I finished one xmas scarf. Pretty crazy looking eh? Not quite my colors but it was fun to knit. I used Cherry Tree Hill Confetti in Fiesta and Faux Fur in Champlain Sunset. This is your typical garter stitch scarf with both yarns held together. To be honest I did start with something more complicated but then I dropped a stitch and couldn't recover. See, that's the thing with complicated yarn -- you have to keep the stitches simple.
Started the next xmas scarf in the queue, this one's a bit more interesting (less complicated yarn). It's the "Quick Knit Magic Mohair Scarf" by Effectiveness by Design. And it is definitely quick and definitely effective. The instructions were very clear, however I ended up frogging this puppy 1/2 a dozen times because I misinterpreted the directions. It's gotta be right now as it looks like the picture on the pattern.
I'm using this to keep track of the 4 row pattern repeat. You can keep track of up to 6 rows. As you can see I'm still having fun with my stitch marker supply. These are 12mm split rings, which fit nicely on my US 13 needles. I like how they dangle on the end of the needle -- the Czech crystals sparkle just so.
And now we interrupt this blog to bring you The VJ Chronicles
Here's the first of many installments of what I'm calling the VJ Chronicles. My aunt (VJ) just started knitting and she's so far accompanied me to a couple knitting conventions. She's coming with me on a knitting retreat in Jan and then Stitches West in Feb. She lives in Atascadero which is a couple hours south of here, so I get a few random calls on my cell when she runs into a pattern problem. Mistakes in patterns do exist, however it never fails to have you asking, "Is it me or is this just wrong?" Here's a tip -- before you go chasing your tail over some problem in a pattern, check for errata. Most publishers will put it right on their website. Anyways, I usually try to solve the problem on the phone. Sometimes it requires me to try a swatch and get back to her. This is one of those cases. Pictured above are the mirrored decreases as described in Loop-d-Loop. The left-leaning decrease will look a bit puffier than the right-leaning one because the twist unravels the yarn on the left-leaning and does the opposite on the right-leaning. Note the position of the markers. Next installment: mirrored increases.
Finally, this is now on it's way to a very worthy recipient in Co-- (ssh its a secret and while she knows of the blog I still want it to be somewhat a surprise). This set consists of fresh water pearls, chinese crystals, czech beads and bali silver, I also made a bracelet (not pictured). It's a few days late, hope she likes blue!
Chronicles of VJ continue with mirrored increases centered over the same stitch as the decreases. Notice there's only one marker needed in this case. My aunt has finished her project. She didn't need help with the increases but since I was swatching... She did call for help one more time -- and I thought I'd have knit the entire thing but giving her assignments over the phone (okay do the next 9 rows and call me when your done) seemed to cover it. The pattern she was working on was the Yoke Vest in Loop-d-Loop. It sounds intriguing, I may just give it a try with some sock yarn and see if it fits a Barbie or something.
Gifts, gifts, gifts. It's that time of year and there are rewards for all the knitting, shopping, jewelry making, etc. Tuesday's Lace Day and we had our annual gift exchange. I got the cute little Debbie Mumm teapot teaspoons pictured here with Mary Engelbreit teapot teabag holders that I already had -- how did she know they'd go so well? They are all sitting on a handwoven scarf with handspun pink angora weft. This is a very talented group of ladies with great taste, of the gifts there were 3 scarves (2 handwoven, 1 handknitted), homegrown honey, handpoured beeswax candles, lots of home canned jellies and jams, a handmade/stuffed lace pillow and a beautifully handpainted egg from Hungary. Our theme? Handmade but not necessarily by you. It's a good theme, 2 years running. I like.
