DECISIONS, DECISIONS

I have finally had enough. My knee is no longer a useful part of my body! On June 20th, out with the old and in with the new. I can't think about it too much or I'll run?/hobble away. My knitting is progressing, but precious little else.
FOs: Noro Lily Clapotis - given to my mother upon her arrival to help maintain household while I go under the chopping block.
Fiesta La Luz Blue Bonnet Clapotis - birthday gift for daughter-in-law of good friend
Knitty's Cosy in Madil Silky - given to youngest daughter last weekend on quick visit home.

OTN: Lorna's Lace Lion and Lamb in Black Purl Clapotis
Lorna's Lace Lion and Lamb Red Clapotis
Cascade Fixation, in various Greens Baby Sweater with side neck "elvis buttons" Don't ask!
Kitty's Cosy in Home Dyed Heavy Silk

I'm afraid I have been giving things away before I can take pics. Ah well, there's always more yarn and more patterns. I have to say that I had forgotten how lovely the Lorna's Lace is. I it a joy to be working with it again. Since I am less than nimble, I keep one clapotis project upstairs and one downstairs. I divide the others around the house. Two others that I started have been put away and I'll rethink the yarn use later.
Currently my favorite yarn is silk, whether it's from china and home dyed, Fiesta La luz,
Alchemy, or Art Yarns. It has no equal for softness and sheen. It has very little structure, so it's only suitable for a limited number of projects. Enough, back to the needles.

DONE, DONE, AND DONE

I challenged myself to stay focused and finish 3 projects this week. I think discipline is overrated, but sometimes it comes in handy. I did cheat a teeny bit. I started the Branched Scarf from Knitty in Alchemy Silk, worked on the Heritage Rayon and Fiesta LaLuz clapotis, and I also dyed 9 skeins of bulky silk yarn that I bought on ebay. It was my first successful attempt. I gave up on Koolaid and sent for dye powder from Halcyon. I used a 34 quart enamel canning pot. Then what to do about drying? The silk becomes frowsy if handled or squeezed too much. Two old curtain rods and two patio chairs did the trick. It might rain overnight, so James set the whole thing up under the roof of the pool house. Can't wait to check it in the a.m. I promise I'll put the camera in my bathrobe pocket.. The color looked good enough to eat. I just hope the yarn is still good enough to knit.

CLAPOTIS PICS AND STAT

In answer to a request for pics and stats of my obsession, just go to archives. I have posted pics of the first 4. The Clapoti KAL link will take you to the yahoo group where all of the particulars for these 4 can be found in their database under rosi. I have 3 more on the needles and one more completed. I'll get some pics up soon of the new ones. Here are the particulars.

#5 is Noro Lily in dark blue done on size 8 addi turbos - finished
#6 is Schaefer Laurel in Frida Kahlo colorway on size 8 addi's - 25% completed
#7 is Fiesta La Luz in Bluebonnet on size 6 denise (the most luxurious yarn in the world) - 50% completed
#8 is Heritage 20/80 silk and rayon in Atlantic Moonglow on size 6 denise (I'm going to double the increases and the add to the straight section as well. This may well be my favorite when it is done, which could be sometime in 2010! - 10% completed.

MY FAVORITE REDHEAD

Although I would love to claim her as my own, the model and proud owner of the little tank top is the daughter of a good friend. Alas, I am neither her mother, nor her grandmother, but I am her "rosi". My "little girls" are 26 and 32, equally as gorgeous, but not nearly as eager or available to model my knitting experiments.

PROGRESS

So far, so good. As you can see the little tank is finished and gone. Boy, I really love Cascade Fixation! Miss Mia was tickled pink with her new top. Have to love it. I'm down to the last 3 decrease sections on the Noro Lily Clapotis. It's amazing what can happen when you make a list that can be seen by anyone. If all goes well, I'll post new pic tomorrow.
Emma and I have been experimenting with dying our own yarn. First few attempts were pretty pathetic. This is a result of the yarn we didn't get through the yarn vendor who shall remain nameless. We both had our hearts set on the fiber and color of yarn we ordered and have not been able to find anything close. Speaking of the great yarn woe, I have given up ever hearing from her again or getting my money back. I have, however, found that the sponsors of the Valley Forge Show are very interested in my story. I have drafted a huge dossier of events with 8 x 12 color glossy photos (ala Alice's restaurant). If nothing else, it gave me the opportunity to scan the pertinent documents and assemble all of the emails in one place.
Enough moaning, better get cracking on that Clapotis if I intend to keep to my resolution.

Two Way Straps! 

Cascade Fixation Little Tank designed as I went along. Notice the tiny flower, requested by Miss Mia. 

My favorite redhead 

Too Much

I seem to have so many projects on the needles all over the house, that I'm not finishing anything. What's worse, I can't seem to stop looking at new yarn. To solve this madness, I made a list of the projects and now I have forbidden myself to touch any, but the 3 that are closest to being finished.

Number 1: Little tank top knit with Cascade Fixation, for my favorite little red head. 100% 5/13
Number 2: Clapoti #6 knit with Noro Lily 100% 5/17
Number 3: Cozy, lacy shawl pattern from Knitty site, knit with Madil Silky. 100% 5/19
I need to apologize to Bonnie for not getting to the recipes I promised. There's just too much yarn and too many things I want to knit. I'm going to schedule my knee replacement this week. Maybe I'll have more time while convalescing. Ok, time to stop typing and start knitting.

Yarn Woes

Good news and bad news this week. The yarn I ordered at the Valley Forge Yarn show finally arrived. That should have been good news, but alas, it was not to be. The color of the yarn was so far away from the colorway I chose, that I thought perhaps it I got someone else's order. To make matters worse, two of the yarns ordered were not included. One was acknowledged, the other.....well let's just say it must be invisible. I've sent the whole mess back and am hoping for the best. Yikes, my first yarn show and I hit the Jackpot, or shall I say the Crackpot! I'll keep you posted. Meanwhile, I am scrambling to find cobalt blue colorway in a luxurious handspun, silk DK/light worsted weight for a birthday present I promised to knit.

New Online

Great News, another terrific yarn shop is now available on-line:
http://www.knithappens.net/

Addiction or Quest?

I recently had to admit to another knitter on the Clapotis KAL that I am working on my 5th and 6th Clapotis simultaneously. Now this could be seen as a sign of industry or insanity. I prefer the former, but I'm not convinced. I realize that I have two more types of yarn lined up fro 7 and 8. Aside from performing test runs for lots of different yarns, I find that I have a whole lot more friends than I thought I had, since they are all spoken for. My latest two are Laurel from Artful Yarns in Frida Kahlo and Noro, Lily in a dark marine blue. I'll post progress pics soon.
If you're so inclined, let me know what you think.....addiction, or productive passtime?

Elann

A very smart knitlister by the name of Carol reminded me that one of my favorite discount yarn shops on line has very good prices on a yarn that is identical to Cascade Fixation. The yarn is called Sock It to Me Collection Esprit. For those of you who have never shopped at Elann, you are in for a treat. Here's their web site: http://www.elann.com/index.asp

BABY CAP PATTERN

I've had several requests for my simple pattern for the baby caps. It's certainly just another variation on a theme, but this one is tailor made for Fixation yarn.

Labor of Love Baby Cap

One ball of cascade fixation
Size 9 – 16” circular needle
Size 9 – dpn’s

Cast on 60 st. loosely, using the long tail method. Place marker after last stitch and join last stitch to first to form closed circle, being careful not to twist knitting. Knit every round until hat measures 5 inches.
Decrease:
Switch to dpns when stitches become too few. (I use 4 needles – stitches on 3 and one to knit with.) To switch, I begin at the start of the round and use the first dpn to knit 1/3 of the stitches, continue with second dpn, knitting the 2nd 3rd of stitches, and finally 3 needle to knit final stitches off of the circular needle. It’s easier to do this on a knit round.
Round 1: *K8, K2tog* repeat to end.
Round 2: Knit all stitches – same for all odd numbered rounds
Round 3: *K7, K2tog* repeat to end
Round 5: *K6, K2tog* repeat to end
Round 7: *K5, K2tog* repeat to end
Round 9: *K4, K2tog* repeat to end
Round 11: *K3, K2 tog* repeat to end
Round 13: *K2, K2 tog* repeat to end
Round 15: *K1, K2tog* repeat to end
Round 17: K2tog repeat to end
There should be 6 stitches left.
Cut yarn, leaving 6” tail, thread end on tapestry needle
Start at beginning of round and remove stitches from dpns with tapestry needle onto attached yarn tail. Pull yarn tail like draw string when all stitches are off needles. Pull tail through to wrong side of hat and weave into hat.
Finish by weaving in other end of yarn.

Pennsylvania

For all of you fellow Pennsylvanians who have asked, I'm in south east PA.

Baby Caps

Just a note about the baby caps. To date, I've made 24 of these little cuties for my sister. No, she doesn't have 24 babies.....She's a mid-wife in Florida, delivering lots of lucky little ones. She was not happy with the acrylic freebies that the birth center used, so I decided to come up with a comfortable cotton alternative. No two are ever alike, just like the little heads that they adorn. Her birthing clinic is Labor of Love. BTW, I think Cascade Fixation is terrific for baby clothing, soft, stretchy, and washable.

Newborn caps- Cascade Fixation 

Original Design and Button Hole Bags 

Lana Grosso Cool Wool Big
 

Tahki Cotton Color