Teal sweater in wool and alpaca fibers

 Teal is my favorite color, so I needed to knit a sweater in that color. This is a very simple design by Cleome Smith which I really appreciate! So many garments have intricate patterns which are pretty, but my style is quite simple. The yarn is by Drops Yarn and is a fingering size, so this sweater took me about 2 months to complete. I'm very happy with it, and plan to knit another with the same yarn in a gray.

Amethyst Amulet

 I love to make these, but the major challenge in that is threading the needle! These are very tiny beads (size 11) going on to DMC thread perle cotton size 8. Once the beads are loaded on using a Darice bead spinner, it becomes much easier. 

The beads are an iridescent purple with a faux sugilite resin teardrop and round genuine amethyst beads. I've made several of these in the past with the needle threading being my major inhibitor of making a lot more. I'm hoping to sell these at a local artisan craft booth nearby as they make great necklaces to carry your favorite trinkets or crystals in.

Deidre Beth Cowl

My newest knitting design is this simple cowl with the softest Merino Wool yarn, and I'm so in love with it! Pattern is free on Ravelry.

I've always liked the name Deidre, and Deidre Beth seemed perfect for this simple and lovely cowl. 

The pattern is found here.

Tree Hugger Satchel in Hemp and Wool

Before we headed to Montana, I had hoped to finish this large satchel to take with me on our trip. Better late than never, it finally did get done shortly after we returned home. I have found that hemp yarn isn't so abundant, and probably because it's not the softest as a raw fiber. Years ago I did find a blend of wool and hemp that once washed is not only soft, but super strong. I feel this blend from Darice is better for accessories such as bags rather than garments you would wear against your skin. 

The patch is from Cada Johnson who is an Oregon artist. I've purchased patches from her before, and her artwork is definitely something you would expect to find at an outdoor market in a liberal college town.

The body of the bag is crocheted, while the strap is knitted. It's been washed and dried on a hot cycle to help congeal the fibers. Patch is hand sewn and glued to the bad to stay secure, and a decorative stitch of yarn frames the patch. Very pleased with this new bag! 

Pashima Stole in cashmere

Sometimes you just need to surround yourself in cashmere because you deserve it. For 3 months, I have knitted and purled on this beast, thankfully it was pretty mindless. It has stripes of spring and summer, and is the perfect weight for cool summer nights. The pattern is called Pashima Stripes, but should be called Pandemic Stole as it will always remind me of this pandemic we are currently in. The yarn was a mix of (in green) Flying Goat Farm Zephyrette and Lux Adorna Knits for the other 3 colors.

Now I can move on to a new project, I thought I would never finish this one!

Tannis Shawl

Every now and again, my knitting produces some beautiful pieces. This shawl happens to be one of those pieces. My favorite colors to wear gravitate towards the cooler spectrum, and I bought this yarn with the intention of breaking that habit. It turned out exquisite, and makes me want to sip wine while wearing it.

Celtic Rogue

I've knitted this pattern 3 times, and each have been a long and frustrating project of determination to create the perfect knitted hoodie. My first one was a blue scratchy wool creation that turned out 3 times to big for me (even after shrinking it in the wash). My 2nd attempt was frogged, and my 3rd turned out mediocre. Here is that 3rd attempt using a reclaimed acrylic for the body, and wool for the Celtic design. Before washing, it was great, but after it turned out mediocre-as in I don't need to leave the house in this. My problem with knitting is, I try to customize perfect patterns and then end up f***ing them up ultimately. Here is the before photo, but the after-washing photo wasn't so great.

Black Bamboo shawl

In my most recent trip to Hawaii, I decided to seek out a LYS (local yarn store). There are few to be found as there is not really a need to wear knitted garments on a tropical island. Still, I did find one tucked away in a small industrial complex, and the inventory was sparse. I ended up with a black bamboo-cotton blend however that has a nice drape and perfect for my oldest daughter's new shawl. Here is the finished product, yarn is from Bamboo Pop.

Rainbow shawl

So very pleased with this shawl! I started it for pride month in June, and finished it in August (just in time for cooler weather around the corner!). I definitely wear this one with a lot of pride! Pattern is called Revontuli-huivi, and the yarn is Alexandra's Crafts in Chelsea for the rainbow colorway and for the turquoise I used The Farmer's Daughter. 

Kindness shawl

Originally, I made this for my 13 year old, but it sat in her closet never to be worn (I did finish it pretty close to summer though). She decided she would not wear it, so I added to my growing collection of shawls. This is the Kindness KAL (knit-a-long) shawl that is free on Ravelry. It's very simple to do, so I highly recommend it for beginners. I used Knitted Wit DK yarn in Voyageurs National Park and Prussian Blue. She is a local yarn maker, and my absolute favorite to knit with.

Simple eyelet shawl

My oldest daughter turns 22 this month, and this year I made her a gift. She's a big fan of black and dark teal, so I knitted her a shawl with those colors. I am hoping she will keep this one for life as it can go with everything. The pattern I used was Eyelet Lace Shawlette however I used a much finer yarn so you can't see the eyelets so good. I used Malabrigo Sock Yarn for the main part of the shawl and for the edging I chose Madeline Tosh Unicorn Tails. Overall, I am pleased with the results.

Reyna shawl in Yellowstone

When the yarn designer/creator Knitted Wit came out with a National Park series, I was all over that. I had to have the Yellowstone colorway, and would find a compatible pattern. I finally decided on a the Reyna pattern because I'm a beginner with shawls. This turned out to be one of my favorites, and I see myself wearing this frequently!

Earth and Sky shawl

This shawl sets the record for being the longest knitted project I have ever done. That's mostly because I became bored with it and let it sit in a box for a couple of years. One of my resolutions this year was to finish it, and that finally happened. My intent was to make this very large, but I ended up making it the medium size. The pattern was a freebie by Stephen West, and I used plain old sock yarn by Brown Sheep. This goes really well with my favorite Patagonia denim shirt, I almost feel like a cowgirl when I wear them together, but I'm definitely not one!

Skogafjall knitted sweater

Time to take a break from painting. Now that it's cold, I have been knitting and crocheting a lot. On my Iceland vacation, I had the chance to stop at the Alafoss store in Mosfellsbaer to buy a lot of yarn for a good price. I had no idea what I wanted, so I took my time in indulging in the largest selection of Icelandic yarn I have probably will ever see in my life. 

I chose this magenta color because I rarely wear anything of this hue, plus I din't have any pattern in my mind to knit with it. Finally, this past summer I chose Skogafjall because it calls for Lett Lopi yarn. This sweater is typically knitted with greens, and of course the colors I purchased were nothing close. That's okay, the sky can be pink and the trees dark when there are Auroras right?

Knitting Icelandic Sweaters

Knitting is my most practical hobby, but also most expensive. It's been about 10 years since I taught myself, and I am quite proud of how far I have come. Here are two Icelandic sweaters for my upcoming vacation to Iceland.

Made with Alafoss Icelandic Wool-Kaela approves

Knitted with Lion Brand Woolspun so it wasn't 'scratchy' for my daughter.

Erika Nikole Fingerless mitts

A pattern I developed over the past few weeks for striped fingerless mitts work well with one of my favorite yarns, Pepperberry Knits Cashmere DK. This fantastic quality yarn is made in the U.S. I had the opportunity to meet Heidi, the owner of Pepperberry Knits, at the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival a few years ago. I thanked her for finally bringing high quality cashmere with an abundant selection of sizes and colors to the yarn marketplace.

I purchased two skeins of DK weight that had rich and contrasting colors to make these cozy gloves. After searching endlessly on Ravelry for the perfect style, I decided to develop my own pattern. This pattern is meant to be a simple and fast knit, and also incorporates bold wide stripes. I dedicated the pattern to my oldest daughter, because the first pair I made are a Christmas gift to her and she loves anything with stripes.

The pattern can be purchased here.