Yellow and Violet

First, the yellow. I completed my Double Dog Dare ...


Project: Golden Circles Table Runner
Materials: linen fabric, DMC perle cotton embroidery thread in dark and light gold, cotton backing fabric
Techniques: hand sashiko-style embroidery, machine topstitching





It feels good to have finished this project. The anxieties that accumulate around unfinished things are really not worth living with. Now I'll think about whether I want to do another Double Dog Dare.

Next, the violet.  I blocked Flukra yesterday and wore it all day today  ...


Pattern: Flukra, by Gudrun Johnston
Yarn: Fearless Fibers Laceweight Merino
Needle: US4 Hiya-Hiya
Dimensions after blocking: 55 inches on the long (top) edge; 26 inches height at center



Wouldn't change anything about it; it's soft, light, and warm. The color is exquisite and the size is perfect for wearing either draped over the shoulders or wrapped around your neck kerchief style.



I love how the shawl grew organically from a very simple beginning:



Spring might be coming early this year. The other day I saw a bird flying up into the wooden roof at Atkins carrying a long piece of straw in its beak. Nest building can only mean one thing!

That White Stuff

Looks like somebody in my building was happy about the snow this weekend. We really haven't had much since the two feet on Halloween weekend. And I'm not complaining!

It was snowy, and it was cold ... zero F when I woke up this morning. But my head was nice and warm while I did the day's errands, thanks to this FO:


Pattern: Bosc Hat by Robin Ulrich
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool, natural mix
Needles: US5 and US7


Bosc is a roomy beret in two sizes. The pattern is clearly written and easy to follow. If you like the lace stitch pattern, you might be excited to know there's also a matching, really elegant scarf.

I was a busy bee this weekend knitting swatches for a couple of new spring designs (more on them another time). I also worked a little on Rebecca Ringquist's 2010 Stitch Dictionary sampler:





This one has some new-to-me stitches: couching, coral knots, Algerian Eye, bullion knots.



Let the white stuff fall.  On my sampler, I'm dreaming of the bright colors of summer.

Organization Woman

Yesterday, thanks to the WEBS gift card my sister Jenny gave me for my birthday, I treated myself to something I have needed for a very long time ... something I really, really needed. You can probably guess what by looking at this photo:



That's most, but not all, of my circular needle collection, which used to be crammed into a box, along with all my dpns. Even though I kept them in their packages and did try to keep them in some kind of order, somehow every time I looked for a particular needle, it was always the very last package I found in the box.

But no more!  Check this out:



That's my new Knitter's Pride needle case. It's got spaces enough to hold the interchangeables, circs, and dpns I use the most (US 0-6), plus a couple of nifty zipper pockets for the interchangeable keys, etc. Folded and closed up, it looks like this:



Huge improvement! The larger dpns and circs that I don't use very often (US7-11) have gone into the Angela Adams bag that formerly held my interchangeables:



And my crochet hooks?  They remain in the lovely case made by my sister Betsey:



I'm so happy to finally have my needles organized by size and type. No more fishing around in the catchall box, resorting to unladylike language when I cannot find that 16-inch US4 circular I know is in there.

OK, now how about some actual knitting?  Here's a quick WIP report, as well as my first FO of 2012:


Pattern: Flukra, by Gudrun Johnston; photo shows the knitted-on edging in progress
Yarn: Fearless Fibers Laceweight Merino
Needle: US4 Hiya-Hiya


Pattern: Bosc Hat by Robin Ulrich
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool, in the Natural Mix colorway
Needles: US 5 circ for the ribbing, US 7 for body


Pattern: Through the Loops Mystery Sock KAL 2012 by Kirsten Kapur; photo shows sock midway through the second clue
Yarn: Fiberphile's 2-ply Squooshy Sock in the Mithril colorway
Needles: 2.00mm dpns


Another view of the sock, with a bit of the embroidery sampler I'm working on—the 2010 Stitch Dictionary Sampler by Rebecca Ringquist—and Snickers waiting patiently for the photo shoot to end, so we can resume playing with her favorite new toy, the cork ball by her right paw

And here's the FO, finished just in time for this week's cold snap:




Pattern: Rockywold by Bonnie Sennott
Yarn: Quince and Co. Finch in the Kumlien's Gull colorway
Needles: US 1-1/2 (2.50mm) dpns

I added length in both the wrist and hand for this pair, so they'd be extra warm for winter picture taking. 





It's icy cold here in Massachusetts. Hope you're warm, wherever you are!

Let's Do the Twist

I love twisted stitches, so when I saw that the design for Kirsten Kapur's 2012 Mystery Sock KAL would include cables and twisted stitches, I signed up right away. I've never done a mystery KAL before—have you?

The pattern calls for solid or semisolid yarn, so it seemed like a good match for the skein of light grey hand-dyed yarn from Fiberphile that I picked up at the Loopy Ewe last summer.



Spoiler alert! Photo of the cuff coming next ... if you're thinking of joining this KAL and you don't want to know in advance what the design looks like, stop reading now.


Pattern: Through the Loops Mystery Sock 2012, by Kirsten Kapur
Yarn: Fiberphile 2-ply Squooshy Sock in the Mithril colorway
Needles: US 0/2.00mm

I've been reading the Ravelry spoiler threads for each week eagerly, to see how people's socks are coming along (I don't mind knowing in advance). This week's clue includes a few bobbles, and already there are some great tips on Ravelry on ways to work them.

It's not too late to sign up for the Through the Loops 2012 Mystery Sock KAL (and the pattern is offered at discount through February 1).

Speaking of twisted stitches, there are are fair number in my Pomegranate pullover—they give both the lace panel and the neckband a lovely crisp look. This morning I was excited to see a really beautiful completed Pomegranate posted on Ravelry. Take a look at Katie's awesome Pomegranate:

Pattern: Pomegranate by Bonnie Sennott
Yarn: Quince and Co. Chickadee in Honey
Needles: US 3/3.25mm and US 5/3.75mm

Katie did a fantastic job with the lace panel, the short-row set-in sleeves, and the folded-over neckband:

The Honey colorway of Chickadee is just beautiful:

Doesn't she look happy? Katie modified the pattern by knitting the back in stockinette. This is a nice option if you want the sweater to go faster:

Congrats, Katie, on your expertly knit Pomegranate. Now that I've seen yours, I want one in the same Honey colorway!

I Dare Me

Some time ago ... well, perhaps quite a while ago ... I began embroidering a table runner with a simple sashiko-style circle motif. Like all projects, it began with great joy. Golden circles for my table, how lovely that will be!



When I began it, I anticipated buying a new table to replace to the less-than-wonderful one I've had for so many years. But then ... that didn't happen due to other expenses ... so the table runner languished, half done, for most of last year.



This is silly, I finally decided last month. Finish it and use it, even if there is still no wonderful new table. Stop wanting everything to be perfect.



So I finished up the embroidery. And I cut the backing piece (the wavy red fabric). Progress!

But that's as far as I went. Of course, I've been busy with many other projects—publishing new designs, personal knitting, painting, embroidery—not to mention a full-time job. But really, how much time does sewing a few seams take?

As soon as I saw the Double Dog Dare over at the Squam blog, I thought of my poor unfinished table runner. So I took the dare: my golden circles will be smiling up at me from my tippy old table by the first Thursday of February.



Got something big or small you need a little push to do? Take the Double Dog Dare! As a back-care booklet a doctor once gave me says, "an action detained is a tension retained." Won't you feel great a month from now when you've finally done something you've been putting off?

Hello Goodbye

Wishing you 365 joyful, fearlessly creative days in 2012. Oh wait--make that 366--it's a Leap Year!

Double Quick

Two quick projects to share today ... one practical and one not.


Pattern: Dolan Beret by Leah B. Thibault
Yarn: Quince & Co. Osprey in the Bird's Egg colorway
Needle: US7/4.5mm 16-inch circ

What a fun knit ... all those knits and purls really pop in the Aran-weight Osprey. And the color is incredibly lovely. This beret's going to get lots of wear!


Here's something for that person on your gift list who has everything:


Pattern: Tiny Chicken, from Teeny-Tiny Mochimochi by Anna Hrachovec
Yarns: various leftover sock yarns
Needles: US 1/2.25mm dpns

If everyone you know already has a 1 1/2-inch tall knit chicken, no problem. Teeny-Tiny Mochimochi also has mermaids, fried eggs, baked potatoes, garden gnomes, aliens, and more.

The Cat Always Wins

After two times through the washer and dryer, my wool dryer balls were sufficiently felted and ready for their second layer of yarn:

wool dryer balls (to be used in place of fabric softener; see this blog for details), shown atop my Seersucker afghan-in-progress

For the second layer, I'm using Lion Brand Alpine Wool, a chunky roving that's supposed to felt well:



Minutes after I sat down to wind the Alpine Wool around the three balls, I was interrupted:







A surprise lap takeover, deftly executed by Snickers! Much purring and petting ensued, and eventually I was allowed to resume my work.



I seem to be drawn toward this tealish-blue color lately. The dryer balls are almost the same color as a hat I cast on last week:


Pattern: Dolan Beret by Leah B. Thibault
Yarn: Quince and Co. Osprey in Bird's Egg
Needle: US7 16-inch circular

Worked at four stitches to the inch, this hat goes very quickly—it should be done and on my head soon.

Pattern Release: Deephaven Cowl and Rockywold Mitts

I'm excited to share two new designs with you today. They're matching patterns that have a stitch pattern in common, and they're available both individually and as a set called Morning at Squam Lake. Find them on Ravelry and in my Etsy shop.

First up, Deephaven:


Pattern: Deephaven by Bonnie Sennott
Yarn: Quince & Co. Lark in the Chanterelle colorway
Needles: US 7/4.5 mm

Deephaven is an infinity cowl that's knit flat and seamed after blocking. It measures about 8.5 inches/22 cm wide by 52 inches/132 cm long. I've listed the yardage requirement as 500 yards, but mine used a bit less than that—about 480 yards.

It's a versatile piece that can be worn many different ways:









If you've never knit cables before, this is a good pattern to start with, because the cabling is done on only two of the stitch pattern's eight rows. The stitch pattern is given in both written form and a chart.



Next up, Rockywold:


Pattern: Rockywold by Bonnie Sennott
Yarn: Quince & Co. Tern in the Driftwood colorway
Needles: US 2/3.00m dpns or long circular for Magic Loop

A textured stitch pattern takes center stage in these unisex fingerless mitts knit in fingering weight yarn. The pattern gives directions for two sizes, S and M/L. You can easily expand the size range to an XS by using light fingering weight yarn and a smaller needle size, or to an XL by using sportweight or DK weight yarn and a larger needle size. The stitch pattern is provided in a chart and in written form.







Rockywold and Deephaven are named after the Rockywold-Deephaven Camps on Squam Lake in New Hampshire, where knitters and other crafters gather for the Squam Art Workshops in spring and fall. Mornings can be chilly at Squam Lake, which means breakfast in the dining hall is a veritable fashion show of scarves, cowls, mitts, hats, shawls, and sweaters. When I went to Squam last spring, I wasn’t really prepared for the cool mornings—but I will be next time I go!

Many thanks to Katherine for her expert tech editing, and to Betsey for modeling the mitts. And a shout-out also to Elizabeth, the mastermind behind Squam Art Workshops, and all the fantastic teachers there, as well as my cabin mates in Everest. I had a great time at Squam and can't wait to go back next year.