Saturday, December 17, 2005

Progress

I finally stopped agonising about the scarf. I inadvertently revealed myself to my Pal (I'd be useless at undercover work!!) so I can't say anything about it as I want it to be a total surprise. However, I did ent up going back to the original idea and I am so pleased that I have, it is coming along beautifully and I like it so much that I am going to make myself one too! I'm not sure when it will be finished but it will certainly be before mid-February.

Friday, December 16, 2005

Holiday Knitting Almost Done

My holiday knitting is almost done. Just two projects left. Anticipating more knitting time soon, I figured out what scarf I'll be making.

I bought the yarn today, Elesebeth Lavold's Silky Wool in a beautiful eggplant color. Nice and soft. And I'll be using the Midwest Moonlight pattern from Scarf Style. Ooo, I want to start right now but I have some potholders and a dinosaur sweater calling me first.

Super Scarf from Super Pal

My scarf arrived from my pal, Anne. Anne couldn't have made a more perfect scarf for me if I had personally selected the yarn and pattern myself. It is as if she read my mind. When I opened the package I felt like the scarf was from someone who knew me better than I know myself and I was so surprised. What I am saying is that I LOVE THE SCARF. Anne has posted a picture of this lovely beauty made from Noro Silk Garden in a heavenly color and using a pattern from MagKnits. (Search the blog for Anne to find her entry and picture posted around Dec 3). Thank you very much, Anne. I can only hope that the scarf I make my pal will meet with similar success. Janis

My fingers are numb!

I have just about gotten all the gifts for family and friends done. I am trying hard to get my pals scarf and hat finished up. The hat has been a little bit difficult. I have had it on and off the needles and am still not happy with it. Just wanted every one to know that I am still around. I am not good at keeping up with the posting.
Merry Christmas to all!

Pssst. Can I tell you a secret

I AM HOPELESS AT Surprises/Waiting....drives me crazy in a nice kind of way.

My lovely Scarf Pal (Wendy) received my woven scarf ealier this week and it was great to see that she liked it (I have already started to think about Amber's one - cause she liked Wendy's one so much she is getting a Black and White one for herself!)....and I know that CynCyn said that I do have a pal, AND I know that it wasn't in the rules for the Pals to contact each other....but can my pal please leave me a little message of hope?....just a little tiny message to say that they are out there....?? A little glimmer of a "Hi there"??

How lame am I? :) You think I could wait....maybe some of you out there are just like me too????

I Am Alive!

And kicking. I know we were worried, but really, I've been working at it. I've picked yarn which I think my pal will not only like, but will be suitable for their climate. The pattern has been the tricky part. I bought the yarn with a certain pattern in mind, but then decided not only did I not like it, I wasn't positive my pal would like it either, so of course, it had to go. So, I frogged about an entire ball and am now back to the drawing board. I definantly have a back up plan regardless, but am really just considering making a pattern instead. Let's see how that goes, eh?

I got my yarn!

Finally!

The scarf is in progress.

But tis a secret, so you can't see. ;)

My First Post

I'm finally getting around to making my first post - and in fact this is my first ever blog post. I'm so excited to be part of the International Scarf Exchange but I haven't had much time to focus on it. With all the year end work and getting ready for the holidays I haven't allowed myself to start my pal's scarf as much as I have wanted to. I have purchased my yarn though and I look at it often. I have tried to post a photo below so I hope it works. It is Cherry Tree Hill Glitz yarn in warm winter colors per my pal's questionnaire. I got it at our new LYS called Full Thread Ahead. If you live in the Bay Area you should definitely visit them. They are located in Los Altos, California and it is an amazing place. If you can't get there in person visit them at www.fullthreadahead.com. I've decided to knit the Clapotis scarf from Knitty.com which can be found here http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall04/PATTclapotis.html. I hope I can make it work - I've never knit one like this before. Wish me luck! Happy Holidays and Happy Knitting to all!

- Allison T



NZ Wool Glitter -Tropical Storm

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Checking in too!


I'm checking in as well... still haven't started my scarf, but I do have my yarn and pattern picked out. The yarn is a beautiful mixed blue cashmere from Makalu yarns. Yummy. I'll start knitting once I finish one more christmas goodie - yay!

Checking in!

Well, my life has pratically spun out of control in so many ways!
I have not updated my personal blog recently.

I am not going to use a pattern for my pals scarf, rather I am spinning the yarn for mine and dying it!

I am going to let the yarn speak for itself and I really hope she loves it!
I am almost done with mine and will be sending it out soon as I want her to use it in the cold weather we are having now! I should have it mailed off by the end of the mth, very begining of January. so pal (an no, you don't know who you are YET!!!) you will be gettign a special scarf spun and dyed by me!

YAY!!!!

Almost ready to get knittin'

So the yarn is here and the Christmas knitting is almost done so I'm about ready to start my scarf. I've finally decided on a pattern too so I knit a swatch to check my gauge then gave it a bath to see how it washed up. I loved the softness of the yarn before but I was tickled pink to find that it got sooooo much softer after washing, I'm getting excited now! Hopefully I'll be ready to cast on for real in the next few days.

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Photo update

I haven't worked on my scarf as much as I should have, good thing it is such a fun pattern that when I do - it moves along quickly.

Here is what it looks like so far:
Image hosted by Photobucket.com

I also found a great pattern to use for the hat - I am planning on doubling the yarn so that hat will be a little heavier and warmer.

I really like this pattern - I think I might make my self a wrap out of it one day.

Checking In

I now have finally figured out what pattern I will be using for the scarf but I need to change my yarn. I have narrowed down my yarn choices but I need to go out look at them agian before finalizing the yarn choice. I have the mitten yarn and pattern. But until I finish up the christmas knitting, I can not start anythign new.

Update

My scarf is finished. I did a multi-directional scarf in Noro Silk Garden. The color changes nicely with the different triangles. I am still contemplating the hat, but I think I have found the pattern that I like. Hope to be finished soon! Bev

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Still Going...

I have started my Scarf and am fairly happy with the progress except I keep getting second thoughts about the suitability of the yarn and the colour. I take heart from the fact that this seems to be a common occurance so I figure I should just keep knitting, just keep knitting...
Once I figure how to post photos here I will, but in the meantime the scarf in question can be seen at this site: http://sydneysityklickers.blogdrive.com/
(November 26th meeting - 2nd Photo)
It will probably finished in the New Year - I hope.

Finished hat

Finished hat and very pleased with it. Question now is, I have completed number of repeats called for in scarf pattern, still have 1/3 yarn left, should I just continue and make it longer?

Misgivings and a Tale of the Evil Silk Ribbon

Well, I was playing around with swatching for a scarf. Initially, I had thought of knitting my MD Scarf for my exchange friend, but now I'm thinking of sending it as a Hannakah present for a friend (sorry, secret pal!). You see, I've just finished it and I'm so proud. Then I looked at it and thought to myself, "you know, this is my first hand-knitted gift. I want it to go to someone I know... closer to my heart." Anyhow, I have time till end of Jan '06/early Feb'06. I am so happy to be finished with my first scarf though. I made it four inches wide and sixty inches long.

In the meantime, I swatched on for another project, playing with Artyarns Silk Ribbon. Let me tell you though... this is tempermental stuff. I think I spent all day just unraveling it from the hank very carefully, but periodically it was never careful enough. The darn strands snagged on every tiny thing to my carpet and my dry hands. Also, I had a heck of a time trying to keep it from becoming tangled again while I was unraveling it. Here we are at evening time and I still haven't unraveled all of one hank of the Silk Ribbon yarn. I made butterflies at both ends of what I could, so maybe 60 yards of it are rolled up into manageable balls. I think I'm not going to make a scarf with this yarn. Hope other beginning knitters can learn from my frustrated experience. It's a beautiful yarn and the sheen is lovely, but it is REALLY high-maintenance. Bleah.

swatched and frogged


yesterday afternoon I cast on, knit one full repeat of this lace pattern, decided it wasn't working, and got out the graph paper and started

playing with combinations of stitches.

Maybe it's just that the needle size was too big for the yarn, but it really didn't work.

Today I frogged it.

next swatch may be the pattern that I created yesterday on graph paper, and it may still be this lace, on smaller needles. Will have to see what I feel like when I get back to it - I'm working on this instead of working on the Christmas gifts I still haven't finished.

I got my Scarf!!!

I got my scarf today!!! It's GORGEOUS.. It came all the way from Australia..from a wonderful lady Danni..
www.moggyandme.blogs.com
She spun and wove this scarf just for me...Its soft and has all my favorite colors.. I am so lovin this scarf.. A BIG BIG THANKS TO MY SCARF PAL!!!...

Monday, December 12, 2005

I'm checking in, too!

Hi all,

It's been fun to see everyone's progress here.

I'm trying to crank out a sweater for my husband in time for Christmas, so I'm not going to be starting my exchange scarf until the new year. I've been dreaming and planning, though, and I have narrowed things down a bit. I may post a little poll here to help me make the final choice...but I need to dream and plan a little more, first.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Where are the photos??

I could be strange
Or even cuckoo
But I wanna see
What your pal sent to you!

So grab your camera
And take a shot
And post the photo
In this very spot!

WE WANT PICTURES!!!!!
xoxoxo
LainE
Knit and Purl Grrl
visit me online at http://knitandpurlgrrl.blogs.com/my_weblog/

Checking In

Hi all,

I'm doing my December 15 th check in. I'm so glad to report that my scarf pal has sent me a beautiful scarf that I have worn several times now. I love it.

My scarf pal is in my thoughts and I will be searching for yarn in the next couple of weeks and I've been dreaming of a pattern. I like to come up with my own. With all the seasonal gifts, I won't be starting the scarf till the new year. But I will be looking, thinking and creatively dreaming of it until then.

Have a happy holiday to all!
Susan

Sunday, December 11, 2005

Scarf progress

Hello everyone.

I'm checking in, but only to mention that I've not started my scarf yet. I haven't chosen the yarn, nor the pattern. December's one of the busiest months for me, I have four birthdays and Christmas - which means lots of knitting! I've got a hat, two pairs of fingerless gloves and two pairs of men's size socks to knit for Christmas, and once that's out of the way I can concentrate on the scarf.

I'm thinking of knitting something cabled. Probably in aran or chunky weight yarn. The yarns that I'm looking at are DB cashmerino (love this soft yarn) or maybe a wool/alpaca blend. I'll decide on the yarn first, and then probably knit a simple cabled pattern. It's a little bit worrying to see that some people have finished their scarves already!

Dawn