Design Project: Sparkly Mesh Cowl is S...L...O...W... Going...

My sparkly mesh cowl design is coming along but sadly I've had to cut back on my knitting a bit. I seem to have done something to my right wrist and it is causing some pain to do anything at all. So this already SLOW project is taking SO... MUCH... LONGER. But so far I'm happy with how it's looking.

I'm really getting the hang of knitting with beads. It's a lot easier that I thought it would be and I'm enjoying the little bit of sparkle it is adding to my design. I have a bit of a pattern emerging. we'll see if it holds up.

^.^

Design Project: Beaded Mesh Knit Cowl

I LOVE beading... I LOVE knitting...

Who knew I could put the two together?

I needed a project for my skein of Malabrigo sock yarn in the beautiful colourway: Zarzamora (grey, lilac, blue & green) but I wanted it to be something a bit different... Something special.

Now I JUST finished knitting up my Lacy Mesh Linen Cowl and I really liked how it turned out. I thought about doing something like that with this yarn but I wanted it to have a little bit more oomph to it. So then I thought about adding beads to it. 

I'd never added beads to my knitting before. I was intimidated by the thought because I thought that it would be incredibly complicated. But, after watching a couple of how-to videos, I realized it didn't look as difficult as I thought. So I decided to give it a shot!

So here's my yarn, my beads (bigger seed beads in silver) & my incredibly tiny crochet hook (1mm)... 

Wish me luck...

*clickety clickety click*

A-a-and a few hours later...
(err... I mean last night. It got so late I had to go to bed after knitting this row.)


Voila!

So here I go on another knitting adventure! Squee!

^.^

Knit Projects: Finishing It Up... Blocking!

So I've finally found the time and space to block my two spring/summer accessories (my Strathcona and my lacy mesh linen cowl that I have yet to give a name to :S). I've never blocked anything before so this is all new to me. I really hope I did it right.

I can't wait until they are dry so I can see them on! But... I WILL wait patiently...

*sigh*

*foot tapping*


*tapping grows louder & more impatient*


GAH!


*runs to grab a hair dryer*


Lol!

Design Project: Lacy Mesh Cowl

My latest design project... A lacy mesh cowl for spring and summer made from linen. This is my first time working with linen and I have to say that it does take quite a toll on your hands. First off... It gets to be pretty heavy. Even after the 2nd ball I started to feel the weight of it. And secondly... It's a bit of a stiff yarn that can get pretty rough to work with... Literally. Although, my hands became really soft and smooth from working it, the downfall was that it became hard to work with over long periods of knitting.  But on the plus side, I've heard that after blocking it softens right up. So that will be my next step. 

But for now it is my "something light and pretty" accessory for the warmer weather! Yay!

It started with this...
Punta Yarns: Rope-Light Hand-Painted Linen
I fell in love with the colours... light lavender, blues, greens, and yellows

I cast on a whack load of stitches... and chose an openwork mesh pattern.
Then I just kept knitting... until...

VOILA! A cowl emerged!

It was so much fun and easy too!

Knit Design Project: Inara Cowl... DONE!

So it's finally done! *phew*

I think my Inara Cowl that I designed turned out pretty good. :) It's warm and cozy but light and airy so its great for the transitioning weather between winter and spring. Plus it gets breezy here on the island so it keeps the chill off quite nicely.

The only complaint I have about making this cowl was the yarn. The Patons Lace that I used was crazy to work with. No matter how carefully and slowly I pulled from the ball it would get snagged and cause a bunch of problems. I guess that's due to the mohair cling to itself. Plus I counted at least four yarn barfs that slowed things down a lot. If I absolutely HAVE to use this yarn again I will definitely draw the yarn from the outside.

But all in all it was a wonderful little project. It makes a nice snood too, doesn't it? :)

New Design Project! The Inara Cowl

As if i didn't have enough in my yarn bowl... ^.^
I started something new! I found this yarn at Michaels. It's Patons Lace in Arctic Plum. It is THE prettiest colour I have ever seen. I needed to get it. So I pulled up the Michaels 50% off coupon on my phone and bought it. Then I started knitting it up into the "You Are My Sunshine" cowl but then I decided that I didn't want the stripes in it. So it will be just straight open work lace from bottom to top... hence the Inara Cowl was born. A new pattern design for me. Woot!

We'll see how it turns out...

New Design Project! The "Love Is..." Cowl

I had a skein of Punta Yarns Mericash yarn in baby pink and I wanted to make something cute and cozy. Just a few days before Valentine's Day and I had wanted to try making my own pattern of hearts using knits and purls. So I came up with this.

It's still in the design phase. The name is inspired by my mom's favourite little single-panel comic called "Love Is..." I thought it was a good fit.  So it's a combination of row of hearts then a few rows of openwork lace (the lace was mainly my husband's idea being the hopeless romantic that he is. ~.^)

So far it's looking pretty cute! We'll see how it turns out...