Knitting By The Lake

Knitting on vacation is one of my very favorite things about summer. I'm going to Lake Placid soon and I grabbed some ShiBui yarn yesterday. I love the combination of mohair and silk. The color is so rich and vibrant. I'm adding to this some yarn I already had.....a great Manos del Uruguay silk blend (30% silk with70% merino extrafine wool.) I'm making a cozy, wide wrappy scarf. xo

Summer Project

I completely love the Mirasol Api yarn that I bought not long ago. I grabbed three skeins (at 120 yards each) to make a wrappy scarf for fall. It's the perfect thick/thin texture...great blend of half alpaca and half highland wool. Handcrafted in Peru. Love the muted chocolate tones.  I'm using classic Takumi Clover wooden needles size 9 US. I cast on 33 stitches. Great project for this rather breezy, cool July week. Happy Knitting! xo

Sunday Brunch

I got up early this morning to make my daughter an egg, ham and cheese casserole she had asked for. It's been baking for an hour now and smells yummy. A few days ago yarn arrived from the UK that I ordered online a few weeks ago. The brand is Mirasol Api and it's so wonderfully soft. Made in Peru...the colors are just perfect. I grabbed a couple skeins of orange and a few of a warm cocoa. It's a 50/50 blend of highland wool and alpaca. I love the variation in color and the thick/thin contrast. Happy Sunday! xo

Fresh out of the oven: organic eggs, sourdough bread, ham, swiss and cheddar. Topped with crushed cornflakes.

Spring Project

Spring is such a busy season and the more hectic our schedules get the more I need quiet moments to balance things out. I really appreciate a good knitting project this time of year. I don't feel rushed and these projects really center me.  I purchased three yarns last week and I'm really excited with the combination of tone and texture. I'm using a great ribbing pattern that is soft and perfectly drapey. The yarns I grabbed are: Cascade EcoDuo, Cascade Kid Seta Noir in a  shimmery dove grey and Kid Seta Noir in a shimmery cocoa color. Happy Knitting...xo

Perfect Day

I have no plans for today! I am so happy! It's been a week of endless softball for my daughter. After five games in three days....and at one point a series of wrong turns which led me to the bridge to Canada...I am happy to just knit and knit today....and maybe whip up this yummy looking pizza.

I'm a big fan of rosemary and caramelized onion. This looks so fresh and flavorful. I came across this amazing recipe originally on Pinterest.  You can get all the details right here....it's from the great site Cookin Canuck.

I'm in the middle of a grey ribbed scarf that I just love. I'm using three yarns and the combination is working perfectly. I'm only a day in but the texture and gauge is exactly what I wanted. Photos soon!

At the top of my knitting wish list...I love the Puffin yarn from Quince & Co. The quality looks exceptional and the colors are beautiful. I'm thinking of ordering this week for a cowl project....

Puffin by Quince & Co. I completely love this bulky yarn...

Knitting Day

I have days where all I want to do is get the absolute basics done around the house and clear my entire afternoon and evening for knitting. I love my new yarn stash from Purl Soho and I also purchased (locally) new needles by Knitters Pride. Love these Dreamz  size US 11 needles. I love knitting with wooden needles....they have such a wonderful, warm feel to them. Such a great color too....so pretty!

Last night, I searched around for pattern ideas for a ribbed scarf. Came across the Sinful Ribbed pattern on Ravelry that's offered at no charge.  This great pattern, designed by Classic Elite Yarns, can be easily adapted to various widths. So excited for this project....happy day! xo

Strolling in Soho

I had the luxury of a perfect afternoon in Soho this past week. I loved walking the city streets, finding a perfect cozy cafe for hot cocoa and warm bread and then winding up at Purl Soho. Tucked in on Broome Street, this is my very favorite yarn shop. I often peek at their offerings on line and I'm constantly inspired by their projects on The Purl Bee. I grabbed four skeins of this amazing merino yarn...here are two whispery blue/grey skeins that I could not resist. Thinking of combining with a feather light mohair. Have a great Easter! xo

Cozy Saturday

Oh...I finally made it to the knitting store! After a crazy week, all I wanted on Friday was to gather knitting supplies. I was on my way out the door and the bell rang....a masonary giving an estimate on the chimney. I hadn't been contacted that he would be looking at some brick that was damaged in a windstorm last week. I basically said...there's the chimney, there's the fallen brick...I'm off to the yarn store! He looked at my like I was crazy!

Here's what I grabbed...two great Manos yarns...a silk blend and a soft merino. I may add a strand of mohair as well. Happy Saturday!

End of Week!

I'm so excited to finally have this week wrap up. Way too much running around. I want a quiet knitting weekend and I'm searching for a perfect pink yarn. I'm not a pink girl...but I have an olive green down vest from Banana Republic that pink would look great with. 

I found this pink hand spun on Pinterest but sadly the link is no longer avalable. I just love these deep, rich colors!

I also found a great Etsy shop from Canada that offers amazing, unique yarn. I love this pink....it's about 97 yards and a great worsted weight. You can peek at this beautiful shop here!

So Talented

I look online for knitting ideas all the time. I stalk Ravelry and Pinterest. When I go into a yarn store I literally cannot decide what to buy first....the textures and colors are all so amazing. But nothing inspires me as much as seeing a project a friend is working on. I have such creative, talented girlfriends. I mentioned that one friend is doing a cowl in linen stitch. Here's her work using Berroco Brio yarn...isn't it just fantastic?!

Love how this thick/thin yarn is infused with a shimmery metallic thread.

Fresh Linen

There is one thing about my knitting...I tend to knit what I know. I knit because it's relaxing so I tend to not break out of my element because, to me, there's nothing relaxing about complicated stitches and hard to follow patterns. That said, I need to change things up a tiny bit. A girlfriend last night told me of a cowl she's knitting in a linen stitch. This I could try.....I googled around...there's also a half linen stitch. I've looked at lots of pages...I love these examples:

Serenity Knitters has beautiful ideas! Peek here to check out this amazingly creative blog!

Love this pretty yarn that I saw here at Enchanted Mama.

Fresh Project

The weather is starting to become just a bit more mild and I'm looking for both a new knitting project and a new book. I came across The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon at Barnes and Noble the other afternoon. It looks really good...it's officially next on my list!

I love this yarn I was peeking at on Etsy. From the Colorado based shop, Yospun. It's a great thick/thin yarn...about 80 yards in total. A perfect blend of merino and mohair. I love the wonderful variations throughout! Happy Knitting! xo

Quiet Week

I am so glad to have a relatively simple week ahead. No hectic evenings planned...just a short, much needed break from meetings and sports practices. Today feels like a good day for the yarn shop...and a good cooking day, too. Loving the quiet....

Simply beautiful knitting by Gris Handknits...I went to peek at this Etsy shop but they are currently on break to catch up with orders. Need to check back soon....

Love this....xo

Embracing Quiet

I am working on being more centered...making the most of my time...living as healthy as I can. I have never been one to thrive on a overly hectic schedule. I  need quiet time to balance my day. Not necessarily time spent alone just time spent calmly and well. Hope you enjoy a wonderful weekend...xo

I wish I had a proper photo credit for this...love!

Though the air remains cold, spring is edging closer!

Warming Trend

We had our second blizzard of the season here yesterday. The snow has finally stopped but the nearly subzero temps continue. It's March....there just has to be warmer days ahead! I found this great free pattern for fingerless gloves. Perfect for days that still hold just a bit of a chill. These gloves are knit with Cascade lana d'Oro yarn....a great blend of wool and mohair. Take a peek here for info on the pattern and great artist who created them! Happy Knitting! xo

In The Bag

When I knit I tend to lean toward what I know best....scarves and wraps. They are relaxing to make and I love experimenting with new yarns and textures. I am amazed when I see the knit work of others and the creativity that many artists have. This Etsy shop located in Istanbul offers beautiful handbags. I love the fiber choices and designs...take a peek at the truly stunning work NzLbags offers! Happy Monday! xo

Saturday Afternoon

I am so focused right now on mohair yarns and how beautifully they drape. I love this poncho....the color is just simply stunning and I love the cowl neck and front diagonal detailing! You can peek at it here on Etsy in the shop Renavere....this artist creates amazing pieces that are hand knit in Lithuania. Happy Knitting...xo

 

Knitting Night

This time of year I love wraps...knitted with amazingly soft angora yarn that you can cozily drape around you. They are my very favorite! I love this free pattern that I came across. It's generously sized and just perfect for when you can venture out without a heavy coat. Take a peek here for suggested yarn & instructions. Keep warm & happy knitting! xo

Fascinated

I love looking at hand spun yarn. Knitting possibilities seem so endless and magical when you look at the work of these artists. There is so much time and thought put into color and texture...it amazes me. I came across this yarn recently on Etsy. This skein...called "Moss Garden"...is 100 yards. Aren't the gold, cream, brown and green tones just so pretty? I love the variation throughout. The yardage would be perfect for a chunky cowl. Happy Knitting! xo