I’ve been hooked on knitting dish cloths lately. In the hot weather, they make for a nice small project that doesn’t drape over your lap and make you too hot. Plus dish cloth cotton (e.g. Sugar and Cream, Peaches and Cream, etc.) is so colorful and fun!
My go-to-pattern is Grandmother’s Favorite Dish Cloth. That’s the pattern I used for all the dish cloths pictured above. It’s quick and easy to memorize — perfect to work on while watching TV in the evening. (I can’t stand sitting still watching TV — I have to have something in my hands so I feel productive! Ha.) Plus I love being able to toss a couple in my purse and take them as little gifts when I visit friends!
I spent sunday afternoon finishing up this bit of knitting.
It’s the Cedar Leaf Shawlette by Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting. The yarn is Cascade Venezia in color #123. The pattern actually calls for DK weight yarn, and the Venezia was kind of a light-worsted. It seemed to work well regardless.
It’s a gorgeous pattern. All of the Never Not Knitting patterns are designed beautifully and are a real pleasure to knit. I’ll definitely seek out Alana’s patterns again!
I really can’t wait to wear it. Unfortunately I don’t know what to wear it with. The girl in the pattern photos is wearing hers with a cute black twinset. Unfortunately the only cute solid-colored twinset I own is chartreuse,which would look oh-so-lovely with this moss-green scarf! Guess I’ll have to go digging through the depths of my closet and see if I can come up with something.
This weather report — it’s as if it’s saying directly to me:
Welcome back to the North, fool. Did you somehow forget what winters are like up here?
It mocks me.
It’s not that Nashville didn’t get cold; it did. But somehow it never felt quite this bone-chilling to me. In the past two days, I can’t recall a single moment of my day when I didn’t feel at least mildly chilled. I’m in a constant state of BRRRR!
Some Yankee I turn out to be. Dammit.
I’m not exactly complaining about the cold. I’m just admitting defeat in the preparedness category. My “winter coat” (and I use the term loosely) is a bright red, unlined wool peacoat.
It’s warm, but not nearly warm enough. I need the kind of coat that features things like down insulation or Thinsulate, which would have been ridiculous back in Tennessee. I need to trade in my cotton anklet socks for wool. Going out without a hat, scarf, and gloves is no longer a sacrifice for fashion: it’s stupidity.
(Incidentally … that dorky Harry Potter scarf hanging with my coat? Best. Scarf. Ever. Doesn’t match a damn thing but it’s double-thickness, super-long, and super warm. Make one.)
As soon as my Christmas knitting is done (two items to go – I’d show you, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise), I’m planning on making myself an entire winter wardrobe in wool.
I’m planning to start with thrummed socks for around the house. Thrums are bits of un-spun wool that are knitted into the fabric every few rows/stitches to produce a fuzzy, extra-warm interior to the garment. (Picture Ugg boots with the sheepskin lining – same idea.)
After those are done, I want a warm hat (with ear-flaps), flip-top mittens (easier to drive with), and a double-thick, extra long scarf.
I figure I should be done ‘round about June … which is really an excellent time to have a new set of winter accessories to wear. Don’cha think?
I looked at the calendar the other day and it hit me just how fast the holidays are approaching. (Yikes!) It’s time to figure out my Christmas knitting, while there’s still some hope to get it done in time.
First things first: Little Man needed his own Christmas stocking.
Pattern: Cross and Leaf Stocking (from Fair Isle Stocking II) by Mimi Kezer
Yarns: Cascade 220 Superwash, 1 ball each of Christmas Red, Army Green, and Aran (cream), Debbie Macomber’s Blossom Street Collection Cashmere Fleur De Lys, 2 balls in Envy (green)
I love knitting fair isle. I find that it goes super-duper fast because I get really caught up in it. I get so eager to see the patterns and colors form into a design, that I knit-knit-knit till my fingers hurt. The progress in the picture was after only two evenings of knitting.
I can’t wait to finish it. I think some fair isle mittens (Christmas gifts!) may be next. I’m hooked on color work again.
If you’re interested, the PDF pattern (which actually includes two super-cute fair isle Christmas stocking designs) is available from the designer via Ravelry or via Etsy for only $8.
