WIP: Nameless Cowl

After a few false starts, I finally cast on a design idea that has been kicking around in my head for a while. I just think the right yarn had to come into my life for it to happen. 

It's slow going. The right yarn just happened to come to me in the form of Reliquary II, a lace weight yarn by A Verb for Keeping Warm. It's 80% superfine merino and 20% silk and is just the perfect thing to knit this light, floaty, lace cowl. The color is out of my normal range but the Cochineal is the best kind of blush pink and I love the pairing of the color with the large, graphic lace panels. I'm excited to finish this project but I'm enjoying the knitting process so I'm taking my time with it.

Music Monday

"Beast of Burden" from the 1978 Rolling Stones album, Some Girls.

FO: Mormorio

 

Do you ever feel like your weekend flies by and you haven't done anything you really wanted to do? Like write a blog post, or do some knitting, or take some pictures? I've felt like that for weeks! But I'm here to say that I did all three of those things today and it feels fantastic! I finished Mormorio and couldn't be happier with it. 

 There are such fond memories and good feelings wrapped up in this shawl that just looking at it makes me happy. The pattern was gifted to me by Gayle of the Yarniacs podcast, the colorful yarn was a gift from Andi, and the cream yarn was picked up during my mini yarn crawl with the Stash & Burn ladies. I cast on this shawl during my California knitting retreat while engaging in some delightful conversation with new friends and the final project makes my heart sing.

Pattern: Mormorio by Heather Zoppetti

Yarns: BMFA Silkie Socks that Rock in My Wild Irish Girlie; A Verb for Keeping Warm Clover undyed (available in their brick & mortar)

Needles: US #4 (3.5 mm) Hiya Hiya Sharp Interchangeables

Mods: None.

Music Monday

"Jump Children" by the Flamingos. This clip is from the 1959 movie, Go, Johnny, Go.

Music Monday

"Jet Boy Jet Girl" by the Damned.

FO: Twinkle Twinkle Baby Blanket

I'm not much of a blanket knitter. Blankets don't lure me to knitting like sweaters or socks do so I usually eschew them for smaller projects and garments. But when your friend gives you a bag of Tosh Dk in a bright cheery color and your kiddo keeps stealing your lap blanket right from your lap it's like the universe is telling you to knit a blanket. The universe talks and I listen.

Bright, right?

Pattern: Twinkle Twinkle Baby Blanket by Helen Stewart 

Yarn: Tosh DK in Grapefruit

Needles: US #7 (4.5mm) Hiya Hiya Sharp Interchangeables

Mods: None! I may have lost track of the repeats on this since I took it to my knitting group's retreat to Port Townsend and I wasn't doing things like counting stitches and repeats. It came out slightly larger than the 34" square that the pattern lists and I didn't bother blocking it with pins or anything; just patted it flat and did a bit of straightening. This pattern also has instructions for a fingering weight version which I think would make a lovely nursing shawl for a new mom and, like a mentioned above, is excellent social knitting since the pattern repeat is easily memorizable and most of the knitting is straight stockinette. Love it!

This & That

I'm having a pretty difficult time getting back into my routine after the two knitting retreats I attended. Back to work, back to housework, back to...everything. I've had a busy few weeks including finally throwing a birthday party for Little A (her birthday is Christmas Eve) and a small group of her friends. Our apartment is too small for entertaining so I booked a sprinkle party at our local cupcake shop and crafted some party favors. 

Unicorn headbands!!! I used this tutorial for the horns and the flowers and they were a smashing success. Each kid also got a sparkly pinwheel to take home since decorating and eating cupcakes was sugar enough for a group of six year old kids.

I've also spent a little bit of time sewing some of my recent fabric purchases. 

This is Butterick 5526 and it's my first time sewing a button up shirt in a loooong time.  I have yet to purchase buttons but the fabric is from my trip to the sewing expo in Puyallup a couple months back. It's a cotton gauze which was kind of a pain to sew with since it's got a bit of stretch to it but on the plus side I don't really have to press it due to the crinkle texture.

Today I wound my skein of Reliquary II from A Verb for Keeping Warm to cast on a new project that will (hopefully) be a pattern at some point. I've got a rough sketch and some stitch counts and need to do a little swatching. 

In other news, I'm taking part in Me Made May this year so if you're participating you should let me know your Instagram name! Mine is erinbirnel.