She Who Knits

Stashbusting goodness!

Using the Plymouth Yarns Alpaca Grande that I had left over from knitting the furry vest, I stranded it with 1 ball of Roway Kid Soft in icy blue and Kid Silk Haze in grey that was in my stash. I was inspired by the firey orange Manos scarf pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts (you can see a small photo of it by clickng the link).

I cast on 16 stitches on size 13 needles and knit in 2x2 ribbing until I could wrap it twice around my neck and knot it. I fringed with all 3 yarns.  This scarf pattern definitely helps use up the yarn purchased with my crazy early knitting obsession of buying an odd lot of 3 balls of yarn whenever I saw something I liked but didn't have a project in mind.

I've already started my second one with 3 balls of random yarn in my stash. They knit up quickly and are so luxurious since the yarns I am using are good quality, just not a large quantity. Perfect instant gratification projects that are practical!

A little fur goes a long way

 

Here is the finished Alpaca Fur Trimmed vest from Interweave Knits Winter o4. I started it back when the Winter Olympics were on and knit all 3 main pieces within 2 nights of speed skating competitions. I was so pleased with myself. Until I started the fringing. Holy Fringing! It took me twice as long to fringe as it did to knit! Part of the reason is because you have to pull apart each fringe to give it that fur look. At first I started to separate it using a DPN. Wow was that tedious. Then I thought maybe I will just comb it, but that was just a bad idea all around (it pulled out the fringes and more fluff came out than I wanted). In the end, I just used my fingers to pull the fringes apart and separated each one that way giving it a good rub to make it extra furry. 

I knit this piece with 2 strands of Plymouth Alpaca Grande to obtain gauge on size 15 needles
(If you use the Blue Sky Alpaca Bulky that is recommended in the pattern, you shouldn't need to double strand.) I can't even tell you how luscious this yarn is! The entire time I knitted the vest, it was like having a cloud on my lap!

Also, did I mention how warm it is? Perfect for this icy weather we have been dealing with here in Philly!

 

Woah!

I do have some knitting to share, but first, did you know purlsoho sells fabric? Well it's true! They sell it on their site, but I am not sure if they sell it in their shop, too. I was in NYC for a week in late January and never made it to Purl, so I don't know... it was probably good for my wallet that I didn't stop by! Anyway, I popped by their site to check errata on a pattern from the Last Minute Knitted Gifts book that I am knitting a sweater from and spotted the fabric link! I am so excited! And here's why...

Yesterday I signed up for a beginning quilting class! Though I know how to use my sewing machine enough to be dangerous, I know nothing about cutting with a rotary cutter, piecing or quilting. The class is 8-weeks taught at Fabrics on the Hill in Chestnut Hill (formerly Berns Fabrics) on Wednesday nights. The first week starts with the basics... choosing, cutting and piecing fabrics and then each week we'll learn how to make a different square. By the end of the class we'll have 6 squares that will be quilted together for a small lapquilt or wall hanging. I am so excited!

On the knitting front, I finished the furry fringed vest from the Winter o4 Interweave Knits. I think I started it back when the Winter Olympics were on! I'll upload a few photos so you can see it, but I don't think photos will show just how luxurious the alpaca grande is! The no new stash rule is really helping me finish already started projects and looking at my stash in a new way, too!