stitch inspirations

As if I didn't have enough projects on my needles, this Vogue stitch dictionary is inspiring me to cast on again ... I haven't done any felting since last summer, and these stitch patterns are tempting me to experiment. I've seen successful felted cabled projects, but what would happen if these stitch patterns were felted?

falling into project spectrum

My latest project spectrum inspirations.

I've jumped head-first into Lolly's project spectrum, and I'm loving it! This is the third annual celebration of color, and this year's theme is Elements. February/March are the "Fire" months, with pink, orange, and red as the primary colors. I serendipitously finished the pink dottie bag just as I decided to participate. Everyone's projects on Flickr and Ravelry (log in required) are so inspiring ... its already helping me to expand my color horizons! Funny enough, most of the projects on my needles right now are of the water theme ...

FEBRUARY/MARCH - FIRE - red, orange, pink
APRIL / MAY - EARTH - green, brown, metallics
JUNE / JULY - AIR - gray, white, yellow
AUGUST / SEPTEMBER - WATER - blue, black, purple

project spectrum inspired

I'm normally not an orange person, but when I saw these carnelian beads I fell in love.


A little sliver of sunshine breaking through the winter doldrums.

itchy fingers

I've been buzzing with itchy, cast-on-a-million-projects-at-once hands lately.

1. After admiring it for ... oh ... at least six months ... I finally acquired the materials to make Lanaknits Designs' Lacy Little Top. After much debate, I went with the Aubergine colorway. This project is pushing me out of my comfort zone on so many fronts ... the skinniest yarn I've ever knit with ... the smallest needles I've ever knit with (size 3) ... and the most live stitches I've ever worked with (252)!! Oh, and my first lace project to boot. I must be insane! So far, so good. I've finished one pattern repeat!

2. Surf 'n Turf is on the homestretch ... I'm working on the front pieces now. I'll have to find buttons soon ... maybe some wood ones ...

3. After realizing that the Herringbone Mittens may have been a little too ambitious for my first stranded colorwork project, I frogged and cast on for the Manly Mitts. Well, not so manly anymore in purple! These photos are in evening lighting, so I apologize. I'll take better photos when the pair is finished.

All I'm missing is a thumb!

new pendants!

I heart Etsy. These are from seller Imogen. I'm a repeat customer. Her work is so cute!

Happy Fat Tuesday!

surf 'n turf progress!

Sleeve #2 on the needles ... sleeve #1 and back completed! The surf 'n turf cardigan is finally moving along!


The back is a little brown ... hmm ...


Time for inspection ...


My work meets the inspector's approval.

... done!

herringbone adventures

Size 3 dpns? MUCH better. Still a little loose, but it'll do. I never fully realized how much my gauge loosened up with ribbed knitting before! My new challenge? Yarn dominance. Notice that the pattern is haphazard/non-existent? Yeah ... I'm pretty sure that's due to yarn dominance. So I'll be ripping back one more time. The fact that my color choices don't have much contrast isn't helping the problem. Sigh. I chose to use size 6 dpns for the "body" of the mitten, and so far it fits, but is a bit snug. So I might try size 7 dpns when I start over ... we'll see. At least my floats look pretty!