Need a project for stash silk...

Things have been slow in the knitting world for me lately. My little one is sick and trying to knit with a 5 year old laying across my lap makes me want to put the size 19 Lantern Moon's through my skull. Soooooo I haven't been doing much lately and it is starting to make me cranky.

I have some bright pink Debbie Bliss Silk

that I'd like to use for a project and I just can't seem to find the right pattern. Suggestions welcome. Remember...I'm a new knitter!

I'm also itching to use my stash of Manos and pick up the La Novia again, but we all know how that turned out the first time...so I'm trying to hold off until my lace class in Feb.

Half the Calories

I love love love ruffles and have many projects queued on Ravelry that have ruffled edges. Problem is...I am daunted by casting on several hundred stitches and keeping track of decreases etc. Have I mentioned lately that I have two children and a husband? LOL Projects that I can memorize are easiest for me to accomplish. It isn't that I can't do the one ruffle scarves like this one: Just Enough Ruffles it is that I don't have the time to sit and keep track!

Trying to think outside the box I realize that the beloved Potato Chip Scarf would be great one sided. It is an easy repeat pattern except that I don't like the way it sits on the back of my neck all bunched up. What's a girl to do I ask again! Well...How about if we only did one side of the ruffle?

Here is the instructions:

CO 20 stitches

Knit 4, turn work and knit 4 back

Knit 6, turn work and knit 6 back

Knit 8, turn work and knit 8 back

Knit 20

Knit 20

Repeat pattern until desired length.

Taaaa Daaaaaa

I'll post more pics as I go along so you can see. I also plan to do this in another yarn since this one is obviously for Mardi Gras and isn't something I'd wear any time other than Mardi Gras.

A little Embroidery

I really like embroidery but my sewing space is such a mess that I have a hard time making room for a project.

We are Disney freaks and I decided to attempt to make shirts this year for my family of four as well as my parents. We'll see how that goes.

Here is a sample of the first one:

I also made a cute little embellished leotard for Z for her gymnastics birthday party. Turned out cute. (looks crooked but it isn't...just the way it is hanging)

Mardi Gras Scarf

Someone came into my LYS with a scarf that was so pretty and I came home to find the yarn and of course now I had to make it!

First time working with these big giant needles but I REALLY like them even if they are a little hard to manage because of the size.

I love the muted Mardi Gras Colors. I have to work on this when I can have access to my iPad as I'm using a stitch counter from the App Store therefore, I think this will be slow going as far as that is concerned.

Smart Knitters Rock!

Smart Knitters Rock!  Unfortunately, I am not one of them.

I saw a pattern for My So Called Scarf and I went to a knit shop in New Orleans to buy some yarn since my LYS didn't carry Manos.  Of course I bought the silk blend and not the chunky since it was softer.  Of course, the scarf did not look good in the silk blend.

As you can see, the colors were pooling horribly and it just looked flat.

The stitch pattern is a little tricky.  It is only two rows and is free here so I think it is ok if I paste it in the blog entry to show what I'm talking about.

Row 1: K1, *sl 1, K1, psso but before dropping slipped st from LH needle, k into back of it* K1.

Row 2: *P2tog, do not sl sts off needle, purl first st again, sl both sts off needle* 


Then, while searching I found a video on youtube which makes this SOOOO much easier.  Essentially coming out with the same stitch but using less/easier steps.  I have no idea what she's saying but her presentation is outstanding.  Basically it is:  S1P, K1, YO, PSSO.   That's it!   


I switched to her method and had this done in no time.  

La Novia

I ran across the La Novia scarf pattern and just love it. Emailed the site before I bought it and asked about the stitches involved. What is it about designers that they don't tell you that in advance? I don't like buying a pattern and then finding out I don't know how to do the stitches.

Tried this over and over and over and just can't seem to keep the same number of stitches on the needle. WTHeck?

LYS suggested I start with an easier lace pattern called Falling Water.

Not sure I like this one as much so I haven't really decided to follow that advice. Maybe my LYS will do a class this year.

Stitches 2011

Finally booked my room for Stitches 2011 today. Woo Hoo!

I need to decide what classes I'm taking. Too many look good but they are very pricey! I have it narrowed down to these:

Stripe it Rich

Turn Mistakes and Mishaps into Knowledge and Experience or

Preventing and Fixing Mistakes

Intentional Patterning with Hand-Dyed Yarns

We'll see which ones I finally decide on. Very excited about the market portion!