Never say Never....

You wanna peek? Are you seeing something you never thought you'd see here?


Something I said I'd never take an interest in...you know what they say about never say never...


It's all Megan's fault really.

Why? I admit seeing her knit her shawls using sock yarn lately made me a bit more curious than I've ever been. My other knitter friends around here use the laceweight. Which I also said I'd never buy...cough..cough..I have 4 skeins now. (well 1 was a gift ;)


I can see where blocking makes all the difference. I even got to test my new blocking wires.
Before, you see the pattern, but the blocking shows much more.

My Ravelympics challenge was to knit a shawl in 2 weeks. I chose a simple pattern with YO's (which are often trying to me. Not knitting them, just keeping track of them!) Oh, wait a minute, isn't lace full of YO's? I admit, I did have to drop down and fix a few missing YO's, maybe about 5 or so, but geesh, with all the ones you see here that's pretty impressive to me. I already knit from charts with sock knitting, so that part was easy.

This fence will make a great place to photo shawls, I just pressed it up there and voila (well most of it, ignore the 2 nails poking out of the fence board ;)

Did she just say "shawls"?

DD is getting so much better and clearer picture taking as I know she doesn't like being my model.

I was asked would I get much wear out of this. I so can see this dressing up an outfit (jeans in my case) or wearing as a scarf as this merino-cashmere-nylon base is so very soft. Knitting with it was a pleasure and after soaking and blocking even more softer.

Traveling Woman Shawl by Liz Abinante
The Plucky Knitter MCN in Caddy
US 6 KP's options circular for shawl, size 8 dpn for bind off
Started: February 12, 2010 @ 9:00 pm
Finished: February 26, 2010 @ 9:20 pm

Stay tuned to see what one I cast on next, well you know as far as knitting with sock yarn. I do have 2 worsted weight shawl WIP's I need to finish too.

Many colors....

Definately a lot of colors going on here!

Had to show you this "up close and personal" picture again. You know, that's what is missing from the Olympic coverage. ABC had great stories of the athlete's from everywhere, not just the USA team members. NBC seems to want to show injuries a lot, but yeah, I guess they do show the good stories I just really miss the ABC coverage.

I guess I'm showing my age and how many Olympic games I've seen. The summer, not so much, but the winter...just give me my winter games and I'm a happy girl. Hubby is an Olympic-widowerer.

Anyhow, back to this non-Olympic Knitting project. Yes, MIL needed a scarf and I didn't want to wait. Call this my warm up knitting. This was a good travel, knit anywhere project. The lace stays home. Not in time out...but it needs "special" attention. It's going pretty good so far, about 10 rows to go before bind off...




I went with a familiar pattern. What is this...you knit another side to side knit scarf??? You who claims to highly dislike knitting them.

Well it was down to the amount of yarn. I had 180 yds. I didn't want to risk running out. Ok, you got me, I'm lying. I love this colorway and wanted to keep some for myself...

Don't worry, it's just the right size she wanted. She's happy, I'm happy I have almost a full skein left and an email into someone destashing another skein.

Scarf of Many Colors aka Scrunchable Scarf
Sheep Shop Two 100% Merino Bulky - Color 43
US 13 circs
Started - February 11, 2010
Finished - February 22, 2010
Blocked size is 3.5" x 62"

Cast on 14 sts as a "skinny" scarf was requested. Ok, right, back to the lace and the skiing and skating...

Hey..aren't you...

Supposed to be knitting? Like super swiftlike?

Well one does have other committments. Like our guild meeting yesterday, we learned to needle felt. It is so cool! I did pretty well and only pierced the thumb 2 times... ;)


They are supposed to be acorns...but I think they are a bit more strawberry looking. I'm sure you'll see more of needle felting around here.

After the guild meeting, I joined a friend at an open bead group.

Top one is daughter's, need to make it a bit smaller though. Mine is red of course, neat teardrop beads.

Beading is fun, I'm sure I'll make more someday, but I don't usually wear much jewelry other than earrings. It was good to just learn something new.

Right, now off to my lace....

1st FO

Presenting Azalea Swirl

Ok, please ignore the debris in the middle of the hat. LOL!

This hat goes pretty fast, it's so wild how the purl stitches are what makes the swirls.

Way easier than YO's or K2tog, etc. Couldn't bribe my hat model today either :(


First hat for Charity Curling and Hat Halfpipe (hey, just watched the ladies halfpipe..um..it is so boring compared to the guys!)

Lion Brand Cotton Ease-Azalea Colorway. Perfect yarn for a chemo cap too.
Hurricane Hat
US 7's circulars 16" and 40" for ML to finish
Started February 15th- Finished February 17th

Next hat already 1/2 done the ribbing. Um..lace is going ok...not quite through the first repeat yet...stay tuned ;)

1st Weekend of Competition

Reveals a finished stockinette portion of the Travelling Woman shawl, which is now called Macintosh Woman, because the colors remind me of my favorite apple.

I only forgot 1 YO, which was fixed on the next row very easily! Woot and go me! Now onto chart A....



I've been watching/recording as much of the games as I can! I love winter and love the winter Olympics especially! The skiing and skating has been fabulous all weekend. The next 3 nights will have me glued watching the skating events....

Oh, and lest you all think I'm going to try to kill myself with all the stuff I have planned. I am not knitting every minute, I don't plan too, one still has to work, clean, cook, sleep...so try not to worry ;)

I present a non-Olympic knit. The MIL scarf..

30" of the Scrunchable scarf. Yay for chunky and US 13 needles! I showed her today, she loves the colors and I just need about 50" more..


Another shot of those gorgeous colors....

Cast on, 9pm EST

For the 2010 Ravelympics or Knitting Olympics, pick yer games!

As usual, I have a few projects planned. Hey, ya know sometimes I am a procrastiknitter deadline type of knitter ;)

Stay tuned for a shawl and a few hats!



Oh and fiber to yarn in that time frame too...hmmm

Don't worry, I won't be stressing myself out. I'll get done what I get done and have fun doing it.

I'm a part of 2 teams.

Where I'll be knitting chemo caps for charity.

and


for my first lace/shawl, handspun, and a final hat if time allows.

Oh, and my MIL just asked me today for a skinny scarf....can you say bulky on size 13's!

"I Love this Yarn"

I have to tell you! I've knit with it and it was ok, now that I can say I've crocheted with it, definately good.

If you are searching for a great acrylic yarn for those projects you know need a washable yarn. This is your yarn. All you need is your local Hobby Lobby.

Presenting my first crocheted project since like...well I was about 14 and I'm not going to tell you how long ago that was ;)

It's a 29 x 29 granny square lapghan for one lucky Veteran at our local VA Hospital. You see this weekend is the National Salute to the Hospitalized Veteran. Last year the Volunteer Director asked all the local knitting/quilting groups to donate red, white, and blue afghan/lapghan's so they could be distributed to the Vets.

Close up, not too bad a job.

I do admit I was pretty particular and frogged a bit when my stitches got a bit too big. Some still are, but hey, not too shabby for someone who hasn't done this in a while (you know other than edging on something)

Our knitting guild (psst..I am the President now...yikes or what!!) and a few other local knitting groups all submitted lap/afghans over the past year. She had asked for about 200 of them. When I visited her Monday...the stack of tubs full of these were taller than me, so yeah, I think they got what they needed.
She was also thrilled as there were enough of the non-r/w/b color afghans donated throughout the past year, so Vets will get one of each.


Oh back to the yarn. It's a soft yarn to knit/crochet with, much better than other acrylics I've used before. After washing and drying it's even more fabulous. So squishy soft!

I Love This Yarn
Old Glory Ombre 2 skeins & a little bit of Red
Size L hook
Just one big granny square, 29" x 29"

Bulky yarn...

is sometimes under-rated. I love it and despite the fact that you don't see it much around these parts doesn't mean I don't collect it.

This gorgeous skein was from a destash many months ago....


It's a part of most likely one of the first year's of Plucky Classics just not sure when.


Love all these colors.....

100% Merino Superwash Bulky
Stained Glass colorway, perfect for these colors don't you think :)
120 yds
The Plucky Knitter Classics

Wee socks

On Wee blockers!


Magic 28 Socks
Bellamoden Superwash Sport-The Historian Colorway (thanks for another rescue Megan!)
US 3 dpns - ha, can you believe I still use them!
Started January 27 - Finished January 31

This yarn is pretty nice to knit with. Very soft and as you can see no pooling. I have plenty left from the skein to knit some other accessories. The best part, it matches another yarn I have...well you have to stay tuned to see what that's all about ;) Although I wouldn't mind having a pair in this colorway...hmmm...

This is a neat pattern that you can go and customize however you want.

Plus, it uses very little yarn, great for leftovers.

Now to tackle more WIP's.....