Blocking Out

This sweater was in the works not too long ago. I started it in March this year and trucked along pretty quickly with it, especially for fingering weight on a size 3 needle. I decided to knit both sleeves at once since the yarn was getting low and maybe if I ran out I could shorten the sleeves. When the yarn did finally run out, I realized this would not work well with the style. Alas, I had a sweater without it's full sleeves. I searched around for a skein in my dye lot to no avail so I took a risk and ordered one skein last week. After the exciting Wednesday of getting my Quince and Co. package in the mail I was even more excited to see that the new dye lot matched quite perfectly to my old stuff. So I've been knitting away every night this week on the last bits of the sleeves and finally finished around 1:30 am yesterday. Quite tame to my 5 am sweater completion a few years ago on my French Braid Pullover. I force myself to bed, not before considering some intrelac and the weird way I cheat my ssk's and if it really makes a difference or not, and woke up eager to weave in my ends and decide whether blocking was worthwhile. I'll admit I was more excited to get pumpkins first, even in the chilly drizzle of Oregon. With ends woven I laid my Lightweight Pullover sweater out on my bed, yes I need to invest in some blocking pads but the bed seems to work just fine for now, I sprayed and tugged away. Voila! I can't wait to wear it out the cider press party tonight. I think it will be perfect for a cold, grey fall evening!

Happy blocking yarn friends

Cerise

Pattern Published!

Howdy all! It's been FOREVER since we've blog. Please forgive us, we will get blogging more!

I've been a knitting mad woman lately and have even started hosting knit nights at my house every other week. I purchased a bunch of Knit Picks yarn a while back with the intention of creating my own patterns and getting them published through the Independent Designer Program (IDP). One of the yarns I purchased was Capra, a wonderful cashmere blend, that was as wonderful as I could have hoped. I also bought some beautiful lace weight yarn with really great Northwest related names like basalt. The Capra project became a herringbone hat and mitten set. This is my second stranded knitting pattern (hopefully the first one will be published soon!) and it took quite a bit of tweaking, frogging, and re-knitting before I got it just right. I'm happy to say that it was accepted by the IDP at Knit Picks and is now for sale! You can also find it on Ravelry. I haven't sold any copies yet but there are Ravelers who heart it. A big thanks to Knit Picks for their help to get designers started with a publishing program and inexpensive yarn!

Happy Knitting!
Cerise : )

Feature Friday (on a Thursday!): Dawn Finney

Okay, I know, it's not Friday. But I didn't get to blogging much last week and missed featuring a knitter. Don't worry! You get twice the features this week and nothing really sounds good with Thursday so just play along.

Welcome back from the moon and to a sweet volcano! Dawn Finney keeps knitting her magic with adorable toys! Check out some of her cute patterns:

This knitter definitely needs to get her a published book! Thanks for sharing all your great knitting ideas Dawn!

Happy Knitting!

Cerise : )

New Favorite Knit!

The Big Book of Knitted Monsters and MochiMochi knits are really awesome and keeping me well entertained. But there is a knitter out there who needs to get her own book published. While browsing newly posted Ravelry patterns the other night I came across Dawn Finney's Big Knitted Moon!!! Her other space and science knits already had me tickled pink but I almost jumped off my couch and ran around squealing when this massive moon came into view. The craters randomly dispersed, the adorable little eyes, the wonderful mooniness of this guy just makes him so wonderful. I haven't knit any of these wonderful amigurumis but they are definitely on my list to knit. These will make great classroom props when I'm a teacher!! Ms. Finney, get yourself published!

Happy Pattern Searching,

Cerise : )

Corvallis Ravelers

Before I moved to Oregon I joined the Corvallis Ravelers group on Ravelry. I went to a Tuesday night knit meet at the Enoteca Wine Bar downtown and it was great! I'm glad there is a nice group of ladies to go knitting with. I'm looking forward to knitting with them again tonight and Wednesday night as well. I'll be working on my Basket Weave Socks again since I haven't worked on it since last Tuesday (I was making my first lace scarf, which is now Mum's). My LYS, Fiber Nooks and Crannys, also has a knit night every other week. I missed that one last week but am looking forward to it next week. If I ever get into spinning I can join ladies at my LYS the weeks they don't knit. The fiber scene here is great so far and I'm lucky to be in a community that will help me grow as a knitter.
Happy Crafting!
-Cerise : )

P.S. If you are a knitter/crochetter and you aren't on Ravelry, sign up!!