Pure Bliss

Don't you love it when things turn out just right? In this case, I think the yarn had something to do with it.

Pattern: Lace Ribbon Scarf by Veronik Avery, spring 2008 Knitty
Yarn: Intention Yarns superwash merino/bamboo blend (70% merino, 25% bamboo, 5% nylon), colorway/intention Bliss, just a little less than one skein
Needles: 24" US 3 (3.25 mm) Addi Turbo circs
Dimensions: approximately 85" long by 7" wide
Started/Completed: April 22/May 4
Mods: cast on 44 stitches

Delightfully drapey, quick to knit, and soft and silky to wear. This scarf is a winner, and with the cooler weather we've been having lately, it looks like I might even get to wear it a few times before the summer weather hits. Bliss is a good word to describe it!

Inch by Inch ...

... my projects are growing. For one, my Lace Ribbon Scarf is done, though not yet blocked.

And while my Tangled Yoke Cardigan may look very much the same as the last time you saw it, it has grown. I believe I have two more sets of increases and about two inches left before I put the body on hold and start the sleeves.

I think I need to start a little bit of lace now that my scarf is done. I have some handspun all wound and ready to go for Waves of Grain. Bring on the beads!

In Spite of the Weather

It's spring outside, though you wouldn't know it from my knitting. Since finishing the monkey, I've been knitting only for myself. My big project is one that's long been in my queue: the Tangled Yoke Cardigan.

I'm knitting this in the delicious Sublime Extrafine Merino DK, a delightfully squishy cabled yarn. It's a little heavier than the called-for Rowan Felted Tweed, but I love the extra squoosh of the knit fabric.

Meanwhile, my lunchtime knitting has been a Lace Ribbon Scarf out of my first Intentions yarn club shipment. This colorway is called Bliss, and it definitely describes the experience of knitting with this wool/bamboo blend.

This is probably just a few hours' knitting time away from being done, and then I'll have to find something else to fit in my purse knitting bag. Got any suggestions? (I think I'm off socks for the time being.)

Lacy Ribbons

Pattern: Lace Ribbon Scarf by Veronik Avery, spring 2008 Knitty
Yarn: J. Knits Superwash Me Sock (75% superwash wool, 25% nylon), colorway Mississippi, one skein
Needles: US 3 (3.25 mm) Knit Picks circs
Started/Completed: October 15/October 25
Dimensions: approximately 6 1/2" by 90"
Mods: cast on 44 stitches rather than 53
Recipient: my mother

I'm thrilled with how this turned out. The lace repeat was easy to memorize after two or three repeats, and after that, the rest of the scarf prettty much flew off the needles.

I reduced the stitch count in part because I was only using one skein of yarn, but also because this scarf struck me as more of an accessory than an article for warmth. I ended up with only a few yards leftover but a nice length. I did not block very aggressively, however, only just enough to open up the lace and straighten the edges a bit.

I'm really quite enamored of this pattern now and think I may eventually need to knit one for myself. I think it might look very nice in my merino/alpaca handspun.

I have a few more small things to knit, but now the majority of my holiday knitting is complete!

Next!

Thank you for your compliments on the blanket. I'm planning on presenting it to Amelia's mother on Wednesday, as a present for her six-month birthday. I have no doubt that it will be well received, as today I got some adorable pictures e-mailed to me of Amelia wearing the sweater I knit her. (It's still a tad big on her, but she was smiling!)

Now that the blanket is done, I'm through with all the non-holiday obligatory knitting and am turning my attention full time to "Chrismakkah" gifts. First is a Lace Ribbon Scarf for my mother in J Knits Superwash Me Sock, one of two skeins I picked up at 30% off at Natural Stitches. It's knitting up very quickly, and I have to say that this is one scarf that I've actually found fun to knit. Eventually I think I might knit myself one, maybe in my merino/alpaca handspun.

It's amazing how hard this color is to capture on camera, probably because it looks different depending on the light. It can go from a deep royal blue, as it appears here, to a really vibrant purple. It looked purple through the lens as I took this picture, but you can see how blue it turned out.

Tonight I'm casting on for a pair of Dashing (Dashings?) for my mother-in-law. I'm using some very old stash yarn -- Karabella Aurora 8. I bought it at Pittsburgh Knit & Bead when it was closing; I don't remember exactly how long ago that was, but I know it was when I was still living in my apartment and just starting to build a stash. It's so old I never even catalogued it on Ravelry! Fortunately it's still in pristine condition and will make some nice squishy mitts.