Funny!

I can totally relate.

Laurie is peeping me!

Kind of exciting, really. Crazy Aunt Purl asked for a peek into our knitting spots, kids. So here's mine:



That's where I sit, and here's what I look out at:



and what's directly across the way:



You may have noticed the little princess glued to the window. Here's what she's looking at:



Do you see him? See the teeny tiny guy? Yeah, he is on the roof of a HUGE house. Not sure what the roof-sitter is up to. He sat there for a really long time.


Here's where I am with the dressing gown. This is in the middle of the third ball, and it's the inside, according to the pattern. But I like the stockinette better than the reverse stockinette, so I'm making it inside out. It is so soft and snuggly on my lap. perfect for the Fall-into-Winter knitting, as it becomes a larger and larger lapful. The glaring purple is a misrepresentation, though, it is actually a deep periwinkle. I may have mentioned this once or twice. Aaaaaaaaaanyway:



Also! I made a bunch of these lace tie-on headbands. Pattern coming soon.

Oh! and I forgot

to show you this:



Finito!

I find myself wearing it every day. Thank dog it finally got cold and rainy here!

Seduced, I tell you.

I am helpless in the face of it.

To quote the brilliant Rhys Ifans in Knotting Hill, "It's a combination of factors, really."







First there was this:

yummy!

(in the blue violet colorway, which for some reason (might be my computer) I can't find a good image of. But trust me, it is the most beautiful deep periwinkle EVER.)

mmmmmmmm ohhhhhhhhhh oooooooooh so soft and cuddly and wonderful and such a joy to knit with. Makes my fingers so happy.

And then there was this:



OMG OMG OMG so freakin' flippin' GORGEOUS and elegant and stuff. I swoon.

I've been drooling over this dressing gown in Jennie Atkinson's Romantic Style for a few weeks now, ever since we got it in at the shop where I work. I swear, that book is the prettiest knitting book I've ever seen. And the patterns! Oh, the patterns. I wish I had time to knit everything in it.

So, put those two together and I am SEDUCED. No one can blame me for buying the book and 18 balls of alpaca blend. (OK, so I have the yarn on hold and am buying it a couple of balls at a time. I'm not made of money, yo. Anyway it is totally

WORTH.

IT.)

So I have powered through the first ball, only 17 more to go. I'm imagining myself wearing it on Christmas morning, and the beauty has magically caused my hair to be perfect upon waking, so this year's Christmas morning pictures? They will be suitable for sharing! yay!

Good plan!

Big ole pile

of finished objects! Huzzah!

The double sided lace scarf is blocking and man oh man, do I love lace blocking. You take your squished up, hey-this-is-sort-of-a-neat-pattern scarf, soak it, and then, as you lay it out, it becomes something magical. The lace bits open up and spread out and become defined and beautiful and HEY! This isn't a scarf after all. I think it might be a wrap!

Who knew?



Here's another view. I am just so damn pleased. Grinnin' like a fool here folks!



***

In other news, I finished the Daughter's little teeny shrug. She actually wore it once, too! That's some high praise right there.















and the sleeve from the front:





















Lastly,

I needed a break from the Ruins of Dunstaburgh (ohhhhh don't ask), so I whipped up these hats for some friends' kids over the weekend:



Here's the crown:
























And some cabling detail:



















So. It has been a busy week. The hat and shrug patterns will be written up soon.

:)

Emily wants to know!

the pattern for double eyelet rib. Since I learned it so long ago I can't be sure, but I think I got it from Barbara Walker. I'm not sure. Anyway here's how I do it:

CO a multiple of 7 plus 2, join in round.

Row 1: (WS) k2, (p5, k2) rep () to end
Row 2: (RS) p2, (k2 tog, yo, k1, y, ssk, p2) rep () to end
Row 3: k2, (p5, k2), rep () to end
Row 4: p2, (k5, p2), rep () to end

OR! in the round, comme ca:

CO a multiple of 7, join in round

Row 1; (p2, k2), rep () to end
Row 2: (p2, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk), rep () to end
Rows 3 & 4: Repeat row 1

Clear as mud? Yeah? OK.

Got a couple of baby/toddler hats (and their pattern) done this weekend, I'll be posting some pics later tonight.

You know what I love?

Well. I'll tell you.

I

love

double eyelet rib.

I love it. It is my favorite stitch, my old standby, my first lace love. My very good friend. I love it.

When I first discovered lace, I must have made literally fifty hats in double eyelet rib. FIFTY! That's a lot of hats. Then I branched out and made scarves, wristlets, a gaiter. I had thought the double eyelet rib was old. Passe. I was over it. Then I decided to ignore my daughter's wishes about me never never ever ever knitting her anything for school AT ALL MAMA!

I have a little preview for you:



It is so preeeeeeeetty! *starryeyed* Although it's not so pinky in real life. More deep crimson (it's baby cashmerino, in case you were wondering). And BONUS! Once I told my precious girl that it wasn't for her but I want her to model it for the pattern, she demanded that I let her have it.

Very satisfying.




ALSO!

I have another FO to share - I wanted to find a way to use a single skein of Mountain Colors' Mountain Goat, an absolutely DELICIOUS hand-dyed wool and mohair blend with a SLIGHTLY (ha! slightly!) off-budget price tag. That is, if I were to need more than one skein.

So I came up with another lace scarf pattern - this one with a small ruffled edge. I used a Harmony Guides lace pattern, which I REALLY wish I could remember now, and the Mountain Goat in Lupine. It is scrumpdillyiscious, and actually it worked out so that I can wear it as a scarf or a very small wraplet. I will have the Camera Master take some shots of it on some shoulders soonish-ly, but here is what I can show you now:



I likey!

Some progress! And a new yarn review.

OMG! OMGOMGOMG!

Well, I'm off to see the lovely and talented Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (www.yarnharlot.ca) in mere hours at Third Place Books in Lake City and I am DYING of excitement! It was literally the very first thing I thought of this morning when I woke up! I will endeavor to NOT scream like a Beatles fan.

Boy, nothing like a mom with the prospect of a few hours to herself.

But first an update. Finally! Getting somewhere on the Ruins of Dunstaburgh:




Also, we got in a new yarn at the LYS where I work, Classic Elite's Wool Bam Boo, and I'm making up a Reversible Garter Rib Scarf for the shop:



People. I love this yarn. It has all the snuggliness of merino and the sheen of bamboo. It's warm and springy, and the colors are GORGEOUS. So far it's been holding up well to lots of fondling, too, not a pill in sight. (You can get the pattern free with the yarn purchase at www.acornstreet com. If you like. No pressure. :))
Woohoo!