off to the woods, but to the sea first..

So happy to report that I finished my ships & seaside cowl KAL just in time! Yay! My dear friend Charlyn modeled the finished the project for me in some serious hot weather here in the San Fernando Valley, but she made it look like an ordinary spring day. She's a such an inspiration to me too. I ❤ that girl!

And just when I thought one cowl was enough, I had to get all excited over the Capra yarn from Knit Picks I purchased and knit up another one as well. Check it out!

I used the Easy Mobius Capelet by Haley Waxberg as my point of reference. Unfortunately, my circulars weren't long enough to create a true moebius, so I just did a full twist when I joined my stitches. Oh, and the yarn on this...WOW! Let's just say, it's now my new ultimate favorite yarn. Can't say enough great things about it, it's that amazing. For real.






And finally, look what I found hiding in the forest...RAWR!

How much fun is this sweater? Too much I tell ya. It's the ears that get me. Every. Single. Time. ❤
That Tiny Owl Knits. She sure knows how to design the cutest stuff.

i'm glad i'm not a kennedy...

So my "summer break" from knitting really didn't last that long. Haha, I'm not surprised really. Turns out, that while I was just "browsing" on ravelry, I came across the TOK (that's Tiny Owl Knits for all you non-owlies out there) discussion boards and noticed a June KAL for the yummy Ships & Seaside pattern. Just reading thru and seeing all the gorgeous color choices, I just couldn't resist! This pattern was one of my favorites to knit up, and since I've never done a KAL, I thought, why not? Perfect timing too, cause I ended up checking out yarns from Knit Picks and they were having (and are having at the time of this blog!) a great sale on discontinued colors and overstock yarn. Really. Go there now! No joke! And even if you read this after their sale is over, go there anyway. They have the best prices. For real.

My Andean Treasure

Plus, not only is their customer service Ah-Mah-Zing, but free shipping in the US on any order over $50. For fifty-six George Washingtons, I ended up with 13 skeins of yarns...8 of which is their Andean Treasure of %100 Baby Alpaca...Hello Dahling! And 5 skeins of their Capra which is %85 Merino & %15 Cashmere...Oooohhhh, Aaahhhh. It's a Party for sure!




Ok, so back to this Ships & Seaside KAL. Like I mentioned. I couldn't help myself. I just had to join. And so I did. My inspiration, you ask? Why it's Cape Cod and the ever elusive Camelot family, the Kennedy's. So really, I am knitting a "summertime" project. Now where's the closest clam bake?

vacay from my knitay

I haven't been motivated to knit. At all. I'm gonna blame it on the weather. I live in Southern California, so once May rolls around, I do what most Angelinos do. We put on our flip flops, sunglasses, lather ourselves in high SPF sunscreen, head outdoors, and bask in the glory of summer living. I can't say that I don't knit at all during the summer months, but it's not the first thing I think of doing when I have some free time on my hands. I mean really. Who wants to sit with wool in their hands when it's 90 plus degrees? Yeah, not this gal...

I have a slew of projects (that I do intend to finish), but not now. From now until September, I will frolick & play and enjoy the summer time as it's meant to be. I might go ahead and knit up a few rows of this or a few rounds of that just to scratch that knitting itch I sometimes get, but for the most part I'm on a knitting vacation. Memorial Day to Labor Day. Or maybe not...

And so, my knitting vacation has unofficial begun. Time to pack some yarn away, think about future projects, and take that much needed (and earned) vacation! Cheers!

save the whales...

Just recently (like 2 days ago) there was yet another whale rescue attempt off our Southern California coast due to fish netting. And as my heart aches a little for these gentle giants cruising the mighty seas and getting caught up in our commercialization of the ocean, I had to post this awesome knit and pattern from Bec Brittain. I mean, how real does this look? So cool. Check it out here and share the love ♥.

© Bec Brittain

© Bec Brittain

© Bec Brittain

ooohhhh, sweet shawlette of mine...

I really am truly thankful that we live in 2012 where not only are patterns available on-line and available for instant purchase and download 24/7, but in case you do decide to purchase a pattern book via Amazon.com, it arrives within 24 hours on regular shipping. Hence Sweet Shawlettes by Jean Moss arriving on my door step in less than a day. God bless the Internet.

I already knew that Jean Moss' patterns in this book were already going to be Ah-Maz-Ing, but the pictures! Oh the photography is so pretty. The cowls and shawls are pretty. The wording is pretty. The entire book is, well, pretty! And I love pretty things :) Plus, the price ($14.93 via Amazon) is well within reason for all the pretty patterns you get.

First on my queue...the Ceilidh Shawlette. Just look at it below. Pretty. 

Ceilidh Shawlette

I've already ordered my yarn and I'm actually going to change the tartan patten up with a different color palette. Can't wait to get started...

And here are some more pretty patterns from the book. Ahhhh, I'm so in love...

Drift Cowl

Harlequin Cape

Mantilla Shawlette

Kitty Capelet

smock, smock, smock...i like smock...

So, remember when I mentioned somewhere on this blog about all that Lion Brand® Wool-Ease® that I purchased on sale a while back? Well, I still have some left and I'm always trying to find quick, easy, and fun projects to do just so I can get through all that yarn. My latest creation you ask? Why it's a one skein knitted "smock" for a two year old. And when I mean one skein, I really mean one skein. I literally knitted to the last yard; including unraveling my gauge swatch to finish the pocket.

What's really fun about this project is the embellishing part. I added a pocket, some crocheted flowers, and some embroidery, but the ideas are limitless. An knitted owl on a pocket would be super cute; check out Ysolda Teague's pattern on her blog at http://ysolda.com/2009/09/01/hoot/. Or maybe some fun intarsia on the front. Even just an initial on the upper left hand side ala Laverne would be pretty cool. Oh, the creative choices...they're swirling in my head!

I'm including it as a free pattern below (I'm calling them notes really) for nat and callie knits and I can't wait to see what gets made and shown on raverly...yay! Enjoy!

http://www.scribd.com/natandcallie/d/87602031-Smock

Smock

shrug it up...

I just posted on raverly my finished Briar Rose Bolero by Ysolda Teague. It came out super cute and I love the style of it, except...it came out a little bit bigger than I wanted it to. Although in my defense, I have recently lost a cup size (bye bye breastfeeding), so I'm not too broken up about it. 

It was a challenging knit, but I  loved it! You can check it out at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/briar-rose-bolero to purchase and read up on how other knitters conquered this seamless shrug.

The seamless join

Two separate pieces united!