Loni's Life

It was very productive on the crafty front this weekend as I picked up some Flounce at the Woolie Ewe on the way home from Dr. Ashton's office on Friday.   Flounce is by Knitting Fever.    It's a bit unusual to knit with; but fun and yields a ruffled fabric.   So of course, when I saw this colorway, I had to pick it up to knit for Mama C.    She LOVES LOVES LOVES the scarves that I make for her.. and I am always on the lookout for unusual patterns and/or non-wool or animal fibers to knit with for her.      I cast-on Saturday morning and cast-off Sunday morning.   I need only to sew in both ends and the pair of weaves.   I even have enough of the 2nd ball of the yarn to make another scarf perhaps only 4 stitches wide instead of the 6 I used for this one.

This is the creation from the purely luxurious Silk/Cashmere blend of Artyarns Beaded Ensemble .   I received a gift card to The Woolie Ewe from Mama's Boys last June and it has been my mission in the past week to get a project started to be completed prior to this year's birthday... well, I've hit that goal with plenty of time to spare.    I am sooooo spoiled and loved that the Boy with the allergies to wool would brave entry to The Woolie Ewe to obtain my gift card.   Love the Boys and my new scarf. 

This Sunday Market Shawl was another quick knit project for me.. I picked up the Noro Cash Iroha yarn at DFW Fiber Fest and cast on and off shortly thereafter. I love the versatility of it because it can be either a scarf or a shawl   Purposely dropping stitches was different; but the effect is grand! This will look great with the new white with black polka dots blouse that I got at Lane Bryant.

Here is a cute, quick and easy scarf that I made...first according to the pattern at 18 stitches; but I re-stitched in at 10 stitches to get a bit more length. This will go great with the hot pink tank top that I purchased at Lane Bryant at a BOGO (Buy One, Get One) sale this weekend.  Made with Be Sweet Magic Ball Yarn   available at Noble Knits Luxury yarn created in South Africa. Created by a women's cooperative, you'll appreciate the handiwork that goes into every ball of this yarn. Be Sweet's Magic Ball is a unique ball of hand dyed solid, hand painted, special knobby, ribbon yarn, and more - truly a joy to knit! Each ball is one of a kind; it changes as you knit and was hand tied to create. There is no other yarn like it. Knit something special for yourself, or as a gift for a friend.

My Birthday Scarf should be complete this weekend (if not tonight)....woohoo.   This is such a scrumptious yarn with which to spoil myself.   The 80% silk, 20% cashmere blend is very soft and the colors are terrific.. now to find a new turquoise top to go with it.

I have gotten to the point of getting the knitting off of deadlines...but for this one project, I would like to get it done by my birthday in June.   The picture doesn't do the color set justice; but I'm sure I'll get better pictures of it at some point.   I've already completed 4 repeats of the 10-row wavy pattern.. I am soooo glad that I bought this yummy yarn for myself.   Thanks to Mama's Boys for the gift card to purchase it and a sale from my favorite Local Yarn Store, The Woolie Ewe.

They were requested by my brother for his wife and daughter.....along with a hat for himself...I delivered on the hat In January 2010...and these socks were cast on in 2010.  I've even worked on them off and on along the way (mostly off).    But the new plan is at least 15 minutes a day on them and day by day they will get nearer to completion.   Already knit on the smallest blue cuff today for 15 minutes :)

Of course I visited yarn shops here in Nashville and picked up yarn to fit the one set of needles I have with me due to the cast off of Ira's pillowtop.  This is 'The Long and Winding Road' from Simple Hip Knit Scarves by House of White Birches. Knit with Lang Mille Colori Big.

This is a baby blanket...or in this case a pillowtop without pink for a friend/former co-worker.  It has been cast off and needs only the last four yarn ends woven in and then off to the wash and delivery...woohoo!  My UnFinished Objects (UFO's) are dwindling.. yay!   I'll work on my scarf and the next set of UFO's are socks for Karie & Kayla that cast-on last winter.

My new 'at lunch' project for the office is Ann's Snowdrop Lace scarf.   Pattern is from Feb 2nd on 365 Knitting Stitches A Year Perpetual Calendar, ISBN-978-1-56477-432-3 Yarn is Red Heart Super Saver, ART.E300, Color 0303 Painted Desert; Stitch Count = 21

This pattern is from a 2007 knitting magazine and I have wanted to try this one since then... I think I had actually cast on and tried this a bit back then, but got frustrated with the pattern.. and most likely was dropping stitches in the cabling left and right...   but through 2 1/2 repeats of the pattern and while it is not 'mindless' knitting as it requires a bit of concentration on the right side rows since there is at least 1 cable crossing and up to 6 crossings in each right side row.    I also re-wrote the pattern using Excel and some color coding, so it has become closer to mindless and further away from frustrating.      This is Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK 55% merino wool, 33% microfibre,12% cashmere. Double knitting weight on size 6 needles.

I had a blast at the kickoff day of The Woolie Ewe's end-of-year blowout sale.. with 40% off of Debbie Bliss (one of my favorite designers and yarn lines) and 40% of Louisa Harding (another fave) and 30% off the rest of the store... I actually spent my Christmas giftcards on yarn for ME for a change rather than finding yarn for projects to knit for others.      So, I'll be spending some time this New Year's weekend consolidating my UFO's (unfinished objects); sorting through the yarn stash; and figuring out the order in the queue.  What's in progress.. what's in queue... what should I do for 2011? Off the top of my head... The next items in queue  My Daffodil baby alpaca scarf is 75% done.. I cast this sucker on during the Knit Olympics while watching the Winter Olympics.. and I was going at a good pace then, but forget what drew my attention away... and then I lost the pattern.. and then I ordered the pattern again.. ...