This and That

Yes, I have been and I am knitting. 

This creature is Mathilda Monster, knit for my Culver's Knit Wits group and was donated to Beyond the Yellow Ribbon. She is a good 10 inches tall and is made with Bernat Jacquard Floral. The pattern is free on the Bernat web site. 

This is called Roberta's Wrap and is a free pattern on Ravelry. It is knit with Shibui Knits Linen. The pattern has no gauge so if I were going to make it again I would go with a bigger needle or cast on more stitches and increase the size of the back. I only had a few yards of yarn left, so if I modified it at all I would have needed 3 skeins of the yarn. Knitting with this yarn was like knitting with steel wool and I thought it would soften up after washing, but it didn't get as soft as I would have liked. It still is fun to wear.

I love mystery shawls and this is the new one from Through The Loops. This is the end of Clue 2. Wendy Knits has one starting June 20 which I would like to do, but I have a couple of other obligations which will take more time. This yarn is a luscious teal color 50% baby camel and 50% silk from a now local indy dyer All For the Love of Yarn. Check her out on Etsy.

This year I have already test knit 2 shawls for Kimberly Gintar from Germany. She has just designed this shawl, as yet not named. On her Ravelry page she calls it Awareness is Good. Obviously I'm test knitting this one for her. Seeing what she called hers, I decided mine needed to be orange for leukemia as my husband has recently been diagnosed with leukemia. This one will be a little bit of a challenge as there are twisted stitches on the wrong side. In fact, looking at the picture I think I see two stitches crossed in the wrong direction. Can you find it? It will stay.

Earlier this year and once last year I test knit patterns for Ainn's Designs from Finland. She has asked me to knit another one, which I have only 2 rows left to do, but she does't want pictures posted yet. This is the yarn I'm using. She's asked me to do another one, too, but I haven't received the pattern yet. Yes, I love to test knit!

Spectra is drying right now. She was fun to do and I loved the mini skeins from Space Cadet Creations. The black is from another local indy dyer and friend, Propaganda Yarn. She dyed it specially for me for this project. She was designed by Stephen West.

One of my students has been bringing projects in these wonderful bags, but when I first saw them was unable to find them. Last week she told me they are at the Dollar Tree Stores. The first one I went to didn't have this size, but today I found them. Now I can keep everything for one project in a bag and be able to see what is in the bag. (Not that I needed more project bags.)



Yarn-Again.

The mailman keeps bringing me little packages filled with yarn. I love it! Here are my latest additions.

Abstract Fiber June

Cookie A Sock and Cookie Club June . One of the recipes is for an anise refrigerator cookie, dipped in chocolate which I'm dying to make, but my husband won't touch anise so it's too much for me. Will have to invite the family over to test the cookies.

Goddess Knits Shawlette Club May

This one I bought. It is 100% rayon. Should make a nice shawl some day. (I always look at yarn in terms of shawls.)

Propaganda Zombie Club June

Soctopus, Knit-Love Club May

Three Irish Girls McClellan Fingering. This one I bought because it is a limited edition colorway, You Are My Sunshine, 20% of the sales price went to helping families who have lost a baby.

Twisted Shawlette Club May. The extra is a canister of  cranberry orange tea.

Yarnista April. The extra is a mini skein of Adorn Sock Yarn.

Yarnista May. The extra was a Three Irish Girls folder for patterns which I forgot to include in the picture. I also did not include the pattern picture because I ordered 2 more skeins of this yarn to test knit a shawl. Her shawl is an Awareness Shawl and she knit hers in pink for breast cancer. Since my husband was recently diagnosed with leukemia, mine will be orange, the color for leukemia. I hadn't realized there is a different color for each type of cancer.