This beauty has been nearly two years in the making and now measures a whopping 54 inches long. Yet I’m loathe to cast off. Like a deliciously good book, I don’t want it to ever end. Ok…so I exaggerate. The Upstairs Shawl pattern is so simple that it’s a genuine pleasure to knit and can be picked up at anytime. Part of the reason I have so many unfinished knits is because of thinking that I have to exert just to figure out where I am and how to finish. Sometimes it just feels easier to start something new.

BTW: The makers of this beautiful thread, Artfibers, are back in SF so make sure you check them out next time you’re in the city.

I finished this little scarf so long ago that I had to look on Ravelry to remember exactly when. My Rav notes show that I finished the Sailing Sea Scarf on Dec. 27, 2010 – Is that even possible?!?!? Here I am thinking to myself that I must have cast off a month or so ago. It’s absolutely scary how time seems to speed up.

In any case, the scarf hung behind my door and then in my car waiting for the right model and moment. Both of those transpired last Thursday when lovely friend and CSUEB cohort, Deme, agreed to throw the scarf around her neck when we were both at class out in Concord. It’s been unseasonably chilly here lately but I absolutely loved the color of Deme’s sweater. It sets off the silk scarf beautifully, don’t you think?

It’s been bloody cold around here – even for California. Bitter. Luckily I finished this wonderful hat just in time for the freeze. The pattern is called Intuitive and yes it is. Very easy. Very fun to make. As an added bonus it’s also convertible as you can see from the different ways it’s styled on Alex.

Wear it slouchy as pictured above.

Or fold the brim over…

…and wear it like this.

I think I like it best with the ribbing folded over and I kind of wish I had made it even longer but as it stands it took an entire skein of Venezia. This was my first time working with Venezia, inspired by Nancy who made this very same hat in Venezia but in black, and I absolutely LOVE this yarn. I don’t know why I haven’t used it before now. I’m looking for a nice sweater project to make with this luscious yarn. Possibly a long, belted cardigan.

Got any suggestions?

I first saw this lace scarf at Article Pract a few months ago when I took my friend Nancy on a tour of East Bay yarn shops. It looked simple enough but it’s been tricky. Lace can be hard because it’s difficult to tink (or unknit if you will).  I’ve started it a number of times only to get stuck on the lace pattern and frog it. My notes showed that I had started it as far back as July 10.  Well I finally got it going again about two weeks ago and it’s been growing rapidly. I have 27 inches so far. I just pick it up when I need a quick mental break from all of the homework – for both day school and night school. I’m eager to finish it and start wearing it. Scarves are in again dontcha know.

It was a beautiful rainy day on Saturday. One of those days that just makes you want to start project after project after new project and what should arrive for me at the Orinda library but the new More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts. This book is a keeper folks. I may even have to go and buy it for my permanent collection. It’s that good.

Flipping though the pages of the book I saw the big lace scarf pattern. Of course I had to start it, as if I had nothing better to do. I do. Instead I dug through my piles of stash and found a ball of Crystal Palace Mochi (Mochi plus I think but I have long since lost the wrapper) and with one ball the end result is about 36 inches long. Not bad. A little something to wrap around my neck on a cold morning.

It’s done. Over the weekend. In between homework and school work and baking and walks in the park. A little gift to myself.

How appropriate that as I’m about to hit the road again, I began the Traveling Woman Shawl. Yesterday. Tomorrow I head to Ashland for a quickie trip to see Alice.

The Traveling Woman Shawl, you may remember, was all the rage at the Ravelry meet up a few months ago so it seems fitting that I’m knitting mine out of Malabrigo sock in the color “Ravelry Red.” Red is notoriously difficult to color correct and I’m not sure if I really captured it here, but it’s a stunning hand-dyed red. Trust me on this one.

Did I tell you about my plan to only wear three colors?

It started when I was packing for Chicago. I thought it would greatly simplify my life if I only wore three colors – black, gray and red. Of course, there are bits of other colors like white which are used as accents, in things like scarves, etc.

Today I picked up a skirt by Nomadic Traders in a lovely print of – what else? – black and white and gray. It’s a little big but oh so comfortable.

And a couple of weeks ago I splurged on some silver earrings at Ethnic Arts. The centers are actually buttons but they kind of look like candy to me.

Ok I’m going to continue my preparations for tomorrow’s trip. I hope to enjoy some blueberry picking and a little cycling and perhaps a play or movie and time with my daughter. See you next week!

I actually finished this scarf quite some time ago – on May 24 say my Ravelry records -  but only recently found a model whose neck was worthy of this cotton/bamboo blend. Special thanks to Maria for wearing the scarf in what turned out to be a chilly summer day in Concord, California – it only got up to 82 degrees!

I started the Twin-Leaf Scarf from Vogue Knitting a few months ago but finished it quickly. It was hard to put down! This scarf is versatile and surprisingly easy. No kidding. Try it. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

I’m almost finished with  my fourth week of the seven week summer session at CSUEB and everything’s moving swiftly. Mountains of homework and reading still to be done. I’ll be back to knitting and the dog days of summer soon.

Ever since I took Nancy on the East Bay LYS tour back in April and we visited Article Pract, I have been dying to make a scarf that I saw on display there. The narrow Sailing Sea Scarf was made from Tilli Tomas Demi Plié and, as it turns out, the pattern comes with purchase – a mini, business-sized pattern.

Now I ask you, how cool is that? I wish that all patterns were as portable.

As soon as I free up my size 2 needle, I will cast on.

The other cool thing about Article Pract is visiting Bakesale Betty’s which is only steps away. I finally had a chance to sample their strawberry shortcake *and* apricot pie. Wow! Best pie I’ve ever tasted, hands down. But as you know, with dessert comes pounds so I’m off to work on my bike again. I’m trying to ride off another ten pounds. It’s a beautiful day for it anyway. Have a good one!

I have noticed that when I make scarves, my cast on edge (on the right) is usually a lot tighter than my cast off edge (on the left). Does anyone else have this problem? This is not the first time it’s happened. I try to cast on really loose, often using both needles for the cast on (long tail cast one here) but invariably, I always seem to get the same, uneven results.

Solutions? Anyone?

I did manage to finish a long standing project, the Liesel scarf recently, a scarf which Ravelry records show I started on January 26, 2009. The scarf was pattern intensive and not something that I could easily pick up and mindlessy knit away at. This project required my full attention but the results were worth the effort.

I gave the scarf to Nell as a graduation gift and although I wasn’t sure if the color was right for her, I am very pleased with the results.

Results. How many times can I say results in one blog post? Many times it would seem.

It’s late and I’ve had a very long day but I wanted to post my latest project which I started a few days ago. It’s the Twin-Leaf Scarf from the most recent issue of Vogue Knitting. This issue is just chock full of lacy, leafy projects and I’m really enjoying this scarf. First time ever knitting seed stitch – can you believe it?

The pattern called for bamboo and as it happened I had one ball of Lion Cotton Bamboo in a lovely shade of blue that I managed to score last year in Portland at the Knit and Crochet Show.

It won’t be as long as the scarf in the pattern, but I think it will make a nice little neck adornment for the warm days and cool nights of summer.