Stunning!

Vogue Knitting Fall 2011, photo by Paul Amato

This fabulous vest from the newest issue of Vogue Knitting is knit from Aslan Trends Royal Alpaca.  I always suspected that this yarn would be amazing in color work - and here is the proof. 

Click here to see and hear more about the vest and all the other great projects in this issue.

August 2011

I just finished the scarf-of-the-month which I had expanded to a wrap. I chose one of the shell shawl pins from Wooly Minded and it looks wonderful! I also finished the KAL cardi and sent it off to the Florida granddaughter. Now my daughter wants one, too. Just when I think my knitting list has shortened, more things are added! (And secretly, I love it!) I've also finished a hooded cardi for a grandson and I'm waiting for a yarn order to do a Mickey Mouse cardi for his brother. Looks like I've been busy during the month of July and its not going to let up for August either. :)

It's Not Too Late

It's not too late to get in on the fun of an impromtu KAL at Wooly Minded. A bunch of folks are knitting the Bulky Shrug (#286) by Knitting Pure & Simple. The pattern uses really bulky yarn and knits up super quick and easy.


(Edit from Jean: I think we need to work on our styling!)

Mystery Scarf of the Month - July

Just take a look at this happy, talented bunch:

They have just got going on the Mystery Scarf of Month, which this month was this:

The Indian Cross Stitch Scarf knitted in Cascade's Venezia, a rather fabulous blend of Merino and Silk. 
Don't you wish you had been here?

Anyone for Crochet?

In my efforts to get a little more comfortable with crochet I have set myself the task of working alongside the good folks at Lion Brand in their latest Crochet Along (CAL).  I've not often been drawn to crocheted garments, but this top kind of took my fancy - anyone else agree?  The free pattern is rated as Intermediate Advanced, and as I can make a successful Granny Square I'm sure I fit this category!  Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

So at the weekend I selected my yarn - Tweedy Pima from Galler Yarns.  Although the pattern calls for a worsted weight, this DK seemed to work just fine - and it's super soft.  I even went so far as to check that I picked one of 'my' colours.  Hard to see from the picture, but it's actually a kind of plummy purple.  Our regular crowd can't fail to know that I am a 'Dark Autumn' and having paid for the colour analysis, boy am I going to use it!

Then, I even did a gauge swatch.  Good thing too, as I needed to go down a hook size to get to the right stitch gauge. 

So there I was, thinking I was all ready to go, waiting impatiently for the next installment of the the CAL to come along so I could learn from everyone else's mistakes before I made my own.  Only to discover that many others had also had to change hook sizes but that was leading them into trouble with the row gauge.
 "The what?" 
I hadn't even thought to measure that.  So I will now make another swatch, measure in both directions, and with any luck get going before I get completely left behind!

Wish me luck  - or better still, join in.

Just in Time for Summer Knitting

New at the shop is the book, Sock Knitting - Master Class by Ann Budd.  Ann has put together a selectionof somewhat challenging sock patterns from various designers including, Cookie A, Anne Hanson Anna Zilborg, Cat Bordhi, and others.  You must see the whimsical socks by Kathryn Alexander (page 123) or the beautiful rose lace socks by Evelyn A. Clark (page 81).  Any of these socks would be great additions to your summer knitting project list.

Ann has announced via Knittingdaily.com that she will be working her way through all the patterns in the book - anyone want to join her?

Connie

From There to Here

Cast your minds back to November of last year. 

Somehow we got from this:

to this:

Want to see how it happened?