Outside the box Crayon Box

Everyone knows that practically everything I knit is pink. Can't help it, have no problem with it - at least everything in my wardrobe goes together. So won't you all be surprised when you see the palette for my new Crayon Box Jacket:


Yes, that IS orange in there, and I LOVE it. Who'd have thought! I have almost 7 squares done so far.

This was a fun class to teach - everyone was engaged and excited. Lots of learning and playing with colors.

Swatching Alyce

Bill took his bike for service today at the very wonderful Morton’s BMW. Since it’s such a nice drive over there, and I’m always looking for an excuse to ride my bike, I decided to go along. The service takes several hours, and of course, that means time to knit. But what to bring? My Symphony Jacket only travels with its entourage of glamorous components, so I had to find something else. Something small. Hey, I could swatch for the Alyce Tee. Like I need an excuse to start yet another project. But hey, I need something small to bring.

The pattern diagram and chart looked daunting, but I figure, hey, I’m just going to swatch it. I grab a ball of Grace, my pattern, and needles, shove them into a bag and strap them down with a bungee cord. When we get there, I settle into their comfy leather couch and cast on. I get 5 stitches to the inch on a 7, so that's where I start. Pretty soon I'm engrossed in CNN on the giant plasma screen tv, and my swatch comes along quickly. Even though Grace is billed as a DK weight yarn, it works well at a worsted weight too. Single ply will bloom as much as you let it, so I know it will be fine at this gauge.

Then I take a quick peek at the pattern chart. Hmmm. Twenty-one stitch repeat. Nothing too weird. I give it a try. It's good. There are two yarn overs in a row which is different, but it gives a nice big eyelet and a kind of lattice effect. the central motif makes a leaf. Very pretty.

There are still a couple of rows in the pattern repeat, but you get the idea. There's waist shaping in the pattern to accentuate the positive. This woman really knows how to enhance a woman's body. Thank you, Joan.

Knitting to Rhode Island and back

We took our DD to Brown today for a summer session. She's excited to be studying computers away at a real college for a month, and I'm excited to have had 17+ hours to knit in the car. My DH took the scenic route so we could enjoy the beautiful scenery through New England. While he drove (bless his soul) I finished the back

and right front of my Symphony Jacket and worked about5 inches of the left front.

Did I mention that this garment is addictive to knit?

Secret Garden Vest is complete...

...even the buttons.


Thanks to Ty who helped me select these cool fused glass buttons, the vest is a finished, wearable object. I love this design, and the yarn is my favorite - Alchemy Synchronicity. Just luscious to work with, and the colors are so saturated.

This knit up so quickly that I'm planning another one in Ellyn Cooper's Homespun, a slightly heavier gauge silk and wool blend. There's something very perfect about the combination of equal parts silk and wool in a fiber. It's like ice cream and chocolate sauce or strawberries and whipped cream, or some other combination of totally yummy things in perfect balance making the whole much greater than the sum of its parts. What decadent synergy!

Symphony Jacket started

Ever since last fall when Chris Bylsma taught the Symphony Jacket class here, I’ve been pining for one of these little confections. So I started gathering up my scraps and orphan skeins. And guess what I found? Most of my pile was pink! I know, big surprise. Cast on for the sweater Friday night so that I could knit on it at WWKIP Saturday. Who knew how addictive this is! I haven’t been able to put it down! I’m almost finished with the back, and I totally love it.

This is one of those things where you really have to surrender control - just close your eyes, reach in the bag, and pull out whatever you touch. Cut off some random amount and tie it on. Very freeing this is. I might have to make another one.

Secret Garden Vest

This is a pattern from White Lies Designs- we carry nearly her entire line at the shop, and I must have every one of her patterns queued on Ravelry! Anyway, here's the pattern.

It's done in a bulky cotton, but since it just takes around 400 yards, I wanted to treat myself to something rich and decadent. I selected Alchemy Synchronicity in Red Run. Finally got to cast on May 25th as we were driving up to Mt. St. Mary's to pick Elizabeth from her HOBY weekend. It's about a 2 1/2 hour car ride. Here's what I got done on the ride up and back. The yarn is so rich and buttery, and the pattern is an addictive variation of feather and fan, so it's gone really quickly. I put it down for a while and then I changed my mind about how I wanted the lace to look with the shaping. The knitting is done except for the button bands and the armhole edging. Maybe I should have picked a better towel for the blocking! Oh well.

Flying Solo

In my new pink Solo shell by Chris Bylsma!

This top was an absolute dream to knit. The body is mainly a 4x1 rib, giving a smooth look with just enough stretch. The front has this sleek, easy lace pattern up the center that keeps the knitting interesting. The yarn is Louisa Hardings Mulberry - 100% silk, with a beautiful ply and great yardage. I made the medium size, added a good 2" to the body, and the shell still only took 5 skeins.

Speaking of which, the shop sample from Louisa Harding arrived at the shop yesterday - a simple, easy fitting tee with a cute crochet trim. It's absolutely adorable. I'll post a photo tomorrow.

My little motorcycle obsession

Today is Bill and my anniversary, so we celebrated by taking me on my first trip across the Solomon's island bridge. I kept thinking to myself, "It's only a road, it's not going to rear up and buck me off." The wind is calm today, although at the top of the bridge, it was a bit gustier than below. What an exhilarating ride! I'm so glad to have done it. Here's a shot to prove I was there.
Then we went over to the shop to get a photo of me, my bike, and my LYS for the MotoKnitters group on Ravelry.

The vest...

You all probably remember the fabulous vest I knitted for my youngest about two years ago. Lovingly chose several yarns and offered him his pick. He selected the green and was very excited about Mommy knitting something just for him. Cables, buttonholes, edging, and hundreds of picked up stitches later, I present the fabulous vest to my darling son. He won't even try it on. WHAT??? I want to throttle him. My husband, sensing my dismay, cajoles the boy into promising that he'll wear the vest tomorrow. Do you think he wore the vest tomorrow? Well, of course not. And over the months that the vest languished in the back of his drawer, I would mention it to him and he would say, "I'll wear it next winter." I swear that boy is going to grow up to be a politician.

So Thursday, the day before his kindergarten class Easter pageant, I pulled the vest out and said, "Here is the vest Mommy made you. Would you just put it on just once so that I can see you in it before I die?" So he did. And you know what he said? He said, "Hey I LOVE this vest!" So I said, "You can wear it tomorrow."

Which he did.
All is forgiven.

On the Town Bolero

Is finished.

Hooray! I really like this little top. It looked like it was going to be too small while I was knitting it, but since it's kind of a rib, it's really stretchy and fits just the way I like.

Ravelry...

I love this site! This is a new, highly popular site for knitters to connect, keep in touch, share, and organize. I'm EllenE - join the site and the fun!

Gloria Cardigan

I never posted a photo of this, but it's one of my favorites. Designed by Jane Ellison for Noro, this cardi uses two heavy worsted weight yarns. I used Aurora 8 for the main body and mixed it with silk garden for the sleeves and body top. It fits great, and it was fun to knit. One word of caution I always give is to hold the pieces up to measure them. The top of the body is worked in garter stitch, which has a tendency to stretch, so if you measure the pieces on a flat surface, they will likely be too long when you wear them. Plus the sleeves are extra long anyway.

Crayon Box Jacket...

Is finally done.

The picture makes it look uneven, but that's just how I'm standing, I guess. Chris' designs are really sharp, and classic. This was a fun project. It is really good for when you want to be a little creative and play with color. It actually is just like coloring - the lines are there for you, and you just have to fill them in!

My next Chris Bylsma project? Out on the Town. You can see it live and in person at the Chris Bylsma Trunk Show at Crazy for Ewe.

My Ninja

Beach week

The view from our beach house is lovely. This photo was taken yesterday (even though the date stamp is wrong) - the day we arrived. Colton wanted to get in the water first thing this morning, so out we went. Unfortunately, it was kind of overcast today, and the wind was whipping the sand around stinging our legs. So, we endured about an hour of that and then had a dip in the hot tub.

I've been knitting on Kolsva. I know I should be finishing Chutes and Ladders, but this is such a quick and easy knit. Kinda like cheese and crackers for dinner - hey, I'm at the beach. Here's the back.

This is the knit side, which is supposed to be the wrong side, but I'm not a big fan of reverse stockinette, so we may have to see about that.

Every other beach house we've ever rented has come with complete with either complete linens or no linens at all. This house, apparently, comes only with bed linens, so we had to make a trip out to buy bath towels. Just what I want: overpriced, low quality bathroom linens embroidered with *cute* bikinis and flip flop and emblazoned with Cape Hatteras. Oh well. On the way back to the house there was this most amazing rainbow. It stretched all the way from one side of the island to the other and seemed to sink into the ocean. By the time we got back to the house and I got my camera, it had mostly disappeared, but I thought this was kind of nice anyway.

Sunset over the water

My daughter, Katie took these photos at the River Concert last night. Spectacular.

Life is a journey, not a destination.

Chutes and Ladders

Here's a few inches on the Chutes and Ladders cardigan we'll be knitting this Saturday! The little cable twists are staggered, and then the three purl stitches in between are dropped at the bind off row to create this lovely open section. This has gone pretty quickly even though its in 2x2 rib on size 6 needles. It's one of those that's easy enough to do without much thought, but has enough going on that it's not deadly dull. My kinda project!

Rather Huge Carpet Bag comes along

At Joanne's Fabrics the other day, I picked up several sheets of plastic canvas, hoping to give some serious structure to my Rather Huge Carpet Bag. For some reason or the other, I've been anti-sewing lately. Perhaps it's because my sewing machine rebelled against me and started making this clicking sound, which I've been informed means the timing is off. I've been in search of a decent sewing machine repair person who's not 30 miles away, but I've put the whole process out if mind, assuring myself that I hate to sew. But, I so love these Noni Bags, that I want to finish mine in perfect style. So, back to the plastic canvas and requisite lining. The plastic canvas is in, and it wasn't hard to do at all - kinda fun even. And I found a sewing machine guy recommended by one of my customers. Pretty exciting!

Krista Tee -- c'est fini!

I did the back in a size small, and the front in a medium, so I had to fudge it a bit at the shoulder a bit, but it is soooo wonderful. The yarn is Alchemy's Synchronicity 50-50 silk and merino. It feels fabulous against my skin - it took just 5 skeins, and is so totally worth the money. I can't wait to wear this. Now, should I do another one of these in a different yarn, or one of the other spectacular White Lies designs....hmmmm......

Noni Bag Update

I finished the knitting on this bag - here it is unfelted. Talk about huge!


And here it is all felted up.
Now for the finishing...handles, of course, and perhaps lining. I think my sewing machine needs a trip to the doctor's.