I decided to finish it off with only 15 feathers, rather than the 21 called for in the pattern. I'm a small-size person (except around the middle LOL!!!), and I felt that too many feathers would just overwhelm me. I'm very happy with the size and how it turned out! A huge THANKS to Judy & Denise for hostessing the Knit-along to encourage those of us who might not have started this project otherwise :*D I can definitely see me making this shawl again someday - it was a truly fun project with just enough challenge, but still easily make-able once you got the hang of it.
On my needles right now are two pretty easy projects. First, here is my progress on Wingspan....
Not a whole lot more done since my last picture, but this is my "to go" knitting project, so it hasn't come out a lot lately. But I'm pretty sure I'm going to LOVE IT when I'm done :*D
Next, I've started my third pair of socks - again using the "Toe-up, Two-at-a-time, Magic Loop" method that I really enjoyed with my second pair. The yarn is Serenity Sock Weight in the Surf colorway...
Can you believe I started these socks last Sunday, and I already have them past the heel????
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| Photo taken last night |
Don't you just love this "Eye of the Partridge" design on the heel? I do!!!
This pattern incorporates what they call a "faux" heel - which means that you don't knit a heel flap and then pick up stitches to attach it to the rest of the sock like in usual sock patterns. I don't really know how to explain it very well. You still use short rows but you attach the flap by way of knitting back to your other heel stitches - you don't go into the sides and pick up stitches there. Sorry if that doesn't make any sense. If you're interested, go HERE to download the pattern and try it - its free on Ravelry, quick and fun, and really easy!
For my next big knitting project, I must confess I bought yarn!!!! It will be a birthday present :*) I love the 100 Diamonds Shawl that is designed by Sachiko Uemura, one of the most amazing knitters I have ever seen! Her work is flawless!!!! I'm not sure if it is okay to post pictures of other knitters' projects from Ravelry even with the proper credits, so I'll just provide a couple of links here for you to go look if you like - both of these are just gorgeous!!!
Purple version - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/100-diamonds
Newest Caffeine version - http://www.ravelry.com/projects/knittimo/100-diamonds-3
Isn't that just a gorgeous color?
(There will be crystal beads too! BLING!!!)
I also ordered the Addi Lace needles for this project. Sachiko mentions that working with this yarn can be "fiddly," and lace-work can be fiddly enough for me all on its own, so I decided to get the best tools for the job. I used Addi needles on my Dreambird project and loved them - nice sharp points and the yarn slides along nicely without losing control and dropping stitches. Knit Purl describes the Addi Lace needles this way - "smooth needles with defined points for knitters who need a little more control over fine yarns than the traditional Addi TURBO needles" I decided they're worth the extra expense for this special project. I'll keep you posted on my progress, of course :*)
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On the "quilty" side, I have been busy playing with Terri Stegmiller's Paws in the Garden pattern and having a ball!
I've already prepped pieces to make two different projects but I don't really have much to share yet. I've chosen fabrics, traced and cut out the fusible pieces so far, that's it :(
I will give you one hint though - one of the projects will be done in wools!!!
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| 3 yards of that luscious batik on the left and 1 yard of the happy lime Christmas print in the middle. And Christa includes a mystery fat quarter if you order over $25 - how could she know how much I love text prints? |
Thanks Lesley! And Happy Blogiversary!!!! I'm so glad you decided to start a blog so all of us could follow along and get to know you - such a bloggy treasure!!!!
And lest I run out of things to work on - it could happen!!!!! - I signed up for this too-cute BOM at Shabby Fabrics.... Berties Year Club at Shabby Fabrics.....
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| Photo courtesy of Shabby Fabrics |
Linking up with On the Needles at Patchwork Times!
Wishing everyone a lovely weekend!!!!
Hugs & Blessings!
Teresa
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First of all, I love, love, love your dreambird!! Gorgeous! That raspberry yarn looks LOVELY! That 100 Diamonds Shawl is beautiful and will look so lovely in that raspberry yarn. And the fabrics you bought with your gift certificate? Delightful!
ReplyDeleteYour dreambird turned out gorgeous. You mean you didn't want to make 100 Diamonds with the same color as Judy and I both got??? LOL Ours will be Poppy. :-)
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness Teresa your Dreambird is gorgeous!!! Then the Wingspan and socks are great and the new raspberry yarn too. You have been and are still busy! I like your wool project too and lucky you to have won such lovely fabrics too! We have a lot to look forward to seeing on your blog.
ReplyDeletegreat projects!! beautiful shawl and love the heel of the socks. thanks for the link.
ReplyDeleteI can remember you struggling with the first feather and look - you are done and OH IT IS BEAUTIFUL!! The raspberry yarn is luscious. I was just looking at the Bert patterns before catching up on blogroll. This is too cute.
ReplyDeleteWooHoo! Dreambird finish--cause for celebration! I was just thinking, when you aren't wearing Dreambird, I think it would look lovely resting on Moonglow! : )
ReplyDeleteOh, my goodness, that new shawl project is beyond words!!! It will be sooo pretty in that raspberry yarn. I would never dare such a project. You are amazing. You just go for it and do a beautiful job with whatever you choose.
Oh, I LOVE that batik! Gorgeous!
What fun little holiday quilts! Are they wool on cotton, or entirely wool or is it mixed applique? Too cute. You always find the best projects. And you actually finish them!
Gorgeous! Love your finish and thanks for the links to the sock knitting. I really should try socks again one of these days....
ReplyDeleteCongrats on winning that luscious fabric! Can't wait to see your applique project!
ReplyDeleteYou've been really busy while we were gone! I love the way your Dreambird turned out. Wingspan is on my list also. That 100 Diamonds should keep you out of trouble for a while! LOL BTW, I've been to Knit Purl, and it's a really nice shop.
ReplyDeleteTotally outstanding work!
ReplyDeleteYour Dreambird is just amazing. and those socks...love them. I have the worst time with knitting socks. Awesome fabrics from the giveaway. Love the text print
ReplyDeleteDreambird is gorgeous and I love the socks too.
ReplyDeleteI love your projects. I have finished one pair of socks. They were too big for my little feet. I wear a size 6 shoe. I gave them to my daughter who has bigger feet than I do. Her dad wears a size 13. So, for some reason she has larger feet. Of course, she's quite a bit taller than I am, too. I am a few oneies, too. They all seem to be too big for me. My grandsons half sister was here and saw one and she wants me to do the other one for her. Honestly, I don't care for the child and don't want to put that much work into something for her. I see her maybe once a year for about ten minutes. I offered to have her come for a week for two and I'd teach her to sew. That was three years ago and they can't seem to make it happen. I bought her an expensive machine. I finally gave it to an 89 year old woman who wanted a machine to replace her treadle. She had put the labor into a double wedding ring quilt for me for nothing - so I had no problem with that. She needed to be blessed. Anyhow, I have not tried a toe up sock. Maybe that's the ticket, too. I love magic loop. I knit chemo hats and NICU hats and use magic loop on them. Thank you for an inspirational post.
ReplyDeleteTeresa, you should have give warning of "eye candy overload" at the beginning of this post. WOW, your Dreambird is gorgeous, love the raspberry yarn and I did look at the link you provided for the lace shawl. WOW you are my hero. I haven't mastered socks yet and here you are on your 3rd pair. You go girl!
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