two finishes

  

The knits: Finish #1 , this quite belated xmas gift scarf !  It's riding around as shown in the passenger seat of my car until it is gifted. It's  pretty,  it'll be good company for a couple of days.  The main yarn is Big Birdie from The Lamb & Kid, if you have never knit with this yarn, you might put it on your list to give yourself a treat.

(Admittedly not summer knitting materials except far north or in strong AC...it's a warm and fuzzy alpaca silk blend.The colors though!!) 

I'm on to my next FINISH IT IN '26 (in which I revisit WIPs and either finish or repurpose materials) project, a Piilo sweater started last September.

The reads: Finish #2:  The Women by Kristin Hannah. Her writing swirls you into a story and the characters  in a cinematic way, she nailed the time period perfectly. I suspect there are people who learn history through her novels and that's a good thing! I'd recommend it especially as a vacation read. 

I started Katabasis by RF Kuang, my bookgroup's choice for the month. It is not a genre I enjoy so let me know if you've read it and send a (hopefully) encouraging word!

On my mind:  I'm going to be filmed for KnitStars *in about 6 weeks (early July). I need to prepare on all fronts. From fixing up my shaggy front yard to make a good first impression to breaking down the teaching modules for photographing your knits.  It will be filmed while I am actually photographing knits!  I have always wanted to teach this way. The end product is going to amazing  but between now and July...yikes! 

* I am new to KnitStars both as a customer and as a subject--and I am VERY impressed. One thing I never realized is you can purchase individual classes, after the season has ended for very reasonable prices ($ 67.). If you scroll down on this link you'll see so many good ones. I recommend Dawn Barker Assigned Pooling.  It's a true pleasure.

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I'm trying SO HARD to blog every week using Kat's Unraveled as my prompt. I tried so hard this week that I posted this on Tuesday, a day early . (ugh! long weekend calendar dysfunction!). You can find others blogging with knits and reads at her Unraveled links. 

doing the thing(s) !

 

Another overdue gift almost ready for its giftee!  In January I told myself this year is going to be about doing the things that I have already started or have been meaning to start. Keep the new projects to a minimum. In knitting and everything else.

Loving this scarf  The main color is the delicious Big Birdie yarn , the contrast color is three strands of fingering weight yarns held toge ther, one has some bling in it.  The pattern is my own-ish, inspired by this scarf inspired by Missoni. I added an as-you-go three stitch icord up each long edge, and instead of using self striping yarn I'm using my choices. It's one row repeated forever, the kind of knitting I enjoy when I'm tired or traveling or being social.

I wrote out the pattern in the ravelry project page if you're curious.  You could make a fun super scrappy stash buster.

I'm trying to improve/expand my project bag situation. This one is from BeautifulSyster  I never understood the greatness of this bag style till I visited their booth at Nash Yarn Fest. You can tie it up like a little dumpling and put it in a larger bag, or you can put your arm through the strap, and when open it sits nice and flat and wide open and holds a lot. No zipper, a dealbreaker for me (too many projects or yarns snagged in zippers, no thanks). Plus seaweed fabric print...I mean how could I not? 

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I am trying to get on board , dday-wise, with As Kat Knits Unraveled which is WEdmnesdays...maybe next week! I'm reading The Women by Kristin Hannah. It sucks you in.  

To everything there is a season...

... it's spring, I finished a winter gift knit. (trombone sound here).  

 

Dave's intended gift for last December., Finest Kind, details here.  He loves it. This is his favorite color. In November I tried to hide I was knitting it for him,  believing I'd finish in three busy weeks. Delulu as the youth say! He rarely remarks on whatever project I have going on however around Thanksgiving I had to answer the question "What are you knitting? I really like that color, I could use a new sweater)!

 It is Juniper Moon  Santa Cruz in Cinnamon.   Not going to lie, I bought the yarn because I thought it was from California, (it's not) .I didn't read the label. It's a nice sturdy organic merino, dense and woolly, perfect for a winter sweater for our climate (maybe a little less bright than below) .

 

If I wait until I get a good photo of Dave in it, it could be another 6  months!  We have a Cobblers Kids situation around here. Although we have been together since our 20th birthdays (ie. a good long while)   he is  still not at ease posing for me!  He 'll readily selfie with me so we're good. TBH I probably couldn't share my life with a peacock personality! 

Moss Stitch is not fast knitting for me and this yarn /garment is substantial. I really like the pattern. I pormise it won't take you as long as it did for me, I kept putting it aside!   I may eventually knit one for myself.

Next up...finishing the (belated Xmas gift )scarf for my assistant.

We designed it together thinking I'd finish it in January.  Do you see a theme here?  I am closing in on her birthday mid-May!  It' super luxurious- the purple yarn main color  is Big Birdie from Lamb & Kid  (LOVE this yarn, this winter I lived in a pullover vest type thing I knit in it) . The wavy stripes are three strands of light fingering weight yarn held together, all of them  she acquired during jobs we shot  last year: a sparkly brown.rose gold metallic alpaca from Tennessee,  a hand dyed pink/purple/cranberry  from Texas and a pinkish-purple skein of Baah Yarn.

It will feel good to gift this. The started projects around here can feel like they're yelling for my attention, I may just hit a few more deserving WIPs next.  

What are you up to?