Mock Orange

In my garden, right next to my patio I have a mock orange bush.  Some of my favorite moments have been spent sitting next to it, of an evening, with my feet on one patio chair, while my behind is firmly placed in another...with coffee, or wine, and my knitting close by.

It has also been used as the back drop for photos when a trip away from home to do a photo shoot isn't in the schedule...so it seemed to me, it was about time that bush got a pattern all of her own!

Presenting : Philedelphus.


As with many of my patterns, this one started with a question.  What if, I knit a square shawl with an extra panel?  Would I get more width, less depth and something that was wearable? And...what if I knit it from a super skinny yarn but added a whole lotta beads?  Would it float off my shoulders, or stay put but be perfect for those days I want "something" to cover my shoulders but nothing that is going to really trap heat?

 

The answers were :

I'd get what I call a "super square".

Absolutely, more wrap around to pin or tie but no tripping over the "point at the back"...which coincidentally isn't there....no arrow to your "assets" that part of the square is flat!  (I viewed that as a BONUS!)

No, it doesn't float off my shoulders, those beads do hold her in place, without adding heat!

Stats:

Yarn - Jade Sapphire Lacey Lamb...I love the way that yarn blocks...if you haven't tried it, you should and this shawl only needs one ball!

Needles :  US 5 (3.75mm)

Beads : Don't get scared...close to 1500 11/0 seed beads...and get a tiny crochet hook (0.6 mm works well) for adding them.

Size : 34 inches at the widest point as laid flat to block...

Best part?

You can get it free, from...you guessed it Knotions.com*

But, as always...to see all of my portfolio, including more than a dozen free ones, visit my Ravelry Store.

In case you were wondering, many of the photos were taken at the local community college...our new favorite spot for photos...while waiting for one or another to finish classes for the day.

Until Sunday...

Happy Knitting!

~M

*I must really like working with Knotions...I keep submitting to them!  :)

A Touch Late...hljóður

tăcere

Mid-June

Hiya!

I know, I know, it's been a while since you heard much from me!  Why don't you pour yourself a cup of coffee and pull up a chair so we can catch up?

Is it heading towards summer, or winter, in your little corner of the world?  In mine, summer has certainly arrived.  The perfect time for small, quick knitting projects that I can throw in a bag and take to the park, or just out in my garden so I can sit on the patio and knit.

If you're looking for just that type of project, can I suggest a hat?

Natasha, the brains behind Unplanned Peacock has these cute little "School Spirit" packs of coordinating yarns, just perfect for a stranded beanie showing your pride in your school, team, or in my case hobby!

The pattern comes with charts for each letter of the alphabet, a precharted grid with the word "knit", two spacer charts to pick from and a planning grid so you can pick your own word or letters, and...through Unplanned Peacock you can get your team, school or favorite color combos and...a code to get the pattern for free is included in the kit!*

June also saw the Mid Ohio Fiber Fair come to town...it was smaller this year than in years past but I still got myself a few treasures.

 

The black and yellow are destined to become a Ballan Hat for TDQ - who absolutely loves sunflowers.  The green and red yarns will be new winter hats for TFB and TOB...the other yarns are whispering in my ears...I could be a shawl, we could be a shawl, ooohh a stripey yarn to make a "this way and that way" creation.....

This month, and part of last, also saw Chez Yarn Diet getting an influx of "new" things...well not so new really...including this vintage sewing machine!

It came complete with table, stool and all kinds of feet to use to make different things...of course I can't sew worth beans so TDQ is going to be looking for sewing classes very soon!  She says her goal is to learn how to make dresses and trousers (pants) with REALLY BIG pockets!  As she has at least one more semester of school before earning the "next degree", I suspect it will be at least a few months before she has the spare time to invest in learning....but once she has, I know I wouldn't say no to some hand made clothing with pockets big enough to use!

Of course there has been lots of knitting filling my time!  Including this little beauty! (More info on her in the next couple of weeks!)

The next round of "preview" knitting posts will be going up in the Ravelry Group soon...so if you are interested in getting an earburn and the chance to preview knit any of my upcoming designs please feel free to sign up in this thread.  Signing up just gets you an earburn letting you know of the test....no personal info (other than your Ravelry ID) required.


Until next time.....

Happy Knitting!

~M

*You can also purchase the pattern separately through my Ravelry Store.

tăcere

It's silence in Romanian.  :)

~M

бесшумный

A week of silence, in Russian.

~M