Hofsos Mitts - Westys-besties KAL

Designer Stephen West of West Knits

Yarn; Brooklyn Tweed Loft in fossil, woodsmoke and barn owl

Knit holding two strands together thru-out

Size eight needles, I used both double points and straight for this project

What I love about working with Stephens’s patterns, is their diversity.

What I like about this pattern in particular is that it has six distinctive parts,

which is interesting and rewarding in and of it self.  Each time I’d finish

a section, I’d feel a sense of accomplishment.  (Take a mini break for a cuppa tea, etc. ohh plus a scone or two!) Its diversity lies in that each section is made using a different stitch pattern. So once again I learned a few things along the way.  The forth section consists of knitting one thru the back loop and purling one and I really like how the knit stitch stands out and uniquely away from the purl stitch.  

These mitts are cozy warm and after their bath, the yarn puffed up to perfection.  Now, I’ll tuck them away till next winter to wear along with my Kvosin hat.

(Iceland anybody?)

Front section

Back side

crochet for my girls

Hi, say hello to Abbey, Zoe and Libby, my sweet little Blythe girls.

I have to tell you that making things for them to wear is so much fun!

With the weather here in sunny So. Cal so fine, I thought they each could use

a new dress, so I headed over to ravelry and found a versatile pattern that I really like. Amanda Carey wrote the pattern and it is available for free, with my modifications here.  Enjoy your weekend! 

the payoff...

photo by LynneaY13 on Flickr.

Remember the middy sweater?

Well, dear little Charlotte is now old enough to wear and model hers
Her mama, Lynnea, took a photo of her for me to share.
Isn’t Charlotte the cutest model ever?

I can’t think of anything more rewarding than seeing something I’ve made being worn. This just made my day…

Honey Cowl the 3rd

There is something quite therapeutic about this pattern and yes, I’m in love with it.  (Free on the Madelinetosh site or on Ravelry) It continues to captivate and hold my attention. Even though I’ve completed three versions of this project, I will probably make another.  This particular incarnation is intended for my dear mothers birthday.  She recently moved to Northern California, where it can get a bit chilly during the winter. I thought she might like to have a Honey Cowl of her very own to snuggle in. I used about 2-1/2 skeins of Madelinetosh worsted in the color way Isadora. This yarn is so soft, squishy and warm! The slipstitch honeycomb style stitch pattern is hypnotic and really easy to remember for great TV viewing-type knitting.

Hope mama likes her gift this year…

I love blogging!

I was recently nominated for the Liebster award. Thank you Terri of Cache-mire for this honor…

I was asked a bit about myself and the answers are below.

I thought it would be fun to pass this award along to blogs I recently

found and now follow via Vicki's Grow your blog tour party.

I’m asking the same questions asked of me to:

Carolabartz

Carola

Comptonia

Quinn

Goplacidly

Rachel

1. What has been your favorite book to read?

-Great expectations is my all time favorite book, I pull it off the bookshelf and reread it every couple of years.  I just love all the characters and how Dickens weaves their stories and lives together.

  

2.If you could go back and meet your 20-year-old self, what one piece of advice would you give her? 

-I would tell her to just eat healthy and be active on a daily basis.

3.  Have you ever traveled outside the United States? If so, where?

-Yes, I’ve been to France, Monte Carlo and Italy.  Loved them all and would go back in a heartbeat.

4.  How do you spend your quiet time?

-With my yarn and needles.  Such a great way for me to get back to center.

5.  What is your favorite activity and how do you feel when you are doing it?

-Walking along the beach.  Love the beauty, scent of the ocean and the wind blowing gently on my face.

6.  What is your greatest accomplishment?

-I would say raising my children.  I have a lovely daughter soon to be 25 and a son that just turned 20.  They are both such lovely young adults.

7.  What has been your greatest adventure?

-Taking a ride up in a hot air balloon with my girlfriends.  I was terrified, but once up above the ground, I loved every minute of it!

8.  If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose?  Why?

-The island of Maui.  I just love the ever changing beauty and the pace of life there.  Plus the spirit of Aloha is forever calling me back.

9.  Name one thing still on your bucket list.

-Taking a road trip across America.

10. What do you most want to be remembered for?

-Always trying my best to be a good daughter, sister, wife, mother and auntie.

11. Why do you blog?

-I love blogging! I’ve met so many wonderful like-minded creative artists via blog-land.  It is so much fun to share what projects I’m working on receiving feedback and visa versa.  It is the best!

my kvosin

This has been such a fun project...

What I loved;

Knitting an object that has interesting and new experiences to offer. The kvosin pattern fit the bill perfectly.  Each of the four sections offered a unique challenge including fair isle, cables, stockinette, garter stitch, joining and picking up stitches.

Crown full of cables

What I learned;
-Knitted kitchener stitch (grafting)

Via this youtube video by Kathleen of wipinsanity.

I really took to the knitted version of kitchener, it makes so much sense, after all it is knitting, why sew the piece together for petes sake?

-Bind-off by knitting two together thru the back loop. The brim is super stretchy. This hat is so soft, warm and light as a feather. Sweet!

 Yarn used

Brooklyn Tweed – Loft

 -Colors

Hayloft (yellow)

Fossil (cream)

Barn Owl (brown)

Foothills (pale green)

love my kvosin

What next?

I want to make another in darker colors!

Thank you Stephen West for a great pattern and Jared Flood for such beautiful yarn…

kvosin

kvosin hat pattern by Stephen West

West knits has done it again.  Designer Stephen West has created yet another set of gorgeous knitting patterns via his latest KAL; Westy’s Besties featuring Brooklyn Tweed yarns Loft & Shelter.  All 12 patterns are available thru Ravelry.  BTs Jared Flood photographed these beauties in Iceland and the pictures are downright spectacular!  Such a great collaboration.  There is also a group on Ravelry for this KAL, sweet…

Brooklyn Tweed Loft

I decided to start with the hat pattern, Kvosin, using Loft yarn. It is worked in four parts. Mine is still in progress and I’ve completed two sections thus far.  It is so challenging and engaging due to its multiple construction methods.  Part 1 features a section of multi colored fair isle, what me? fair isle?  I can’t believe I’ve been so intimidated by the thought of this technique.  The directions and chart made it easy to give it a go. Once I completed this section, I was over the moon happy!

Section 1 - Fair Isle

I then knit section two in a single color to form the body of the hat with alternating blocks of stockinette and garter ridges. 

Section 2 Stockinette and Garter stitch rows

I’m currently working section three, the brim, featuring cable work.  Finally, I’ll move on to the last section for the crown shaping in cables. 

Beginning - Section 3 Cable Brim

Kvosin is such an interesting knit and with its infinite possibilities of color choices, it has had me enthralled from the moment I set eyes on it.  I can’t stop thinking about it or wait to get back to it. This project has helped me to once again appreciate Loft yarn, especially now that I 'get' that it requires a gentle touch and loose handling while knitting.  I’ve learned to relax my hands and grasp of the needles while knitting its stitches. I'll have my Kvosin finished soon so I can share it as a fo.  Stay tuned...