And Barbara Is Her Name

The pineapple shawl wants to be called Barbara.

It was actually a blast to make.  And I already told you about the exhaustion that resulted from blocking it.  So all in all - this is a winner.

The elongated triangle construction makes wearing it kinda non-traditional.  The pointy end easily weaves into the open work so that it "closes" into a wrap and the pineapples really show up.  Or it can be work like a traditional scrunched up scarf/shawlette thing.  What ever floats your boat.

Hint:  Use the chart!  Reading the words is not the best approach.  I enlarged the chart so that it was easier to see.  Use the chart!


All of that crawling on the floor to block the thing and get the picot points in order was worth it.  Oh sure, it will get a bit wonky after a few wearings but it looks great for now and I am pleased.

Thank You Zsuzsanna Makai

Zsuzsanna Makai and the Ananas Shawl.  Loved making the project.  Thank you so much.

Side note:  Yes, the Freia yarn bleeds a bit when wet washed.  Do not panic.  I've used the stuff enough to know what happens.  And I prefer to rinse out the excess than to have it transfer to my clothing.  Cool water and no-rinse wool wash of your choosing is all that is needed.

 Look at all the little pineapples!  This pattern blocked perfectly and really opened up the stitches.  Because I added a full repeat mine was longer than the 60" of the pattern. 

And that forced me to block the thing on the floor and then I had to crawl around on hands and knees making sure that the point stayed put on the extra towel while I ran the blocking wire through the picots on the wide edge and then I had to pull the width into shape so the little pineapples opened up and the plain rows were actually straighter than in this photo and then re-pin the point and make sure the picots were evenly spaced on the wire and pinned into the mat and then I was tired and I took  a nap.

Yarn Stash To The Rescue

The new Interweave Crochet just might be the best thing of the whole season.  As soon as it arrived at the store, I bought a personal copy.   Check out the cover pattern - pineapples on a huge triangle shawl.

Please know that I do not enjoy the crochet pineapple.  My mother and her sister could whip out those "old" doilies [in thread crochet!] without looking at a pattern and faster than I could crochet a Barbie skirt.  Hey - I was only 8 or 10.  What do you expect?

Well, anyway, I put away my disdain for the pineapple stitch pattern and put my hand into the stash.  I knew exactly where the three balls were waiting.  MY COLORS in Freia were just hanging around and hoping for the perfect pattern and this was it.

A very fast hook.  Very fast.  And check out the color shift.  Green became shaded and morphed into blue.

Love it.  Must work faster and faster and faster.

Tiny BIG Impact

Beads.  Sparkles.  Glitter.  Shimmer.  Shine.

Call it what you want - this old gal loves bling.  I will buy yarn with shimmer thread twisted into it.  I will buy yarn with beads and dangles and stuff already attached.  And I am not bothered by slipping on bling stitch by stitch with a tiny steel hook.

Yes, I did buy  Swarovski Crystals for my knitting.  These lovely additions are a huge impact even when used sparingly.

This, my friends, is an alpaca cowl with a line of crystal - such a huge result from tiny little bits! The yarn is lace weight and all from Ebony Rose who once upon a time lived in Anza Valley.  Although small and light weight, this cowl is overly warm for Los Angeles.  It might need to go on a trip to the cold so that it can perform admirably and attract attention for the rose colored crystals gracing the Ebony Rose yarn.

PS.  Yes, I also gifted myself the Swarovski stitch markers.

Sno Knitting In An Air Conditioned World

There is not a whole lot of interesting anything to report on the new cardi for me.  The most exciting thing that happened was the separating of sleeves.

Now I am faced with a long, long length of stockinette followed by a whopping 1.5 inch of garter.  Then the same thing for the sleeves.

In all probability, there won't be anything to say, photograph or report on this one until the embellishment phase begins (yes, I have a plan!).  So you might as well enjoy this photo.

Sno Days!

Whippie!  The Sno days are here. 

Now, don't go thinking that I have totally lost it.  Yes, this is Los Angeles.  Yes, it is the First of September.  Yes, the sun is shining and it is warm.

But - and this is important - the good folks at Woolfolk are shipping new colors and a new line called Sno.  I have waited and waited since the new twist of colors was announced. For weeks (or so it seemed) I bugged the rest of the staff and I worried and I even pre-claimed the new green/black colorway.  As soon as it arrived at The Knitting Tree, LA, I pounced. 

Now it is mine - and I am casting on for my Sno cardigan. 

Due to needing to finish a shop sample and a big family event there was actually only one (1) project on my needles when I approached the swift this morning.

Needless to say, the Sno is drifting to the needles and the cardigan stitches are piling up fast.  Stitch markers are in place and this old gal is happy playing with Sno.