Blythe Blanket... On Again, Off Again

I thought I would have a chance to knit a bit and work on my Blythe blanket (shown to the left) after Bead and Button, but who am I kidding?

SO SORRY, Blythe...

I DO miss you.

Please don't be mad at ME!

It won't be until NOVEMBER before I have time OR energy to knit.

At least you're getting a sneak peak at the masterpiece I have been working on since last winter.

I am a fast knitter but this blanket will take at least 60 skeins of various yarns and maybe two more years until completion at the rate I am going.

But...

priorities are priorities AND I have to be a grown up about things.

After returning from Bead and Button, I've been tackling special orders and requests. I should be all caught up by Tuesday then move forward to prepping for August shows.  There are many back to back shows, so I better be good and not indulge in my other "hobbies" as I had wanted.

Looks like I won't get to bead either since my special project deadline has been extended.  There is no rush to design "yet". 

So it's just me and my glass for the next month... all July.

I've been playing with new limited color rods I got the other day, experimenting with even more color mixing possibilities, for the Botanical series.

(BIG smile)

I absolutely LOVE playing with color in ANY medium.

Next post, I promise to talk more about the new Botanical colors introduced at the Bead and Button show. And, I actually introduced more colors than I originally thought but also four colors were recently "retired" or discontinued due to running out of the respective limited production glass color(s).

Aaaaah... but those are the breaks!

Makes things interesting as well as frustrating if you like a color a lot!

Life remains VERY busy for this girl.

I stay out of trouble when things are busy for me.

THIS IS GOOD!

P.S. You are not imagining, I can write shorter posts and the blog does have a new look thanks to Blogger's new template designer.

A Knitting Interlude ...

So ... what has Lisa been up to?

No good?

Really, is that what you think?

I've been really good...

Really...

Well, sort of...

If you must ask and know...

Would you believe that I finished designing, beading and writing the FIFTH Beadwork Designer of the Year project, worked on two different state sales taxes for the first quarter of 2009, worked on federal taxes, ... etc. etc. since my last post here.

Uhmmm... (cough)

(coughing again)

Yes, I even shopped for yarns for my growing stash in between...

I know I had said I was going to write about my adventures and delicious meals from my Santa Fe trip and I will...

Soon.

So after all that hard work, what is a girl to do?

But KNIT. And knit she did.

A lot of people, especially friends, ask me when I find time to knit with all the things I get myself into.

When there is a will, *I* make the way.

Besides...

Did I ever say I did housework?

Ah ha!

There's my secret revealed.

But really... I find time to knit in between and before sleep. My hands are always busy working on something. I can not sit still.

After all the hard work, I needed to unwind so I cast on for a new project setting aside my Rambling Rows Blanket. With all the yarns I have been procuring I had no excuse but to KNIT! Besides my friend Teresa sent me this link to a CBS news story featuring how knitting and crocheting (which I haven't started teaching myself "yet") is actually very therapeutic and good for one's health. Hey! I'm knitting for my health. I shared the video with Nick to convince him before he walked into my walk in closet full of newly bought yarn.

Eeek (biting nails)

He was convinced, I think

And I am allowed to continue procuring yarns (within reason)!

THANKS Teresa!

So after spending some time catching up with older issues of Knitty, I found this wonderful project from the Winter 2008 issue I had to try. Besides I wanted to make something for my sister Sandy's birthday on April 15th! She is a tax baby!

I am graduating. I graduated from scarves to blankets and am now moving towards more complicated projects... working towards that eventual first sweater where I'd actually have to swatch and check gauge. Like I said in the last Knitting Interlude, I probably can jump into a more complicated project but I'm just enjoying the process. The yarn just feels good in my hands as each stitch is made and created. From simple materials, tools and my hands I made a wonderful gift for my sister.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah creating is so so wonderful.

I would like to share with you Maja. What a wonderful and actually very simple knit. Thank you Anniken Allis for sharing this pattern with us all through Knitty. I love Knitty.

Pattern: Maja from Knitty Winter 2008 (free)

Designer: Anniken Allis of Anni Designs UK

Yarns: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, Turquoise #28 (3.5 skeins)

and

Yarntopia Treasures, Handpainted Wool Silk, Dragonfly colorway (2 skeins)

Needles: US 9

Front View

Back View

Closeup of the "X" Stitches

Blocking the Shawl

As you can see it was a bit tricky to block since my blocking board was not large enough. I just extended my blocking to the carpet. Why not? It worked! I wet blocked the shawl after rinsing the shawl for 15 minutes in Eucalan (lavender scent!) which I just received from Webs.

So the shawl will be gifted to my sister Tuesday.

What?

Did you ask me something?

Uh.... yes, YOU KNOW ME. I can never only make one of anything. So I DID cast on for another Maja already. I do have to make one for myself you know. I will share the next version in a future Knitting Interlude post.

My Rambling Rows Blanket? I need to hunt down a few more skeins of the discontinued Noro Kureyon Colorway #157 to finish it. I am close, very close to finishing and then will decide on a border.

Pardon me as I go knit a few more rows ...before continuing to get ready for the Northern California Bead Society Bazaar on April 18th. Come see me there if you are visiting the show and are in NorCal. I am located in booth #206 on the first aisle, a new wonderful location!

Keep creating and knitting for your health!

Lisa

A Knitting Interlude ...

Okay, so I've been blabbing about how I am teaching myself how to knit and you're wondering "where's the goods"? I have been dabbling for the last few years but really did not knit seriously until this winter. I really dove in by indulging myself in my favorite yarns, Noro Kureyon, Silk Garden and Silk Garden Lite. I've outgrowned the craft store brands and actually started giving those away to clear room for the good stuff. Yep, this girl has a serious yarn addiction. If yarn was my drug, I would be overdosed many times over. Fortunately, Nick is a very supportive husband and does not "question" why a girl needs a walk-in closet full of yarn (well I'm exaggerating but one can dream, can't they?)

So I thought for my first official sharing of the "finished objects" I would show you the scarf that I knitted for my sister Tina (I have two sisters) in January 2009 which I borrowed to wear in Tucson this year before I actually "gave" it to her. Hey, I need to test out these woolies for durability before gifting them and boy did this warm scarf come in handy in the chilly mornings and evenings.

I wanted to teach myself a smaller entrelac project before diving into Lady Eleanor from Scarf Style (Interweave). Entrelac is REALLY easy folks. It just looks hard. I love the concept of short row knitting. I decided NOT to knit backwards so did a lot of flipping back and forth. Check out the photos below! I'll be knitting Lady Eleanor shawl/scarf soon when I determine the colorway.

• Pattern: Entrelac Scarf from Knitty Otter (free)
• Yarn: Noro Kureyon, Color #92, 4 skeins
• Needles: US 8

Noro, Noro, yum yum. This yarn teases me with color every time I knit. Most of my wools and wool silks in my stash are from Noro. If a yarn variegates and the colors make me salivate, I know I have to get it. Yes I said SALIVATE! I do drool sometimes when viewing yarn photos. I love COLOR!!! and Noro always packs a punch. I usually buy my yarn online because I'm afraid I may embarrass myself in a yarn shop. I have NEVER entered in a real yarn shop because I would spend all my bead money. EEEEEK!! I love Ebay for my yarns and have my favorite yarn purveyors.

I'm bad, when I returned from Tucson, instead of continuing my hexagon blanket in all Noro Kureyon (Colors #147 and #163), I decided to cast-on for the Rambling Rows blanket from Cottage Creations. I found this pattern while goofing around looking at other folks blanket and afghan projects on Ravelry.

Why yes, how did you guess? You know me sooooooooooooo... well.

The new blanket project is indeed using ALL Noro Kureyon - Color #157, knitted from the outside and inside of the skein to add more visual interest. I have a habit of discovering a new color when it's been discontinued so I've been searching and googling for sources of this highly coveted yarn.

SMIRK!

I am always successful because I am on a quest to work with these beautiful woolies. I don't give up easily. And, I have NO trouble having yarn shipped across the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans either. Sometimes yarn from overseas is actually cheaper per skein than purchasing from the States even with shipping included. I always have the trusty calculator on hand before I make a final decision. Lots of folks also clean out their stash and that's great for someone like me. Give me... give me! I do spend a lot in materials when using Noro with these bigger blanket projects but I figured just like beading, quality first. I am spending a lot of time with each project so why not use a yarn I love even if I have to buy 30 to 50 skeins! Yikes, don't tell Nick okay? hahah These will be heirloom pieces that I will "possibly" give away or donate eventually. I'm 1/6th done with the Rambling Rows blanket (sized approx 65" x 80" unless I decide to make it bigger) but am on a quest for more of the colorway (I "only" have 25 skeins and have knitted 7 thus far!). I will share photos later. So far the project is quite straightforward and easy.

More Knitting Interludes to follow in the future...