Latest Accomplishments and Delays

Still knitting for the Bernat yarn company! I'm really loving that gig. Every month, I choose a project and yarn, and they send me all I need to get it made. Then, I take lots of photos and write about the project on their website. The best part is that I get to keep everything I knit! Can't beat that. :D

Last month, I made some sweet dolls for charity. I donated them to a local support center for abused children called Treehouse Children's Advocacy Center. You can read about my project on the Bernat Blog here: http://bernatyarns.wordpress.com/2010/08/17/love-these-dolls-for-charity/



My mom has been watching my knitting projects as I talk about them on Facebook. And she keeps saying, "Oooo....I want one of those!" So, I'm trying to make a few things for her birthday.

Here's a market bag I've started for her:


And I've started work on two projects for customers.

A yellow & black afghan:


And a Christmas stocking:


I'm still at work on a "Oiseau" wrap for display at Yarnhouse Knits also. It is VERY slow work, with detailed stitching on every single row. Not a single row of "rest" in the entire project. I'm not sure WHEN that wrap will be completed.


At least I did finish ONE other project. Red slipper socks for my oldest son, just in time to celebrate his 25th birthday. :)


I think I might need another pair of hands to finish knitting all these projects!

Knitting Mags at Barnes & Noble

Every weekend (and sometimes during the week), my hubby and I will take a trip to Barnes and Noble bookstore. We both love to read. When we walk in, we are hand-in-hand, then we quickly lose track of each other. He heads off to look at the History and Military sections, Poker books, comic books, and magazines. I look through the clearance and discount section, then head over to the knitting magazines.

Pretty soon, we are both waiting in line at the Starbucks counter, ordering a drink so we can browse through the magazines together. We usually buy a big cookie to share, and sit down to talk about what we've found so far in the bookstore.

Tonight, my stack of magazines was about 6 inches thick, and included some art magazines as well. I've been interested in art for the longest time, but don't have time to pursue it.....at least I can see what others are doing with art. Maybe one day, I'll learn to paint.

After my perusal of the art magazines, I zeroed in on the knitting publications. NICE this month! I decided to purchase two European magazines, because the patterns and articles just stole my heart.

The Knitter, Issue 20


This issue has some SWEET patterns!

A precious doll, called "Prairie Poll"


A lovely, handcrafted pillow, called "Homestead"


And a nice, loose shrug that is the perfect style for my plus-size figure.
(And it has directions for my size! WOO HOO!!!)


Yarn Forward, Issue 28


SO MANY nice designs in this issue! LOVE IT!

The "Flirt Tee" is definitely my favorite, and it has directions for my size! :)


The "Belle Cardigan" is exactly my style, and once again in my size!!


I think my son will like the "Baltic Beach Hoodie"


And I plan on making the Japanese "Kokeshi Doll" for one of my piano students. She is originally from Japan.


I am so glad we went to the bookstore tonight! I would have hated missing these nice knitting magazines.

Lotus Leaf Scarf for Yarnhouse

Just finished a quick scarf for display at Yarnhouse Knits in the NoDa district of Charlotte.


The pattern is "Lotus Leaf Scarf", and I used Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk Aran yarn.

Beautiful Mohair French Scarf

I am in LOVE with this beautiful scarf I knit for display at Yarnhouse Knits in the NoDa district of Charlotte. Just gorgeous!


It is so light and airy, and feels heavenly.


I'll be delivering it to the shop this weekend, so if you are in the area, be sure to see it in person! (or...should I say, "in scarf"?) :D

Finished Felted Bag for Yarnhouse Knits

Last night, I finished felting the bag I've been knitting for Yarnhouse Knits in the NoDa district of Charlotte, NC. This morning, after it was completely dried, I sewed on the marabou trim. Looks great!


I delivered it to Chris at Yarnhouse today. He is very happy with it. I also gave him the market bag I knit earlier. He loved the way it stretched to accomodate whatever was placed inside!


I got another skein of Louisa Harding La Salute yarn, so I can finish up the French Scarf. Chris also gave me another project to make as well. A Lotus Leaf Scarf, using Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk Aran yarn, in a lovely shade of tomato red.


I'm enjoying knitting displays for Yarnhouse. :)

Knitting Displays for Yarnhouse Knits

I'm still at work on the handknitted items that will be displayed at Yarnhouse Knits.

Almost finished with the French Scarf:


And I've started the Marabou Felted Purse:


This Saturday, I'll be spending the day at Yarnhouse Knits, to deliver the market bag and felted purse, and finish up the French Scarf. (I ran out of one of the yarns for that project.) I've heard that the Charlotte Purls knitting group will be there that day as well, so it should be fun!

Knitting Students Learning Well!

I'm SO proud of my knitting students. They are quickly learning, and making projects to keep and share. So far, they have made napkin rings, a bracelet, an anklet, sachets, hula doll puppets, dishcloths, and hair scrunchies. Now, two of my students are learning to knit drop-stitch scarves as well!

This past week, I taught two of my students basic crochet stitches, and they did their best to understand. I think they are better at knitting, which is a surprise to me!

I taught my two older students how to dye yarn with Kool-Aid. They did much better than I did with their dyeing! In this photo, you can see the four skeins we completed. They did the first two, and I did the two on the right.



Abby used blue and pink Kool-Aid, Melissa used blue and yellow for hers. I used orange Kool-Aid on the stovetop for the solid orange yarn, and used blue, red, and yellow for the variegated skein. We had fun!

We used this tutorial for our Kool-Aid dyeing:
http://www.thepiper.com/fiberart/koolaid/dyeingwithkoolaid.pdf