Look at those marvelous new alpaca patterns just published by Vogue Knitting. I love so much Alpaca that I cannot resist!
I guess I will be able to do just the wrist warmers, before the winter is over, but it's good to know there are some fashionable lovely pattern out there waitingto be made.
Sometimes watching the pics of my friends works-in-progress I see really beautiful and precious stitch markers, so I decided to try doing some myself.
You have to understand that I'm not really good with tools, and I've never made jewelry myself, but I really wanted some beautiful markers. So I looked for a store in Milan specialized in do-it-yourself jewelry, I tried to explain what I wanted to a perplexed clerk and went home.
With a clasp and a wire cutter I tried assembling the markers... And a bit clumsily I did those. What you think? They aren't too bad after all, actually I pretty proud and I find them really pretty ;-)
I went yesterday to The Point Knit café in New York City. I've been seeing this place for a year before I started knitting, and I was glad to finally gen in there knowing what to ask and to do.
I must say that despite a few harsh critics I red on Ravelry, I found a very nice ambiance, lovely people, prepared and friendly that helped me with patience to find the best 16" circular needle I could ever buy: the Addi Turbo!
Great selection of precious yarns and a few books. If you add a lovely cup of coffee, a piece of cake you have a peaceful afternoon of knitting relax.
The author has a lovely sense of humour. I wouldn't define this book a pattern book, it's more a philosophy book of knitting. I love Zimmerman's way of saying things and the fact that she didn't like to seam either, makes me love her even more.
I think I'll buy her other oeuvres as soon as i get to the US ;-)
Thanks to Ravelry I went finally through my stash and all the crochet hooks and knitting needles I've been collecting in those years. I must say I was pretty surprised to discover skeins and hooks and needles I didn't even know I had.
Now That everything is in order, though, I shall try to give every skein a project to go with, ans it isn't easy. Especially if you consider that in NYC I'll be buyng other pounds and pounds of fine yarn! ;-P
Yesterday I finally received the lovely book 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders I've ordered on Amazon.com a month ago!
The book is as good as I expected, though most of the patterns use 100 gr skeins and sometimes even cones (isn't it cheating a bit?), and I have loads of 50 gr singles. Anyway I'm sure I'll find a way.
I've just started a lovely lacy hat, I'll post pics as soon as is finished.
On the Clapotis front, I'm progressing and happy with the pattern that is definitely longer that i expected, but right now is pretty promising I hope the result will pay :-)
It's been a busy week and I've been able to finish two project I was working on. I'm pretty glad even if both project didn't came up as I expected. Anyway I learned a few new things and I'm pleased by that.
For my birthday a really sweet friend of mine offered me a HUGE skein of wool. 500gr of fine yarn blue, yellow and cyan. Really pretty! I've been thinking of the right project to make with it and I ended up with the famous Clapotis by Kate Gilbert.
It's going to be a long way up to the end, but I'm sure it's worth it!
I've planned a short holiday in NYC on Christmas, I'm very happy! Do you have any suggestions on:
must-see-yarn shops
must-buy US magazines
must-have knit and crochet books
I already have on my list:
Shops:
-Purl Soho
-The Point
Magazines:
-Vogue Knitting
-Interweave Knits
What else???
Lovely Stitch 'n' Bitch yesterday at La Triennale in Milan. Some news ladies, the lovely Silvia, Silvietta, Flavia and Susan and even a couple of guest (stars) drinking beers (my sys and her friend Crippa the man). Great afternoon! :-)
More pics HERE
I've just finished my Foliage hat revisited. Because my yarn was much thinner that the one suggested by the pattern (I used Alpaca Perù by Filatura di Crosa a very enjoyable yarn I must say) I added a round in the crown pattern. It took me the whole week end to do it. Unfortunately the result is a hat way too large :-(
This was my very first lace pattern and I loved doing it, but I'll have to undo it completely. I guess next time I'll do it with the right yarn.
I hope I'll be more lucky with Kim's Cashmere Neckwarmer made in Mammoth. At least this should be a faster project to achieve.
Just in time before the chill hit Milan I've been able to finish this lovely Oversize Beret from Lion Brand. Nice and easy. It reminded me how faster is crochet, compared to knitting, when you make hats.
I used a forgotten skein I found in my old stash in Rome, the yarn is called Mouflon by Tessitura di Tollegno color 1533, I used less than one skein. Yarn gauge 19stsx24 rows, crochet hook 5,5 mm / US 9 (I actually started with a 5mm/US8 but switched after a few rows).
Because my yarn was a bit thinner than the one suggested, I adapted the pattern adding two rows of increase and one row of decrease. I like the results, it's a nice, practical warm hat finished right on time!
On the Knitting for Homeless front I've finally found the right yarn and just yesterday the right pattern. It's a rib that in Italian is called "Fake English Rib", very nice, I think it will give a lovely scarf. The color is a bright red and I hope that the homeless guy who lives in the park down here will accept it and like it.
Before this "long week end" I was reading Ingrid's Blog, always a great source of inspiration, and I found her version of the One Skein Wonder. I immediately fell in love with the pattern and bought it right away. I have so many single skeins right now!
I was about to go to Rome by train and I thought it would be a perfect knit for the 4 and 1/2 hours travel. I definitely made the right choice because the train had a 2 hours delay and I almost finished the OSW during my way out.
It's definitely a lovely pattern, a bit trickier than I originally thought, but surely rewarding. Now that I did one I will definitely make others. I particularly love this version.
