Skill + 1up

This post is Day 2 of the knit and crochet blog week.

Today's Topic: Look back over your last year of projects and compare where you are in terms of skill and knowledge of your craft to this time last year. 2kcbwday2

As a knitting teacher I feel like I am always on the fast track of learning and perfecting skills. My students keep me moving forward at a fast pace. They are forever finding new things they want to learn to do and I can never say no. 

Last year we did a year of "color" and I had classes for fair-isle, 

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Tale of Two Yarns

This is the first topic for blog week.
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A Tale of Two Yarns: 2kcbwday1

Part of any fibre enthusiast’s hobby is an appreciation of yarn. Choose two yarns that you have either used, are in your stash or which you yearn after and capture what it is you love or loathe about them.

Untouchable Yarn
I have one skein of "Ribbon" yarn that I am almost sure I will never knit. I love this skein of yarn. It was expensive and is so beautiful I really don't know what I would knit with it that would give me as much joy as I get from looking at in when I am in my craft room working. I look at it all the time a just love it. I love the different ribbons that make up the skein. I love the bit of sparkle it has and most of all I love the colors. This really is one skien of yarn I tried really hard not to come home with. 

Great Adirondack Yarn "Surprise"  color Persimmon
the picture doesn't do this yarn justice. There is cording, rick rack, lace, yarn all mixed together.   

This picture on Ravelry shows all the different fibers pretty well. 

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GAAA KAL

We are starting the "Great American Aran Afghan" knit-a-Long this week. We are going to try to do a block every 3 or 4 weeks. These are squares that you can join into a full size afghan, or a smaller lap blanket, or a few pillows. This project can be as big or as small as you want it to be and to be done at your own rate so no pressure! 

The first block this month is "Carol Adams". It is one of the easier ones. I am going to ease everyone in slowly. 

Most of us are using Berocco Vintage (worsted). I love this yarn. It knits up so nice, feels squishy and is washable. The price is right too. 

Join us!! If you can't start this month start as soon as you can. 

Email Me for more information

Tape Sock Yarn

My sister lives in the bay area and is a knitter. She has tried socks over the years but they are just not her thing. This year she asked if I could knit her a pair of socks for her birthday. She would provide the pattern and the yarn and I would provide the knitting. 

Sounds like a deal to me!

Enchanted Cape from Artfibers  

She went into San Francisco to visit Artfibers new store. Now Artfibers is unlike any yarn store you have ever been to. They source and dye their own yarns. They have such an unusual selection of beautiful yarns that a big part of visiting their store is being able to swatch all the yarns they have. Truly a yarn store you could spend all day in and have a very hard time not buying one of everything!

When her yarn arrived at my door step I was confused. What I recieved was a beautiful "tape" yarn called "Tsuki". It is 40% silk and 60% mohair with a bit of matalics and was clearly my sister's colorway. But a "tape" yarn for a pair of socks?????

So I gave her a call and yes indeed this was sock yarn. Ok, I'm game. After all it is beautiful, free yarn to me, that I get to knit with. 

I casted on "Teosinte" by Knitspot. They are toe-up socks  and I am knitting 2 at a time. I have a "2 at a time" sock class coming up, so I am making a class sample and gift all in one, can't beat that. 

Impressons: I love the colors of the yarn. It is knitting up very easily. No splitting because it is a tape and I have only "speared" the tape a couple of times. I am knitting on a size 2 1/2 needle. I am a little concernd about the texture of the fabric for a pair of socks. It is a little on the stiff side. I am wondering if there will be any softening once they are washed. This yarn would make a beautiful lace shall or summer shell. 

Red Barn Trunk Show

Saturday March 19 from 10-1
in South Pasadena 

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Lot's of Knitting Going On.

2 sweaters, 1 shawl, 1 cable beret, 1 cabel scarf, 1 pair of 2 at a time socks, 1 pair of sheep cuffs, 1 square from the GAAAAAAAA.  

Wow no wonder I feel like I am spinning!!

Finished projects first, makes me feel better. 

Mara Shawl   Rav Link

Here she is blocking on an insulation board. The are cheep and have a plastic film on one side. Just really big!

Mara was done with stash yarns.

The garter section is Colinette Jitterbug color Dusk, I just love the colors in this.
The purple section is koigue and
the green is Louet opal.

I tried to do this in a solid color but just couldn't do it. Too boring? But loved making this version.  

Daybreak by Stephen West

One of the hostest new desighner out there. He has a real architechule sense to his designs. 

Yarn: The dark brown is shabui knits sock and the green is crystal palace mini mochi in fren.  
Needle: size 4

Again I used stash yarns. The shabui I had started another project with so I didn't have quiet a full skein and I was running out at the end so the bottom brown section is shorter then the pattern. I decided to use the green of the mini mochi I had left to bind it off with. I really like the green on the edge.

Fun fun knit.  

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Busy with Knitting Classes

The knitting classes are filling! Yeah!!

A couple of the classes are already closed and a few more are almost full. I am so happy and knitting like a mad women. 

Good thing I love to knit, right?

I have finished the Gretel Beret. This was a really nice pattern. Ysolda's patterns are well written and easy to follow. I love this beret and plan on wearing it often!

I have almost finished Mara. I knit this from my stash. I used jitterbug for the gater stitch section. I found some purple sock yarn but it was very light weight so I doubled it for the 1x1 rib. I have a cone of louet opal, 100% merino, in green. I think it is more of a sport weight so I used it single. I love the way it is turning out. It is a bit on the smaller size but I find that I use smaller shawls quiet often so it will get good use. 

This weekend I am starting Agatha. This pattern has you knit the front lace panel first so that is what I will be doing before the class starts on the 22nd. I am using Elsebeth Lavold silky wool, also from my stash. It is a rusty brown color. Hard to get it to show up on the picture right. 

I hope I love it!

As Brenda Dane from Cast On would say:

Knit, Knit like the wind!