A Great Teaching Video

I was given a "how-to" knitting video by a friend for Xmas. It has just been wonderful. It breaks stitches and techniques down to simple clear instructions. It is "Knitting Fundamentals: A Reference Guide." I know this will be very helpful as I move to new projects and learn new things. Her company is Knitting at Noon Designs

Speaking of new projects...

I just finished a scarf where I was learning to do a simple stitch pattern worked on the pearl side,
It just needs to be blocked and I have some cute fuzz and pale green yarn to make a border. This is Bernat Cashmere blend. It is wonderfully soft.

But what do I do next? I have some Patons Grace in a lovely pink/taupe color that I want to use. I had originally to make a ballet wrap sweater for Em out of it but the color doesn't suit her very well. I saw in a book at Michael's, a long time ago, a pattern for towels and wash cloth. I'm also intrigued by lace knitting. This may be good stuff to start a scarf. hmmmm.......

I need to go look for some inspiration. As for now I'm doing some gauge swatches to see how I want it to knit up.

The Scarf that Would Not Block

I have cold blocked it and I have steam blocked it twice. And yet it curls. It's my first scarf. It's cheap yarn. There are quite a few dropped stitches in the first 12 inches. I suppose it's ok that it's just not right. I think it's time to offer it strand by strand to the birds that live in my tree.

It's a new year

Since my last post sometime in July life had gone to hell in a handbasket. What with being robbed and then my mother decided to send me my childhood, and then some I've been on a fiber hiatus. Which has had me a little stressed. Apparently, I'm addicted to fiber. One thing that has gotten me through the dry spell has been a wonderful podcast from Kelly Petkun at Knit Picks. It's a great special order yarn et al. website. She has a lot of wonderful interviews with authors and often has great tips and walk-throughs that are great for the novice (that would be me.) They also have a great community site. I'm on it but don't post much as I don't have any projects with their yarn. I have to do quite a bit of stash busting before I can start purchasing. But it all looks fabulous and seems to be at a decent price.

About 3 weeks ago I couldn't stand it anymore. I needed to do something. Anything. As it's been might chilly here in T-town I decided I needed some sort of tv watching blanket. Inspired by both my dad who has made one of these I went to my stash and saw that I had a bunch of Lion Brand Chenille yarn. I then remembered something I'd seen a book at the library. The name escapes me but it's by a lys owner somewhere in Hollywood who smartly combined fiber and coffee. I'll have to look it up. Anyway, she put in this kid's bathrobe made of chenille yarn.
And what she did was use smaller needles than recommended to get a really tight fiber so that it's like terry cloth.

So, here's what I started


Ok, it's a little washed out. I'm still trying to figure out how to use it. This was about a week ago. I decided to crochet instead of knit. I've been crocheting since I was a kid. This project is all about comfort and crochet is comfort to me. Now as of today...

I still need to finish the border and weave in some ends. It is nearly done and might warm.

More later