Knitting Dragonflies

This is my Citron Shawl, done! I have been working on it for a long time. But had I knitted this all at once, it wouldn’t have taken too long. Love this easy, swingy pattern. Thanks Knitty! Free pattern here made by Hilary Callis . Knitty is a great online knitting and spinning magazine . Plenty of great articles and free patterns. This Winter Knitty 13 has a wonderful article about Ethnic Knitting Adventures by Donna Druchunas , it is about Designing A Norwegian Ski Sweater. Check it out, along with the other features they have. The pattern is a  semi circular shawl/cap (depending on the size yarn used and the length you knit it), It is all in stockinette stitch, with increases and decreases to form the gather/ruffle areas. Easy knitting, good for beginning knitter. Great item to watch TV, movies, or anything that you want to be on auto pilot. I was worried about the bind off, as I tend to bind off tightly. This pattern had so many stitches and they were at the full point of ...

In my hiatus from blogging and knitting I missed the fact that Google Reader has been retired. Yes, I guess I’ve been living under a rock. I’ve had to reset my email passwords etc.. Working on my Citron Shawl , I know! Shawls look a mess when I’m knitting them and then beautiful after blocking! So I’m left trying to figure out how to read my blogs!  I’ve looked into Blog Bridge, and Feedly, what are you using? I’ve bought several knitting magazines, and been trolling Ravelry, looking at patterns and inspiring knitters and their projects. Patterns I’m loving!! Sideways Rib/Cowl Hood from V.Vine ( rav link ) free The Lonely Tree shawl (free pattern A basic super soft merino hat from PurlBee (free pattern) Thanks to all of the great designers!

One day I was reading blogs, and saw Paul The Quilter was making The Boneyard Shawl by Stephen West (rav link, free pattern) , and decided that would be the perfect gift for a girlfriend! Off to my stash to see what yarn I had to start it! I came across my handspun, I haven’t spun in around 2 years and was lost in looking at my spun stash. I have around 17 oz. of a strange pumpkin-ish colored yarn that I spun, I even ran it back through the wheel and added a multicolored thread to make the color pop a little, because I thought it looked a bit flat. I don’t look good in that color and it would be perfect for her! Yay! My husband and I thought it would be perfect for her due to the fact that she makes persimmon bread, and especially yummy cookies this time of year. We had just been to visit her and my husbands best friend to go to a music festival. I took some photos of a backdrop on one of the venues. Seem like this color was everywhere! I got so excited I finished up some fiber t...

Proof that I never know when I'll put down a knitted project, and leave it sit for  hours/days/months or years! Here is the citron shawl, I stopped knitting in the middle of a row!  Citron shawl is a great simple pattern, with rows of alternating increases & decreases along with stockingnet stitch, simple yet enough to give you some texture. How do you keep track of your progress? Coming along, only brought one skein with me! Mistake, so I'll be moving on to another project. Discovered I missed a decrease row, erg!  Think I'll just keep knitting & see how it looks!

Leaving for a music festival! Never know when some knitting time will present itself! I have 2 shawls ( lala scarf & citron shawl), packed & a possible third to start, lol. What do you like to knit on the road?

Photo taken at Blue Grass DNR in Southern Indiana I been totally out of the knitting spirit. For way to long, I have a load of excuses. Looking back in the times of my life when I’ve not been creative, it seems the especially emotionally draining periods leave me too tired to create, or think of creating! My husband got me a new knitting bag for my birthday, I think that is a hint. LOL Knitting wife better than non-knitting wife? Bag is a Vera Bradley, tote in the Dogwood pattern, love the inside pockets! I’ve got it filled up already with two projects, which are both shawls/wraps. Simple and fast, I hope. *grin* New bag and new cover on chairs, need to replace seat foam also, hopefully before two years pass! If you struggle with lace knitting charts or have never tried them, I found this excellent blog post with videos from Emily ONeal. I have 3 lace projects going, all are out of a yarn, which I would have never bought, but I was not close to a real yarn store and needed a yar...

I’ve become a casting on fool. While at my Dad’s house, I cast on the LaLa Shawl by Laura Linneman (free pattern) with the yarn I had at hand which was a multicolor yarn by Paton's Lace. I wasn’t sure if I would like the color changes, but I turned out to really like the look of it and the yarn. I’m still working on my Dummy Clap Shawl , I just keep knitting, and thinking it is not long enough, I am knitting it in a fingering weight and it is never ending. I’m trying to decide if I should just cast off and be done with it. *grin* Love the pattern, but it is a little to mindless, after a bit, if I had made it with worsted weight (I believe it calls for that) I would be done by now. My Dad lives 4 hours away from me, so I had picked up a skein of Paton Lace from JoAnn’s, not being close to any real yarn stores, It is described by Paton's as a Soft lace weight with a beautiful halo. Beautiful range of gently shifting colors. The fiber content is 80% acrylic (I know, this made...