New Elements

I wanted to briefly explain the new box on the right of my page. For those of you not familiar with technorati, it's a tool to tag your favorite blogs and receive news directly, placed in the little box. If you're interested in the list of blogs in my technorati favorites, just click on "view more", then click on the "favorite blog" tab at the top of my list on the technorati page. I'm finding it a useful tool to keep up with new posts on my favorite blogs without using a feed or my mailbox.
I also finally joined a web ring. Don't know why I suddenly thought this was a good idea. My blog is tres ordinaire, but it's kind of nice to know that some people find it interesting and even helpful. My strengths are really about what and where to find good stuff on the net. So, I'll continue to build my links as I go through my bookmarks and share new info as I stumble on it.
I'm currently working on a lace scarf with Colourmart cashmere/merino. It's an easy 10 row repeat with picot cast on and cast off. I stumbled on it in an accessory book I haven't looked at in over a year. Funny how old books suddenly offer new opportunities, after a year of honing new skills.

3 LITTLE WRAPS

I haven't given up my love of lace, even though I have the itch to learn new things. The pink is the Swallow Tail done in Big Sea Silk. The red is the Shapely Shawl done in Colourmart cashmere. The blue is a version of a large neckerchief done in identical Tilli Thomas silk, one beaded, one plain. I'm currently working with another new yarn from Fleece Artist, called Sea Wool. It's merino sock yarn with just a little lyocell and sea weed. I started the Scotch Thistle lace stole from Heartstrings with it, but I'm not sure that it's really doing the pattern or the yarn justice. BTW, I have to say that the Scotch Thistle pattern is fun and easy with no provisional cast on. Very clever pattern that's not difficult and not so easy that you nod off before it's done.

Now I have to confess why I was so driven to learn how to learn to do this kind of knitting. I attended my first KR knitting retreat this past fall and met lots of wonderful people and feasted my eyes on some of the most exquisite knitting. There was one piece of knitting, actually just a sleeve, that one of the more accomplished knitters and a spinner, I might add, was working on. Her name was Bess and her sleeve was referred to as part of the KipFee. What is a KipFee? I have no idea, except that it's a sweater. You can meet Bess and her KipFee here.
What is so strange about my fascination is that I'm not a Fair Isle kinda girl. It's not something I would ever wear. I just couldn't get that sleeve out of my head. I found myself drawn to that sleeve as if I were hungry! Now this little hat that I made up as I went along, is a poor substitute for that sleeve, let alone the KipFee itself, but I love it. It makes me happy to look at it. I wish I had left the off white out of the pattern, but I haven't been this proud of something since I knit my first scarf when I was 15. So thanks Bess. The second pic of the hat is the inside, of course. I had to prove that I really did it!
The white lacy hat is my first knitted bead project. It didn't think it would be fun, but it was a hoot. The blue cap is a quick lace rib in cashmere. BTW, all the baby caps are made with Shine from Knitpicks. They had to be non-wool and machine washable.




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WHAT?

Here we have 3 baby sweaters for Dulaan. The pink set is SWTC Optimum, both the stripey sweaters made from STR. The patterns were lots of fun, based on patterns from EZ. The little matching pink cap was made on Valentine's Day. No kidding!
One of my goals this year was to teach myself to do stranded color work with two hands. I'm a thrower and a very slow picker. This was not something I thought I could do. I have to say that I'm still slow and a bit clumsy, but my brain is coming along. The dvd from Philosopher's Yarn helped a great deal. I give it 5 stars. It has a good beat and it's easy to dance to. ;-) The little green and blue hats are for the local NICU and are my first attempt at two fisted knitting.