Baby Shrug

Luckily I've finished this gift before the baby gets much bigger. I even managed to make a knitted tam. The Baby Shrug was easy to knit In Bernat's Cotton Tots. The pattern is from Debbie Bliss's Simply Baby.... a book I heartily recommend for the photos alone.






Out and About:
Check out Chicknits new sweater.... and this pic of mittens.

Today I Post the Sock Cavern

The sock cavern is an interesting subject for discourse. Just think how we sock knitters can create a shape that the anatomically correct foot can enter and be satisfied. Quite a feat...huh! I leave you to ponder this thought.

This sock is made of yarn I won at Kristen's blog recently. I love the pink coloring.

Special thanks this week to Mr. and Mrs. Etherknitter!!! They helped me solve the saving the blog issue by recommending this open source software to archive my website. Not to mention Mr. E's extra help to get my site saved immediately!!! I should also mention that Margene recommended this site as well.

Are You Going to Scarborough Fair?

Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Remember that song from years gone by? I always think of it when I go to Scarborough State Beach in South County, RI. Well.....needless to say I spent some of yesterday at the beach with Judy if you haven't heard already.

I thoroughly enjoyed the bit of fog and sun and the knitting and conversation. I took a few pics that I wanted to share:

Keens in the beach sand......

Hazy beaching............

The lovely Plovers running and flirting with the shoreline........

The atmospheric clouds..........

What a day to enjoy!

Baltic Socks

Happily I have another UFO to report...Baltic Socks a Peace Fleece pattern. These socks were fun to make. A bit of fair isle patterning to keep your interest. They are knit with Cestari yarn...a wonderful wool blended with Yak. These socks can be worn only in boots or as slipper socks. I may add suede bottoms so they can be worn safely.

My plan is finish up as many UFOs as possible so I can feel free to start at least three new projects. Breaking my rule ( evil grin) I've already started the Chiagu Eva Envelope Clutch. Pics to follow....

Eye Candy Friday

Summer's blossoms are on the wane......

To Die For

Lately...I've been checking out a few web sites that seem promising for knitters. One is Yarnival. Love the web address...Guzzling Cakes...LOL. Eve at Yarnival is starting " a Blog Carnival for knitters to showcase their content, regardless of their place in the knitting food chain." Anyone who writes a knitting related blog can submit what they want to it. Sounds like a neat idea!!!

If you haven't checked out Knitty magazine, get there now! There are some dynamite patterns for the fall. I'm in love with Avast and the Cablenet sock. Also MagKnits has some interesting patterns...

Last weekend...I had the distinct pleasure of visiting Jan D's home for our annual Dye Day.
There was much food and dyeing fun to be had as you can see below. I tried a new dyeing technique that omits heat in the process, but I'm not quite sure the process produced the color I wanted. I mean I love the pastels of the fiber in the first pic but I wanted a more intense color.


The second pic shows some linen I dyed that day. I am very satisfied with this color;perhaps I'll try weaving with this.

I'm not so pleased with this linen and silk; of course it was a medium brown color to start with....

I am pleased with Mother Nature's Marigold!

The Last Knit

The 3D animated video can only be appreciated by the truly obsessed knitter! I just had to share it with you.

Saving Your Blog

Hard to believe that this is where I was several weeks ago enjoying the view in Matunuck!!

On to my question.....I hope that all of you, gentle readers, will weigh in on this question that has been a concern of mine for the past year. Do you plan to save all of your archives on your blog? Or will Blogger or Typepad or whoever save archives indefinately. Perhaps at some point they won't keep saving the archives principally because of bandwidth concerns.

What will you do about saving your blog? Please comment and let me know what you think.

In the Pink

Today I'm in the pink! One of the members of my knitting guild asked us to make a pink sweater that will be donated to an orphanage in China. Whenever a female child is adopted she is dressed in a pink sweater. I wonder who will wear this sweater. I wish her health and happiness. Sue of RI Handspun sells the pink yarn for this project at a discount if you decide you'd like to make one for the cause.

Last night I couldn't resist...I know...I know...the stash is growing...but it's just one ball! I bought one of Lisa Sousa's sock yarns in a knock out color called Mars Quake. I can't wait to get it and start the socks.

Mind Patterns

I've decided that I'm passionate about patterns. Yes....knitting patterns, of course, but it it is deeper than that. It harks back to our species atavistic traits. Love of the primitive zig and zag, whorls and waves imprinted on early pottery and textiles.

These patterns draw the eye into a rhythmic trance that delights. Consider as well the textural quality...The Braille of a gansey or aran pattern that equally delights the eye as well as the hand.

Yes....the mind is in love with patterns and more so when pattern is combined with color. That is exactly why elaborate fair isle patterning draws me over and over.

Textiles delight the mind through all our senses.

Weaving Report: I'm happy to say that I'm back to playing with my small looms. Last night I located my inkle loom to finish a project begun by a dear friend and spinning teacher who showed me how to weave on the inkle loom a few years ago. I finally decided to finish what she began so I can begin another inkle project thanks to Sara's inspiration.


Knit Report: Here is a charity project that is almost finished.


Just in time I've finished two surplices for a friend's twin grandchildren who were born prematurely.

I also picked up the mate to the cashmere/ wool sock you see below. I'm just about to turn the heel of the second sock.


Lastly....Durrow has made an appearance with the advent of the cooler weather. I just have to knit the sleeves.