Rippling through the summer......

Seems a lot has changed with Blogger in the last couple of years! We shall see how this goes. To say that I don't have time to blog would be an understatement, yet here I am. As a personal goal, I am going to try and spend more time doing things I enjoy and less time worrying about my work......we'll see how long that lasts!

As a segue into a new post, I am also trying a craft that is new for me....crochet! Although I have had some fun with it in the form of amigurumi, I haven't ever made a full blown crochet project until now!

Furthermore, I have also deviated from my undying love of natural fibers and sashayed into the realm of cheap acrylic yarns. To be honest, this started with our recent move- when I rediscovered a blanket that my Grandmother, Stella, made for me when I was a baby. Sadly, she passed away, so I never got to know her. But I have this blanket....and I love it. It's not the kind of love that knocks you off your feet and takes your breath away, but more the kind that grows on you over time.

The blanket still looks great despite its age and frequent laundering history. That has me intrigued. Many of my other projects, out of finer yarns, are covered in pills and not wearing well- yet this little blanket still looks great. So, I am channelling my inner Stella and crocheting with Red Heart Super Savers- yes, it's true! AND I am having fun with it.

Comments

Friendship Blanket Done.....

To say our little knit group was "close knit" is the perfect cliche! When we moved to Italy, I desperately missed having a knitting circle and the weekly meet-ups. I tried for a long time to find other knitters- then I decided to create a few of my own. I started offering knitting classes. It went well, I am proud to say everyone who signed up WAS able to learn to knit. There was a teen-age girl, however, who was very resistant. At some point during this time, I remembered that a woman from my Italian language class had mentioned that she liked to knit. Then I met my dear friend Stacy who had the bug to learn how to knit. So there! I created my own little group! We were intermittent and not very focused, but boy did we have fun! I really looked forward to our meet ups. Then, like all good things, our friend Janny had to move. We decided to knit blankets- one for each of us. We each chose a color- Janny did all the research and ordering. Then we chose patterns- one horizontal

One woman's fizzle is another woman's Sizzle....

Yep, my fizzle! I lost steam on this project probably about the same time I realized it was not going to fit me. There was nothing amiss about the pattern, only my choice of size! I don't know what I was thinking....I decided to finish it up and gift it to my mother-in-law. I think it looks great on her. I will knit another one at some point, likely with the same yarn and the same color...we'll have to be careful not to wear them to the same function : ) (in a few years anyway!) I think it looks great on her and the yarn is really smooth and kind of "cool" to the touch. It's Berocco Cotton Twist in the Navy colorway. It's dark blue with some black. It's the only yarn My Man has commented on...wow, that's a nice yarn- or something like that. It would have been a very quick knit had I not slowed to a crawl at the end. So, here's to her Sizzle.....

(Inspired by) Ms. Marigold

Thank goodness My Man came home to take a picture of me - the self-portraits were AWFUL. I happily cast on for Ms. Marigold from Zephyr style. I ordered the pattern during the summer, but was newly-inspired by Fancy Pants' version . I thought I could wear it layered with a long sleeve shirt now that fall has reached Italy. I cast on and took off, using Berroco Touche. I knit down to the waist area and tried it on. Ahhhhhhh!!!!!! The back was too narrow (I know I have to wear something underneath it, but it wasn't even close to covering my bra straps.) Rather than being the cute vest in my mind, it was like a knitted bustier. I am not that well-endowed, but yet the sides veered toward my arms and off my chest, and it was not pretty. I decided to try again. This is the first time I altered a pattern so much. I changed the number cast on, changed the increases, added decreases, changed the neckline finishing, altered the ruffle and all the bands. So, what did I get

Wishful Knitting

Search This Blog