Dr. Seuss Mitts

For some reason, when I was finishing these mitts, the colors and random pattern reminded me of a colorful Dr. Seuss book...
so I am calling these my "Dr. Seuss Mitts".

 

 

A few weeks back, I went to my local yarn shop, Grandma's Beads and Yarn. I've not been able to go much this summer but, now that school is back in session, I am able to go hang out with the girls on Thursdays.  It's always a treat to see my friends.  While I am at the shop, I keep telling myself... I don't need yarn, I don't need MORE yarn... but I put my knitting down on the table at the shop and walk around and look at all the pretty, yummy yarn.  I found this intriguing, solitary ball of yarn called Knitcol (from Italy).  I think it's a merino wool sport or DK weight yarn.  The color combination was unusual and the yarn spoke to me... buy me... make mitts.

 

So I did. 

 

I squeeked out a very matchy-matchy pair of fingerless mitts.  I had to piece things together a bit at the end to make things match.  I wish I could have ended the mitts with a dark color and the mitts do stretch out a bit when I wear them.  Whatever the case may be, I liked finding inspiration in a colorful, solitary ball of yarn.  

Holden... A Shawl

Holden is a shawl pattern I've admired for awhile. I got this yarn from Knit Picks with a gift certificate from my Mom for Christmas. Thanks, Mom!!!

This is Knit Picks Stroll in a colorway called "Lullaby". The yarn is "tonal"... shades of blue but there is purple in there too. It's very nice yarn... so soft. I enjoyed knitting with it.  Holden is a free pattern; I found it on Ravelry.  In the pattern photos, the designer shows the shawl being worn in this fashion like a neckerchief.  I think I might be able to pull off this look.  I don't intend to wear this shawl with this shirt but it does allow you to see the eyelet well, doesn't it? 

Snapped a photo of myself in the mirror. I am loving the gray streak in my hair at the temple.  :) 

My "free" highlights!  Ha, ha!

Striped Infinity Scarf #2

 

Another Striped Infinity Scarf.  A fun, relaxing knit.  The pattern is by Michelle Hunter at www.knitpurlhunter.com.  This is a great project to have on the needles... you can grab it and go... and knit a row here and there while waiting to pick up your kid after school or after sports practice. Also great for TV knitting.  I like to have an easy pattern like this to work on to take a break from something more complicated such as a charted lace shawl.  And the results are so great... such a wearable piece.  The first scarf I made with this pattern was made with Zauberball (fingering weight yarn, about 450 yards of yarn) which yielded a very long scarf. I like to wear it tripled up around neck.  This version is made with Crystal Palace's Mini Mochi which, to me, comes in amazing colorways.  This colorway is called "Crayon Box" and I used about 1 1/2 skeins (fingering weight, about 300 yards).   The recipient is a friend, Mrs. C.  I met her when our boys were in kindergarten and they are now sophomores in high school.  She's a grade school teacher, a very nice lady, a terrific mom... she is very petite and I think she'll like this shorter version of the scarf.  The yarn surprisingly has a lot of brown in it which you don't necessarily see in the photos.  I see Mrs. C wearing lots of earthy browns and when I showed this to my husband and said I planned to gift this to Mrs. C, my husband said, "Oh, those ARE her colors!"  Funny the things he notices.  I am glad he concurred.

 
A sunlight photo... my only window with southern exposure is in the dinky laundry room!  Check out my new dryer. Ha, ha!

Hubby snapped a photo for me. Wet hair... just out of the shower.  I should have smiled more! :)
Love this scarf. Tempted to keep for myself but I can always make another!

Pickles Cartoon

My Dad sent this "Pickles" cartoon to me...
he knows me well!

Sashay Scarves

Red Heart Brand Yarns has a line of yarns called "Sashay".  All the colorways are named after dances... Boogie, Jive, Conga, Disco.... This colorway featuring black, white, and gray, has little threads of silver and is called "Hip Hop".  Ordinarily I would not probably pick this project for me but a mom I know was telling me she likes black, white and gray and she likes a little bling and she likes ruffles. She always dresses in a stylish and fashionable way.  I had seen her visiting my local yarn shop not because she is a knitter or crocheter but because she likes to buy finished objects she finds there, namely scarves.  When I saw the "Hip Hop" yarn, I was hoping she'd like it.  I finished up these two scarves over two days. They did not take much time at all. 

This yarn at my local yarn shop is ridiculously popular; it literally flies off the shelves.  I have seen both crochet and knit versions and I prefer the LESS ruffly crochet version.  I was amazed to see I could make two scarves out of one ball of yarn... for less than $6.00.  A GREAT last minute gift idea.

My friend says she loves her scarf. She said she wore it out to dinner with her husband the night I gave it to her and she said even her husband thought the scarf was very nice.

Me wearing both scarves... you can see how long they are... which gives the wearer lots of versatility.