Spark

Andy and I had such a great time taking pictures of Spark last weekend!  We went for a walk downtown scouting out the perfect place and wound up finding this great looking stone wall.  A lot of the foundations and buildings in Lynchburg are older and have really interesting stone and brickwork.  We were lucky to find a spot with good lighting as the winter sun was extremely bright.

Spark is a fun to knit cute little cowl that is perfect to wear with everything from jeans to your favorite cashmere sweater. Pair your favorite worsted weight yarn in a nice neutral with two bright colors (you know you have some left overs that would be perfect for this in your stash) and you will be finished knitting in just a evening or two!

 

Spark is specially priced at $2.99 until March 17, St Paddys Day. 

Scrowl

Friday is finally here and what a relief!  It's been one of those weeks that even the simplest task seems to go wonky.  I plan on knitting on my Intersect Hat and relaxing while watching Neftlix or The Soprano's tonight.  We recently subscribed to HBO (there was a special deal) and have been able to watch a lot of shows that are new to us as well as get caught up on Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire.  We have also been watching Girls, which is a really odd show, but I can't seem to stop watching it so go figure! The best thing about tonight is that Andy has offered to cook.  He is making Italian Sausage, colored peppers, onions in a homemade sauce over Penne pasta.  I found some Cannoli at Fresh Market that the pastry chef guaranteed didn't come in contact with tree nuts, so we even have dessert.  

The Scrowl pattern is now available and is 20% off with coupon code: ShaliMarch2014 until 2/7.  Margi did an awesome job test knitting it and said she really liked the pattern.  I enjoyed knitting it and also wearing it.  It really blocks out the wind on the bone chilling days we have had recently.

From the pattern:

The Scrowl! It’s a scarf, it’s a wrap, it’s a cowl all in one; the perfect accessory to keep you warm and cozy while still looking stylish.

This is a very easy to knit pattern and uses two full skeins of Shalimar Yarns Edie Aran. Shown in the Penny Candy colorway. A great alternative would be Enzo Aran.

Both written and charted instructions are included.

I'm including this selfie so you can see what it looks like with a winter jacket.

My goal is to create patterns that are fun to knit and easy to follow and understand.  Knitting should be fun and patterns shouldn't be confusing!  There is nothing more frustrating (at least for me) than being in the middle of a pattern and not understanding what comes next or a technique that is being used.

I feel so blessed to have a  such a wonderful group of test knitters.  They give me feedback on what they like and don't like about how something is written or designed.  I know if something is working for me, but it's really important to have other eyes and hands on it so that it will work for others as well. 

I hope that you will find my patterns to be well written and enjoyable.  I would love to hear from you and see your projects!  

Iridill

It's finally here!  This afternoon I released Iridill.  I'm really excited about this pattern and hope that you will find it to be a fun knit.  I think that knitting should be fun which is why I strive to have my patterns be clear and easy to follow. My test knitters all loved knitting this one and I think you will too!  A huge thank you to Lydia, Aparna, Debbi, Debby and Michelle who all did a fantastic job test knitting.  A lot of time and effort goes into designing a pattern, and it's not possible to do a good job without fantastic test knitters.

The Iridill pattern includes two sizes: The Shawl in Worsted and Shawlette in Fingering.  

Introductory priced at $4.50 until December 15 in my Ravelry Shop.  

Shawlette shown in Miss Babs Yummy in Maryland 2013

Shawl in Miss Babs Yowza in Perfect Wreckless.

The shawlette would also work up really nicely in Shalimar Yarns Zoe Sock or Indieway Yarns First String Sock. As an alternative worsted weight Shalimar's Honey Worsted or Indieway's Best Worsted would work well.

If you were wondering where the name came from, here is the story from the pattern:

I have to admit that I am a bit of a magpie. I am drawn to things that have a bit of shine to them, and Carnival Glass is no exception. It comes in beautiful colors that shimmer in the light, showing off the lovely patterns that are molded into the glass. When Carnival Glass first came into production it was called Iridill. The Iridill Shawl and Shawlette are inspired by the ever changing colors in Carnival Glass. It’s an easy knit that will really show off in variegated yarns.

The Cosiest Time of the Year

Late fall is here and it's one of my favorite seasons.  The morning air is crisp and clean, a brisk breeze rustles through the fallen leaves and there is a bit of frost on the windshield of the car when I head outside. I love being able to cuddle up on the couch with Andy in the evenings after dinner. This weekend we are hoping to sit out on the patio and have a little fire to roast marshmallows over while wearing our hand knits.

It's the perfect time of year for hat's and I've been working on a new design to go with the  Frost in Bloom infinity scarf.  It's going to be called Frost in Bloom - The Hat.  Knit up in Indieway Yarns First String Sock in the Delicate Pastels colorway, it's super soft and light.  It's just warm enough to keep the chill off your head on a cooler day.

A couple of months ago, I saw an ad on Ravelry for Dark Shadows: Bat Shawl Mystery KAL.  I couldn't resist and signed up the day it opened.  If you are in the KAL and haven't completed the first clue and don't want a spoiler, don't read any further!

The first clue was released last week and I've already completed it.  There are little bats hanging in the center panel and the sides look like vampire teeth.  It's very cute and I can't wait to see what the finished shawl is going to look like.

Here is clue #1

I've also been working on Monkey Jacobus for the Shalimar Yarns Monkey Mayhem KAL on Ravelry.  It's a really fun pattern and has seamless construction.  It's kind of like putting a puzzle together and I'm really enjoying knitting him.

There are a couple of fun things coming up.  The first one which I have been sworn to secrecy about will announced right after Thanksgiving.  I can't give too many hints, but I can say that it's going to be a lot fun and filled with surprises!  The second thing is next week I will be turning a year older and a year closer to being able to join AARP and Senior Singles (Have you checked your SPAM folder lately?  That is what is in mine!) I will be having a special coupon for a discount in my Ravelry Shop.  Check back on the blog on Monday for the coupon code and to sign up for the prize give away that I have planned!

Progress

Things are really starting to come together at the house.  I finished panting the den.  Ceiling, walls, trim and louvered closet doors.  I wound up painting the wrong side of one of the doors which was easy to fix but rather frustrating at the time.  I didn't realize I had done it until all three coats of paint were on it and I was trying to hang it back up.  I had even marked which sides to paint which just goes to show that no matter how careful you are mistakes can still happen.

I think they look much better painted a nice fresh white.  Ive also made valances and covered a couple of the throw pillows.  I have a a couple more pillows to cover and then I will be done with the sewing portion of the makeover.  I'll have some better pictures once the room is all together.  We have company coming at the end of the month and this room doubles as a spare room.  I'm excited for our guests to come and visit and have a cheery room to stay in.  We still have a few things to put in place (please ignore the mess on the coffee table) which is why this picture is only showing a corner of the room.

Ive always thought the sofa and chairs were a bit boring and overly neutral.  I'm really glad now that they are since they can work well with any wall color and have a whole new look with bright accent pillows.


In the evenings Andy and I have been working on the patio.  Andy finished the last section of the bottom wall on Monday.  It's almost time to start filling in and building up the patio with dirt.  I can't wait to sit out there this fall by the fire pit and roast some marshmallows!

 

In knitting news - I've been working on a new cowl pattern for fall, Oktoberfest.  It's in Shalimar Yarns Breathless DK in the Copper Pennies colorway.  I'm putting it out for test knitting this week.  If you are interested PM me on Ravelry (SpinningLara).  Oktoberfest is a quick knit and will be available in written and charted formats. 

 

Walk The Line is with the test knitters and should be ready for release at the beginning of September.  Andy is planning to do a photo shoot this weekend while we are in Yorktown.  There are a lot of interesting backdrops there so we should be able to get some great shots.  We are trying to find a new name for this pattern as another sock pattern was published last week with the same name.  One of the test knitters suggested Hold The Line which I like.  If you have a suggestion, I would love to hear it.  If I use your suggestion I will send you a copy of the pattern when it's published.

Que

How many projects should you have in your que on Ravelry?  I mean really, right now I have 533 things to knit in my que.  There are a lot of sweaters in there.  If I knitted 8 hours a day for the rest of my life Im not sure that I could knit all the items in my que.  It takes me about three evenings to knit a sock so potentially I could knit 52 pairs of socks in a year.  Provided that no frogging was involved and we all know how that goes.  I either need to stop adding things to my que (difficult as there are so many cute cardi's out there that are begging to be knit) or dedicate more time to knitting.  Right now I only have two projects on the needles, Tempest by Ann Weaver in Breathless Ore and Love Potion.  I'm thinking of adding one large stripe towards the top in Blue Raspberry but haven't committed to that yet.  I'm also working on the second sock for the new sock design.

Ive gotten really distracted by the needle felting.  Which is great, but it's really cutting into my knitting time.  I spent a week working on this owl.  She is close to life size. 

 

I'm also working on a large mushroom house for the gnomes from the last post.  While I did order a crazy number of couple of felting kit's Ive also been using some roving that I purchased at my first MDSW.  It came in a huge bag and wound up being courser than what I like to spin. I've tried to re home it several times and there haven't been any takers.  I'm so glad it stayed here because Ive really been having a blast needle felting it.  

Does anyone have fun plans for the weekend?  Tonight I'm making Wiener Schnitzel, German Potato Salad and cooked red cabbage.  We are going fishing either tomorrow or Sunday and I'm really hoping we can go to the movies and see Star Trek.  A few years ago a new theater was put in and it has stadium seating with arm rests that can flip up.  The seats are really comfortable and it's a great place to go on a hot summer day.  We are also working on plans for a new patio area.  I'll have progress pictures soon (I hope!).

PS I finished Ardelise but need to block it!  Yay!  That was a LOT of stockinette!  And did you see that Signature Needle Arts now has convertible needles?  They look super cool!

Knit Along Time!

It's been a really exciting week here!  Erica asked me to hoast the first Knit Aong in the new Bare Naked Wools group on Ravelry.  We will be using my brand new Ribbon Street Cowl pattern along with Anne's new Breakfast Blend DK yarn.  It's really quite an honor to be be asked to do this and Ive been over the moon about it!  Erica, Barb, Anne Marie and myself will all be there if anyone has questions or needs help.  It's fun and easy pattern, perfect for knitting in the evening while relaxing or to take with you to knit group.


The Ribbon Street Cowl pattern is just $3.50 until the end of the month in my Ravelry shop. 

Ive already knit one up in Breakfast Blend DK.  It's in the Morning Smoke colorway.  Don't you just love this color?  Grays are my favorite!  Not to mention the fantastic blend of Merino and Alpaca that gives this yarn softness and fantastic squish factor!

 For an idea of what it would look like in other colorways, please see the pattern page on Ravelry.

The other thing that has made this a great week is that I finally got around to painting the shelves that Andy made for the dining room.  I honestly had gotten so burned out from our kitchen remodel that I just couldn't bring myself to paint these three simple shelves.  In all fairness, it did take most of a day to get them painted.  Now all that is left to do is to paint the bottom of the wall.  The current color really doesn't go well with the new cabinet color.  We are changing it to a warm shade of brown.  Oh and then Andy is buiding a new and larger pantry.  But, that's a story for another day!

 

Hope to see you in the Bare Naked Wools Ribbon Street Cowl KAL!

Merry Christmas!

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

 

 

 

A Peaceful and Joyful New Year!

 

Happy Festivus!

 

 

 

Leave your grievances in the comments section.  I'll be drawing a name by random generator on January 5 to win this handspun by me yarn and a pattern to make these cute Jelly Beans Mitt's:

 

 

 

 

I'll start: Thank you to who shall not be named, for the nut encrusted cookies of death you brought to my house yesterday.  Thank you for telling my husband to take them to work and eat them there and not to worry if he kisses me later because nut allergies don't exist.  I'll remember that next time I'm stabbing myself with an epipen and calling 911.

 

Andy and I really enjoy decorating for Christmas each year.  We try to change things up a bit from year to year to keep it completely crazy interesting.  A couple of years ago we decided that putting up a huge tree each year was too much work so we opted for what is supposed to be an entryway tree and using it on our coffee table.  It's a really cute fir tree and came in a nice little pot.  After rearranging the furniture after the new floor was done, putting the tree on the coffee table would completely block the tv.  Not that I would mind a little break from the tv, but I really do like to watch certain movies this time of year:  Christmas Vacation, Four Christmases, Christmas with the Kranks, Home Alone, Surviving Christmas, Love Actually and my all time favorite, The Holiday. 

So this year we decided to put our tree on the bar counter by the new cabinet.  Not only did it add some height to the tree, but it's a great focal point.  The two tree's on the right are new additions this year.

 

Because I love anything sparkley (Can we say Magpie?) we added these most awesome and very silver tree's to the stairwell.

 



 

The little Christmas village on the mantle complete with blue lights

 

 

 

We even decorated the Ghastlies.  The little girl with the hammer is my favorite.

 

 

 

I try to make at least one new decoration each year.  This button tree was a really quick and fun project.  The base is a styrofoam cone purchased at a craft shop. I then put the buttons on with straight pins and small bead.  The bead will stop the pin from going completely through the button hole. 

 



 

I also made these cute little tree's from vintage spools, ribbon and tree's found at the craft store and dollar store.  The blue ornament with the white deer was my Dad's.  It's one of the only things I have that was his and I treasure it.  It has a special place on the tree each year.

 

 

 

If you look hard, there is a pink tree in the back right of the photo.  It has pink lights and it's my favorite.  I kind of snuck it into the living room this year.  It's usually hidden in our bedroom. 

 

 

Well, my Adiri sweater is soaking and it's time to block it.  I'll have finished pictures in my next post, here is one of the body.  It's in Shalimar Haven in the Mandarin colorway.  I absolutely love and can't wait to wear it!  I have this crazy notion about getting some leggings to wear with it.  I know Im well over the age where this is acceptable, but I just don't care!  They are cute and Kristen Stewart looked adorable in them in the latest Twilight movie.

 

 

One last Holiday thing.  This is from Lion Brand Studio's shop in NYC.  It's the most beautiful Holiday window display Ive ever seen.  Everything it knitted, even the swans.  You can read more about it and how they created it on their blog.

 





 

 









Miriam

Last month Kristi told me that she had been working with her mill to improve Zoe Sock.  Since it's one of my favorite yarns, I wasn't sure how it could be better than it already was.  When she offered to send me some to knit up a sweater, of course I jumped at the chance!  I searched through Ravelrys massive data base of patterns and decided on Miriam.  It looked like a straight forward pattern and I loved the fit on the model. 

When the Zoe in Driftwood arrived I was so excited I wound it and cast on.  Miriam proved to be a quick and uncomplicated knit.  The new Zoe is so soft and lofty and worked perfectly for Miriam. 

The moment it was done blocking, I grabbed it and headed out the door.  I hijacked Andy on his lunch and we went to a local park to take some pictures. 

 

 

Ok, I am skipping in this last picture.  It was a beautiful day and the sweater fit perfectly.  What else can make a knitter so happy?  Well the fact that I have another full skein left over for matching socks doesn't hurt!  Now, just need to pick a pattern.....

PS Shalimar Yarns is giving away a skein of the new Zoe on their Shalimar Yarns Facebook page!

 

 

 

There is a light at the end of the tunnel

I didn't think to write down the day when we started the kitchen makeover.  I really should have, because seriously it feels like it's been nine hundred and ten years that we have been working on it.  I'm pretty sure it was right after the Derecho that wiped out our power for almost a week.  So that would be early July.  Which really isn't that long ago when looking at the big picture.  When you are living in a kitchen that is a bit of a mess with half your dishes in the spare room and the other half missing in action, it's a bit of a challenge. 

We so close to being finished that I can taste it, or is that dinner that I'm dreaming of?  The only things left to do are minor in comparison to what we have done: painting the trim around the kitchen and dining room windows, changing the lower wall color in the dining and great rooms (the current color clashes with the new cabinet color), painting that trim,  constructing three shelves to go above the sideboard in the dining room and building a new pantry which will need paint as well. 

One thing that has been great is that Andy and I have taken a few weekends off here and there to regroup. This past weekend we went with friends to a wine festival on Saturday and spent most of the day fishing on Sunday.  We have a romantic four day weekend coming up which we are really looking forward to.  Biking by the beach, great food on the water, and hopefully not a lot of tourists.  I'm really looking forward to eating out.  I hear most restaurants don't keep their dishes in the spare room...

 

Andy built the cabinet above the island from scratch to match what we had.  I love how it turned out and it gives us a lot of extra storage space.

 

 

 

We have picked out a new light fixture for the dining room and will hopefully have it up soon.  This is what it currently looks like.  We took the leaves out of our table to make the room seem larger.  The sideboard is a new addition purchased at a discount furniture store.  It's the perfect size for our small room.

 

The pantry on the right is going to move into the spare room to store yarn and fiber.  There will be three shelves above the sideboard.  The new pantry will look very similar to the cabinets with wainscoting and crown molding.  It's going to be about a foot taller and possibly wider.  I'm hoping for some slide out shelves, but we will see what transpires there.

 

 

 

caissa

Earlier this year Anne Hanson asked me to do a test knit for a kimono style sweater.  Sight unseen, with only a hint of what it was going to look like, of course I agreed!  After all, Anne's patterns are fantastic and very well written.  Hints of what it would look like would pop up on her blog from time to time.  Little snippets of knitted fabric, hints about the shaping, and photo's of the yarn kept me on pins and needles!  Last month an email from Anne came and it was time to begin. 

 

It took me just a little over a month to complete my caissa and I really enjoyed every minute of the pattern.  It's straight forward, easy to follow and like all of Anne's sweater patterns, fit's perfectly. 

 

We have had a couple of cool nights here and Ive already had a chance to wear it.

 

 

It's the perfect sweater for wearing with jeans and a light shirt in the fall.  And this winter it will layer nicely over a long sleeve shirt.  Ive checked to see that it's light enough to fit under my coat which will make it perfect for car trips. 

 

The pattern should be coming out soon.  Keep an eye on Anne's blog for the details. 

 

If you would like to meet Anne and have a great learning experience, she will be at the Shalimar Yarns Studio on Friday September 21 for the Knitspot Finishing Series.  More information and the link to sign up is here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Ravellenic Gold

67 Hexipuff's knitted during the Ravellenic Games!

129

129

I think it's safe to say I haven't been knitting much of anything else recently! 

And now for the weather.  Back to you Tiffany...