No time like the present to get ready

 The weather has changed again here. All that white stuff is almost gone and today green grass and  warm brilliant sunshine ruled the day. It seems hard to believe a week ago we are all bundled up and slip sliding down icy streets and sidewalks. One never knows what the weather will bring anymore, we all need to be prepared like this little fellow.

 We have a lot more squirrels now. I don't see any of the little indigenous brown squirrels anymore. They have been replaced with larger black and silver tailed ones. They are a crazy bunch. They seem to like sitting in this tree outside my living room window and hurl insults at anyone or anything in close proximity. Too funny!

This scarf was a really quick knit. It is knit with two strands of  a worsted weight on a 9 mm  needle. Progress is so quick and every couple of rows inches magically appear. Some of my projects seem to take forever, I knit and knit and knit, measure and wow I have knit an inch. Knit so more for an interminably length of time and there is another half inch. You know how it goes. It is always good for a knitter's soul to have a quick knit every now and then-it is so rewarding! I loved using the big button. I have seen lots of funky buttons on many scarf, cowl and hat patterns this year. They sure add a real punch of colour and embellishment to a project. The pattern for this scarf can be found here. I especially liked this pattern as the scarf is completely reversible and the knitted fabric is so soft and squooshy. I have knit quite a few Churchmouse patterns and they are simply great.  Nice classic updated styles are presented in well written patterns. I have my eye on a beret pattern knit in Koigu with added beads that looks really really good. I am waiting for this super knitter to finish hers-no pressure Jahknees-heh heh!

Favourite Knits to Wear

 Now that it has turned colder it is time to bundle up in all my favourite knits. I am not a fan of driving in the snow and ice but there is something so special ,so invigorating as going for a walk on a cold crisp day. I should qualify this a bit, our winter weather here  is pretty wimpy as compared to most of the rest of Canada. We have been hit by an early blast which is quite unusual and it won't last too long. However it is really pretty to see all the houses and trees sporting snowy attire. It is also really very conducive to staying home and picking up the needles. I can think of so many knitting projects to do right now!

 Infinity scarves are still really popular and they are so versatile.They can be worn so many different ways. I really like Noro Silk Garden (no kidding!) and had always thought an infinity scarf knit in it would be beautiful.  Recently I saw a similar type of scarf knit up in garter stich using a hand dye- it was quite eye catching. So I knit one for myself. I love it!

As it is knit on the diagonal, the colours stripe beautifully.

Again, the colours!

 This scarf has to be one of my all time favourites. It is the Noro Striped Scarf . I really need to do another one. It really knits up fast and it is just such a great scarf to wear. It was knit with Silk Garden,

Gee what a coincidence my scarves match these wristers too-actually it wasn't planned-I just seem to gravitate to certain colours and yarns!! Seriously, the colours are just wonderful. The pattern is Mulled Wine Mitts. If you follow the link there are lots of other great knitting patterns as well as recipes, articles etc. There are just too many ideas of things to do and create!!

Time to wear a cowl it -snowed today

 I haven't any interesting pictures of the snow yet. It is an early snow and caught most of us unawares. I just pulled out my geraniums yesterday and yes they were still blooming. We were out for a walk-I love walking in the snow-and we noticed some people have their lights up already! It sure is cheerful and pretty to see on a snowy evening.

I finished this cowl last week. It is the Embers Cowl . It is a great pattern to knit using two different colours of yarn. I used The Madtosh DK in Vermilion and Black Velvet. This yarn is so pretty and so nice to work with-sigh.

It is a modified feather and fan pattern and the contrast colour is carried up along with the main colour. Although I don't have a pic of it, the inside or private side of the cowl is really pretty. That is an added bonus!

The only mod I made is that I made it 12 inches long and not 18 as suggested in the pattern. I just needed a neck warmer and that's when I ran out of the main colour! Perfect!!

The problem is when you are around creative minds and beautiful yarn a lot, knitting sometimes gets the upper hand !

Hat-a-pallooza

 Well it is fall and it is getting colder. We all know it will get even colder-so time to knit hats!!! It seems lots of knitters I know are knitting hats and lots of them. Hats for themselves, hats for family and friends and hats for Christmas gifts.

Barb and Jen are wearing hats knit up in Malabrigo Rios, I am not sure of the colourway. Jen, on the right , is wearing a hat she knit with a pattern Barb cobbled together using 3 different patterns. (It was her second or third project!!) The original hat was knit with the Rios in the winter white colourway.These two just started knitting last year! Barb, on the left, is wearing a hat Jane knit from a 1970"s vintage pattern.

These two fashionista's keep me on track and very kindly do "glam" knit pics for me! They are both so nice and fun to be around.

  On Saturday I had the pleasure to be with another group of knitters.Cathy is on a major hat knitting odyssey (follow the link and check out her Rav project page). She has knit and designed several hats recently. They are lovely hats and are destined to be gifts for some lucky recipients! She is doing a lot of gift knitting and was seen happily departing with a lots of beautiful yarns for all of her projects. I can't wait to see what she has done next week. I must say I find being around other knitters who are pumped about their projects really a lot of fun and super stimulating. I get really excited too and want to cast on so many things...all at once!

Cue the bagpipes

 I recently finished Highland Fling. I loved knitting this pattern. It is a crescent shaped shawl/scarf. It is started at one corner with a cast on of 2 stitches and increased from there  The body of the scarf is knit in garter stitch with a sawtooth border. Although this looks like a knit on border the scarf/shawl is knit all in one piece. What's not to love about that! I love the bobbles too.

I am really starting to appreciate garter stitch.It really makes a nice squooshy stretchy fabric. I find a long scarf/shawl knit in this stitch is really comfortable and easy to wear-it always lies so nicely.

Barb very kindly did the modeling for me -thanks Barb!! I knit this scarf using Malabrigo Rios in the Azules colourway. I am totally smitten with this yarn. It is sooo nice to knit with and the colours-oh my! It is a superwash which is an added bonus. I think I have knit 3 projects recently with this yarn. Barb has knit some really nice hats with it too. We are all fans !

Log Cabin Knitting Redux

  It is a wet gloomy day today. At one point it was sleeting-yuck. We still have leaves to rake up and I haven't done any garden clean up yet. I always find it hard to pull up the annuals and trim back the perennials. I work so hard to get them growing!
  I found a new Noro blanket pattern thanks to these
ladies again. I found the pattern in the book Craft Activism. It is a great book with a collection of some really great fibre projects. There are also profiles of some really interesting designers. I should have of taken a pic of the finished blanket from the book. It is called The Fussy Cut Blanket. The afghan is composed of garter stitch knit blocks in a log cabin style of design. Each block is knit separately using a different ball in a different colourway of  Noro Silk Garden. Of course anything done in Noro is pretty special. This will be a fill in project for me as I will knit blocks in between my other projects.Well at least that is the plan!

 It is the season of  artisan and craft fairs. Unfortunately they all seem to happen on a few weekends in early to mid November-I always seem to miss something interesting. This weekend I went to Fabulous Finds an artisan/craft show at a local winery. Wow, there sure are some really talented people in our community. I was especially happy to see a booth with a huge collection of vintage buttons.

  I purchased a couple of buttons that I will probably use on something. There are so many cool cowl, hat and chunky scarf patterns that feature buttons. I am not sure what I am going to use the big rhinestone button for but it really appealed to my inner crow!!

  I have finished knitting some more projects but it is too dark to take pictures now. I will get some of my glam knitter peeps to do some pictures for me. Some people sure know how to wear clothing!

 I was washing my dishes a few mornings ago and I looked up and there was a deer in our backyard-a big deer! She was happily munching away through my garden. She stayed all day eating and eating and eating. Don't get too comfortable Bambi !! My neighbour's cat was stalking her-go Ninja!!

 Here are some of the last dahlia blooms from my garden.

  I am sure going to miss all the pretty colours.