updates

Sorry,  to those of you who check the blog daily that I haven't written in a long time  I have  been giving the blog a new look.  Still work in progress.  

Here are 2 of my current projects.



This is  Legwarmies by Alana Dakos 

This is to be a birthday present for 7 yr. old girl in June, that pattern was free at my LYS and the yarn is Debbie Bliss Cashmerino.   I originally started out  per the pattern, with a 1" ribbing then switch to  stockinette on a 3-3.25 mm needle.   The finished length on the pattern was 9".   Once I had knitted 5" I had that feeling that this was looking too baggy for a set of spindly legs, not as the picture showed chubby little toddler legs.   I checked for sizing with on of my knitting friends as she had a daughter around that age.   The length needed to be at least another 2", but that didn't solve the largeness of it.   

I went to the my LYS the next day and was talking to one of the great ladies that work there and asked her opinion and she suggested doing the whole legwarmer in 2x2 ribbing and go down to a 2.75 mm needle. Wow!!..why didn't I think of that.    I went home and ripped  everything out  and started with the same number for cast on but went to a smaller needle and with the ribbing it tighten everything up.  Looks like a tube sock without the foot.  It will definitely fit those long lanky calves that  I'm gifting them for.   Thank you everyone for your input !!

 

This lovely is To Eyer by Carol Sunday

  We have a knit a long with a group of ladies from our knit night.  I'm traditionally not a shawl person but this one looked so pretty and cozy.  Knits up quickly I have aboubt 3/4 of it done.  Carol Sunday designed this shawl to  duplicate the ones worn by  Jane Eyer  as the movie is to be released shortly.  I've not read the books, so I've had to go online and check it out.  I've had to  put time into the legwarmers so this lovely is on hold.   

I've have also completed a beautiful cardigan which needs to have it's own individual post to do it's true honour.   I've even gone out to buy some new tops to do it justice, and now the pictures have not been taken.  Can't wait around for the weather to be sunny, as that has been a hit and miss this spring.

Thank you to everyone who checks the blog frequently, I don't know if you are knitting enthusiasts, so that has been my theme on this blog lately.      I have lots of interests so I could share that too.

Till the next time.

Alice xox

 

virginia's wine and oak gloves

Well, here is my the last pay-it-forward to post .  Started the pay-it-forward in January and completed all the gloves in mid March.   I had decided to make everyone gloves as gifts.


Virginia was the the last person to make a gift for.   She is a very close friend of mine, so I knew her tastes better.   I wanted to make her something feminine,  simple and artsy.    The colours she liked were mostly earth tones..but I knew she liked blues as well.  

I had seen  the Alana Dakos,  Oak Grove,   pattern  for sale at my local yarn store, but had not seen any sample or knew anyone making them.   The leaf motif was what drew me to this pattern.     It was a creative process ...after almost completing  I tried the glove (besides being too big for me) the leaf motif bunched up and I wondered how to change that.   After talking to a knitting friend , she suggested moving the leaf pattern higher up.   So that's exactly what I did.  I also changed the cuff hem on it as well.  

This was a quick knit once I knew how to modify it..there's more notes on what I changed on my  Ravelry page. Wine and Oak Gloves . I also chose the Malabrigo Yarn Silky Merino to work with, it's such a soft yarn, and it came in a beautiful colour that I knew Virginia would like.




they looked so natural on the branch

or on a rock nestled on the moss



the best were on Virginia's hands


All my friends received their gloves in the winter months, and were able to enjoy them. We had a whole year to complete our gifts, but I knew this was a simple gift to make and also to mail them.    


I have started other projects since March of course, so it's time to write about them and share some pictures too.


Alice xox

marlee's fetching

My wonderful friend Marlee who received my pay-it-forward gift #3 sent me these pictures of herself modeling her gloves same day as I posted them.     Her pictures are so much better than mine.  Plus these are the ones I made for her and should be featured on her hands.     Thank you Marlee, for doing such a great job with the photos.  Without further adue here is Marlee's Fetching Fingerless Gloves:

The last gift will be posted soon.

Alice xoo

So Fetching

I had  decided to finally to take a picture of one of the gloves I had made made for my friend for the pay-it-forward #3.   I had made this glove first, but decided to modifiy it , so luckily I kept it and was able to take this picture.   I had not received a picture from my friend with her gloves, and I should no better to take my own pictures.   I also wanted to complete these posts on these 4 gifts

I did not catch a mistake on my cables around the wrist area.till I had completed them.  Then I also did a modification..so I decided to start all over, but did not undo the gloves.  I started a whole new one. I knew I would have plenty of yarn.     This fetching pattern is such a pretty pattern and the robin egg blue is probably one of my favourite colours.

I do believe you can still wear these gloves if you go out for a walk in the evening..it's been that cool still around here this spring.   Now I have one glove with no partner, will need to make the other, maybe in the Fall.

Alice xox

Artist

I had been reflecting on why I  enjoyed the pay-it-forward  gift idea so much .  Why it resonated so much with me.   Here are some things I came up with:

Some people are gift givers by nature.  They love people , or they respect their art, and so they give.  Not for an ulteriour motive, but because it gives them joy.  Other people might need to consider the economic benefits first.  People want to know what's in it for them.  People who believe there" ain't no such thing as a free lunch and "every man for himself".    They are unable to give a true gift. .  They want something in return.  They want security or cash or both.  They haven't found the artist in themselves.

An artist knows that he is the source of his own inspiration, even if someone copies or takes his ideas, he is fine, becuase he will find another idea.   I believe true art is scarce , and in turn creates value.   

Some people think that you can't be generous until after you become a success.  They argue that they have to have theirs and then they can go ahead and give back.  An interesting fact is that the most successful people in the world are those who don't do it for money.  

Knitting for me is a way that a share my "art" . I have used other mediums over the years.  I know there are many other ways that I share myself, and that is an art in itself,  because I can   and want to, it is a selfish motive and but in this one everyone wins. 

Of course you can give someone a gift  and not have them react in a way you expect.   But when you give someone a gift   purely for them with no agenda it takes the pressure off in receiving and and there is great excitement and joy.

Now for a great master piece that's hard to duplicate.

Alice xox

Fetching

I have  now completed with all my pay-it-forward gifts.   I thought I would find myself relieved in a way, but instead found myself feeling sad about it.   It was a wonderful project to be involved with, to do something for the purpose of someone else to be surprised and enjoy their unexpected gift.  Unexpected in a way that they knew they were receiving it , but never when.  I have now mailed them all.   The last two friends have received them.  But I did not get a picture of gloves #3 before sending them off, so I will have to wait to receive the pictures.  Gloves #4 I did take pictures and received a picture with my friend modeling them, them looked so pretty on her.

The #3 glove I did was the Fetching by Cheryl Niamath  in Debbie Bliss Aran Rialto .   I have done this pattern probably the most of any gloves. 

My friend's name is Marlee, who I made these for.   She lives a town that gets a lot of snow and cold for most of its winter, so I wanted something warm..  I probably should have made her the first glove pattern as that was even more wintry,  ( Axel Gloves)  but I  wanted everyone to get something individual.     I had this yarn in hand as I was going to make a beret with it, so I knew I had plenty of it, so no chances  of running out.    It's a robin egg blue, and that is one of Marlee's favourite colours.  Oh, another reason I did that gloves is that she did not own a pair of fingerless gloves.

I did do a modification of the pattern.  I made the first pair for me and found them to be a bit short.  So to extend the length,  .I did  25 rows instead of 18 for the hand length before starting the thumb. per the pattern, but next time I will just do more cable repeats at the cuff .   I think the gloves look more proportionate with more cable repeats on the cuff, than a increase length in the hand itself.

I first came across this pattern in my local yarn store as a sample.  I had not knit mitts in the past, so this a great first project.  It's also a very popular free down load on Ravelry.   This is the picture from the original pattern.

I will post  a picture of Marlee's gloves when I receive them. 

Alice xox

Cherry Beret

Combine a gorgeous yarn and a beautifuly  written pattern and this is what you get:

Pattern:  Autumn Vines Beret by Alana Dacos
Yarn: Madelinetosh Pashmina

 

Modelling her new beret is Lillian, my mother-in-law.    She had requested for a new toque, so this was what we choose.  She was very pleased and  it looks great on her.

 Alana Dacos has great patterns and I wanted to try the Madelinetosh Pashmina, so this was a perfect match.    The yarn is hand dyed, this colour is called "cherry" but it's not anywhere near being red.   Somewhere between dark rose, burgundy tones..there is a touch of lavender through out as well. 

Makes for a very feminine, soft  beret than you can wear through out the year.

Alice xox