Monthly Archives: January 2012

Design - Creation, KAL - dark of the morning, knitting, Tea

One Year Ago – Today!

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Victorian Falls Wrap and Sheath - photographer Rose Callahan

One year ago – today – I was in New York City with Emily, wandering the Vogue Knitting Live Marketplace and then going for a carriage ride in Central Park.

All the while waiting for the evening and the Gala Dinner and the Announcements of the Winners for the Magic of Mohair Design Competition!  I had been one of the 12 runner’s up!  I ended up by being 2nd runner-up and getting published in the Early Fall 2011 edition of Vogue Knitting.

It was cold - the carriage ride was great!

That was the beginning of an amazing year, most of which I have shared with you in this blog.  Now I am starting a new venture “Dark of the Night” –  a KAL through Ravelry.  I hope that you will enjoy sharing that as well.  It will take up the next ten to twelve weeks as we work our way through the charts and options that they hold.

Malabrigo Sock - Archangel - Gold mirrored bead won!!

Well I picked my yarn – I went for the Malabrigo Archangel with the gold beads.

I finished the charts for the first section and now Fiona (she is working on the lace version) and I are working our way through them.  Good thing too – we have already found a few mistakes!  I should have the whole first section knit today – as of this moment I am about half way through!

About half way through the first chart!!

The Ravelry group is 120 strong now.  I am so excited about how this is growing!  I have posted a badge for your project page in the Ravelry Forum and I will post it here as well.  To down load the badge from the forum or here:

  • right-click your mouse over the picture – a box with options will appear
  • scroll down and left click on the save option – this will save the badge picture to your picture files and then you can use it as you wish!
Badge for KAL

I think that is how it is done!

Well today we are having a very traditional winter day for the Island!  It is blowing and raining – lots of debris from the trees on the roads and in the yard.  West Coast Winter perfection!  I read a wonderful, laugh out loud article this morning.  It was in the Victoria Times Colonist, by Jack Knox – it was the perfect description of an Islanders view of a “REAL” winter storm!

They have just updated our weather forecast!  We could have snow again for Tuesday!  Thank heavens that West Coast weather is subject to “Change without notice” – and usually changes long before it ever arrives!

Fiona is working hard on the lace version of the Scarf!

I am making a big pot of chicken soup for next weeks’ lunches.  Left-over mashed potatoes, roast vegetables, barley and homemade chicken soup stock – the whole house is fragrant with the aroma of chicken soup!  Perfect antidote for this kind of weather!

So is Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea – black tea, 3 kinds of cinnamon, orange peel and sweet cloves – a perfect warmer for this kind of weather, and shared with a friend makes it even better!  I get this tea from The Tea Centre in Courtney – I usually order it and have it mailed to me!!  Tea, a friend and knitting, a great way to spend a few hours on a miserable Sunday afternoon!

Happy Knitting

Lynette

Almost 5 inches deep already - a good afternoons' work done!
beads, Design - Execution, KAL - dark of the morning, Retreat

Auditions!? What do you think of the colour blends?

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Malabrigo Sock - Archangel - Gold mirrored bead or purple lined bead?

My beads have arrived and now I need to choose my yarn and bead combination for the Dark of the Morning KAL!  I cannot knit them all…. Maybe two?  No not enough time!  I have set up the beads and yarn and I am going to contemplate the colours for a day or so!

Feel free to chime in with your thoughts – I am always willing to hear other points of view!  I love certain colours and sometimes that blinds me to other options.

Mountain Colours Bearfoot - Lilac - light green mirrored, very light blue mirrored, clear mirrored or purple lined beads?

The KAL will really start cooking this weekend.  I’ll work out the chart and start knitting so that everything is perfect (or as perfect as this imperfect knitter can make it!) for the Feb 4th release of the first chart.  I’ll also take some time to tidy up the schematic so that it is easier to read.

We have snow, about 4 inches and very cold temperatures – which means the snow will stay for a little while – at least until this weekend when it is supposed to start raining!

A late addition to the party - Tosh Sock - Blackcurrant - Gunmetal mirrored or Pink AB beads?

Cold is relative to what you are used to and we are used to mild cold and flowers and grey!  I like grey, grey blues, grey greens and grey skies!

Winter snows do add a serene beauty to our landscape that I do enjoy.  The air is quieter, sounds are muted and the light is very bright, reflecting off the white surfaces and diffusing over everything.  The diffused light softens the edges of everything in its path.  I like this.  The light changes the colours of everything as well.  These changes fascinate me.

My favorite "Cold" place - the view from the top of Blackcomb Mountain - last June!

Beads in your knitting can do some of the things that snow accomplishes.  They catch and diffuse the light:  they highlight lines in your knitting and colours in your yarn:  and sometimes they just add weight to the knitting.   Which just improves the project, without changing the overall look – this usually means that your beads were a little too subtle – I have a couple of projects like that!  I learn with each one I knit.

Welted Moebius - to ruffle or not to ruffle - that is the question! OHH... that was bad!! LOL!

The last Retreat Project is now done – Well maybe – I am still debating whether or not to add another small ruffle on the edge – in the Kersti this time – very narrow – just to highlight the edge further!  But the thought of picking up the 380 stitches necessary to do so is holding me back!  LOL!!

Happy Knitting

Lynette