Pink Cabled Merino Yummy .... and more necklaces!

I have started a sweater that is SO yummy... A gorgeous pink and classic cables, probably a raglan sleeve with details at the decreases and a turtleneck (if I have enough yarn). You have to check back in a few days when I will have enough done to photograph!

Meanwhile, I have been seriously distracted with the tubular necklaces. Each one I make is more fabulous than the last... it is truly addictive! You can see all the necklaces HERE and HERE, and keep in mind they are available for sale (I will mail them to you!) but I sold 7 of 10 in the first batch, mostly from gals that saw them in person. They look and feel even better in person!

Keep knitting and crafting and emailing me!

Mohair Cloud Sweater

It is such a sunny day here in the beautiful Niagara Penninsula, that I decided to take my Shisshie outdoors for some fresh air. She is precariously balanced on the railing! I wanted to photograph some jewelry I had been making (check the sewing blog) in natural light, so finally got the photos done for the new sweater pattern! I used the white turtleneck underneath so that you can see how sheer the lace weight mohair can be. On me (scroll down to the photo of me and Shisshie) you will see it layered with black underneath, the way I have been wearing it. Also notice the almost green grass and amazing lack of snow here in Canada... It's been a weird winter indeed.

Mohair Cloud Sweater

Yarn: Elann Light Mohair (75% mohair, 25% nylon) lace weight mohair, 50gm = 225m, 5 balls. Black

Also: small pieces of contrast yarn to mark edges.

Needles: 4mm straight needles,* ball band calls for 3mm, but 4mm will make a lacier, sheer look to the fabric, light as a cloud! Also 4mm circular –short- or 4mm double points to finish neck opening.

Gauge: 15 sts = 4 inches on 4mm needles, in stocking stitch

Size: oversized (for me) 48 inch around, cropped (for me) at 20 inches shoulder to hem! Sleeves, short and kind of bat winged.

Body – worked in one piece from lower back edge: Cast on 90 stitches on 4mm needles. Work in knit2, purl2 ribbing for 3 inches. Change to stocking stitch (knit right side, purl wrong side) and work even for 3 more inches. Increase one each end every 4^th row until 114 sts on the needle, work even until 13 inches from the start. Using contrast yarn to mark the start and end of this row. (marks where sleeve opening will be). Work even until 7 inches from this marker (top of shoulder). Mark both ends of this row with contrast yarn.

Neck opening: Knit 43, cast off 28, knit 43. Next row purl 43, join a new ball on other neck side and purl 43 there too. Work both sides with separate balls, without increasing for 2 inches.

With right side facing, Cast on one stitch at neck edges only . Repeat cast on neck edges, every right side 5 more times (12 stitches added so far, 6 on each side of the neck).

Cast on two stitches at each neck edge once, then cast on 5 at each neck edge once. Next row, knit right across both sides using one ball of yarn (joining right to left front neck opening). You should have 114 stitches again on the needle. Work even until you have worked 7 inches from the last yarn marker (top of shoulder). Place yarn markers on each end here.

Working down the front half of sweater, decrease one each end every fourth row, until you have 90 stitches on the needle. Work even until Length from last yarn marker is 10 inches. Work in knit2, purl2 ribbing for 3 inches. Cast off VERY loosely (use a large needle if you cannot do this on the 4mm ones)

Lie flat with right side up, pick up 60 stitches between the outside markers for the sleeve. Work in k2, p2 ribbing for 2 inches, cast off loosely. Repeat on other sleeve.

Neckline: with small circular needles ( or four double points) pick up 76 stitches around the neck opening, and work in k2,p2 ribbing for 2 inches for mock turtle or more if you want bigger neck or cowel. Cast off loosely. Sew underarm/side seams.

Happy Family Day for those who celebrate it, Happy Presidents Day for those "over the river" from me!! Happy Monday to the rest of you!

Vacation Socks

When I travel, I have to take knitting. There are so many times when you are sitting around waiting.... at the airport, now that we all have to be there hours before departure, and on the plane, waiting to GET there. Usually I take socks, because they take so little space in your carry-on, and you don't end up poking your neighbours in the oh so skinny seats on the plane. Full size needles are too long for today's planes (unless you indulge in first class seats!) I had the striped socks almost done (just the toe of the second left to do), so I finished those really quick, and started the second random died green socks on the way down. I finished the last of the greenies the afternoon after I arrived home, while I caught up on my DVR'd Coronation Street episodes!
Now I am back to the mohair lace top... also almost done, and I will be posting that new pattern before the weekend (good to be back!).

Antigua Get-away

You may have figured out that I was away from my blog for a week. We took a break and flew off for Antigua. This was the first time in this small country and we chose an all inclusive resort... The Varandah. All the rooms are little cottages with cute front porch and large varandahs on the back, overlooking quiet Dian Bay, on the Atlantic Ocean. The whole resort is up and down the cliffs of the bay, and you cannot walk 50 yards without walking up or down! There are two sand beaches down on the bay, and the sand is soft, the waves tame (breakwater reef out at the mouth of the bay) and the water warm. Above is the view of the big pool from the buffet restaurant (really good food everyday!)
Above is a RARE photo of me in my bikini! Still got it, eh? Below is a brown pelican that was looking for breakfast while we were on the golf course. He kept diving into the pond and came up with a few fish.
Above is the view from our room, we were up on the hill and can see the bay below and the Atlantic ocean over the next ridge of cottages (not on our resort).
From a kayak, we see the beach and the stairs up to the beach bar, and some of the cottages winding up the cliff.
The cute paths that join all the cottages, all lined with rustling palm trees, providing lots of shade and a cool constant noise!
Above is the Devil's Bridge, a local attraction, where the ocean has pounded the shore relentlessly and carved a cave below and a hole behind the thin "bridge" to the right of the spray!
A natural bench, perfect for resting!
What a lovely trip, I would recommend the Verandah Resort. The staff are SO friendly and the quality of the resort, food and drink were all excellent.

Fish Hat and Skiing

I have wanted to make this cutie for a while now, and finally squeezed it in between new patterns! My hooded cowl scarf has been such a big hit that most of my knitting group are knitting it and Ruth is making three! They are such a quick knit and they look great with the hood up or down. I have cast on the lace weight mohair in black and am well into the new design sweater (to be patterned right here later), but in between used some of my stashed worsted weight superwash merino to make the fish hat. I wanted it done before my ski trip to Horseshoe Resort north of Barrie. We got really lucky and hit a weekend that offered fresh snow and barely below freezing temperatures. Ideal for me, a beginner skier, who is a whimp in the cold and wind, and hates less than perfect snow on the slopes. (Ice, sticky snow, too thick snow, and too crowded slopes all freak me out!)
I even managed to ski for almost as long as hubby, quitting only an hour before he was done. I sat in the lodge with my knitting, and my fish hat covering my bad hair day for the last hour! Great day.