Winner, Q&A, Happy 4th!

Last week's eBook giveaway winner is AllyB, who blogs at Ally B ... that's Me! Ally, Denise will get in touch with you on Ravelry to send the eBook.

Chat back time:

Cathy, my favorite yarn is usually wool, usually merino, and usually the less processed the better. I really like Ellen's Half Pint Yarns wool, and that's a Falkland wool. I like most of cashmere and alpaca yarns too (pure or blend), but sometimes they don't hold stitch definition very well so I can't use them for cable designs (and you know I live on cables :-)). I have some fancy stuff in my stash too, like pure silk, qiviut, I really like them, but they are so expensive for a small quantity, hard to decide how to use them.

Mlissabeth, my mom taught me to knit when I was about five, and I knitted on and off when I was growing up. This time around when I became a serious Knitter was in 1998 when I found Knitlist online and join our local knitting group. I have been knitting just about every day since.

Sheila, the little black dog is our little princess Emma. Emma just turned a year old and she knows she's the cutest pup in the world and everyone worships her dainty little toes. 

Beth, the picture was taken at an outdoor concert / picnic, so there was a lot of food around. Emma allowed us to eat our food and only had couple nibbles of fries. She's perfect.

Ally, yes she's ready! Did I send you the address? Let me know if you need it.

It's July 4th week and Henry has the week off from camps. We did some day trips to the coast to get away from the heat wave. I leave you this picture of a hot fudge sundae from Ghiradelli Chocolate Shop on Cannery Row in Monterey. 

Happy Friday! Join the party on Andrea's blog, and leave me a comment!

GIVEAWAY And Book Review

photo credit Denise Voie de Vie

I cannot begin to tell you how much I enjoy Denise's photography. Denise, who blogs at Voie de Vie, is an accomplished knitting and crochet designer, painter, and photographer. I have the honor of being one of the reviewers of her latest eBook, Fleurs et L'eau - Printemps/Ete 2013 (Flowers and Water, Spring/Summer 2013). Besides patterns and beautifully modeled samples, there are pictures of vibrant flowers, peaceful water, historical building, and deep canal, at the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks/Carl S.English, Jr. Botanical Garden in Seattle.

Now the patterns:

1. One if by Hook Cardi: This crochet cropped cardigan would look so cute on a young lady or someone with the right build -- thin in the middle and without overly large chest or hips. It's a good representation of wearable fashionable crochet. The stitch pattern offers good texture and the overlap neckline design is a sweet touch. With a cotton worsted weight yarn this is a quick project for the summer.

2. Two if by Sticks Cardi: a knitted version of the cropped cardigan. The navy blue trims illustrate the Seattle, Pacific northwest spirit. At 4 stitches per inch, this is a very quick knit, so pick up the sticks and make it for the summer!

Denise's patterns come with very nice schematics, but as a die hard chart knitter, stitch pattern charts would be ever more helpful.

3. Anyone for a Stroll? Bag: crochet small tote bag with bamboo handles. I love small tote bags, they are so easy to use when you are dashing from one place to the next, and have to constantly find or put away wallet, change purse, glasses, sunglasses, phone, car key, house key, pen, camera, hair clip, shopping list, credit card, business card, chapstick, hand lotion, carry-around knitting project, etc. This little bag is a quick project in thick and thin yarn or other bulky yarn. Close it with a big button, or not. There are instructions for Bottom Stabilizer, Lining, and Attaching Handles.

4. Le Bateau Shawl: le bateau means the boat, and this crochet crescent shaped shawl is so named because it looks like the bottom of the boat from the side ways. But so much prettier!! The body of the shawl is worked in one piece and then top and bottom edgings are picked up. With 75 inches wingspan, this is a pretty good sized go-everywhere shawl.

5. Constellation Bracelet and Earrings: crochet with beads, so simple and so elegant. There are plastic rings inside to hold the shape.

6. Climbing Vines Cowl: crochet in rich texture, another go-everywhere, suitable for all occasion summer must-have accessory. The body is worked flat and edging is added after seaming, so in theory you can easily change the pattern into a scarf or stole.

Now the GIVEAWAY:

Denise's eBook is available on Ravelry for $14.99. I have ONE copy to giveaway to a blog reader (eBook will be sent to you from Denise through Ravelry). To qualify, leave a comment on this entry:

1. Your favorite pattern in this eBook
2. Ask me a question, about this blog, knitting, dogs, me
3. Let me know how to get in touch with you if we are not connected already

One entry per person. Entry ends Thursday July 4th noon PST. In next week's blog post I will announce the winner and answer your questions.

There are so many words in this entry, time to take a look at this face again.

Happy Friday! Join the party on Andrea's blog, and leave me a comment!

Emma's Lady E Sweater, Wet Blocking

I need a cute purse and some heels.

Emma is a great model

Where are my pearls and diamonds?

In the recent cold snap Emma the puppy complained how cold it was to go outside at night, or to attend weekend dog training classes. What's a knitter to do! There is not really a pattern, and the yarns are assorted left over from my stash. We are both very happy with the result.

Ouch!

Can you see the big E?

Last week I asked about wet blocking. Beth at Green Planet Yarn let me borrow the blocking board, wires, and pins from the store, so I re-blocked Grant Teton Shawl. The result is great, the shawl grew at least couple of inches, at least on Daniella the mannequin.

Looks like the shawl is in torture chamber

While I was at it, I re-blocked the Oslo Walk Shawl too, since the edging can use some better definition. I don't care too much for the wires, but pins and board can really make a difference. Looks like there will be shopping in the future.

Happy Friday! Join the party on Andrea's blog, Tami's blog, and leave me a comment! 

Grant Teton Shawl Finale 大西北之秋

Project: Grand Teton Shawl 大西北之秋
Pattern: Grand Teton Shawl by Very Busy Monkey, Ravelry download
Yarn: Abstract Fiber Might Sock, 50% superwash merino, 50% tencel
Yardage: 380 yards, 100g skein, Laurel Hurst colorway. Took less than a skein to finish.
Needles: Size 6
Cast on: December 15, 2012

Cast off: January 6, 2013

Cost: $0 (shop sample)

Previous entry: last week

Notes: The shawl came out smaller than I expected. I steam blocked it on a towel as I usually do with my finished knitting, it stretched out a bit, but still looks small. I may have to wet block it on the board with blocking wires. If you've done that, please share your experience.

Does this puppy look a little cold?

Happy Friday! Join the party on Andrea's blog and leave me a comment! 

Starfish Getting Close; Pupdate

The hole in the middle of Starfish shawl is getting smaller and smaller. Not surprisingly, once the lace pattern was done and the stitch count per round became more manageable (remember it started at 730 stitches at cast on), it felt like I was making leaps and bounds progress every night. You will see the finished shawl in couple of weeks. 

Emma puppy turned five months old on Thursday. She's growing taller and longer. She picks on her poor brother mercilessly. Rascal can't keep up with her speed and vigor sometimes, but if she's locked in her crate he'd bark at her, "Come out and play!" Siblings, sigh.

Emma got a bath the other day, she didn't like it.

Aren't we sweet together?

We get along when we are awake too.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday! Join the party on Andrea's blog and leave me a comment! 

More Shawl, A Lot More Emma

Continuing to make progress on the Starfish shawl. There are five sections, and for the armhole slits, two sections, and the other three sections, are knitted back and forth. If you see part of the shawl slightly bigger than the opposite side, don't need to have your eyes or screen checked.

Now the fun part! Emma has been with us for a week, and if you ask her she'd tell you it's pretty nice here. She has three humans doting on her, and a big brother to wrestle with her. She has a pretty good idea when it's meal time, and runs to the spot to wait for her kibbles. Her idea about bathroom is less than perfect, and we are working on more business and less fooling around in the backyard, which is hard since her new hobby is mulching, munching on the wood chips that is.

I started a Facebook page for the pups so we have a place for all their stories. Do come join us, just click on this link: Rascal and Emma.

Last but not least, a little video of Emma, someone on Ravelry called her "flying nun ears" :-)

Happy Fiber Arts Friday! Join the party on Andrea's blog and leave me a comment! 

Starfish Progress, and Shhhh!!! ..... New Baby!

Starfish shawl continues to grow nicely on the needles. Now that the stitch pattern is set, it's becoming quite a mindless project, except for each row takes forever. There is a decrease at the end of each pattern repeat, and there are five repeats per row. I lose five stitches every row, then again, I started from 730 stitches. I think I will be knitting this for the next 10 years.

And then life takes a sharp turn. Last weekend Bill and Henry went to CARE adoption center, where we first saw Rascal, and they met a delightful little dog. She's all black, very small, about four months old. Tuesday night her foster mom took her to our house. We, all the humans and Rascal, all officially met her, and the rest, as they say, is history.

She will be in our house in a few hours. She name will be Emma.

Happy Fiber Arts Friday! Join the party on Andrea's blog and leave me a comment!