Monday, October 28, 2019
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Ask a Busy Person
I heard a long time ago, that if you want something done, to ask a busy person to do it! Something about people who are busy having to really structure their time to fit everything in...
I used to think I was that busy person! Full time job, part time job, non-profit work, family, home...and it all seemed to get done even when someone would say "Hey, can I add this one more thing to your plate?"
The past few weeks I have certainly not been that person!
All the "I have to do this to keep our lives running" was done...everyone got where they were supposed to be, when they were supposed to be there, the deadline knitting was done by the deadline, clients got their calls on time and yet...nothing got posted here about not one but two finished objects I wanted to talk about!
So, we'll jump in now and pretend really hard that it is Friday, not Saturday and this is a Friday Finished Object post.
Can you pretend that for me?
First up is this glorious cowl by Kelly G and available through Knotions in the e-book Cable Star.
I was lucky enough to get a preview of the pattern and I knew I had to cast it on right away, in purple, for the purple loving TDQ.
The knitting went very quickly on this one and I adore the way that it can be worn over your ears to keep the wind off them during the long, dark, cold days of winter.
Mine is knit in KnitPicks Wool of the Andes Superwash and the only thing I did differently than the pattern suggests was to pick up all the stitches needed for the edging (without knitting them) before starting the edge.
Obviously, as it is purple, she loves it!
Next up...while we are talking about cables...my newest pattern with Knotions The Gate Post Hat...
For this hat I wanted something "interesting to knit, unisex and very stretchy" to fill the needs of so many non-profits trying to keep people warm during those long, dark, cold days of winter.
Knit in a sport weight yarn (which is not a weight I am usually drawn to!) the knitting goes quickly and the double thickness at the brim certainly keeps your (or the recipients) ears warm!
Follow the link above for the fancy, professional photos...here are the "amateur hour" pictures we did before sending the hat to the professional photographer!
And with that...I have household chores to do...seems cleaning bathrooms fell down to under "blog" on the "need to do" list.
Happy Knitting!
~M
I used to think I was that busy person! Full time job, part time job, non-profit work, family, home...and it all seemed to get done even when someone would say "Hey, can I add this one more thing to your plate?"
The past few weeks I have certainly not been that person!
All the "I have to do this to keep our lives running" was done...everyone got where they were supposed to be, when they were supposed to be there, the deadline knitting was done by the deadline, clients got their calls on time and yet...nothing got posted here about not one but two finished objects I wanted to talk about!
So, we'll jump in now and pretend really hard that it is Friday, not Saturday and this is a Friday Finished Object post.
Can you pretend that for me?
First up is this glorious cowl by Kelly G and available through Knotions in the e-book Cable Star.
I was lucky enough to get a preview of the pattern and I knew I had to cast it on right away, in purple, for the purple loving TDQ.
Obviously, as it is purple, she loves it!
Next up...while we are talking about cables...my newest pattern with Knotions The Gate Post Hat...
For this hat I wanted something "interesting to knit, unisex and very stretchy" to fill the needs of so many non-profits trying to keep people warm during those long, dark, cold days of winter.
Knit in a sport weight yarn (which is not a weight I am usually drawn to!) the knitting goes quickly and the double thickness at the brim certainly keeps your (or the recipients) ears warm!
Follow the link above for the fancy, professional photos...here are the "amateur hour" pictures we did before sending the hat to the professional photographer!
Happy Knitting!
~M
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Not much to see here
If there is one problem with being a designer, it is that sometimes all your WiP projects are very "hush, hush" and secret. Or haven't moved on enough since the last time you posed about them to be something new and fun to see!
This week I am "pinch knitting" a sample for a friend.
Still working on my multi-colored blob with the stitch that "went the way it wanted".
Working on a collaboration with a couple of other designers...
and...nursing a sore, stiff neck that has been giving me a heck of time, and slowing down my knitting like you wouldn't believe.
~M
This week I am "pinch knitting" a sample for a friend.
Still working on my multi-colored blob with the stitch that "went the way it wanted".
Working on a collaboration with a couple of other designers...
and...nursing a sore, stiff neck that has been giving me a heck of time, and slowing down my knitting like you wouldn't believe.
~M
Monday, October 7, 2019
Monday Musings...Cables
We all have our "first love" in knitting. For some it will always be soft, squishy garter stitch, for others delicate lace and still others will fall head over heels for thick cables.
Me...my first love was cables, my second was lace and I am only just growing to appreciate soft, squishy garter stitch!
This past week Knotions released a new e-book...Cable Star and...well as my first love was cables and Kelly G. has some incredible cable designs out in the world I thought I might like it and took a peek myself!
This book has some incredible (and big!) shawls, all using Kelly's characteristic large cables, flanked with texture and smaller cables...along with her "signature" join from the wrong side edging. (She doesn't claim to have invented the technique, like me she feels knitting has been around too long for any of us now to be the "first" person to do something.)
Along with the 5 patterns (more about them in a moment) there are 19 tutorials for how to knit the cables and her signature join! (If you are new to cables or knitted on borders those alone make this e-book a worthwhile addition to your pattern/technique library.)
The patterns include 3 shawls (big ones you can wrap up in!)
This is Inis Meaiin (named after the middle of the three Aran Islands.)
Here is Inis Mor...(named after the largest of the three islands)
and finally Inis Oirr
Inis Mor Toque (which includes that bold cable from the Inis Mor shawl) and
Inis Meaiin Cowl...which is so luxurious and warm looking...it jumped on my needles while I wasn't looking!
Knotions is hosting a KAL in their Ravelry Group which looks like it will be a lot of fun and has some fabulous prizes!
Cable lover or new cable knitter...either way, this e-book is a winner for learning more about cables, how to knit them and the patterns alone are worth the price of admission!
Me...my first love was cables, my second was lace and I am only just growing to appreciate soft, squishy garter stitch!
This past week Knotions released a new e-book...Cable Star and...well as my first love was cables and Kelly G. has some incredible cable designs out in the world I thought I might like it and took a peek myself!
This book has some incredible (and big!) shawls, all using Kelly's characteristic large cables, flanked with texture and smaller cables...along with her "signature" join from the wrong side edging. (She doesn't claim to have invented the technique, like me she feels knitting has been around too long for any of us now to be the "first" person to do something.)
Along with the 5 patterns (more about them in a moment) there are 19 tutorials for how to knit the cables and her signature join! (If you are new to cables or knitted on borders those alone make this e-book a worthwhile addition to your pattern/technique library.)
The patterns include 3 shawls (big ones you can wrap up in!)
Here is Inis Mor...(named after the largest of the three islands)
and finally Inis Oirr
But, just in case you aren't ready to knit a full blown shawl (in a delicious heavy yarn!) The e-book also includes a couple of smaller pieces...
Knotions is hosting a KAL in their Ravelry Group which looks like it will be a lot of fun and has some fabulous prizes!
Cable lover or new cable knitter...either way, this e-book is a winner for learning more about cables, how to knit them and the patterns alone are worth the price of admission!
And to show just how much I love this one...this post does not contain affiliate links!
Until next time.....
Happy (Cable) knitting!
~M
Sunday, October 6, 2019
Friday, October 4, 2019
Between the Tides
Most people would have a Finished Object Post about a recently finished object, but me? Well I'm a little different!
My finished object this week was actually finished much earlier this year, then patiently waited it's turn to be photographed and the pattern tech edited, with more waiting for it to hit the test knitting queue!
If you may remember...a while ago I was introduced to a wonderful Australian dyer, Dawn, of OziFarmer's Market Yarn. At the time I was looking for a special gradient for a shawl pattern which became Ashes of Roses!
I loved the yarn and the colors so much I went on to design another shawl (A Sprinkling of Leaves...which is TDQ's current favorite)
and now...presenting...
Between the Tides.
I love wearing infinity loop cowls, but hate when the "wrong side" shows! The lace patterning in this moebius cowl looks great (although different) on each side!
When I was young, my family lived for several years just a short walk away from the beach. During the “off season” when less people were there, or on overcast and stormy days, we would walk down to the beach with our dog and spend hours playing ball with her and exploring the little tide pools that formed between the high and low tide lines.
The combination of color, texture and lace in this piece reminds me of those little pools of water, filled with sea life and plants, we played near during those days.
I love knitting (and wearing) infinity loops and knitting them Moebious-style is just so amusing! Starting from Cat Bordhi’s Moebious cast on and ending with an I-cord edge, this loop features a slightly embossed, lacy leaf motif as found in Herbert Niebling’s Quadratisches Deckchen.
This pattern includes charts and fully written line by line instructions for both the lace and an alternate edge if you have just a few grams more of yarn.
Size: 50 inch circumference by 10 inches tall (127 by 25 cm)
This cowl is shown in Ozifarmer's Market silky Sock and I used a US 5 (3.75 mm) needle.
You can snag your copy of the pattern on Ravelry, Pattern Vine or Love Crafts.
In other knitting news...ooops...I can't talk about that one...it's a secret!
Until next time...what have you finished lately?
~M
My finished object this week was actually finished much earlier this year, then patiently waited it's turn to be photographed and the pattern tech edited, with more waiting for it to hit the test knitting queue!
If you may remember...a while ago I was introduced to a wonderful Australian dyer, Dawn, of OziFarmer's Market Yarn. At the time I was looking for a special gradient for a shawl pattern which became Ashes of Roses!
I loved the yarn and the colors so much I went on to design another shawl (A Sprinkling of Leaves...which is TDQ's current favorite)
and now...presenting...
Between the Tides.
When I was young, my family lived for several years just a short walk away from the beach. During the “off season” when less people were there, or on overcast and stormy days, we would walk down to the beach with our dog and spend hours playing ball with her and exploring the little tide pools that formed between the high and low tide lines.
The combination of color, texture and lace in this piece reminds me of those little pools of water, filled with sea life and plants, we played near during those days.
I love knitting (and wearing) infinity loops and knitting them Moebious-style is just so amusing! Starting from Cat Bordhi’s Moebious cast on and ending with an I-cord edge, this loop features a slightly embossed, lacy leaf motif as found in Herbert Niebling’s Quadratisches Deckchen.
This pattern includes charts and fully written line by line instructions for both the lace and an alternate edge if you have just a few grams more of yarn.
This cowl is shown in Ozifarmer's Market silky Sock and I used a US 5 (3.75 mm) needle.
You can snag your copy of the pattern on Ravelry, Pattern Vine or Love Crafts.
In other knitting news...ooops...I can't talk about that one...it's a secret!
Until next time...what have you finished lately?
~M
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
WiPs on Wednesday
I told you I would be back, today, right?
Lots of projects being given some love here at Chez Yarn Diet.
The gorgeous Mohair/Silk blend that I picked up from Unplanned Peacock at Wool Gathering
is growing, bit by bit.
I would be a lot further along on it but..Central Ohio missed the memo that it is not only officially Autumn but October to boot, and has been giving us July/August weather!
My very rainbow blob is also slowly growing.
This one is only being worked on during the "waiting" time for the carpool we have going. Usually a grand total of 40 minutes each day, Monday through Friday so I shouldn't be surprised that there is still a lot of knitting left to do on it!
A Caron X Pantone Project, about half way done here...more about that one later...and a couple of secret projects round out what's on my needles this week.
What have you been working on?
~M
Lots of projects being given some love here at Chez Yarn Diet.
The gorgeous Mohair/Silk blend that I picked up from Unplanned Peacock at Wool Gathering
is growing, bit by bit.
I would be a lot further along on it but..Central Ohio missed the memo that it is not only officially Autumn but October to boot, and has been giving us July/August weather!
My very rainbow blob is also slowly growing.
This one is only being worked on during the "waiting" time for the carpool we have going. Usually a grand total of 40 minutes each day, Monday through Friday so I shouldn't be surprised that there is still a lot of knitting left to do on it!
A Caron X Pantone Project, about half way done here...more about that one later...and a couple of secret projects round out what's on my needles this week.What have you been working on?
~M
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)