Fiber Friday | 5.11.18

Fiber Friday | 5.11.18

Sometimes the arrival of Friday brings the greatest joy… sometimes, you just want a bit more time for its arrival. This is one of those times. I had hoped to have a finished sweater today (or more finished than it is)… but that did not happen. I will try and knit for a bit this morning, but my list has a plethora of other things on it as well. So, the sweater might have to wait until Monday for its finish! I had worried Lucinda would be too big – she’s not. I had worried how the yarn would work out – it does. I am eager to wear it and it will be the perfect spring to summer to fall sweater!

And, maybe, just maybe I can get some swatching done for my new Vodka Lemonade.

I love it when I have some things to look forward to on Monday!

Now, how about some links:

First up…Mary has 2018 Summer Book Bingo cards ready! I have my card(s)…yes, I printed out two and have not yet decided which I will use. One is definitely easier than the other… (to see the cards more clearly click to embiggen!)

I recently discovered TextileArtist.org and every day my brain explodes just a bit more at all the insane stitching creativity! Yeah… just amazing inspiration.

I have long been fascinated by Åsa Tricosa’s designs and this week she released a trio of curiosities: Vaudeville, Coucou, and Dusala. The details are quite inspiring, as is her sweater construction. Have you knit any of her designs? If so, please share your thoughts!

Clementine is as adorable as the fruit!

Adine Light

I am no fan of dishcloth knitting and, you will never, ever, ever, ever find me knitting one. However, I have noted that some of you do like to do this phenomenon occasionally so perhaps some of you might enjoy May Flowers.

And, finally a new design by Caitlin Hunter: Sipila

That’s all I have for this week! Have an awesome weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!

Fiber Friday | 5.4.18

Fiber Friday | 5.4.18

This photo is from Wednesday, but this morning the lilacs are all open! Their gentle fragrance fills the morning breezes and our weather is supposed to cool down a bit, so I am hoping they will last longer. Add to that, my neighbors Dogwood is on the cusp of blooming and the trees all seem to be in a race to unfurl their leaves. We have had glorious gentle rains. Outside is a smorgasbord for the senses! Spring is absolutely springing here in Pittsburgh.

I continue to knit around and around and around on my Lucinda sweater. I need to get to that magical number of 16 inches and I can then divide for the sleeves… I am at roughly 10 inches so a bit more to go. I have taken to heart all your comments about my uneven stitches becoming more even through the wonder that is blocking! My fingers are crossed, and I am worried much less about how it looks right now.

This weekend is a trifecta of fun: Maryland Sheep and Wool, Cinco de Mayo, and the Kentucky Derby! I mean what more can you ask for in a weekend?

Are you despondent because you can’t get to Maryland to peruse the wares? Jennie the Potter will have pottery online today starting at noon central. Yes, you are reading that correctly! You can get pottery online on Friday here! This year’s MDSWF design features River Otters… oh the cuteness of a knitting otter!!

In the making department, I also finished a sleeveless tunic on Thursday, and will get some photos taken to share with you next week. This tunic is extra special because I was able to make it out of the ‘reclaimed’ fabric from a previously made garment! I know, I was so excited too! The modifications I made worked well and I could not be happier! Well, I could maybe be a tiny bit happier if I could knit a sweater in the amount of time I sewed these tunics! Hahaha! But, I am now planning what other garments I can deconstruct to make a couple more tunics!

To start the links off, I want to share an wonderful app I discovered this week: The Cornell Lab Merlin Bird ID I know a good number of birds, but not every bird I see I know… but thanks to the wonder of Merlin, I have been able to identify a few new (to me) birds! And, best of all… it is FREE and available in both the AppStore and in Google play.

Heidi Kirmaier has a new tee shirt with perfect summery knits timing!

Ankers Bluse is adorable and will be out in English soon!

Silver Forest… just stunning

Balloon Cardigan is a new twist on a classic!

That is all I have for this week! Have an awesome weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!

Fiber Friday | 4.27.18

Fiber Friday | 4.27.18

Spring has sprung in my neighborhood and that can mean just one thing – Nest Wars! Yes, that’s right. We have one determined Robin who wants to build a nest on our porch. And, they are so determined. I have removed seven nests in various stages since last week. Note the bag on the light is not deterring her from building the nest on top of the storage cabinet!! Yesterday, I took two down in a span of about four hours! Silly, silly robins! And, yes… I removed another one this morning!

The knitting is strong with Lucinda though! I am almost done with my second skein of yarn, which means I am just about to the halfway point of the body! It is a wonder what a few minutes dedicated to knitting can do each day!

Yesterday was Poem in Your Pocket Day and wow… there were so many, many, many great poems filling up my blog reader! Thank you all for such inspiration and for introducing me to so many new poets! April is just the best month and I am kind of sad to see it end from a poetry standpoint! I have both enjoyed sharing poetry and reading the poems that you all have shared!

Now, how about some links?

I love Adine Pullover

Isabell Kraemer has a new pattern out: interstellar

Rainwashed and Sandalwood are also lovely!

I also love Around in a Round very much! The construction is so interesting!

And, the texture in Kuben

And, Scramble! Oh, my! It is adorable!

Perhaps socks in your preferred warm(ing??) weather knit? Brick and Mortar

And, finally…there is a fade for everything! And, it is free through the end of today!

There you have it, Gentle Reader, another week draws to a close! See you back here on Monday!

Fiber Friday | 4.20.18

Fiber Friday | 4.20.18

You guys!!! My Lunar Phases is finished!! I just love how this all came together and for once I am entirely enthralled with my color choices! Kudos to Larissa Brown for her knitting ingenuity! This was a true mystery up to the last clue. I had no idea how it would all come together, but I have to tell you – it is stunning, as you can see from these “teaser” photos. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate for a big reveal next week!

If you have not knit this yet, I would encourage you to cast on! Until clue 4 this is very portable, and it is a very rhythmic knit at least by clue – each clue does change a bit in their patterning.

All in all, this was a huge success and I look forward to wearing it!

Now for some links!

First up, today is the last day for the early sign up (with a $50 discount!) for Knit Stars 3.0, which has an amazing line up of teachers! I am still pondering this – have any of you taken any previous Knit Stars? If so, what are your thoughts?

And, the lure of the Gansey grows

Bloom Sweater… I especially love the version knit with Linen Quill!

Cloudless

Tabouli

I love the sleeve detail in Bright Sweater

And, finally Anything Goes

That is all I have for this week! Have a wonderful weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!

 

Fiber Friday the Thirteenth

Fiber Friday the Thirteenth

Apparently, Mother Nature has decided that we will go directly from winter to summer… yep, temps in the upper 70’s around here this weekend. But, never fear… winter returns on Monday. Really, I can’t make this stuff up as you can see from my Dark Sky™ forecast…

It looks like I need to pull out some warm weather clothes…pronto!

Friday the Thirteenth should have some unusual links, should it not?

Starting with some motivating links:

Sometimes inspiration comes in an email: Santa Clara was spotlighted in Gauge Dye Works newsletter where I saw her Santa Clara and wow. I love it!

Or perhaps we should all do a little Knit Along of Bateaux Mouches from Churchmouse Yarns & Teas

Báirbre is really lovely as well!

Or maybe Fading Point?? Oh, and Miss Babs has oodles of Fading Point Sets…just saying.

Moving to the What am I getting myself into? links:

You know you might have lost your mind when you are contemplating knitting the Gansey sweater that Daniel Day-Lewis is wearing….

Or Jana Huck’s Dot Dot Dot…. Because we all need one more shawl and especially one with intarsia, right? (But, the colors in Strickwittchen’s test knit are AWESOME!)

Svetlana Gordon always has me saying wow, but then I see the hashtags… #icord #in-the-round #mosaic #phototutorial

Perle royale might seem like a good idea when you start, but this is lots of knitting and only in French….

Finally, the batshit crazy, you have gone off the deep end and need a knitting intervention links:

Ballerina Tea Cosy (hmmm, maybe Genevieve needs one of these for her IKEA kitchen…)

Clever felt and leaf One case where free is not necessarily good or using the adjective clever make it so…

If you are knitting for Barbie and Ken just put the needles down and step away from the knitting…

Or Textured Dresses with this bit of instruction: “The PDF pattern has 26 pages including an individual page for each of the 19 skirt designs, an index indicating level of difficulty and 4 pages detailing the knitted bodice with plenty of step-by-step pictures.” I mean really, just commit me already!

Sock Monkey Golf Club Covers? Ummm….no, just no.

Baby Cat with Baby Carriage… Craziest part? It’s not free.

Raccoon Slippers…for adults no less!

At Your Service Knit Cloth… in Sugar’n Cream and seed stitch. And, yes, I am strongly considering them… Oy vey, send help, would you?

Why jumbo yarn should never be used to knit a sweater…

For the “I never knit a gauge swatch knitter” (I think the designer did but I have no clue why, lol)

The Penultimate Boyfriend Sweater – knit this for the one you want to get away…

That is all I have for the week, Gentle Reader! FriYAY the Thirteenth might be a double martini happy hour, non? Have a good weekend, see you back here on Monday!

P.S. All these links were recently uploaded to Ravelry! That’s right, for some designers, it is always Friday the Thirteenth!

P.P.S. I have no idea what those darling little yellow flowers are! We saw them on our walks this week along the pathways.

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