New Pattern: Blackberry Mist Shawl

I'm happy to announce that I have a new pattern up for sale, Blackberry Mist Shawl. Blackberry Mist Shawl is a triangle shawl worked from the top down in alternating stripes of Blackberry Lace and Stockinette Stitch. The bottom edge is finished with a knitted on scalloped lace border. Uses only one skein of Knit Picks Shimmer Hand Dyed Lace Yarn.

Skills Needed:

ability to read a chart

provisional cast on

yarn over

k3tog

k1, yo, k1 in same st

k2tog tbl

picking up stitches

Until July 31st, use coupon code blackberry at checkout to receive $1 off this pattern only.

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FO: Mariposa Shawl for ME!

Over my recent vacation I finally got a chance to knit a Mariposa Shawl for myself. The original was give to my Matron of Honor to wear in my wedding. I started knitting the original long before we had even found a dress for her to wear. It was sheer luck that not only did we find the perfect dress (at Nordstrom Rack no less!) but it also was the exact same shade of yellow as my yarn. Barbara looked great in it, don't you think?

After my wedding I decided I really wanted a Mariposa Shawl for myself. I wanted it to be yellow, but sadly I didn't have enough leftover yarn to make myself one. And what fun is it to knit the exact same pattern again in the exact same yarn? So, I decided to spin the yarn myself. I dug through my fiber stash and found 2 oz of merino I dyed in the crock pot in shades of yellow and lavender. I spun it long draw as thin as I possibly could. I spent most of Memorial Day glued to my chair and spinning wheel. In fact, I was visiting my family who left for a few hours and found me in the same position when they came back. "You're still doing that??" Yes, still spinning. I had to get the yarn finished before I left for vacation. I still consider myself a pretty novice spinner, and I really had no idea how much yardage I would be able to get out of 2 oz. I just spun and spun until all the fiber was on my bobbins. Then plied for what seemed to be an eternity. Final result? Over 600 yards. I really only needed about half that amount. Oops. Well, enough extra for swatching and a few mishaps.

Happily on vacation I went, bringing my project along whenever there was a long car ride. I was able to get almost all of the knitting done in the car, except for the beaded border. Adding beads into my knitting proved far too difficult on the twisty turns and bumps of the mountain roads. In the few days that I have been at home after my trip I had the chance to finish up my shawl. Yesterday I had the satisfaction of washing the wrinkly heap and watching it turn into a delicate piece of lace.

Sneak Peek and Vacation Photos

Wow! After almost a month away from home I sure am glad to be back. I started off on a two week vacation to Lake Tahoe, a beautiful lake that sits on the border between California and Nevada. I have gone there almost every year of my life, and as a new military wife this year might be the last time I get to see it for awhile. My family and I tend to do the same things every year but they are always fun. I can never seem to get over how clear and blue the sky is without city smog. Squaw Valley, the home of the 1960 Winter Olympics, was completely covered in snow.

We did do a few new things, like visiting the wineries in nearby Placerville and Gardnerville. One of them had beautifully landscaped grounds and I thought it would be the perfect spot for photoshoot for my upcoming lace shawl pattern. Below is a sneak peek for this pattern coming soon.

After vacation I returned to my parents house for a day, just long enough to do my laundry and repack my suitcase from cool weather clothes to humid and sticky clothes. I then was whisked away to Georgia. After what seemed like the longest three months of my life, I got to watch my husband graduate from Army Basic Training at Fort Benning. I was so proud to watch him march by in his uniform!

I only got to see him for a couple days before he left for advanced training. Now I have returned home and am trying to get used to my new routine. I am lucky enough to have 'knitting designer and general housekeeper' as my full-time job now. Of course I have a fantastic assistant. Though he does seems to overly enjoy his nap time, he is always energetic and ready to give positive reassurance. Looks like he's ready to help me start working on my new pattern. Let's get to work!

New pattern Morrison Cardigan in Knitscene Fall 2011

I'm so excited to announce that I have a pattern, Morrison Cardigan, in the upcoming issue of Knitscene Fall 2011. So many great sweaters in this issue! I can't choose which one i'll make first.

Basic Double Knitting Tutorial

Tomorrow I finally get to enjoy all the planning that has been going on for over a year and go to the Studio 66 Retreat!! I am really excited. I get to help out with some of the dyeing activities, including space dyeing cotton yarn and dyeing fiber in the crock pot. I also get to demonstrate, and this year I chose Double Knitting.

Double Knitting creates a reversible fabric made up of two layers. It is thick and warm, a perfect choice for winter outerwear and blankets. It is not nearly as difficult as it appears, if you can knit and purl then you can work double knitting!

I wrote up a tutorial to help my students along and give them something to work off of once the fun is over and everyone goes home. For anyone else who wasn't lucky enough to go to the retreat, here is the tutorial available as a free download.

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Mother's Day weaving projects

Over the past two weeks I have been busily weaving two Mother's Day presents. The first is a 48" triangle shawl for my mother-in-law. It is worked in a simple check pattern in a variegated wool/alpaca blend yarn and a light green wool yarn. Carried throughout the shawl is a nubby rayon yarn that gives a nice texture to the weaving and the twisted fringe.

The second project is a rainbow jacket for my mom. It is made from two 48" triangles sewn together. I used two yarns held together, a rainbow variegated cotton blend and a lt pink/rainbow ribbon yarn with gold lurex. I wasn't sure how the colors would work together, I thought it might be too garish. But in the end I think the effect is a nice pastel rainbow. I used a smooth orange cotton yarn to work a crocheted edging that finishes the edges and tacks down the triangle shaped cuffs.

Color Study Shawl Purple-to-Yellow

I bought a 48" triangle loom from Weaver's Cupboard last weekend and decided to do a sort of color study shawl as a my first project. I ransacked my stash and managed to find an assortment of yarns in various fibers in shades of purple, red, orange and yellow. Some yarns were handspun, some commercially spun. I started with purple on the outer edges and worked to yellow in the middle. One handspun yarn was shades of burgundy, orange and yellow. I had hoped that the yarn would mostly show as burgundy and flow with the rest of the gradation, but sadly it seems not to have worked out that way. But I still think the end result is very nice. I added in fringe as well, coordinating the fringe colors with their respective sections.