Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Ripples and Flourishes

After sixteen colors, the ripple blanket is starting to seem more like a blanket and less like a scarf. The dusky rose color on the right is the starting ripple. At about the dark green color halfway through, I realized the whole thing looked alarmingly drab and so I caved and bought some pastels to lighten it up. Overall, I'm really fascinated how a color that doesn't seem to match suddenly gives the whole blanket a different look.

Another view of the blanket, this time all squished up. I worry that the banana yellow and bright fuchsia on the working edge will be a bit too tutti-frutti, but I suppose it will balance out if I add some darker colors next.




Some ancient Chinese art I got to see on my Memorial Day weekend trip to Boston. The MFA was hosting both a Hopper exhibit and a Chinese calligraphy exhibit. The Hopper I'll save for a later date because it deserves its own lengthy discussion. But the calligraphy was gorgeous, as were the long painted scrolls.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Bits 'n Pieces

This is how I see my life lately:

A lot of coffee or other caffeine-infused beverage, reading material, scribbles and scraps of yarn. All of which create mess and poor-ness but I still romanticize the whole thing anyway by taking photos of it in black and white.

This is just a photo of two kitties-to-be. They are Penny's cats and need to be sewn up and given faces. But I'm discovering something: I dislike hand sewing. There's something very tedious about it that I can't bring myself to appreciate. Thank goodness these kitties are tiiiiiny. This coming from a girl who can knit bolts of stockinette stitch without getting bored.

Finally, the beginnings of the Arctic Diamonds Stole. It's on the second repeat, but I bought extra balls of the yarn to make it extra long. Karabella Aurora 8 is so wonderfully squishy (and pricey) that I needed to make sure this stole will get plenty of use as both a shawl and a wraparound scarf.

Friday, May 4, 2007

Finished Goodies


Forbes Forest Scarf
Yarn: Knit Picks Merino Style in Moss (4.5 balls)
Needles: US5 Clover bamboo circular
Started: January 2007
Finished: April 2007

Just in time for the warm weather, I managed to finish this at the request of my cousin. I think I'll just give it to him in September. It'll be an early birthday present. Or a very late Christmas present. It's about 8.5" wide and 66" long.



Chevron Scarf
Yarn 1: Colinette Jitterbug in Summer Berries (1 skein)
Yarn 2: Claudia Handpainted in Bearded Iris (2 skeins)
Needles: US5 Clover bamboo circular
Finished over one weekend

This scarf is so pretty. I want to make 7 more. And the yarn was plenty...I wanted a looooong scarf to wrap twice around my neck and this one clocked in at 79" before I cast off.

Here's a closer detail of the yarn. I love the random red and blue splatters in the Jitterbug. Next time, I think I'll use one yarn in a solid colorway.

And finally, fabric I purchased to line my new summer bag, below. The teal/turquoise paisley will be the inside lining and the bright apple green will face out and be visible behind the open stitches of the bag:


Caban bag from Rowan 35
Yarn: Reynolds Saucy (3 balls)
Crochet Hook: Size F Susan Bates aluminum
Time to complete: 1 week



Thursday, May 3, 2007

Penny = Minted


Teddy Bear
Pattern: Debbie Bliss Simply Baby
Yarn: Miscellaneous worsted weight wool
Needles: US3 Susan Bates aluminum straights

Voila! C'est un ours en peluche, la mademoiselle Penny. Elle est tres jolie, no? I shall cease with the bad French now and proceed to explain that she is not quite ready for travel, despite her pose beside the box that will take her to L.A. Here, she enjoys a bit of NYC sun while awaiting her luggage. Penny will be bringing a small cat or two and perhaps a few other personal belongings that may interest Paddington or his mother. Also, she feels a bit naked and would like to wear a flower of some sort. She is a bride, after all.


Granny squares are beautiful. I loooove them. I want to have, like, ten thousand of their babies. But first, I think I need to recalculate how much yarn this whole blankie will take.


This bear is a clue for an accessory that will accompany Penny on her long journey across the country. His sideways smile is quite beguiling.