Monday, June 14, 2010

Pink Dandelion - Samothrace Shawl

Last year, a couple of my friends, Kristi and Debbie, launched their own yarn line, Pink Dandelion Yarns.  I was lucky enough to snag a skein from their first release!  Pink Dandelion offers great colors and their Nylon Sock is a good value for an indie yarn at 420 yards per hank.  Mine actually had over 475 yards!

Recently, I saw Kristi knitting a prototype of a soon-to-be self published shawl pattern.  And every since then, I've been bugging her to let me test knit the shawl.  She was finally ready for me to start last week and this is the result!  I love it!  Don't you just love those points...so cool.
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Yarn: Pink Dandelion - Nylon Sock
Color: Money (That's What I Want)

 This is a great shawl for those that are either intimidated by lace or don't like lace shawls.  I also like this shawl because it is not just a plain garter stitch.    Believe it or not, this is an instant gratification shawl.  The stitch pattern is so quick and easy, paired with the garter stitch, it really makes for a speedy knit!

Estes Park Wool Market - 2010

This past weekend marked the 20th Annual Estes Park Wool Market.  Unfortunately, it was a wet and soggy weekend so I didn't take the time to see any animals or shows.  I did, however, shop the wool market!  Look at the pretties I found.
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Lower left-hand corner: Creatively Dyed Yarn - Calypso - Gentle colorway
Remaining pics: Plain & Fancy - Sport - Banboo, Bamboo/Dk Brown, Brown

For the Plain & Fancy, I will be making the Colonnade Shawl by Stephen West.  And I've already started knitting a pair of socks out of the Creatively Dyed.  My first try at 2-at-a-time!
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(You'd never know they were coming from the same skein of yarn.)

 We've had a lot of precipitation this year and many of our bike paths and pedestrian bridges are flooded from all the rain fall and snow melt.  After the Wool Market, we all headed into town and warmed up at Kind Coffee.  The coffee shop has a little patio along the Big Thompson River (I believe) and it was running fast!  The picture really doesn't do it justice.  The little video clip I shot gives you a better idea of how fast it was running and how loud it was.  All in all, it was a great day, despite the weather, and fun to be in the company of knitters for a day.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Peony

Fresh cut from my yard.  So pretty.  In a house full of boys, I don't often get pretty.
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Thursday, June 10, 2010

Herbivore

Oooh...my latest knit!  And I love it.  I love the drape and weight of this shawl.  This yarn is a wool/silk blend that gives this shawl beautiful sheen and drape.  The weekend is going to cool off considerably around here so it will be the perfect occasion to wear it at the Estes Park Wool Market.  The colorway is a bit funky and typically not something I'd pick for myself.  But Mew Mew's was having their 4th Anniversary Sale and I was intrigued by it, I figured it would be a good time to try it.    This is my first Stephen West knit and I'm really happy with the result.  The design is interesting and classic...not to frilly or funky for me.  I've been dying to knit his Daybreak and Colonnade patterns, too.
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Ravelry: Herbivore

So far today...

This is where I've been sitting most of the morning, admiring the beautiful weather we've had the last couple of days.  It's so nice being outside before it gets so hot...and the boys love to be outside so it's much more peaceful for me.  :-)
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I have my knitting, my coffee, and my computer...bliss!

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The girls enjoying the outdoors with us.

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Our peony bush is in full bloom...it's beautiful.   

Sunday, June 6, 2010

The latest

Gosh...it seems like it's been forever since I've blogged.  I know what people mean about the summer getting so busy.  My niece graduated from high school last week so we've had two weekends in a row of functions in her honor.  And now that the birthday festivities are over and done with, I actually got some knitting done.

This is going to be Part II of my great unveiling since I had a Part I.  Though the shower was for three pregnant woman, you will notice that there are only two in the pictures.  That's because I didn't have any of Kristi's gifts done by the time the shower rolled around.  Alas, I still do not have any pics of her but I do have pics of the items that were gifted to her.  The first project is a WIP that was started back in January for Kristi who's baby shower was back in August and who's baby was born back in November.  So needless to say...this is a little belated.
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Colors: Flamingo Pie (VM410), Cinnamon Girl (VM11S), Good Luck Jade (VM410)

This sweater was finished shortly after the baby shower.  I had a hard time finding a pattern that I thought would do this yarn justice.  What so special about the yarn you ask?  It's Kristi's own handspun!
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Yarn: Handspun by Kristi
 Ok - now on to stuff for me.  :-)  

I finished a test knit for a fellow Malabrigo Junkie, Tori Gurbisz.  I knitted my first shrug back in April and fell in love with them.  This shrug was knitted in lace weight and has such a great feel against my skin.  My first garment in lace weight and I can't wait to knit another.  I'm now on the hunt for a lace weight cardigan.
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Ravelry: Dulcet
Pattern: Dulcet by Tori Gurbisz
Yarn: Malabrigo - Lace
Color: Apple Green - 11 
I'm waiting for the pattern to start another test knit.  I can't wait!  In the mean time, I'm keeping myself busy knitting a shawl.   I was hoping to have it done by tonight...but I guess I can give myself a few more days to knit it.  :-)  Ta ta for now!