The moment before ...

my latest knit goes into the wool bath to soak for Blocking, I need to take a few pictures. I know it hardly needs any blocking at all but I only plan to soak 20 minutes in a wool bath, gently squeeze out the water and roll in a couple of beach towels to soak up the excess water and then lay out on the blocking board. No pinning this time. Just pat out flat and let it dry! Couldn't be simpler.

Wingspan Shawlette ...

I did the final 4 rows and I-cord Bind Off in another color for high contrast.

This knit was so additive, I want to cast on for another. But wait ... I have a few other projects to finish first. Oh no, it's MIAs or that pile of WIPs sitting next to my chair that has to be finished to make room for more.  Mmmmm, I have to think about this because it's a toss up on what to work on first.

On second thought, there's a birthday gift in there that has to be mailed next week in April. Problem solved.

Little things add up ...

First it's a trivet and then it's a pot holder ...

Grandma's Potholder

But that's only a prototype. I had to make an bigger and better one right? So I made this one ...

One with a little more imbellishment. But could I stop there? Oh no, there are lots more to do with those crochet hooks. And plenty of left-over yarn to use up. Waste not; want not. That's right ... they're all crocheted too. I don't know what's gotten into me. So I decided to do another 3-dimensional trivet. Another hot pad ...

I've got to keep this one for my tea pot. I might even make a few for Christmas gifts though.  And about those shawls that have taken over my life lately ... Well I finished one for my Mom too.

Blocked and put away for Christmas. If it looks familar it's because it's the Stacy Shawl pattern from the book "Wendy Knits Lace". I love that book and especially this shawl.

But then I also love the simple shawl by Stephen West called the Boneyard Shawl. I finished this one 2 days ago and before you give me high praise for being a really fast knitter ... let me explain that I've been working on this all Summer. It was my "go to" project when I needed something simple to relax with or to knit on while talking to friends.

I wore it yesterday and love this one as much as the others too. So that's the picture story of my knitting life lately ... with crochet stepping in now and then.


(All details for all the above projects can be found on my Ravelry page)

Go ahead and make something!

Summer dreams produce lovely shaws for the Winter.

Another Madelinetosh luxurious creation. This time I used Madelinetosh Pashmina. I love that yarn so much! In fact, I have loved any Madelinetosh yarn I've used so far and I can see that there's more to try. Oh my goodness! Thankfully, they'll be even more to pick from down at my favorite LYS, Seed Stitch Fine Yarn in Salem.

I had to knit another Summer Mystery Shawlette by Wendy D. Johnson. Only this time I wanted it to be shawl size.  So I cast on 96 more stitches with the colorway Forest and here is my creation ...

I call it Summer Dream Shawl and you can see more pictures on Ravelry.
It felt so good to put on that I had to wear it going out to my DH's birthday dinner at a fine restaurant.

It suited the occasion wonderfully!

Can't have too much lace or too many shawls!

I finished another shawlette. Another design by Wendy D. Johnson. It's her Summer Mystery Shawlette ... so I called it "Summer Dreaming Shawlette. Check it out, it's a free pattern.




It was very quick ... yah, I know it was. So I highly recommend it to even a beginner. I cast on for another using sport weight and with 2 more sets of 48 stitches cast-on it'll also be larger and more "shawl" size. If there's enough interest I will give a workshope at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn in January on this one. It's knit from the bottom up!

And while my new shawlette was blocking, I whipped up a flu-flu ruffled scarf.



The color is called White Silver and it does have a rather Holiday glow about it.

Well I'm getting back to my knitting. Lot's of knitting on the needles already. But ...
No time to stop now, there's a hurricane headed this way!

If Mom wants it, she'll get me to make it!

I sent my Mom a Stephen West designed shawl for Christmas ... the Colonnade Shawl.



And once she got it she called to thank me and tell me how cold it was down in Florida and it was just the thing she needed to help keep her keep warm even just a little bit. Except ...

She could use one in Turquoise or some blues. "Don't you like the color of the one I made for you?" I asked, while I kept thinking 'wasn't purple one of her favorite colors anymore?' "Oh yes," she said, "But I need a color to go with my other dresses that I have in blue or turquoise. Turquoise is my birthstone color you know. (insert violin strings here)"

Ooooooohhh, I see.

"And I also could use a pair of leg warmers in blues. It's really cold down here right now you know and once I get cold I can't warm up. I only have one pair of leg warmers you made for me a couple of years ago you know. So I sure could use another pair or two"

So what does she think I am?

A store?

A knitting machine??


Well ....

Only my Mom could talk me into doing this ...

four days later I finished ...



That's right, another Colonnade!!

And I do feel sorry for Mom now that I have arthritis also and feel the cold in my knees and hands although I have the advantage of being able to knit up my own sweaters or whatever else I want in wool, alpaca, cashmere or silk.

These pictured below are not new Christmas ornaments.



But I did finished them 3 days later and put them in a box with the shawl.



Now I'm REALLY done knitting for Christmas!
[This Christmas as least.]

The lure of knitted lace ...

Is there joy in knitting lace? Will the process of working magic with yarn overs and ssk or k2tog to create what looks like a complex design or perhaps the end results after the blocking process is complete put a smile on your face? Is there a song in your heart when you knit lace? Perhaps the look on my face is the answer to those questions.



Does it call to you as it does me?

As you see, I just completed the largest shawl I've ever knit. It's called the Lotus Blossom by Dorothy Siemens and from Fiddlesticks Knitting. A beautiful well designed and written pattern.

Something for the Holidays ... for ME!

Of course part of the joy comes from the fact that I knit it for myself. A gift to the StitchingNut, I guess you could say. Oh how I love it. But the real enjoyment all started with the casting on and the process of knitting the lace. Seriously ... it really was.



It starts very small at the neckline and grows as you go with every other row increasing 4 more stitches. Although, I can't knit a project like this and visit with family or friends while I do it. It becomes all consuming. Each right side row became a row of concentration while the wrong side row was a few minutes of meditation or reflection. That's why I limited my time on Blogging or Facebook comments for the past few weeks. I was deeply involved ...



That's right ... involved with my knitting. As I finished each row and moved up my marker tape to the next row on the chart [there are 6 charts for this pattern] I got more excited each time.



The excitement to getting to the finish line was there but,
it was also in the details ...



The stems lead to the Lotus flower and petals at the bottom and the anticipation grew as I completed each one. It got so that I didn't want to do anything else. No housework kept me away for very long. No chore remained in my way. Dinner was quickly planned, cooked and eaten while the lure of lace called to me each day.



Until finally I got to the Cast Off ... and then I had to stop and practice on scrap yarn a new process I had never done before. The bobble ball cast off was a threat to the final results of this lace that called to me for 3 weeks. Was I going to be able to do it? Even though I had my doubts ... and I took ALL day to complete it ...



Whew, I succeeded!! I now have a lovely, soft, warm and glorious shawl for the Holidays.



Can you tell I'm pleased as punch with myself?

Can't let my obsession go ...

So another Shaw comes off the needles. It's lovely and warmer than you think. I wonder if I should give this one to my friend for Christmas instead of Jubilee? This one is called Traveling Woman and I used Cascade Heritage Sock Yarn for it. It took one week to knit and it kept my interest the whole time. Love the Teal!






I enjoyed knitting this one.

But now it's time to move on to another Boneyard Garden Path Shawl again. Would my friend prefer one of those? Especially if it has purple in it?

Oh dear, what a dilemma ...

I may never get around to knitting myself some new Winter socks.

Another Shawl? What's got into me??

This time I started Stephen West's Herbivore Shawl on July 15 and finished it on the 19th. What? I must of knit this one in my sleep.

Take a look ...



And it stays right on the shoulders so nicely ...



The design is very cleaver and the yarn is to die for ... Misti Alpaca Pima Cotton & Silk Hand Paint which contains Cotton and Silk. Really nice combination for the Summer too.



My Herbivore is perfect for me!

Never thought wrapping up in a shawl ...

could be so wonderful!

But I found out how wonderful it is when I finished this beautifully soft and cozy shawl called the Boneyard Shawl designed by Stephen West.

It's even nicer than you could imagine since I knit it with Rowan's Denim cotton yarn.


A yarn that's made to be machine washed and dried to fade like jeans. Yes, it shrinks a little but it maintains its soft cool feeling against your skin. Oooooo, it feels so good.


Just right for keeping air conditioning or a Summer's cool evening air off your shoulders.





Puts a smile on my face too.



What do you mean ... the simplest things can do that?

Behind the Knitting Scene ...

I Crochet.

Finally finished the Elegant Soft Crocheted Shawl; pattern called Elegant Mohair Shawl by Margaret Hubert from Plus Size Crochet.



I didn't use Mohair though. I used Rowan 4 Ply Soft; 7 skeins in Green. It's a pattern you could use whichever light weight yarn you want really. It makes a lovely lace shawl. I'll have a picture of me taken wearing it down at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn this Thursday so you can see the fit. I'll then leave the shawl there for awhile.



In the mean time, I'm doing more crochet. This time a Sampler Crochet Scarf for a class I'm giving at SSFY in September. Once it's done I have to write it up too. So I have a lot of work to do.

I posted a package for a friend today but I can't show you a picture of what I put into the box until she gets it. She's a regular here and I don't want to give away the surprise but I MADE SOMETHING.

Do you wonder what it is?

As close as I can get ...

The picture is dark, but it's more true to the color than the previous post.

My favorite shawl!

Thankful for my Monkeys ...

which were finished just in time to be worn to our family Thanksgiving dinner.



My feet were happy!

Also ... the day before yesterday I received my scarf in the ISE5.

That's the "International Scarf Exchange" for those who don't know.

And I not only got a delightful sheepy postcard and magnet (already holding notes on the frig, btw) , but also delicious Italian chocolates. She got those while she was in Milan. (I can't forget the Knit Pick's sock yarn either. In a lively and festive colorway. Another one I haven't knit socks with yet. What do you think of these color's, Heidi? They'll make soft & warm socks too, but machine washable.)

My pal is working in the UK right now and I was right about the fact that she was trying to trick me by sending a postcard from Geneve, when in fact a friend sent it for her. Tricky, tricky, Margaret. Almost worked. Well actually it did because I still had no idea where she really was from or who she was for that matter.

I had made the Vine Wrap for my secret pal in the UK and the secret pal, Margaret who had me ... from Ontario, Canada, knit me a beautiful, BEAUTIFUL shawl. Oh how I love this shawl too! I don't have one ... but intended to knit one some day. Now I have a shawl in lovely milk chocolate brown & terracotta. M-m-m-m-m it was a gray cloudy day and what I got for pictures just isn't the correct color I see in person. It's not really this orange ...

But when I took a closeup, it came out more yellow than it really is ... What yarn & colorway did you use, Margaret? I get a sense that you spun the yarn yourself. I just bet you're talented like that.

So I'll have to take another picture on a nice day to give you a true sense of what it looks like.

I wore it to Thanksgiving dinner and it kept my neck and shoulders warm while everyone gave me lot's of compliments on it. But don't worry ... I gave all the credit to Margaret when I said, "A friend of mine, from Ontario knit it for me!" "Aren't I the lucky one?"

(I truely thank you from the bottom of my heart, Margaret. I treasure it!)

What comes after ...

finishing the Clapotis?

I loved doing this shawl and love the Sheep Shop Yarn Company Sheep 3 that I used. Soft. And the color mix is perfect for me and the Fall season. But now I need some challenges. What!? Am I crazy? More of a challenge than the Poetry in Stitches cardigan? I have gone back to knitting the kit I bought a year ago. Bought the book just before that. Dieing to make it ... but alas it went into hibernation during the Holidays last year and I didn't get back to it until now. But I'm back. Honestly.I.am.

Well maybe something not quite this challenging, but different ...

Another drop stitch?

How about The Diagonal Drop Stitch Shawl from
Vogue Knitting: On the Go!

I have the yarn ...

Will Startitosis strike again?