Hooded Scarves and Cowl giveaway

Check it out, Sandra Singh is doing a holiday giveaway with her yarn and my pattern.

http://knittingwithsandrasingh.blogspot.com/2011/12/holiday-blog-giveaway-4-kits.html

the knitting wreath

OMG - I am having a ball!  Just finished my knitting wreath using partial skeins of left over yarn and once again, my mom's old metal knitting needles.  I hot glued the balls (styrofoam covered with yarn) and then hot glued black felt to the back of the wreath so it wouldn't scratch our new metal door.  I literally made this in a couple of hours........

The knitting tree

Okay - so I guess I'm in the knitting slash holiday decorating mood!

I made a knitting ball wreath (no pics yet as I need to still hot glue gun it together) - and had some left over knitting balls.  I have this tree in the family room that has small knitted items.  I also have antique doll house chairs on it along with antique suitcases and teddy bears.  Well - I suddenly had the urge to place the left over yarn balls on this tree to add more color.  Then I grabbed my moms ancient metal knitting needles that comes in the most beautiful colors and sporatically stuck them in the tree.  I must say, I'm loving it!  I'm afraid that I may not be done with this knitting/holiday decorating mania!

How does a knitter decorate for the holidays

How else but by knitting scarves for the mugs!

I actually got this idea from a very old Bon Appetit magazine.  They were featuring a small town in up in the mountains of France (Chamonix, I believe...and I have been there so it caught my attention).  Years later, World Market ended up selling these mugs scarves (lucky me!) so I bought what they had and knit up the rest myself. 

To knit up these scarves, I recommend sock weight yarn on a size 1 needle.

CO10 sts for a flat scarf - working up a small 1x1 rib along each edge until scarf measures 17 1/2" long.  

If you want to mimic the store bought scarf:

CO20 sts and join in the round. 

Knit until scarf measures 17 1/2".  BO all sts, add fringe to each side -- approx. 1 1/2" long (cut 3" lengths).

Block well to prevent curling.  

If desired, embrodiery candy canes, Xmas trees or snowflakes on one end of the scarf.

It may be alot of work - but it is so worth it.  I have had these scarves for at least 10 years and I don't feel festive until I drink my coffee out of a scarf laden mug!

Cheers!

Photo shoot on.....THRUMMING!

Gee, I think this makes "thrumming" the longest lived story on my blog to date!  I know you are tired of this - but  I just finished a photoshoot and have to share the latest photos.  After this, it gets published and I'm done blogging about it.  I promise!

  So....keep in mind that I stuck a nursing mamma to a newborn in a size small vest - and she still looks damn good!

 Love this pose - love how photogenic she is.  Did I mention how much I love this collar?????  www.opulentfibers.com is where I got the merino/silk blend roving. 

Yup....more thrumming

I know, I know...once I get onto a technique, I run with it until I can run no more.  Well -  I have all this excess roving sitting around and I am trying to use up my stash so I can justify this addiction.

I used Brown Sheep Burly Spun in hot pink and I made the buttons by creating a simple bobble with the roving and yarn held together.  Size shown is a 2T and took 1 1/2 skeins (approx. 175 yds of super bulky 1-ply wool).  Pattern will be written in toddler to size 8 years. 

I now have a skein left of each color or there abouts and left over roving too...oh no, I may have to make matching something!

Thrummed Outer Vest

After making 2 of the Outer Vests for my trunk shows, I finally found the time to make one for myself.  I used Brown Sheep Burly Spun yarn, color "Sable" and the roving is from www.Opulentfibers.com .  The roving is a wool/silk blend, color "Nut".

This vest was taking too long to dry so I put it in the sun.  Well - the cat found both the sun and the cozy vest to snuggle up with - pins and all.  He's known for chewing on feathers and fur so I was worried that he might have gotten his mouth on my thrummed collar.  Thankfully, it didn't appear to be wet.  I'll be adding the leather toggles to it as soon as it dries - then I'm wearing it!  It's getting quite chilly here and I'm excited to pair up this vest with some jeans tucked into some brown boots with a turtleneck.