Not So New Knitting

Seems like I've been working on the same knitting projects forever. Granted, I've been really focused on familiarizing myself with the Mac (which I am sooooo happy with) as well as Blogger since I recently switched from WordPress. They are surprisingly different, especially when it comes to Comments. Plus, when I uploaded my 182 WordPress posts, every picture that had a caption came into Blogger with the caption outside of the photo in HTML code. Drives me nuts and I will spend some time editing them all until they're fixed.


I am getting close to the end of a prayer shawl in Bernat Soft Bouclé in Misty Shades. This yarn is such a pleasure to work with. It's light and airy. This is the project that I take with me to Book Club and the doctor's office. It's a simple knit 3, purl 3 pattern on an odd number of stitches and I can knit away without really thinking about it.


I am to the point of assembly now on the Lion Brand Soft Rib Cardigan. Need to seam all the pieces together and pick up stitches for the shawl collar.

I am in love with the Knitted Neck Scarf pattern. I made another one in baby yarn - the same blue variegated yarn that became a rolled brim baby hat a few weeks ago. And I started one in the Nashua Handknits Creative Focus Silk in Pansy.

Using the same size 4 needles, I changed the pattern a little, only increasing to 20 stitches rather than 24 and doing the center neck portion in stockinette stitch rather than garter. The silk is a much finer yarn, too, so the width has reduced from 4" to about 3-1/4" before blocking. I'm almost to the halfway point.


I'm ready to start some new projects. Picked up a couple of skeins (or as Hubby calls them, skanks - always makes me laugh) of Vanna's Glamour in Onyx. It's black with metallic sparkle. I am dying to try a triangular shaped scarf and this yarn would make a pretty wrap to wear for a fancy evening going out. What I especially like about the triangular shawl is you can even wear it tied around your waist and it looks so cute!

I've recently received all the Spring issue knitting magazines I subscribe to and there are so many great projects ... and so few hours in the day to knit! I take Interweave Knits, Knit'n Style, Creative Knitting and Knit Simple, all great publications. The best thing about the Spring and Summer issues is that they're geared for warm weather, which is pretty much year 'round for us in Phoenix.

If I make anything for myself, it will be the Dynamic Cardi in Creative Knitting. They show it in mercerized cotton, which is great for our hot weather. Isn't it sweet?

Not So Continental

I took another class at Arizona Knitting and Needlepoint ... the method of Continental knitting. It is also known as German knitting, European knitting and left-handed knitting. Apparently, I'm not Continental, German or European ... well, one out of four ain't great.

It was a 2-hour class simply on how to hold your needles and yarn, feeding it wrapped through the fingers on your left hand. Then you "pick" the yarn rather than "throwing" it, which is the method I've always used. It's really hard!!! Actually, it's not that hard but it's going to take a LOT of practice to master. I'm going to cast on a narrow scarf in an easy to work with acrylic yarn and knit the whole damn thing Continental if it kills me. In the meantime, I'll keep throwing, aka English knitting.

It is Arizona Knitting's 28th Anniversary and they are holding a 25% off sale on yarn this week. I bought 3 skeins of luscious 100% silk yarn -- Nashua Handknits Creative Focus Silk. I'm going to use at least one to make one of the Knitted Neck Scarves (from the Martha Stewart website), but a little narrower this time, going more for style than warmth.



I'm thinking I'll try stringing a bunch of small crystal beads on another skein and making a lacy fashion scarf. You can buy yarn with the beads already strung, but it is four times the cost. For that, I'll try stringing my own beads. At least once ...

And I think there's enough yardage in a skein to make a pair of fingerless mitts. Not sure which pattern I'll use yet, but I think a pair in silk would be so nice.

I'm currently working on the last sleeve of the Lion Brand Soft Rib Cardigan. It is a gift and I'll need it finished soon, so will keep plugging away at the pieces. Then I'll just have to seam them all together and pick up stitches for the collar. I'm just over halfway through on a prayer shawl for a friend. It's taken longer than I had wanted, but I have had other projects that had to be finished first. There is a surprise gift on the way to someone right now that I just finished over the weekend.

Happy Spring ... Happy Knitting!