Why Yes, I Have Been Knitting! And Planning!

I am getting a bit more back into my old knitting rhythm, though I am also still playing word games online, too. I can't help it...I love word games. I find it interesting that I win most Words with Friends games and lose most Scrabble games online. I can't figure out why I am good at one and not the other, but I still enjoy the mental challenge...but I also have been knitting.

When I am sitting in Unitarian meetings and various choir rehearsals (mark your calendars for February 19 if you are local! Texas Choral Consort will present Out of Israel, a fun presentation including lice, flies and other plagues), I have been working on the K1P1 scarf. It's looking really nice and the color changes are very lovely. I will give you a picture next time. Gotta save something for the future.

When I am not doing something that requires a lot of other thought, I am working on the absolutely beautiful Paintbrush Lace Cowl pattern that I got the yarn for when I was shopping with Jody. Two different Alchemy yarns--Silken Straw and Haiku. I sure am enjoying the feel of that silk and mohair gliding through my fingers, and I am also really enjoying the pattern. It is easy to follow but makes a cool effect. It has lace and cables, but neither are overly difficult. Just a pleasant thing to knit. I am beginning to wish I had more yarn. I probably only have enough to do 4 pattern repeats (though the pattern calls for 5). Here's how it looks now, with Scrunchy the Pug inspecting it:

Scrunchy sez, "This is intruding on my space."

I have been thinking about how nice the mohair scarf I got for Yule feels. Maybe I will make a scarf or stole out of one of the skeins of alpaca lace yarn I have, using the Paintbrush lace pattern. That would feel soooo good. And it would also not be so hard I would get discouraged again.I think that will be a nice thing to work on while doing the other, simpler projects I have in mind (gloves, mittens, etc.).

I realized I didn't post the earlier photo I took of the project, showing the two yarns involved.

Paintbrush Lace Cowl, pattern, and a bit of a view of the yarns that are knit together in my version

I found out today that the most elderly student I ever had in my knitting classes had passed away. She was a lovely woman with so many stories, and a kind listening ear. She was also very, very funny. It was so hard for her to knit, since her hands shook, but she kept at it, and always had questions and wanted to learn more. One of the nicest things about teaching was meeting so many interesting people and hearing their stories.

That ending brings me to a new beginning. I asked if it was OK, and sort of got permission to start a knitting group where I am working now. I hope to get to know some of the people there better, and satisfy my urge to teach people to knit or crochet. We'll see if it goes over well or not--I think about 8 people expressed interest, which is great! Of course, I didn't ask permission correctly, even though I tried to. Oh well, I made it over 4 months before getting into trouble over anything at the new job, which is considerably better than my record at the last "real" job I had. But wait, I am not looking backward anymore. I am living in the present! Right now! And right now I want to enjoy some more zen knitting...you all go knit or read or enjoy the moment in some way that has meaning for you now, OK?

Knitting Inspirations

Not only did I actually go to a genuine LYS the Friday before New Year's, but I also got some other new yarn in the past week, one as a gift. I have been trying to knit from my very copious stash this past year or so, since I have been in the throes of my "knitting identity crisis," but like the ones I mentioned yesterday, these "spoke" to me (or showed up!).

I have been wondering if I'd ever get to write this blog post, though--ever had one of those days when technology hates you? Well, all of my various technologies for getting photos onto blog posts broke this morning, and I got a bit frustrated. Finally I found a cable, dealt with some issues on the phone and the computer, and was able to copy all my recent photos onto my computer. WHEW! Still not sure why I can't upload photos to Facebook today, but I will live. I can at least blog now!

First I wanted to show you this very interesting yarn that I found when Jody and I were shopping. I know it looks like a bit of a mess, but I saw it knitted up and woven (that was lovely!) and I really liked the tweedy effect it made. The yarn is called Mericash Thousand Colors and it is from Punta Yarns in Uruguay. Of course, it is no longer being made, sigh. It's a merino cashmere blend with 3 strands that each change colors. My plans for this are to knit it tightly and make myself a pair of warm gloves. I LOVE my very old cashmere fingerless gloves, so I predict I will like these.

Mericash Thousand Colors

And look, I found PhotoShop so I could crop pictures.

Next is yarn I ordered from the blog's old friend Ray Whiting at Knitivity. I was really intrigued by both of these. The one on top I am totally in love with. The colors are so subtle and muted. I realize I am on a real tear with hand coverings, but I really, really want to make another pair of mitts in this. I have a simple pattern with cute edgings in mind. I may have enough left over to make a matching hat and/or headband, too. The bottom skein reminds me of blue and white china, even though it has pale orange or cream color in it. It will probably be socks, if I ever get back to those. I am suddenly getting holes in my socks, some newer ones. No moth signs, but it makes me hesitant to make more.

Sock Yarn from Knitivity

And next is yarn I received as a Yule gift from my friend Diana, who went to Ireland and thought of me when she saw this yarn there. As you can see, it's a boucle yarn, in a lovely reddish purple-y color. It feels oh so soft. I wish I knew what the yardage was, because there is a pattern in Vogue Knitting this month for a very simple sweater with a twisted front that would look cool in this knitted very loosely--it would be more of an overlay than a sweater. I may have to get one of those things that measures how much yarn you have! I think this is a goodly amount, since it is thin yarn and tightly wound. it's surely enough to make a very simple shawl that would showcase the yarn.

Lovely Irish Mohair

Diana also sent me a really lovely mohair scarf or wrap that was hand knit in County Clare near the Burren, one of my favorite spots on earth. I love the very simple pattern used.On larger needles, this could be done in the boucle.

Scarf I got as a gift.

So, these are all the things that are inspiring my knitting these days. Now I need to write one more blog post and I can knit! It is SO nice to finally have a relaxing weekend.