FINISHED!!! (135)

The Building Blocks Shawl by Stephen West 

I have been working on for the shop

is finished!!!!  

 

Go to ravelry to read the time-line and in-depth notes:  BUILDING BLOCKS

These are the four yarns I used:

Knitting Garage Sock Yarn, color Purple Pop

 

Madeline Tosh Twist Light, color Flashdance

Hedgehog Fibers Sock yarn, color Aroma

Madeline Tosh Merino Light, color Sand Dune

 

Light blocking:

 

 

AND DONE:

 

 

What's on my needles??? (week #122 )

Pssst,...it's a secret

With all the holiday knitting going on right now,  I cannot really share what I am working on , but I can tell you about the shop sample I am knitting up:

The Building Blocks Shawl by Stephen West 

(click on the link for the pattern)

I am only working on this while I am at the shop, so it will take a while, but I can tell you that this is a fun and easy knit while at the same time a shawl construction different from anything I have knitted before.

I am really happy with the four yarns I choose and with the way they blend together at times and contrast each other in other sections.  Each yarn will have their moment to "shine" as each yarn will be knitted at some time in a larger amount and  be shown off in its full beauty in different sections :)

My yarn choices: 

Color A:  Knitting Garage Fingering Weight Yarn color "Purple Pop"

Color B: Madeline Tosh Twist Light color "Flashdance"

Color C : Hedgehog Fibers Sock color "Aroma"

Color D : Madeline Tosh Light color "Sand Dune"

Humble beginnings...actually I am a bit further than that; may add a photo after Saturday :)

And here you are Sat. 11.19. (a few more rows)

I am almost finished with the "week 1 clues".  

Here is a link to my pattern notes on ravelry: Strickliese's Building Block Shawl, but here is also a picture of a finished shawl knitted by someone else (Francieos on ravelry).

One of the many color combinations knitters have come up with and finished.

Also a quick word about my classes:

There are spots available in all of my classes.  I want to apologize to anyone who emailed me and did not get a response.  I have had problems with my email, bundling emails so they do not appear to be new responses or even filing them in spam.  It seems to be all sorted now, but if you don't hear from me within a day or two, please email or text again.  Thank you!!!

 

My Doodler is finished !!! (121)

Remember the Doodler I was working on during the Sheep and Wool Festival and even while Stephen West (the designer of that very pattern) was stopping by at The Knitting Garage?

 

I finished it on Tuesday !!!

I wrote extensive notes on ravelry if you care to read them, you can click here:  Strickliese's Doodler

I had a lot of fun doodling :)
It all started with me wanting to use up some stash yarn.

These were the original three colors I wanted to use

However that just did not look right and I bought an additional skein (the Madeline Tosh).  So much for using up stash!


I love how it came out.  Granted, I still need to block it, but meanwhile I will wear it for a little while unblocked ;)

Thank you so much to Ben and Gracie's in Red Hook, NY, who let me use their mannequin :)
She looks mighty fine in my shawl, doesn't she?!

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Rhinebeck (week 120)

Where were you last weekend?

I hope you had a chance to spent time at the Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, NY

I didn't go to the actual festival this year, but there was plenty of fun to be had at the Knitting Garage in Rhinebeck and at Jill Draper's in Kingston.

Let me share some picture :)

My Milton Shawl was finished just in time to display before the festival started

Lots of fun events at The Knitting Garage.

The store is ready set up and full of great yarns...

...launching The Knitting Garage Yarn (hand-dyed by Leah) .

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Great sales attracted the crowds.

And a VIP appearance of Stephen West and Malia "Penelope" Mae

Stephen was a good sport letting us take selfies :)

And would you believe it:  All along I was working on my "Doodler" by Stephen West

One customer even brought her cat.

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Then on to Jill Draper's even in Kingston (do you see who else is there?!).

This pattern caught my eye (the sweater has side seam pockets!!)

GREAT QUOTE (another one of Jill Draper's creations)!

The raffle drawing on Sunday morning.

The happy winner.

It seems like the fun never ends at The Knitting Garage.  Here is Julibeth with Amy from Pom Pom (one of my favorite magazines).

What is on my needles? (week 75)

This is the yarn which is presently on my needles.  It is yarn from Ireland; hand-dyed and incredibly SOFT! 
I wish you could feel it !  Would that work through a 3-D printer?

The yarn is newly available at The Knitting Garage at AL Stickle and has been moving off the shelves pretty well.  No wonder, who can resist with color names like "Monarch", Teacup" (just one skein left), "Budgie", "Villain", "Pod", "Aroma", "Hunter", "Raven", "Pheasant" and "Cinder"?!  It feels a bit like magic knitting with these. 

The yarn is a DK weight 100% machine washable merino wool and if you go to the Hedgehog Fibres website, you can choose from several FREE patterns: http://shop.hedgehogfibres.com/category/patterns.  I found an additional free pattern written for this yarn by Stephen West :  "Yes Checks" and decided to knit up the hat in a 16 x16 check for the shop. 
The yarn feels soft in my hands and has a wonderful stitch definition.
The pattern is fun.  The hat will be tall enough to double over the ears for extra warmth.

Yummm!