, also by Needlework's Pleasure. 

Shaun
Isn't he the cutest? From a pattern by Patons. It was a quick gift for my boy. Unfortunately now he wants me to knit him Timmy, too....

My first Cookie A's...
I gave in and knit a pair of socks from Sock Innovation by Cookie A. Not that I didn't like her socks before, there was just too much hype, and I prefer toe-up. But like so many others I got hooked. This pattern is Wanida. One thing I did changed is that I let the pattern end in a point  just above the toes rather than having a blunt stop.

Spinning

I have been spinning as well recently, just not much on my wheel. Somehow I currently prefer the spindle. Here I spun a batt from StormopZolder, very vibrant colors in Merino/Silk.

And finally - I have finished a new shawl design that is currently being test knit, jippieh! More about that later.

Knitted Garnment Exhibition

The blue cardigan I am working on will be travel knitting because I will take my son to visit friends in Seattle, the place I lived in for the last 12 years before moving to the Netherlands.
Even though I don't have my car any longer I am so excited to re-explore.

Over the past months I have knitted a pair of gloves (Miss Sophie's Hands), the Gaenor shawlette and the Woodland shawl for Needlework's Pleasure, an independant dyer and spinner.
She now has an exhibition up to showcase these and other beautiful knitted items, made with her beautiful handspun and/or handdyed yarn.

New skills

On the needles

The toddler sweater I started recently and blogged about in my first blog post proves to be quite the adventure. I have tried 2 new techniques and they seem to be working out quite nicely:


I used double knitting for the edging instead of the stockinette stitch hem broken up by one purl row I usually use. I find it to take a little longer but I prefer the edge - it looks really neat and is so easy to do.

I am knitting set-in-sleeves right onto the body. I have thought about doing this often, but it's the first time I am actually trying it out. I think it works well, but I need to wait til after blocking for the final result.

Off the needles

Potpourri socks are done! I think blogging about them made me finish them - it only took forever...

Garter rib socks are done also, and very cozy on my feet.













Oh, and I finished Unique Melody in time to give it to the recipient on the weekend. Very nice pattern, and the yarn is absolutely gorgeous.

I need to finish the little sweater before the weekend because I need to start an Alpaca cardigan that I am knitting for someone else. So off I go...