Embroidery

Not too bad for my first embroidery attempt? Trees and branches are good practice for beginners. It's alright if the lines are a bit jagged and uneven, which mine very much are!

Best worked in the morning light while sipping tea...

Spinning!

A bobbin full of bulky 2-ply wool from a fleece I got from my friends at Stillwater Cove Ranch. A few more of these to go before I can fire up the dye pots!

Flower Basket Shawl

This was a surprisingly quick knit. I used two strands of Misti Alpaca lace-weight. It's not my favorite color, but I bought this yarn for practically nothing. The yarn itself is luscious. It's a two-ply; one ply is a light blush pink, the other is a deeper mauve. This was the perfect project for it, and I really loved working with alpaca.
The pattern is the Flower Basket Shawl from Interweave Knits Fall 2004 by Evelyn A. Clark. Great pattern, I love working from charts. I will make this one again.

Another Girasole

I am in love with this shawl, made with one strand of a single ply merino yarn, Malabrigo Lace. At first I was unsure of the yarn choice. In fact, it started as a swatch, and then I couldn't stop! The result is a feather-weight, exquisite feeling shawl. I wear it both folded in half and completely open. It will look just as great with jeans and a white top as over a dress.

Also, this was my first lace project knitting continental style. I'm glad to report that it was a breeze, and probably the reason that this shawl only took three weeks to complete, start to finish! I started knitting continental style about a year ago, but had only used it to knit garter stitch and stockinette projects in the round.... until now! My lace stitches aren't perfect yet, some of the yarn overs differ in size for example. But now I have the confidence to keep practicing...practice makes perfect!

Revisiting this pattern was a lot of fun, and may have been another reason why this second one flew off the needles. Working a big lace project is like reading a long epic novel. The anticipation of what comes next keeps me going, and I can't put it down. Watching the lace evolve and take shape through my fingers is like the weaving of a story. And then the piece has its own story that stays with me long after its completed.

Thanks for reading about my journey! I love this shawl!

Springtime Lace

This was supposed to just be a "swatch" 4 days ago, a test of Malabrigo Lace, the soft merino single-ply in the pearl colorway. As you can see, I couldn't stop myself... It's going to be so lovely.

Tunic still in progress: ripped back the bottom portion twice.

Happy sweater knitting!

Did you know yesterday was a holiday? February 9 celebrates sweater knitting every year... I celebrated hard.

Here is my progress, though it is likely to increase throughout the course of this beautiful Sunday. The sun is shining, whales are breaching, husky is napping.... I'm knitting.

Happy Sunday.

Progress.

Progress is being made!  I should have this one done by the end of the week.  Working on the sleeves now, then I will decide on length.