Entrelac

Many years ago I mastered this technique. Recently, I decided to re-explore it. I thought I could just pick up the needles and go for it - I was wrong. In the intervening years, a few links in the intellectual chain fell out. So, I've had to re-learn.

After a number of false starts, I discovered Linda Cyr's "Market Squares" bag in the Summer 2001 Knitter's Magazine. I wish I had the colors she had in my stash, but even so, I am very pleased with the results. I have a plethora of Green Mountain Spinnery Double Twist and this pattern really shows off the wonderful colors. The instructions for entrelac are the clearest I've found - even though I did some personal tweaking. I can't wait to finish and felt this!

Knit One, Kill Two by Maggie Sefton - A Book Review

One of my knitting friends from our local fiber guild lent me Knit One, Kill Two by Maggie Sefton a couple weeks ago. What a fun read! Even though it's a murder mystery, it's the sort that Agatha Christie would write with Miss Marple as her main character. Maggie Sefton's main character is much younger than Miss Marple, but every bit as tenacious. There's another difference between Kelly Flynn and Miss Marple - Miss Marple could already knit, but Kelly learns in this first in the series.

Kelly is flanked by her new-found friends at the House of Lambspun, who have a wide variety of interests and professions beyond their interest in knitting - all of which come in handy.

There's a few little picky details that are in error regarding ranching and law, but these are easily ignored in this fast-paced mystery. I like cozy mysteries that keep me thinking and this one fit the bill. I can't wait to read the second in the series.

"Must Have Cardigan" Completed!

Wa-Hoo! It's done and it fits! This was so much fun and it fits so well, I think I "must have" another! I chose this photograph because it shows the detail, although the rich red-violet color is a bit washed out. In the spirit of using the stash I have on hand before buying more, I found the little pewter buttons in my knitting/tackle box. Usually, I don't find these things until I've spent money on other ones that I can't return.

In searching through my stash I found an off-white worsted weight which would look more like the traditional Aran - but maybe not until next fall - just in case I really "must have" another!

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Must Have Cardigan - WIP

I started this cardigan about March 1, even though I've had the pattern for a long time. The pattern immediately appealed to me because of the v-neck. One of the problems I have knitting cardigans is that the neck opening is too big. Conversely, the biggest problem I have knitting pullovers is that the neck opening is too small - go figure. The v-neck resolves this problem for both kinds of sweaters.

I'm using Green Mountain Double Twist in mulberry - kind of a reddish purple. I don't think Green Mountain is making Double Twist any more. I do hope they have kept the mulberry colorway - it's gorgeous!

Since I don't like to follow directions, I haven't made an exception in knitting this great design from Paton's. I have knit the body in one piece, instead of three, grafting the shoulders together. I am currently on sleeve one and instead of knitting it back and forth, I'm knitting the sleeve on circulars until I get to the cap. I love to knit, but hate to finish; so I go through all kinds of contortions to avoid any sort of piecing together. I will have to set in the sleeves in this one, but I'll sacrifice because of the great design.

One of the reasons I started knitting sweaters is because I could not find clothes that I liked in a small size. In fact, I recently made another cardigan and even though I sized it down, it just didn't look as good as the photo, sized down. I don't think I'm going to have that problem with the Must Have Cardigan. Since the body is pretty well complete, I have tried it on and it fits great!

Since a good part of my life is devoted to knitting and other needlearts, I thought it high time I started blogging. I thought for a long time that no one pays any attention to blogs, but then I found that I read blogs all the time and actually learn something. Hopefully, this blog will be helpful to someone!

Susan B.