Carol is knitting: a ruffled scarf

Here my friend and fellow knitter, Cindy  is modeling a ruffled neck wrap.  I found the pretty pattern in “A Knitting Wrapsody”   I used Malabrigo Rios with ribbon yarn for the tie.  A very easy pattern to do with only time as the factor.  I made it a little shorter than the pattern called for.  You could also make it wider if you want it to sit more on your shoulders.

I bought the Malabrio Rios at The Yarn Lounge  and the ribbon yarn at a yarn shop in Williamsburg.

 

 

Sock it up with beautiful knitted socks

Here are a couple socks I finished recently.  Both are knit from the Handmaiden Caper Sock that I purchased at my favorite yarn store, The Yarn Lounge.  It’s a nice yarn that is soft, stretchy and holds it’s shape.  It comes in lovely colors.

The pair in the back is the famous Turkish Bed Sock pattern from Churchmouse Yarns and Teas.  This is a fun pattern to knit, knits up really fast and easy.  You’ll want to make a dozen, which I might do!  Check the Yarn Lounge’s blog for my fellow knitter (Becky) to post her pair.

The pair in the front is a pattern called “One-run socks” from the book Reversible Knitting.  I call them my gladiator socks.  Also fun to knit and easy.  It knits all in one piece with no sewing involved.

As usual, I steal the gorgeous pictures from Melanie at the Yarn Lounge.  I really need to get my own camera! The models are Mimi (One Run Socks) and me (Turkish Bed Socks)

“Let’s Stitch”

The Fredericksburg Spinners and Weavers Guild and Liberty Town Arts Workshop present

 A Fredericksburg Area Charitable Event in affiliation with From the Heart Stitchers”

October 8th, 2011 10:00 am – 4:00 pm at 916 Liberty Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401

 

Calling all beginner – intermediate – and advanced knitters and crocheters.  Bring your yarn, needles, patterns, your moms, daughters, sisters, brothers, and your friends and spend the day with others stitching for those in need of a warm fuzzy.

Don’t know how? Come and learn for a cause. 

Join us throughout the day for demos, refreshments, stitching and camaraderie.  Shop at the vendors tables or throughout the artists studios. 

Knitted and crocheted items will benefit many local groups including:  

The Rappahannock Council Against Sexual Assault (RCASA)

Micah

The Rappahannock Council on Domestic Violence (RCDV)

Mary Washington Healthcare

Fredericksburg Police Victims Unit

SPCA

Donations of yarn (full skeins only please), needles, patterns, books, and completed items are now being collected at the FSWG studio at Liberty Town Arts Workshop, 916 Liberty Street, Fredericksburg.  To Pre-register go to:  http://sites.googles.com/site/fswguild/

For questions contact:  Lynette Reed at yarnlyn@aol.com

Another Knitted Hat: Thornton Hat for David

This hat I made for David Shafer, an employee at my rape crisis center who is moving to Minneapolis to work at the University.  We are sad to see him go and I thought I would make him a knit hat to wear in the cold up there.

I found this pattern called: Thornton hat by Steven West from his book West Knits Book 2.   The pattern seemed consistent with his urban skater image.  I used  Thirteen Mile Yarn in an offwhite and heather.  It was a fun hat to make.  I also made some fingerless gloves for him as well, using the same heather yarn and modified a fingerless pattern from the same book.  I altered the pattern to make an extension that he could fold back to expose his fingers or fold in to cover his fingers.  The thumb I made a slit to poke his thumb out so he can keep up his anti-violence tweeting!  Check out the pictures below.  The first picture is courtesy of Melanie of The Yarn Lounge blog

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Knit church and current projects

Another knit church session ended today.  It’s a nice concept, an all-skill’s class.  I can learn by direct instruction and by osmosis when other’s ask questions.    It’s also a great social group format, where you meet people you wouldn’t normally meet and find interesting connections.   The particular group I am in is about half the same people each time and half new people.  The group dynamic is always different each time.   I have become one of the regulars and enjoy the relationships I am developing with the other regulars and meeting the newbies.  I find it also has the added benefit of keeping me focused on projects as I bring them with me to the group.

My latest knitting project is a vest “Desert” in the Rowan Savannah Collection.  I’m using the Savannah yarn 0937 Barren, it’s a nice light 94% cotton and 6% silk wrapping the yarn.  The color Barren is a dusky blue.   The vest is all garter stitch and made in lengths that are picked up and knitted together from the bottom up.   The picture from the Rowan catalog is below, hopefully mine will look as good!

 

book-Desert.jpg

 Plus, I’m doing another Rivolo lace scarf out of an all bamboo yarn in a bronze shade that I had left over from another project.  I’m making it narrower, instead of using 5 repeats I”m using only 2.  We’ll see how that turns out.
Happy knitting.

Carol is knitting: fingerless gloves

I got into making elbow-length fingerless gloves.  The orange set is a really nice wool and   camel hair blend  that feels soft to wear.  The blue set is a wool-bamboo blend.  Both were   easy to knit up from a pattern I found in Modern Top Down knitting.  I found the yarn at  our eco-friendly yarn shop, The Yarn Lounge.  While the pattern called for the gloves to     extend to almost shoulder length, I bound them off at the elbow.  Between the two, I found the wool-bamboo to hold up a bit better and the camel hair blend to begin to  lose elasticity.  I haven’t blocked them however, and perhaps that’s the difference.

Carol is knitting – a cable knit cowl.

 I got this yarn on sale at The Yarn Lounge, a nice bulky wool yarn.  There was only one skein    so I thought of making a cowl.  I found a neat pattern with a cable and drop stitch that twists    to add extra oompf.  It was really easy and I had just enough yarn!

I’ll find the knit mag that I found the pattern in and include.

My mom is the model!

Carol is recruiting knitters for Hearts for Healing

I’m recruiting knitters!  Are you an avid knitter?  Do you have a huge stash?  I’m starting “Hearts for Healing” at my non-profit:  The Rappahannock Council Against Sexual Assault  and we are seeking knitters or fabric artists to make small heart pillows or sachets to be included in rape recovery kits for survivors of sexually violent crimes seeking medical and/or forensic care.

See my Carol Recruits blog for details

Hope my fellow knitters join in!  It’s for a great cause and a great way to use up all that extra yarn.

Carol knits: Another knitted hat for Tina

I made this hat because it looked so neat in the knitting magazine.  I used a really nice wool from Thirteen Mile yarn I purchased from The Yarn Lounge in Carytown (my usual knit shop haunt) in Heather blue.   The pattern is highlighted on the cover of Vogueknitting – winter 2011/11 – Aviator hat.  You can actually make the hat without the flaps and it’s a beanie hat and still cute.  Happy knitting and as Tina promotes: think responsibly!

Carol Knits: Another Knitted Hat collection:

This is one of my Christmas hats that I made for my staff/board.  It a Quantoid Hat from the Fall 2010 issue of knitscene. I used Classic Elite Waterlily brown and green from my stash (purchased at The Yarn Lounge).   The yarn is really nice and soft.  (I made fingerless mittens out of it as well that I’ll post.)

As all knitting, it’s a fun hat to make with a bit of time and is a need looking hat.