Silk Moon Crescent Shawl

I love to knit, there is no doubt about it. There are so many cool projects to knit , that it times it can be overwhelming. Best to stay off Ravelry! I also find knitting to be a great stress reliever ( most of the time). There is something about keeping one's mind and hands busy with a repetitive activity that can be somewhat calming. I don't make bread anymore but I used to enjoy kneading dough. In its own way it is rhythmical.- helps to restore some kind of inner order And as with knitting there is usually great end results. (I love homemade cinnamon buns!!)

Life has been a bumpy lately and so I decided I wanted to knit something not too complicated, something I didn't need to pay strict attention to or to be forever counting. I found this great pattern Silk Moon Crescent Shawl. Absolutely perfect.

It is a simple garter stitch construction using yarn overs as increases. If you didn't like the eyelets , you could easily substitute M1's. It has a really nice crescent shape and it drapes nicely on your shoulders. It looks great over anything really-jacket, sweater or top. I knit mine with Noro Silk Garden. I used 3 skeins. This shawl could be knit with any long striping yarn if you want a stripey look or any kind of worsted weight yarn. It all depends on the look you want. I don't have many shawl pins as I never really thought about using them too much. Wrongo! There are so many beautiful ones available now and they do look great with these types of shawls and wraps.

Our spring here has been a little slow in coming.Finally the Hansa roses are blooming. They are so fragrant.

Armenian Cornflower

This plant is the most oddest looking plant before it blooms.I moved it a couple of years ago as it never bloomed. It is fun to watch it grow.

Painted daises are still one of my favourites, I wished they lasted longer. Spring is such a great time but depending on the weather some blooms come and go so fast. I am missing the lilacs already. Much as I love my garden I still am not finding any inner contentment from weeding-they are everywhere!

Lacey Summer Knitting

Early summer like weather has been hitting our area in fits and starts. One weekend there is a mad scramble for shorts, sandals and sunscreen, the next it is back to jeans, hoodies and shoes and socks. My garden is producing an overabundance of invasive plants and weeds. I keep chiding myself to get it all cleaned up but then a really great pattern catches my eye!

I have been knitting several lacey-beadey shawls lately. I do seem to be in the habit of knitting lacey things in the summertime. I wonder if it is the promise of summery weather or maybe because they are such light and airy projects . I really should wear them more than I do, maybe there is a gala coming soon to our local Cdn. Tire (someone thinks that constitutes a cool date-ha ha). I just really like knitting them.

This pattern is Cloud Illusions by Boo Knits. It is a lovely crescent shaped shawl . I really like this shape as it does seem easier to wear and drapes wonderfully. I think it was the edging that really caught my eye and maybe, just maybe the addition of beads too!! I knit it with a skein of Seasilk in the Valentine colourway. Seasilk is a lovely yarn that feels so nice on one's skin. I would like to knit another shawl using a finer silk or wool laceweight yarn.

I have a few more finished projects but it is just finding the time, the right lighting and an uncluttered space to take some pictures. That's my current list of excuses!

Big fuzzy bumblebees

 It is a holiday Monday in Canada today. Hope everyone is having a good one!

Happy Knitters and Special Visitors

Even though it is spring and all the trees and flowers are growing and blooming like crazy, there is still a lot of great knitting happening.

Seriously, is this not the cutest sock monkey? Judy (who remains picture less) recently knit this for her niece. We all had to hold and hug this little one. Absolutely adorable! The pattern is Baby Sock Monkey .

Judy recently completed this cute sweater and hat set for her special baby neice. Judy just started knitting this winter, incredible! We are currently in the process of luring her into the sock knitting vortex, heh heh!!

Jen is knitting a beautiful pair of thrummed slippers.

Such beautiful colours and they are so soft and cozy!

This is Barb's first sock, as you can see we are very serious about our knitting.

Jane is an intrepid and fearless knitter.Recently she bravely threaded over 1200 beads on her yarn to knit Laura Nelkin's Undulating Scarf. I have knit several of her patterns and they are amazing. ( I think Jane has forgiven me-that is a lot of beads ).

Very Serious Person

Brenda has been knitting lots of pretty scarves this winter

We are missing Colleen, Wendy and Maria! Look out you three.

Buddy and Baron paid us a visit one day to check out what's going on at the knit shop.

Happy little guys!

 

 Thanks Tianna and Rod for bringing in the little fellas!! (thats's a dog nose smudge on my camera lens)

Pretty Hands

In this part of the country spring is slow to come. It is getting warmer and more spring-like here but we are not basking in warm sunshine yet! Our mornings and evenings  (and some days) are still a little chilly. Still the season to wear my wristers for my daily walk.

I really enjoyed knitting these, the elephants are so cute!The pattern is Baby Elephant Walk and they are great to knit and they fit perfectly. I like my wristers to come up quite high on my fingers so I can tuck them in if I am cold.

I knit these using a very different type of wool blend yarn. I used woodlands, a Classic Elite yarn. It is a wool/nettles blend and it is really quite nice to work with. It really has a nice halo and they are super warm.

I knit these awhile ago and they are still one of my favourite pair. They are so pretty !! I get a lot of compliments on them.

This pattern is Churchmouse Beaded Gloves. I seem to be knitting a lot of their patterns recently. I really like them as they have such nice classic styles. The patterns are well written and easy to follow.I knit this pair with a silk/merino DK yarn. The silk gives the yarn a nice lustre.And the beads-just a lovely combination!

None of this is helping me to get all the yard work and garden clean up done though-ha ha!! This is a lot more fun.

My New Go to Beret Pattern- Koigu Beaded Beret

Earlier in the year I rediscovered a copy of the Churchmouse Classics Koigu Beaded Beret pattern in my pile of must- do patterns.

I am totally smitten with this pattern! It is a quick easy knit and the finished beret is really cute. It fits well and is very flattering on everyone. The fun part was using different yarns and yarn combos to knit a hat. This hat was knit with  Madtosh Sock in Antler paired with a creamy Kidsilk Haze. It is soooo soft and pretty. It feels like angora.

I knit this one with Koigu Mori in a pretty mauvey thistle colour with Kidsilk Haze in Berry. Lovely. The silk in the Koigu gives it a nice lustre.

This one was knit with Koigu PPPM in a tonal green.

This is knit with a variegated Koigu PPPM. Beautiful colours! It is fun watching the colour palette evolve as you knit.

This last one was knit with a tonal Koigu and beads- yes my  favourite thing - beads!!! Have I finished with this pattern-absolutely not! I plan to knit a few more for gifts over the summer- it is a great take along project. Thanks Rachy!

Elfin Slippers

Sally recently knit these super cute slippers. She knit them both in an evening-can you believe it!

These were knit using an old pattern (I have the same pattern and I bought it decades ago for $1.60!) with some very soft and pretty bulky yarn. Adding a novelty yarn up at the cuff really makes these slippers pop! It is such a great idea and it reminds me to think about adding embellishments or change things up to add some punch to a project.

She also sewed on some suede slipper bottoms which will extend the life of the slippers significantly. I made thrummed slippers for my kids several years ago and they wore out quite quickly, I wish I had put on some slipper bottoms.

These would make a great gift. They are fast and easy to do and everyone would love them.

Here is one of Judith"s adorable baby hats . It is knit with a bulky and frilly yarn. Super cute!!

Judith aka ColourSparks has been designing lots of hats for adults,children and babies. They are super patterns to knit and to wear.                                                                                                                   

Cathy's Pretty Sweaters

Cathy always wears the nicest and prettiest hand knit sweaters. She finds the best sweater patterns that are perfect for layering and can be worn through many seasons. This latest one she knit is Moshup. It is a Berocco pattern. This sweater is knit from the top down and Cathy said it was quite interesting and quick to knit. I love  how the increases are done with yarn overs so a nice eyelet design is created.

Cathy used  Monsoon- a James C. Brett yarn. I love the long colour changes. It really adds a lot of interest to the sweater. It would look equally nice in a tweedy yarn or a yarn this is more tonal, it all depends on the look you want or what you want to wear it with. Needless to stay choosing the button is the most fun part. There are so many great buttons to choose from and they can  really add a punch of colour and interest to a sweater.

Cathy also brought in some of her crocheted vests from the book One Skein Wonders. These were quick and easy to do, She used Taiyo-a Noro yarn. Again, using a long striping yarn really adds a lot to a simple design pattern. Thanks Cathy!