Sun Ray Shawl in Pegasus from Elann.com

I loved knitting this...it was my summer project and it definitely didn't take the whole summer. Lovely relaxing simple mirrored repeat...ahhh, my kind of knitting. Not too complex so I was entertained without losing the plot. I used safety lines for the first few repeats then gave up as I gained confidence with my familiarity of the pattern. I used smaller needles and ended up with a tighter weave and smaller size. I will be gifting this as a prayer shawl to someone very special.

Ah yes...I have done some knitting too.

Sweets and passion...

More passion...

My latest passion...

Cozy...

The sock thing was really getting to me. I had so many bad starts and then I would start to get somewhere only to realize there was a teeny, tiny mistake so I would frog it back and then go again for awhile only to realize I had picked up the pattern at the wrong point and it was all just wrong, wrong, WRONG!

So the sock thing aside for a little while...I have moved on to "Cozy"! This pattern is from Knitty and I have been wanting to try it from the first time I saw it and so...here I am...doing it...doing the Cozy wrap. I am totally loving it too. The pattern is easy enough, except for the f@#&*!! k2tog tbl. I hate those!! I mean I really hate those and this pattern has a few. But that stitch aside, it looks much better than this crappy picture.


Maybe I will try the sock thing again soon...now that I have gotten over the stress of not getting it right, over and over again. Cozy helped me get through that. Maybe I will be able to cuddle up with Cozy and knit some socks. Yeah, I would like that.

Left turn!

So I've changed my mind and switched to the Roza's socks from the latest issue of Interweave. I just happened to have two skeins of Lorna's Laces "Shepherd Sock" yarn! What luck. I am loving the pattern. Quite simple. That's me. Simple.
You can see I actually started them so there is some hope that I may finish them...some hope I did say.
The motivation to dump my over crammed with unused box store crappy everyday socks drawer and start fresh with lovely hand made delightful knit socks for every day of the week keeps me pressing on toward the goal...one more pair of finished socks!

Knitting Nostalgia











I found this awesome little knitting kit on the American Red Cross website.
I couldn't resist. I ordered it one day and it arrived the next. Talk about service!
Check out the contents!











It comes complete with the 1940's knitting pattern for "Serviceman's Socks", 4 orange plastic knitting needles, a finishing needle and one 4oz skein of "Olive Drab" wool yarn. You betcha that's 100% wool! All in a handy, dandy little tin box.

There is also a little story about knitting socks for the Second World War.











It is completely patriotic and inspiring enough to make one want to "knit your bit".

Quick fix project for hopefully instant results. This will be a vest with some ribbon accent and yes that is acrylic yarn...deep breath. I just liked the sparkle and the color alot and thought it might be an easy wear. What the heck, you never know till you try right?
Anyway, I like wearing vests over my shirts and in keeping with my new desire to create my own wearables this is project number two on the needles. I am hoping to have this one done by the end of this weekend.

Starting another project...I really have the urge to knit socks. I'm tired of those chain store flavorless white cottons that lack personality. I want to wrap my feet in warm wooly goodness seven days a week.
I think I need to give my knitting purpose...something that will drive me to finish my projects...like knit to wear, not just knit to knit. I mean really why wouldn't you want to have a full wardrobe of completely one of a kind wonderfully creatively conjured textile originals.
So I will start with socks and hopefully move on to finish a sweater or a skirt or a top or a pair of pants...
oh if I could only find more time in every day for a little more knitting.

Mr. Sock Bunny...Ears is his name.

Made from the original sock monkey/bunny pattern I googled out on the net. Whipped together in a few hours one evening for my youngest guy who is five. Spent the next evening knitting his shorts, vest and scarf. He has already been replaced by a new stuffy named scruffles the dog. Sigh.

MIL is AOK!

Actually I'm loving the results! The muted striping of the Noro yarn is much nicer than the picture portrays. I think this will make a fine V-day gift for my MIL. Now I just have to make one, in a slightly different color variation, for her sister. This may provide opportunity for disaster. Keeping my fingers crossed.

"MIL Hat"

Out of the Blue a hat for the MIL and I'm really hoping this turns out as well as I want it too...as you can see it is not finished, and the finish is the entire anticipation of the whole project... which is why I LOVE the whole felted hat process. You have this vision in your head and you knit and you envision and you throw it recklessly into a tub of hot water and agitate until you think you have agitated enough and you pray that the sizeing is right and you tug and you shape and you envision and you re-envision and you shape and you push and you pat and you pull and stretch and then... well you let it sit for hours of endless waiting and hoping and pacing and anticipating and then you put it on again and look and gaze and well...either you smile and continue or you take that deep breath and sigh and let it go and try to think of a way to resurrect it in some other fashionable way...and if not...well...I'm hoping this time, this one turns out the way I envision...out of the blue...

Yarn: Gjestal & Noro 100% wool

The red hat.
I have been busy with hats lately. I'm enjoying the mindless knitting and having fun experimenting with the felting process. It's very stress free and relaxing. You can watch TV while you do it and sometimes you even get a response from the family like "Wow, how did you do that?" I like to give them a grin like I've figured out some ancient secret that is very complex and mystical.
Here my daughter is dismayed with me that I am forcing her to model the hat when she hasn't spent at least two hours preparing for the photo shoot.