Close to my Heart

Has anyone seen my blogging mojo?

Ack, can't believe it's been over two weeks since I've blogged!  I have seemingly totally lost my blog mojo.  At any rate, I've been knitting and even doing some crocheting.  No spinning or weaving, hopefully I'll get back to that soon.  I thought I'd show you a couple things I've finished in the past couple weeks.  First, a Travelling Woman Shawl.

 

 

I'm not totally thrilled with the shawl.  It's rather small, should have knit the first lace chart one more time, but didn't know if I'd have enough yarn (I would have in the end).  And the bind off is kind of tight too.  Would have redone the bind off, but with slippery seasilk, that would have been a bit of a disaster. Contemplating frogging and knitting again, but quite honestly, that's not likely to happen, because you know, once you've finished knitting something, it's kind of done.

I also finished a simple little crochet project that I'm very pleased with, and am planning to make another one soon (the yarn is already sitting in my knitting basket ready to go).  Here's the 9 to 5 Shrug:

 

 

I knit it out of Bernat Handicrafter (dishcloth cotton) because I wanted something inexpensive to see if this pattern would work for me, I thought cotton was appropriate as a spring/summer fiber, and I loved the colourway.  More info on my Ravelry project page here.

Hopefully I'll be back to the blog sooner than two weeks this time.  We'll see.....

Springtime

I'm on a bit of a small shawl knitting kick.  I wear my small shawls almost as much as I wear my handknit socks, and they are so rewarding to knit as well, that I just can't stop.  I have one shawl to show you today, and another one off the needles tonight that will be blocked tomorrow.  For tonight, I present to you my Springtime Multnomah:

 

And it was indeed a lovely spring day today.  I went for a long walk, then went downtown wearing flip flops for the first time this year.  I also took the shawl outside for a photo session, and there are therefore tons more pictures on the Ravelry project page here. And tonight I gave myself a pedicure, it makes my toes happy to have some colour on them again! 

Ishbel

I think this is going to make a lovely spring shawl, such a pretty colour!  And once again, the miracle of blocking has worked well, miracles.  What I thought was going to be too small is just the perfect size post blocking.  I love wearing little shawlettes, and in fact, have no desire to knit any more large ones as these little ones are what get worn.  I present to you, Ishbel:

 

(Please excuse the sleeves rolled up in

the bathroom very unglamourous modelled shot)

Many more pictures as well as the details, can be found here on my Ravelry project page.

Celebration

I blocked the Celebration scarf yesterday, so it's all ready to wear to the Opening Ceremonies on Friday!!  Just looking at the pictures, and it doesn't look at all like the sides are straight, however they are.  Blocking was however a lot more difficult than I thought it would be, and I can't imagine having to block a lacy scarf such as this without blocking wires. My blocking job is not perfect, but I figure it will get somewhat squished around my neck anyway.

This was however a fun knit and will be perfect to wear to the Games.

Here's some pictures, and hopefully I'll get some of me wearing it in Vancouver.  At the Opening Ceremonies that I'm not at all excited about attending....

 

 

An Olympic WIP

I learned about this project before the pattern was ready, and some of you may recall that I bought the yarn so that I could knit this as my Ravelympic project.  Some of you may also remember that I'm attending a couple Olympic events, and when I saw the Fun Knits pattern ready to go, I knew I'd have to knit it to wear to the Opening Ceremonies.  I do have my work cut out for me in order to accomplish that goal though, so will leave this post at that so that I can get to my knitting.  Further details can be found by clicking on the Ravelry button below the picture, or by visiting the Fun Knits website.

Harbour Lights Shawl

After casting off this shawl almost two months ago, I finally got around to blocking it yesterday.  After a tense moment where my knitting really did attack me (if you listen to the Knitmore Girls Podcast you'll get that reference) as a pin stabbed my finger while I was trying to move the shawl on the blocking board and proceeded to get blood on the shawl, it all worked out really well in the end.  And yes, I did indeed get the blood out.  While every lace knitter knows what a difference blocking makes, never have I seen such a profound difference as I did with this project.  I'm very pleased with this shawl, it's definitely the favourite shawl I have knit so far.  I got rather carried away with pictures, as you can see on its Ravelry project page, I'll share some of my favourite ones here.  Thanks to Buttons for permitting me to photograph around her and disturbing her nap. And thanks so very very much Sivia Harding for such an awesome pattern that was such a pleasure to knit from start to finish.

 

Multnomah #2

This was/is going to be my photo 365 picture for today:

It shows my recently completed Multnomah shawl blocking.  I had the idea that if I propped it against the wall in the hallway with the baseboard heater blaring directly across, and the little fan distributing said warm air that perhaps it would dry quicker than normal on a coolish almost winter day.  I was going to write that I hoped it would be dry by bedtime and that I would soon have actual Finished Object pictures to share.

Well this method worked better than I could even have imagined.  It was probably dry within about three hours.  I'm doing this with all of my blocked items in the future.

So, today I can also share a picture of my completely finished shawl.  There are many more pics over on my Ravelry Project Page.

Blocking

Wow, has this blog ever been neglected lately!  Writer's block maybe?  Or is it just that with Twitter, Plurk and Ravelry, I have little inclination left to post anything here?  Yeah, I think that's it. And I don't think I'm the only blogger that has had this experience.

There has however been knitting and even blocking happening.  There have been two items finished and blocked in the last week or so, with another shawl finished about a month ago still waiting it's turn (probably because I feel it is the most complicated of all to block).  It's time will come eventually though.

Here's the latest though.  First, a handspun scarf, using the la Novia pattern from Knitspot:

I was actually going to be lazy and not block this too aggressively but I'm really glad I did in the end, the lace pattern opened right up.

I also finished Multnomah.  I love how this little shawl turned out and enjoyed knitting it as well.  Simple yet interesting, I already have #2 on the needles!

 

 

Further information can be found over on my Ravelry project page.  Back to my morning coffee now.

WIP Wednesday

How could I have forgotten how fun and addictive lace knitting is?  I'm having such a good time knitting Sivia Harding's Harbour Lights Shawl that I cannot put it down.  Here's what it looked like last night, when I finally did put it away at bedtime:

This shawl was designed for the Victoria Fibre Festival in 2008, to which I was privileged to attend and meet the most talented designer.  I even saw the original Harbour Lights modeled by Sivia.  It kind of brings back memories of the festival just knitting it.

Mmmmmalabrigo

I currently have three different projects on the needles and hook with yummy malabrigo yarn.  

The first was started on quite some time ago, I fell in love with the pattern immediately upon purchase of the Spring 2009 Interweave Crochet, and bought the yarn to make it the very same day.  Well let's just say the crocheting of this pattern isn't too exciting, single crochet with lace weight using a 2.0 mm hook does not go very quickly at all, and is oh so very boring.  Here's where it sits today, having not been worked on for a good month or so:

 

This is the bottom ribbing, and needs to be about 20 inches, so as you can see, I have a good ways to go still.  I'm honestly not sure if I am going to finish this project.  The top part will be fun to work, however there is still the other side of the vest that needs ribbing too!

Fortunately, my other Malabrigo patterns are much more enjoyable.  First, the Lacy Vines Wrap, also knit in lace weight, is a very simple and easy to memorize lace pattern:

And finally, Sivia Harding's Harbour LIghts Shawl, knit in Malabrigo Sock in the Natural Colourway. 

Already I'm intrigued by the construction of this shawl, Sivia is such an amazing and talented designer than I am privileged to have met a couple times.  This shawl calls for beads, however I've left them out, partly because I didn't feel like fiddling and partkly because I joined the Fun Knits KAL at the last minute and had no idea where I would find beads in this town and wanted to get going on it.  I think I will have to try a beaded project soon though!