Peppermint Ginger Top

Project: Peppermint Ginger
Pattern: Ginger, designed by Kim Hargreaves (free on Ravelry)
Yarn: Rio de la Plata handspun kettle dyed 100% wool
Yardage: 560 yards in stash
Needles: Size 7 & 9
Cast on: July 16 2011
Notes: Another project with China group on Ravelry. The yarn is a lovely single spun, thick and thin, very lofty at places, I hope it'll bloom nicely after a wash. The pattern is for a summer top, with crew neck in front and V neck in the back. Since I'm knitting in this heavy wool yarn, mine will be more like a layering piece. It will be a little longer than the pattern, with V neck on the front and back. Looks like I have enough yarn for some sleeves too. 

Light and Lacy Finale

Project: Light and Lacy 波萝丝

Pattern:  Light and Lacy by Doris Chan

Yarn: Schachenmayr Nomotta Belana, superwash wool

Color: F8410, blue

Yardage: Had 4 balls, 546 yards in stash, used exactly 3 balls, plus small amount of white Encore worsted weight for edgingHook: US Size G & I

Previous entries: in progress

Cast on: June 25, 2011

Cast off: July 15, 2011

Cost: About $15 (I don't remember buying the yarn, so this is really an estimate.)

Notes: The beginning was difficult, but once the body was joined together it was fun making the pineapple motives. The Chinese name of the project means shredded pineapple, a word play on the translation of lace and shreds. I made this top as part of Crochet-Along with the China Group on Ravelry. My crochet skills are practically next to none so this was a very good practice. Another reason was so I could use my fancy Brittany rosewood hooks. When I first started knitting this time around, in 1998, Brittany needles and hooks were all the rage. I collected a stash of their rosewood straight needles and crochet hooks. Then they stopped making them. The price for the needles went sky high. I couldn't resist the temptation of making a quick buck and sold all the needles on eBay. These hooks survived. It feels good just to touch them.

Light and Lacy China CAL

Pattern: Light and Lacy by Doris Chan

Yarn: Schachenmayr Nomotta Belana, superwash wool

Yardage: 546 yards in stash

Color: F8410, blue

Hook: US Size G & I

Cast on: June 25, 2010

Notes: I learned to crochet with steel hook and cotton threads when I was a little girl, but never done much other than an occasional edging. This is my first time to crochet from a pattern, and to make a garment that supposed to fit a human body. The beginning was a bit challenging, I couldn't even figure out where in the pattern was the "cast on".  I was constantly lost where I was on the garment. When I finally got the idea how the back and front and shoulders fit together, I thought the shoulder straps were way too short, so I added a few rows (like quite a few). This resulted a massively plunging neckline that only JLo would wear in public. I added a round of white to pull it together. Now, that looks better.

(Update to add, this is not done yet (yarn and markers attached!), still yet to finish the bottom, and white edgings around the arm holes to match the neckline.)

Knit Sighting

For this week's Fiber Arts Friday, I'm going to feature some knit sightings of late. To see lots of other interesting fiber arts, be sure to visit Andrea's blog Wisdom Begins in Wonder.

Saw some very neat yarn bombing in downtown San Jose during the long weekend. These were put up during International yarn bombing day on June 14.

On July 4th we went to Marin County Fair where fiber arts were on display with their winnings. This is only a partial sampling of what was there, we have some truly talented people in the area!

Last but not least, a knitter's cake!

Oslo Walk Shawl Finale

Project: Oslo Walk Shawl

Pattern:  Oslo Walk Shawl by Susanna IC, Interweave Knits Winter 2010
Yarn: The Periwinkle Sheep watercolors sock yarn, 75% merino, 25% nylon, 420 yards. I used just about the entire skein.
Needles: US Size 6

Previous entries: planning, lifeline, home stretch

Cast on: May 29, 2011

Cast off: June 25, 2011

Notes: I really enjoyed working with this yarn and pattern. The yarn is so soft, and Karin has a huge range of colors to choose from. She will be at Sock Summit, and her etsy store is always there. Susanna has a few other very pretty small shawls and they will work very well for my other hand dyed sock yarns too.