Close to my Heart

Lots of Socks

Today was a sunny spring day. It was lovely to open up the house and let some fresh air in.  I always feel a lot more energetic on such days, so therefore some normally mundane household chores were accomplished much more easily than on a dark and dreary day.  Included in this was organizing the handknits.  I pulled out the sock tote, one of those big under bed storage containers in which the socks had become rather jumbled.  The socks were dumped and returned to the bin in a more orderly manner.  It looks like I have a fair amount of socks, and really have no business knitting any more for myself, even though I know I will. 

Most of these socks were knit by yours truly, with the exception of about five or so that I received in swaps.  And missing from the bin were about half a dozen pair that were in the laundry.  I didn't take a count, nor do I really want to, just a tad bit embarrassing me thinks.

Darn good thing that the latest pair off the needles are a late birthday gift for my Father:

Details should you care can be found on the Ravelry Project Page.

Wedding Anticipation

Almost 15 years ago, there was a wedding with the cutest little flower girl ever:

 

This was of course the day Joe and I married, and the cute little flower girl was our very special niece Rebecca.  Fast forward almost 15 years, and Rebecca is all grown up and it is her turn to be the bride.  Tomorrow she will marry her sweetheart Will. The last wedding we attended was just a few months after our own wedding, Joe's sister's day and Rebecca was the cute flower girl at that wedding as well.  With such a long wedding drought, we are both really looking forward to the big day tomorrow.  Wedding preparations for this proud auntie involved purchasing waterproof mascara today (I'm a real sap at weddings, and this is a really special one) as well as some crafting in the last month or so.

A few weeks back was the bridal shower.  I bought some lovely items from the kitchen store the bride is registered at, but of course I had to include a handmade touch as well.  Sticking with her wedding and household theme of black, white and pink, I made this card:

 

And these dishcloths:

Information about the dishcloths can be found on my Ravelry project page.

My contribution to the the wedding day itself is this crocheted garter:

And of course the card:

 

Although the Bride and Groom will not likely be reading this blog post, I'm sure they know that Uncle Joe and Auntie Brenda wish them years of joy and happiness together.

New Lace on the Needles

It's always exciting to finish one project and cast another onto the needles.  With the Kauni Revontuli shawl off the addi lace needles, it was time to cast on another project.  After finishing the Knitspot tessarae socks (see last post) I couldn't wait to get started on one of her lace patterns.  I fell in love with the Boxleaf Triangle when it was first debuted on the Knitspot blog, and immediately placed it in my queue.  I chose to use the pretty purple Sugarbee Studios January Sock club yarn for this project.  This is a beautiful yarn, but since I only like to use superwash yarns for my socks, I had to find another use for it, and this was it.

Here's the first WIP shots, taken yesterday when we actually has some sun coming into the living room.  We have had really weird March weather, and yesterday was particularly indicative of that, with everything from sun to snow to rain, and from dark and dreary to bright and sunny.  But I digress, here are the lace in progress pictures:

The lace pattern appears to be a little lost in the pictures, but not quite so much in real life.  The shawl shown in the Knitspot pattern shop is a verigated yarn, so I think it will be okay and should hopefully make a stunning shawl.  At any rate, I'm enjoying knitting this pattern, and have in fact finished another ten row pattern repeat since taking these pictures.  It is fairly simple lace, yet the construction is a little different than other shawls I have knit, which I think adds to the enjoyment.

Socks X 2

I actually intended to blog a few days ago, however our internet connection has been beyond pathetic, and getting online either did not happen or was so painfully slow that we pretty much ran screaming from our computers.  Hopefully I will get this post written and published before we loose our connection yet again.

Early this past week, I finished two pairs of socks.  First, using gorgeous Malabrigo sock in the Velvet Grape colourway, my first Knitspot pattern, the Tessarae socks:

I actually goofed and made the leg of the second sock I knit one pattern repeat shorter, but did not realize that until I finished the sock.  I'm not a perfectionist enough to care, after all they will be hidden under pants!  Great yarn and great pattern though, I would knit with either again.

The second pair of socks completed were Tidepool Socks using  Araucania Ranco Multy in the Peach Green colourway.  This yarn is not nearly as luxurious as Malabrigo Sock, but still lovely yarn in a gorgeous colourway. I would knit this pattern again and would use the yarn again as well (and do have more of it in my stash). This simple pattern makes a nice cushy fabric that I like a lot.

Revontuli Shawl: A Finished Object

I finally was able to block the shawl yesterday.  I used the foam interlocking mats for the first time, and I'm so happy I purchased them.  Blocking is much easier on them than my previous method of pinning to the carpet.

There was a bit of mishap in the blocking of the kitty variety.  I woke up this morning to find little scratch marks on the mat, and a few lose threads on the shawl.  Buttons seems to have been intrigued by the mat, but fortunately no lasting damage was done.  This is the first time that a kitty has disturbed my blocking projects.

It is a beautiful almost spring day here today, and I was able to coerce Joe into going outside to snap a few pictures for me.  I must admit that it makes me happy every spring when I can once again get outside for knitting pictures, the quality is just so much better than what is seen in indoor shots.  Here's the pics:

This has been a very satisfying project to knit, beautiful fun yarn, enjoyable pattern, as well as a fun knit a long.  Kauni comes in such beautiful colours, and seeing them knit up in other colourways by other KAL participants (check out the KAL Ravelry board here) I can totally see making this again.  Oh, and this project also marks the first time I have used Addi Lace Needles.  LOVE them, and so glad I splurged on their purchase.  I will not want to knit other lace projects on any other needles now.

Hot off the needles

The Kauni Revontuli Shawl is off the needles just a few minutes ago.  What an enjoyable knit this has proven to be, I highly recommend this pattern, and can completely see making it again some day.  The shawl still needs to be blocked, but I couldn't resisted posting an unblocked picture:

Hopefully I will get it blocked soon, I love how blocking changes lace, but I don't necessarily enjoy the process, nor am I a great blocker.  Stay tuned.