Musings of an avid knitter, middle-of-the-pack runner, and native New Englander
Pretty much from the time I cast on the Starshower shawl-cowl, I began thinking about blocking it when I finished. It was knitting up kind of stiff, even though the pattern was lace-ish, and didn't have the drape that I was hoping for. Did I swatch before I started? Why, no I didn't. Thanks for … Continue reading Blocking to the Rescue
It's always a treat to see the beautiful creations of fellow knitters. At a recent dinner party, dear friend Alison arrived with a gorgeous shawl draped around her shoulders. She obliged my desire for a few photos and explained that she'd won the yarn (Full Moon Farm Silk and Merino Corriedale Cross) at a knitting … Continue reading Ciao bella, Arabella!
Self-striping yarn amazes me. Actually, the dyers who create self-striping yarn amaze me. How do they do that? How do they figure out how much yarn to dye in each color, and, more importantly, how do they actually dye it? I know I could look it up on the Interwebs and find some videos, but … Continue reading Self-Striping Magic
Dropped-stitch shawl hanging out in the shade. Thanks to Sister-Friend Cathie (she of the knitting cruise and Ontario road trip), here's a photo of the shawl "in action." What a wonderful evening we had with my our Mom and our unphotographed husbands! on Instagram: http://ift.tt/29npb97
The colors of the Madeline Tosh yarn that I purchased in Ontario grabbed me from the moment I saw it at The Little Red Mitten. Even though they aren't colors that I wear at all very often -- yellow and orange aren't very flattering on my Celtic looks -- I knew I'd buy it. A fruit salad of mango, … Continue reading Tropical Salad Shawl
I had the great good fortune to spend Memorial Day Weekend on my favorite island, surrounded by the sea, fresh ocean breezes, thick evening fog, and lots of testosterone. Yes, it was me, Patrick, and eight young men, ages 17 - 20. A wonderful time was had by all. On Saturday morning, Patrick and I … Continue reading Knitting by the Sea
It's graduation season, and I'm fortunate enough to be able to travel for several special occasions. Before heading to New Orleans for niece Rachel's graduation, I cast on a dropped stitch shawl for the journey. There's lots of sitting and waiting during commencement exercises, so the shawl grew a bit by the return flights. I … Continue reading Traveling Shawl
Learned i-cord bind off and adding beads in the Bermudiana Shawl.
Sara Wolf, teacher on the marvelous Sheep Ahoy Knitter's Cruise, designed a shawl especially for the cruise. Drawing on the sand, shells, and hibiscus flowers of Bermuda, the shawl features a scalloped lace edge (sand) and lightly beaded lace "flowers." Since I misunderstood the pre-cruise instructions for what yarn to bring for the edge (oops!), … Continue reading “Bermudiana” Preview
Long-time readers of the blog know that this is not my first knitting cruise; in fact, it's my third -- last fall, we went to Canada and Maine and two years ago to Bermuda. Of course, even regular readers (some of whom are family) are a bit bemused by the notion of a knitter's cruise. … Continue reading Knitting at Sea
There are many pleasures to finishing a project: being able to wear or use the completed item; knowing that someone else will be able to wear or use the completed item; anticipation of the gift-giving; moving on to another project (there's always another project!); And then there's the joy in sharing your finished creation with … Continue reading Virtual High-Five
After a binding-off miscalculation, which resulted in a bit of tinking back and re-binding-off, the crescent shawl is done. It's a variation of Ann Weaver's basic triangle shawl; actually, a smaller version of her Saturated Shawl. I didn't discover until I'd blocked it that I'd been less than consistent in my increases. The result is that … Continue reading Zig-zags on a Crescent
WIth my renewed commitment to more knitting and more regular blogging, I've been exploring ways to fit these two pleasures into my day. Knitting at work kind of defeats the purpose of work. It's not quite at all legit to charge clients for time when, in fact, you're not really doing the agreed-upon work. Although it looks … Continue reading Bit by Bit & an Amazing Dress
The wonderful Sheep Ahoy Knitters' Cruise ended Friday morning. To keep up the momentum and powerful knitting mojo that I felt during those seven days, I've vowed to knit every day and blog more frequently. Friday evening found me on a ferry to my favorite island, 30 miles off Cape Cod, enjoying the crossing and … Continue reading Different Ship, Same Knits
In addition to the Albers Cowl, we've had workshops on knitting a top-down shawl and another on a square shawl, knit from the middle out. Ann's instruction has been spot-on -- just the right mix of explanation, theory, and flexibility. She's generous with her knowledge, which is extensive, clear in her instruction, and patient in … Continue reading Shawls from the Top Down and Square from the Middle
Cathie thinks she's read somewhere that the human body needs one good laugh per day to stay healthy. At this rate, we'll be the healthiest women on the planet -- or at least on this cruise. On Saturday, she, Barb, Mom, and I enjoyed about seven good tear-inducing belly laughs. Yesterday I lost count at … Continue reading Laugh Track
Saltwater Hill Knits 