What's on my needles (week 65)

At The Knitting Garage

Top-Down Shell #169

  I finished the lacy summer hat in Cascade Pima Cotton.  This is a  quick and fun knit! 

The yarn has a beautiful sheen and is nice to work with.  

There are lots of colors to choose from.  

I had used the yarn before for a cotton tank top (see picture on left).

Click on the links below the pictures for more information on the pattern and yardage used etc.

Slouchy Summer Lace Hat

I also wore the just finished Chevron Lace Tank at the shop last week.  Paired here with the Ginkgo Shawl

At Home

The "Leftie Shawl" is left on the back-burner (pun intended ;) while I finish the shawl for my sister.

This is an a-symmetrical triangular shawl with hearts along one edge.
I have gotten into a good rhythm with this and have completed 16 of the 21 hearts. I should have it ready to sent off in another week or two giving extra time for the blocking process which is a must with this shawl as the designer Martina Behm mentioned that otherwise the hearts will fold over.

Knit Your Love Shawl

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND! What's on my needles (week 64)

At The Knitting Garage

AL Stickles and The Knitting Garage were open again last Monday from 6-8 much to the enjoyment of late evening shoppers and the ladies attending the knit night.

This coming Monday (Memorial Day) we will NOT be open in the evening, but do come and join us the following Monday (June 1st).

our finished Building Block Blanket

Knit night at The Knitting Garage

 

At Home

getting lots of knitting done

For those of you who follow me on facebook (click here for my page: Discover your Inner Knitter), you already know some of this and have seen most of the pictures.  I was stuck at home last Wednesday as my son borrowed my car.  I made a fun knit day out of it spending time on the deck and finishing as well as starting several projects. 
 

Chevron Tank Top

 

a close-up look at the Chevron lace

 

I finally brought this tank top out of hibernation and finished the i-cord edging around the armhole and neck.

 

Birthday Shawl for my sister

With the blanket and bonnet for my nephew's baby finished, I started on a shawl for my sister.  This pattern and yarn is part of last year's Strickmich Club from Martina Behm.  Much to my shame I have to admit that I have not knitted a single one of these patterns even though I do love Martina's designs.
Red is my sister's favorite color and the shawl is coming along nicely.  I am aware that with the rows getting longer and longer each repeat will take me longer, but I hope to have this finished mid- to late June so I can mail it all off before the baby is due in July.

Leftie

One of our customers inspired me to start on my Leftie Shawl.  I am having a great time deciding which left-over yarns to knit up and in which order.  This project is very hard to put down.
I had purchased the yarn for the MC at The good Wool shop in Formby, England.

The first three repeats are done

lining up my left-over yarns

Different techniques, same result

I decided to look at some of the instructional videos to Martina Behm's patterns and found that she is using slightly different techniques for some of the stitches.

W&T Wrap and Turn
I don't wrap the yarn 360 around the stitch, but simply slip the stitch first and then bring the yarn to the front or back depending on if the first stitch after turning is a knit or purl.  This is a tighter wrap and neater look later without any looseness or holes.

S2SK Slip 2 together knit-wise, slip 1 then knit all three together
I do slip my stitches the same, but then instead of using my left needle to twist the stitches, I knit the 3 stitches together through the back loop.  It is a faster and easier maneuver.

What's on my needles (week 63)

At The Knitting Garage

The Building Block blanket is almost done.  With the last square knitted up and most of the seams finished.   One final seam will take no time at all on Sunday.

Block #9 is done :)

 

Our blanket is very colorful

Along the way we were a little worried how it will seam together, since the squares were not knitted by the same person and the gauge is different.  But once it was seamed together it all worked out well as the number of rows is the important factor when using the mattress stitch :) and that number is the same in all of the squares.

We would love to see how you are coming along with your blanket.  You could bring it in to one of our Monday night knit nights to show off your squares.
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Fun knit time last Monday

Remember we have knit night from 6-8pm every Monday.  You can also just drop in briefly to buy yarns or anything else from the shop.  The evening hours should accommodate all of you working Moms (and Dads). 

At Home

Chevron Baby Blanket

 

I finished the Chevron Baby blanket for my grand-niece who is due to make her appearance this summer. 
I had enough yarn left over to make her a bonnet.  When I saw little Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana coming out of hospital I had a very close look at the blanket (a simple lace stitch blanket) and head-wear (a garter stitch and cable bonnet) and decided that my nephew's baby should have a bonnet, too.

Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana

When I looked for a pattern, I came across the Little Shell Lace Baby Bonnet by Dawn Adcock.  It uses the same weight yarn I had used for the blanket (worsted) and is a free pattern.  It took me just a few hours to finish and I think it looks very sweet.

at one point I was worried that I had not enough yarn, but it was plenty!

Just needs a ribbon (from A L Stickle!)

I can't wait to see pictures of my grand-niece wearing this :)

What's on my needles (week 62)

Building Blocks sew-it-together Party 

 

Have you done the KAL with The Knitting Garage at AL Stickles? 
We are having a sew-it-together party this Friday, May 8th from 5 to 8pm.

Bring your squares, we will provide snacks and drinks. 
I am looking forward to compare notes on how you liked this challenge. 
Are you ready for more KAL's at The Knitting Garage and what would you like to do next?
I just finished square #6 and am working now on the last square for the shop, #9.

Last Monday knit night was a lot of fun again with Linda, Meg, Kris, Beth and Julie and myself.

Some customers came through just to buy yarn as the opening time on Monday accomodates those who work during the day AND Leah had advertised a 20% off on all yarn purchases!

 

If you are like me, you have lots of shawls to wear.  This is the perfect weather to pull them out and show them off :)   

Here are some of the shawls I have been wearing last week.  You can click on the links below the pictures for more information. 

 

Scarf in a scarf

Transitions

Brickless

Candle Flame Shawl (my own pattern)

A gift from Heaven

Baby Blanket

Last, but not least, I want to show you the progress I am making on the baby blanket for my nephew's baby.

I have done a little over half.  I just found out that I had the wrong due date.  I was thinking "August", but the baby is due in another eight weeks.  So, I have to hurry a little as I want to make a baby hat with it and I want to send everything in the same package with a birthday gift for my sister, a shawl, which I still have to knit, too.

What's on my needles now (week 61)

You may be curious to find out what I am going to knit next after finishing the poncho.

First however I want to share some pictures of my finished poncho:

My Lincoln Park Poncho

 And here is what I cast on next

My nephew and his wife are expecting their second child this summer, a baby sister for Leandra. Such happy news, especially since for years they had thought that they could not have children :)
I had knitted a baby blanket for Leandra two years ago : http://ravel.me/Strickliese/h1
and I am making one now for this new member of the family.
I am knitting this blanket in Cascade Avalon which is a Cotton/ Acrylic blend; very soft and easy to take care of.  I had treated myself to a summer top in this yarn last year : http://ravel.me/Strickliese/ti


This blanket is a simple chevron blanket in yellow with an occasional white stripe.  The pattern is free on ravelry.

You can find this project on ravelry here:  http://ravel.me/Strickliese/cbb

The ratio between the  yellow and white will be 3:1 as I bought three yellow skeins and one white one.

Monday Night Knit Night at The Knitting Garage

Don't forget that AL Stickle is open from 6-8pm every Monday for Knit Night.  Julie, Beth, Meg and I had fun last Monday especially when Persimmon and Sweet Pea were roused from their sleep to make a special guest appearance.

You can see the beginnings of Building Block # 6 which I started for the shop (we only have one more to do after that!!!)