Just some crochet....

Nothing on knitting front...although I fit in hours of knitting last weekend. Have been sick (again!) for much of this week. It's in the 90's around here, and I was bundled up on the sofa with a cup of hot cocoa last night, working on my ripple blanket on my lap....

This is an especially beautiful crochet blanket, just gorgeous in it's entire design. And she very kindly gives a pattern for it.

Color, color, color.....

Whoa, watchout bun-buns....

Photo taken at a bird sanctuary, this hawk was circling directly above us....(or maybe he was eye-ing us?!)

I love birdies :) Here are some more interesting shots from the bird sanctuary....

Ha haaaaa, look at that mug! :)



this is an Impeyan Pheasant, from Nepal. Love the colors in the plumage, would love to make a blanket or garment with all those wonderful colors! Man, those are really rich jewel-tones.

How about the Slivered Almonds Bird:

Just kidding--didn't get his name, but doesn't he look like he's covered in slivered almonds?! The beauty and diversity of nature continually astound me!
This guy looks like he is wearing a clapotis around his neck....

You must really click on the photos to get the full effect of these colorful pheasants from around the world...


This is a Golden Pheasant.

Speaking of color: have you seen this ? The author has a whole entire series of color study on her blog, and I love her step by step process and how she is inspired....I could sure learn a lot about that :)

Here is another blog about color: in the form of fair-isle knits. Love that blog, it's so inspiring. I would love to try my hand at a large fair-isle pattern, having successfully made We Call Them Pirates last winter--both hat and mittens!

On Knitty Gritty, one of the knitster girls was making a double-knit scarf in white and red, and that is really inspiring to me, too! Had tried my hand at double knit about 15 years ago--here's my learning swatch:

This is from 12 years ago, when I was brand new to knitting, and was planning a blanket! This is as far as I got, cough, cough! It was done in icky acrylic yarn, which is all I could find at the time. But I still think it rocks, and it is calling me to do something in that technique. Perhaps one of my scarf Xmas gifts?....

Another creative knitter in color of fair-isle and double knitting in multiple colors! This is one massively creative woman, inspiring me with each of her projects.

Heeeeeeere's Crazy Weave!

View of "right side"


View of "wrong side".

I like them both as a right side :)

Pattern: Crazy Weave Scarf

Source: Moi (soon to post pattern)

Yarn:Classic Elite Princess in color # 3485 'Milord's Madder' worsted weight wool/angora/cashmere/nylon/viscose

Needles: US8

Work remaining: 2/3 left to go: took me 1 ball of Princess to knit up 21" in length of this pattern, which is also 8" wide at narrow portions, 8-1/2" wide at broader parts.

Mods: Will have to post this all soon. Very pleased with how it is turning out!

Herbstlied & Am Kamin, here I come!

I got my book from YesAsia last week! Took a while, about 1 month to get here, but it was worth the wait! This book also has the Am Kamin sweater in it--I didn't know that when I ordered it!!! That's a really nice bonus :)

I have found that there are multiple KALs and blogs referencing these patterns, and, to tell you the truth this blog is the one that convinced me to buy it so I could have help to figure out the instructions, which are, of course, in Japanese. And this blog has a list too.

For anyone contemplating ordering this book, here's a preview of what's in it (you can't see the insides on YesAsia before you order):

Look at the cute tams!!!

Ooooooh, love those oakleaf pattern cables in "Herbstlied." Fun, fun, fun. (I am an avid acorn kitsch collector! Some day I'll post pics of my collection.....)

I would so love to knit the Am Kamin in a deep red like what is shown. Hmmm, another must do!

Sharfik esta terminada

Yay, I did it!! I finished my July knitting goals (finish a scarf, start and finish another for Xmas gifts)! Wow, having made that promise--in the Stashalong--really made me get my projects done. I first thought it was a meager goal to finish 2 scarves in July, but....what with working full time, and all the crazy things life seems to throw at me randomly, I don't think I could have accomplished anything more than I did! So, Yay for me :)
(I AM patting myself on the back right now!)


Sharfik was finished tonight at Knit Night. And the ends are woven in and everything. Woo hoo! I used all 3 balls of yarn except for about 24" and I think the length is just right :) No finished pic yet....

And, I treated myself to a ball of yarn after finishing it :) A ball for moi....

Am going to visit 'the grandfather' this weekend, won't be posting until next week some time :) Will update with a finished Sharfik pic later on. (And yes, I will be working on Crazy Weave on the drive up, hee hee!)