another scrumble mailed overseas

I'm still doing the International Freeform Crochet's scrumble exchange, but my progress has been slow. This is the 10th piece I've finished, and it was just mailed off on Monday. It's for Rita in Tasmania, Australia. She requested colors from the forest floor. This is not my richest area of stash, but I like what I was able to come up with. My button stash had some appropriate pieces, so I added them on.

Malabrigo sock scarf

This beautiful yarn needed to become a scarf, and the easy drop stitch pattern goes quickly and shows off the colors well. Maybe I'll use some of my other Malabrigo Sock colors to make actual socks. But maybe not!

Gift yarn

What a wonderful thing. The nice thing about freeform knitting and crochet is that you can use all types of yarns. The great thing about that is that people can give you gift yarn without worrying about quantities and matching. Everything works!
Here are some yarns I received for Christmas this year. They will find their way into a project sooner or later.

Christmas knitting finally done!

And I decided to knit only one gift. Why was this so hard to complete!?! Anyway, the socks are finished, and I really like them. I think that Allan will, too.



The sock blockers are for my size (women's 9) so these men's 10's are a little loose. I'm happy to say that they do look better on an actual foot.



The yarn is Lana Grossa's Meilenweit 100 Tweed, purchased a year and a half ago(!) at the Springwater Fiber Workshop in Alexandria, VA. I had *very* little left over after knitting these size 10 socks on Addi 0's. I'm ready to knit something colorful!

crochet fingerless gloves

I wondered if fingerless gloves would be quicker in crochet. I've made lots of knitted mitts, but wanted to try some in crochet. A back issue of Crochet Today magazine had a pattern for a pair that looked nice. They did work up quickly, but the strap feature added on a little extra time. If I make more, I might skip that part and the "beltloops" that go with. If you're looking up the pattern, it's called "Spring Fever Glovelettes."

need a quick gift?

This scarf is a new version of one I crocheted a little while back. Originally worked in Jitterbug, the pattern was written as a way to use that fabulous merino sock yarn some way other than knitting socks. Also, I needed an easy pattern to use in an upcoming crochet class. So the Frilly Scarf was born, and I never really got around to writing it up, at least not officially.



When Malabrigo came out with it's Silky Merino yarn, Madge suggested that it would make a nice Frilly Scarf. With a little refiguring, the pattern adapted well to this heavier gauge yarn. Not a heavy yarn, mind you, but a heavier gauge than the Jitterbug. When the scarf was completed, we agreed that it is a great way to use the Silky Merino! Wearing this one will feel decadent. Yum!





I finally wrote up the pattern, and free copies are available at Cozy in Durham!

ETA: If you live somewhere other than Durham, send me your email address, and I'll forward the pattern to you!

cuteness

One of my friends from way back has just become an aunt. Sounded like a good reason to use this fabulous super wash pink merino yarn.



The label says that it's Liisu Superwash Merino, but I think this company may have changed its name since I bought the yarn at Quilts Like Crazy sometime last year. Coincidentally, Quilts Like Crazy has also changed its name and location! They are now Yarnbirds, found on Falls of the Neuse Road in Raleigh.

The pattern is Madge's hat pattern, available at Cozy. I love the twin points, and, of course, the crocheted doodads.

ziggy zaggy

Even though this scarf is still on the needles, I blocked part of it last night just to see how it was going to turn out. Impatient knitter! But I'm glad I did it--I like it so much, now I'm really motivated to finish it.

The Trekking Pro Natura, a wool/bamboo blend, makes a scarf that's light and airy. Feels really good, and it will be even softer once I soak the whole thing in Euculan before the final blocking.

mesh bag

Last night I finished the 2-color market bag waiting for trick-or-treaters. Although this project got a really slow start, I ended up liking the stitch pattern. Maybe I'll use it in the future.
This bag will keep its shape a little better than the meshy ones, but that means that it will not expand to hold as much, either. I'll just have to try it out and see.

new scrumble for the exchange

This is #9, going to Jenny in Australia. It goes out today!

freeform projects

The 3 point scarf is coming along; I'm taking it into the pit so that I can work in the loose ends in the little bit of knitting time there is for Phantom, our current show. Here are some (hopefully) better pictures.















I'm also working on the next scrumble to send out in the exchange. It's for Jenny in Australia, who chose colors that I have in large supply. This one is turning out to be lots of fun--no surprises there!

bad pictures of a fun project

I've assembled all of the big pieces that I've collected for this project over the last year and a half, and I'm pleased so far. After I weave in the ends I'll add on pieces where needed. Can't wait to wear it!



I may have to wait for a sunny day to get better photos. Taking pictures outside is so much easier for me.

back to freeforming

OK, I've taken a little break from the freeform projects---both my own and the scrumbles for the exchange. Now I'm ready to jump back in, and just for inspiration, I reread the new book by Renate Kirkpatrick today, "Freeform Crochet and Beyond." It's always fun to see what other freeform artists are doing, and to decide which of their tricks and tips to incorporate into your own work.
To get the creative juices flowing again, I'm revisiting some scrumbles that I made a while ago.







Initally, these were going to become a jacket. Then, they weren't. And then they were going to be a jacket again, and now they are going to be a 3 point scarf. That's something in between a scarf and a cape. I almost have enough to form the entire piece, but there will be spaces to fill in and edgings to consider.
Along with this 3 point scarf, I plan to make some freeform mitts to sell at the Artwalk, and probably some more covered tape measures.
Fun stuff!

another cape!

This is one of the variations of Jane Thornley's Feather'n'Fan Organic Wrap. Since I'm still dubious about my ability to wear a wrap with any confidence, I thought the cape version of this design would be a good idea. All yarns were in my stash already, so it feels like a free project!



I have to admit that there is a dropped stitch on one side of the cape, carefully hidden from the camera's view. As soon as I clean that up, it's ready to wear.

finished capelet

I'm really please with this capelet in a few ways. First, it was a fun pattern to knit. I all but copied the shop sample at Yarnbirds in Raleigh, so choosing yarn was easy, and the knitting was fun and easy, too.

Second, it went quickly! It beat the cold weather, which hasn't quite arrived yet.

Third, it looks quite nice on my new dress form. Ive thought about getting one a few times over the last year, and I'm glad I did it. This is the first project to benefit from its use. It's been a treat to "try on" the capelet by placing it on the form, and I was able to sew on the buttons while it was hanging there, making that job much easier. Also a treat? Photographing! Not a treat? Measuring myself and adjusting the dress form to my own size. A sobering job, that was. Yech.










One of these days I'd like to make another one using bunches of yarns from my stash. I would have done that this time, but the allure of the shop sample was too great. I had to have one like it!

what I'm doing and what I *should* be doing

I'm participating in my neighborhood's Artwalk in November, and I should be making some small items to include in that sale. I have things in mind for this event, and I know what I want to make.

What I seem to be doing instead, though, is starting a bunch of fall outerwear. I've started 3 capes/capelets in the past week. I couldn't help it. Really.



This one is a modular capelet designed by Catharine Hennessy from Yarnbirds in Raleigh. The yarn is Noro Silk Mountain (the boucle) and the plainer yarn in between is by the Unique Sheep in North Carolina. I tried on the sample in the shop a few weeks ago, and I fell for it pretty hard. Started it Sunday.






This one is a "freestyle" knitting design from Jane Thornley. She writes a basic pattern, encourages knitters to use any yarns they like, making each one an original. The pattern is really for a wrap, but there's a cape variation that looked really cute, so I started it. This one will be finished soon, so I'll be able to wear it in the pit if it's chilly for the next show, Phantom. All black, you know.

No progress photo yet, but I started another Thornley cape that will have purple/orchid colors. I'm using yarns from Koenig Spinning Farm in Kentucky as the starting point, and I'm adding in many other yarny friends. Here are the Koenig yarns:



Luckily, I already have a large bag of things I'm planning to set out for the Artwalk. But, I do need to add to it! Soon...................

scrumbling continues

It's yet another scrumble! Sophia in the UK requested pinks with a little red, which made me feel Valentiney. I didn't think I had that many pinks in my stash, but I was wrong!

tiny projects

These little tinies have been perfect pit projects this week. The current show, "Whistle Down the Wind," does not really allow for much knit/crochet time, but there are a few moments to work these little spirals.

Yarn!

The 7th Anniversary Sale at Cozy happened over the weekend, and it was great fun. On Saturday, lots of clothing, shoes, and gifts were on sale in the main part of the store, but the anniversary festivities, like cake and live music, were curtailed by the storm. Still, lots of shoppers came and found some great buys.

On Sunday, the yarn department joined in on the fun as the big sale continued. With better weather, the shoes, clothing, and gifts moved outdoors into the parking lot. This left lots of room inside for knitters and crocheters! We also had a special guest for the sale--a local spinner who makes and dyes her own line of yarns.

Meet Rochelle!



Notice that skirt she's wearing--yes, she knitted it. The pattern is from Knitty.com, but I don't remember the name.

She gave demonstrations of wheel spinning as well as drop spindle spinning all afternoon. She also brought loads of her beautiful yarns to sell.





I was powerless in the presence of this stuff. Now some of it lives at my house.

If you didn't make it to the sale, and you're interested in Rochelle's yarns, visit her Etsy shop.

Back in the yarn section, the fiber was flying. I was not there for the very beginning of the day, but I was told that 12 people had lined up waiting for us to open! Quite a frenzy.



As the day went on, shelves were emptied as shopping bags were filled with new yarn purchases.



No pictures to show, but now those empty spaces have been filled with a fresh shipment of yummy Malabrigo yarns. We have their Chunky, Worsted, Silky Merino, and Lace. Just beautiful!

We're already looking forward to the 8th Cozy Anniversary Sale in 2009. Thanks to all who came and helped make this year's sale so fun and successful!

scrumble to send

I got a really slow start on this one, but once I finally got going, it didn't take long to complete. It's for Perry in Massachusetts, and New England made me think of fall colors. Always happy to include blues and purples, I decided to combine warm and cool colors for Perry. I think this may be one of my favorites!

wishing for cooler weather

Here's some more cool weather knitting done in the heat of summertime:



It's nice to knit in advance, rather than feel like I'm lagging behind. The yarn is one hank of 100% Wool from Manos del Uruguay. Veeerrrrry little left over.