Tricotage

Several weeks ago, the pattern for this neckerchief appeared in my knitting bag. I honestly do not remember who gave it to me or how I got it. This year the staff at Amazing Threads decided to knit something for the owner, Bobbi's birthday in January. Why not use this pattern?

Pattern: Tricotage, free download at http://actiondetricoter.blogspot.com/2009/09dandy-neckerchief.html I did 17 repeats of the pattern.
Yarn: Classic Elite Alpaca Sox
Needles: Size US 7

Yes, my Christmas Cactus Blooms!

When my family was here for Christmas, the question was asked, "Does your Christmas cactus ever bloom?" Here's the proof-it does, just a little late. So is my amaryllis-actually 2 stems with 5 blooms on each.

Kitchner Ribbing-New Twist on the Block

Reversible Cable Mobius. Today, with temperatures never reaching 0 degrees was a good day to wear my new mobius. It was perfect to keep me warm and cover my nose and mouth when outside.

Pattern: New Twist on the Block by StevenBe from Yarn Garage in Minneapolis. A fun, quick knit and good pattern to learn reversible cables.

Yarn: Malabrigio Merino and Silk

Needles: Size 9. I tried the square needles which I really liked, except they were metal which is not my favorite material for knitting needles. These were almost like rubbing fingernails down a blackboard to me.

When it came time to kitchner the two ends together, I wasn't sure how to do it as it is K1P1 ribbing which makes the material look 2 sided. Just kitchnering it would make it a wide seam. The sources I found were basically for tubular bind off.

So, I put the stitches for both the beginning (which I had provisionally cast on) and the end on 2 needles each-the knit stitches on one needle and the purl stitches on another.

I aligned the 2 needles with the knit stitches together and kitchnered them together...turned it over which made the purl stitches now knit stitches and kitchnered them together.

It worked beautifully!