Tween knits

Two years ago when my niece was turning 9 I asked my sister what she wanted. I had made her a wild vanilla that she loved but had outgrown. My sister said she would love another. 

I promptly started another but got bogged down in the keeping track part. It has sat on my window sill gathering dust and making me feel guilty for years now. 

Flash to this week when my niece turned 11. When I asked my sister what she would like she said she would love a tunic sweater "like" the one I had made her. That opened my eyes. I didn't have to make the same one (even though I had one right next to me that was already 25% complete). I could make one "like" it. Maybe perhaps one that didn't have a pattern over 20 pages long. 

And thus started the search, which is sometimes the funnest part. I think I have settled on Low Tide by Tin Can Knits. I've owned the pattern for a while. It provides 12 sizes, which give wild vanilla a run for its money and the pattern is only 3 pages long!!

I just frogged wild vanilla. I will recycle the dusty pattern (I still have a digital version). I will spend some time reading Low Tide this afternoon. 

My Mora

I ended the year and started the new year knitting a sweater for myself. I learned a bit about the pattern and yarn by knitting my sister's Mora. Now I'm putting it to good use. 

One thing I knew I wanted to change was the color scheme.  My sister brought enough yarn from Iceland to make two sweaters, alternating the color scheme.  I knew that I would make the gray sweater for her.  She wears mostly blacks and grays.  I loved the blue-green yarn, but I found that in tone it was very similar to the gray.  It made for a very subtle sweater.  This was perfect for my gray loving sister.  I wanted more pop.  

I wanted something that contrasted nicely with the beautiful blue-green.  I was hoping for an orange or an orangey-red.  Many of my local yarn shops have closed over the past few years, and I wasn't sure where I could get Lopi without ordering it.  I knew I could always order from Webs, but I wanted to see the contrast in person, and I didn't want to drive to Northampton.  And I wanted the yarn soon.  As snow days were approaching (earlier in the month) I envisioned getting stuck in the house with no yarn to continue my sweater (ack!).  

So I stopped by Another Yarn on the way home from work one afternoon.  I had never been there before.  It was a nice bright store with a lot of space (though parking was not great).  They did not have a lot of Lopi, and I almost bought the wrong kind, but they did have some that I thought would work nicely.  It was not the orange/red I was looking for but I think the cream gives a nice contrast and will look great.  

The colorwork has been moving along quickly.  Very soon I will be starting on sleeves!

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Mora complete

I completed Mora on Christmas Day.  I washed and blocked it and gave it to my sister on the following day.  I think it fit her very well.  

And I learned a few things about what I might do when I make my Mora.

To me, from me

I was out shopping for some yarn for my SIL when I found a few goodies for myself.

Although I haven't been writing, I have been knitting.  In late October I started a sweater for my sister made from yarn she brought home from Iceland back in 2016.  I'm in the home stretch, working on the yoke of Mora.  I hope to have it finished to give to her when I see her next week.  She has stopped asking about it, and I haven't told her that I started it, so it will likely be a fun surprise.  

Knitting it has gotten me in the mood for more colorwork--which is good because I plan to make another Mora for myself--she brought home enough yarn for two sweaters. A few weeks ago some ravelry friends were mentioning the latest interweave knits.  I haven't had any interest in Interweave since I let my subscription lapse a few years ago.  But this issue was different.  This winter issue had some sweaters that looked like things I would wear.  So I grabbed it today.  

I have also been intrigued by posts over the past few months by Sonya Phillips on Mason Dixon Knitting.  They make me want to make my own clothes.  I have some books about sewing, but maybe this one will get me going.  

Looking forward to reading, knitting and sleeping over this winter break.  

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10 year blogiversary

I was just looking over the blog and realized that I missed my 10 year blogiversary earlier this month. Though I haven't been keeping up with the blog much (let's face it, I'm the only one that reads it) I have been doing some knitting. 

The long promised sweater for my sister (made from yarn and a pattern book she got in Iceland) is nearing completion. Arms have been joined to the body. Now to finish the yoke. 

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A decade of Ravelry

I just noticed that last week was my 10 year anniversary of being on Ravelry!
A lot has changed in 10 years, but Ravelry is still a fabulous resource that only gets better the more people post their projects.

2017 Fiber Revival

The forecast threatened rain but 2017 Fiber Revival at Spencer Pierce Little Farm was dry with cool breezes. 

The kids watched the end of an old timey baseball game while I shopped at Stitched by JessaLu, Spunky Eclectic and Mad Color Fiber Arts.

 They saw the farm animals and we took a tour of the farm house. 

And I now have an itch to purchase a charkha wheel. 

Here are my goodies.