twenty-one

"This guy needs to cool it with the shawls for a moment."

Well, some people might think that, but I don't. I like knitting shawls, and I like wearing them as well. Also, I love scarves. And hats. I guess it's a good thing I love to knit.

Anyways, speaking of shawls, I did finish one a while back, and finally get it on the blocking mats. Now it's all dry and lovely. I knit a Tricot Grande Vitesse and I'm not sure who this will go to just yet. It's not for me, and that's fine. I don't wear too much teal. Or any. This was knit from Knit Picks Stroll Tonal in the Pacific colorway. Here's a blocking pic, so you can see the shape, although the color is a bit dark. It was wet. Raveled here.

This pattern was designed by Susan Ashcroft and it was great for knit night and traveling. It's not too complicated, and I didn't have to worry about wasting any yarn. I weighed the yarn ball a few times before I boarded the plane to California, so I'd know how many rows I had until the bind off. I love a pattern that doesn't have much waste. It's so satisfying. Geez, I'm getting old. Just listen to me...

I also finished another shawl, since my last post. I've knit this shawl before (and I wrote about it, too) and it's a great pattern called 22.5 Degrees by Martina Behm. Martina is one of my favorite designers, as many of her designs feature garter stitch. I love garter because it's great for those amazing variegated yarns that I always love. Here's the Ravelry project page. For this shawl, I used madelinetosh tosh merino light, one of my very favorite yarns. It's a lovely single-ply superwash merino fingering weight yarn, with a generous 420 for under $20. This colorway was called "volga" and it's a great blue, with some light spots and some turquoise spots here and there. It almost looks purple-ish in the right light. Modeled below, by my handsome husband, and raveled here.

The last project I finished (just yesterday) was another Purl Ridge Scarf, this time for James (last time it was for me). This is a Stephen West pattern, and it's free. I used Knit Picks Shine Worsted in the Wallaby colorway. I love the drape of this yarn so much, I didn't even bother to block it. The scarf is gray (like most items I knit for us) and he'll be able to wear it for the cool mornings on his way into work. Since Shine is a cotton/modal blend, he won't get overheated, like he would with a wool scarf. And speaking of overheated, here he is turning it up and serving y'all some serious model realness in his new scarf...

America's Next Top Knitwear Model

That's all my knitting for now, and the next post will probably come some time after the Pittsburgh Knit & Crochet Festival, which is only SIX DAYS AWAY!! I'm still deciding on my budget, but you can bet it will be significantly less than the Stitches West budget. Yowza.

twelve

Joyeux Noël!

French felt appropriate today, and I'll tell you why. Eventually...

I have quite a large family (and an even larger extended family) and we're all peppered about the globe. From California to New York, Florida to Australia (at the moment), and all across Pennsylvania. Between geography and vacation time, I've always been with a group of family members for Christmas. Whether it was my relatives or my husband's, we've never celebrated Christmas without some branch of our ever-expanding family tree.

This Christmas was just the two of us, though. It really brought new meaning my very favorite Christmas song of all time ever ever ever, "All I Want for Christmas is You." James and I had decided (weeks and weeks ago) that we would be spending Christmas together at home this year, and neither of us was really that concerned. Our work schedules also helped us into that decision, but that's another story... and probably boring. No work talk on Christmas. There. Anyhow, it was a wonderful holiday, spent with the only guest on my must list of life, my husband.

Oh yes, back to the French up top. Today we went to see Les Misérables and it was très étonnant. I won't give anything away here, but I can say that if Anne Hathaway is cast in any movie, I'm already loving it. I'll say it here first, she'll be winning an Academy Award for this role. Mark my words! Also, Wolverine Hugh Jackman was sensational, of course. A small (but incredibly important) role was also played by Bellatrix Lestrange Helena Bonham Carter, who I love! Really, she's just wonderful. I'd be hard pressed to name a better character actress. She is the cat's pajamas. Or the cat's meow. Pick your pleasure. So run, don't walk, to the nearest movie theater and go see this wonderful movie. Unless, of course, you don't want your mind blown.

In knitting news, I did start a new project the other day. And no, it's not a hat. And no, it's not fair isle. I'm knitting 22.5 Degrees by German designer Martina Behm. I will be eliminating the scalloped border on the finished edge for a simpler look. Here's Martina's ravelry designer page and website. I'm knitting this shawl in madelinetosh tosh sock in the lichen colorway. The garter stitch is really appropriate for this colorway, in my opinion. It's a beautiful sage green with little hints of a grayish almost sky blue thrown in. Below is a stitch-level photo that I took to show the patterning and color of the shawl, in the almost hopeless natural light of winter in Pittsburgh. A for effort, guys.

Whether you're with family and friends, or celebrating with the one you love, I hope your Christmas has been as wonderful as mine!

Feliz Navidad
Gelukkig kerstfeest
Frohe Weihnachten
С Рождеством
God jul
Buon Natale
Καλά Χριστούγεννα

Okay, I'm done.

Feliz Natal

Okay, now I'm done... For now.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Done. Seriously. Done.