Crossing things off

The best thing about lists is crossing things off of them, don't you think?

I have finally started finishing the finishing touches on my art. I got two nearly finished, the embroideries are laced, but I need to figure out a better way to use the frames I have. And if I want to use the glass or not. Right now I am not sure. The frames also need to be repainted, but that will take a trip to a hardware store for some spray paint. I hope I'm on a roll. I need to show these to people. I'm ready to share them. And that is such an exciting feeling!

Here's what the ironing board looked like while I tried to match the pieces to their frames...
AH! Only TWO, only almost finished!? eeep! :) I need to get to the thrift stores this weekend and find more frames for sure!

In the mean time, here's a glimpse at my end of a collaboration I've happily found myself in, and man, have I snuggled in and gotten comfy with this project!

Yup, that's a giant ball o' yarn from a Cotswold fleece that was cleaned, carded, spun and is FINALLY being knit by yours truly. I am having so much fun with this! And it smell so good, I can't even tell you, it makes me think of spring and long for chilly nights all at the same time.

There's a busy weekend a head of me, whatever happens!

First Pattern EVER

Well, first that I've written and shared with you that is I've finally gotten off my bum and have decided that since it is typed up, made twice, and I still like it, you should have it too!
So here it is, the Merci Beaucoup Shawl
I designed this pattern with my mom in mind, she wears shawls all the time, and it made sense that after helping me move from VA to NC, she needed one. And it might have been mother's day. Can't remember, the important part was helping me move. Not the easiest, not the worst, but I think the most exhausting move I've done so far. She's a brilliant woman, my momma. Hers is the shawl below in the grass, hopefully someday we will remember to take a proper photo shoot with her in it.

Hope you enjoy the pattern, and if you have questions, please leave a comment and I'll try my best to answer it. Please remember that I've made this shawl twice, but no one else has tried it, so be gentle if I've missed something! It's easy to knit through you own pattern and not notice glaring mistakes.
And a close up:

Edited to apologize for the weird html crapola that was appearing throughout the pattern. I will try to figure that out and will put it back up in its rightful place on this page soon. For now though, it is available on Ravelry.com as a free downloadable pdf. Right here, in fact. If you don't know what Ravelry is, it is SO worth signing up for. It's a vast pattern library, community, project journal... and an hour eater :)

***** Edited to add a correction to Row 3.  It should read as follows:

5 stitches in Seed st, P9, K2, * P1, purl into front of first YO, purl into back of 2nd YO, P1, K2* Repeat from * to last 14 stitches, K2, P9, 5 stitches in Seed st. 

************

xoxox

Finished

My brother graduated from college in three years this weekend, a sister couldn't be more proud! It was a crazy, non-stop weekend and the ceremony was wet and cold, but I am glad I went, it was worth seeing him walk across the stage.



I also finally finished this bag: it has been hanging around begging for buttons and button holes for a good while. The straps are recycled from an uuugly bag I found in a thrift store ( looked like a dirty dairy cow). I am quite happy with it and will post it up on my etsy store very soon.



I have also started the Pi shawl by Elizabeth Zimmerman, it is my first EZ pattern, and I have to admit, I'm totally obsessed. It really got going the morning of the graduation ceremony, and I've been rocking it every moment I can get. I also made it a special stitch marker I'm so excited about it!

Good day sunlight!

The sun has returned to H'burg! I had forgotten how much I love March sun, so it has been a most enjoyable start to the week. AND I finished my super cool shrug arm turned knee socks tonight! (I call them the *shrug* socks) YAYYYYY!!!!

The yarn is from a local alpaca farm, Blue Ridge Farm, and I had started out with the intent to knit a shrug, but realized that I dont wear shrugs, plus the yarn could qualify in the mid-weight division of a sheading match, which I can't stand. So I ripped back and stuck a foot on the first sleeve and made a second to match. the pattern is all my own, and I'm quite proud of my cabled rib. and the fact that the cables mirror eachother, something my darling friend A suggested as a challenge. I took it, what can I say, I enjoy a challenge.

So here they are.

The wonders of no fingers...

I love love making things that keep fingers warm. It's my thing, just ask the family members who got such gifts for Christmas this year. They are fun, quick and visible things, gloves and mittens. I love spicing them up by leaving out finger tips and making flip-top mittens... I have finger mobility issues, they have to be able to feel and move at a moment's notice, none of this pull off the mitten to unlock the door business!

Here are two of my favorite finger warmers, both with alpaca yarns, and the fair isles were inspired by patterns from Alice Starmore's wonderful book. And the double layer of yarn keeps even the tipsiest bit of my fingertips warm when its cold.

The pretty green arm-length warmers have the pattern from Stitch N'Bitch by Renee Rigdon, the project that began my deep admiration and some may say obsession with double points.

So i'm a sucker...

So yeah, I've gotten sucked in, I'm hoping others read it, and enjoy my knitting and ceramic adventures (project is just a boring word, don'tcha think?... even though I use it everyday...). I'm excited, and am looking forward to posting pieces and talking with more super fun crafters, because what else is more exciting than making stuff but talking about making stuff?!?

Here I go!