Hill and Dale Cowl

I finally finished the cowl I have been planning to make for my boss for months.   I made the Hill and Dale Cowl using Caron Simply Soft in autumn red.

I snuck it into her office and waited for her to find it. It didn't take long and she came out of her office dancing and yelling, wearing the cowl and skipping around. "I thought I was never going to get one!" I told her that I had been planning it for months and had a difficult time not saying anything when she was pouting about it. Worked out well and the reaction was well worth it.

Drool-worthy Shopping

As I roam the internet, my list of yarn websites continues to grow. There are some, however, that I return to again and again. My favorite is probably www.yarn.com , the WEBS online store.

I truly appreciate a comprehensive website and this one is a perfect example. Their yarn selection is mind-boggling and it is easy to get lost in the endless lists of fibres in stunning colors. I swear, this site enables my yarn addiction. I also frequently use it as a reference tool, looking up yarn weights and yardage from what is recommended in a pattern so I can substitute appropriately.

Besides a ridiculously long list of yarn for every imaginable project, they have all the other bits and pieces for knitting (or crocheting) bliss. There is a lovely assortment of needles and needle sets, yarn storage and blocking accessories along with finishing items like handles and shawl pins. I could spend some serious moolah on this site!

I give kudos as well to their user-friendly setup and useful tools. You can set-up a wish list for all your desired goodies, get easy-to-find shipping information, read their blog and browse a lengthy list of patterns, many of them free. Plus, you can order one of their regularly issued catalogs so you can drool offline.

Happy shopping!

Diagonal Garter Lace Scarf

This is my latest project, ordered as a gift for the wife of a manager at work. He wanted something light, airy and feminine in a neutral color.

I used the pattern Diagonal Garter Lace Scarf which is free on Ravelry.com. l wanted it to be wide enough that it could be used as a shoulder wrap or a regular scarf so l added a few stitches to the cast on, making it 45 across. I again used Paton's Lace, and since it is such a fine weight, I used 4.5mm needles to open up the pattern.

YouTube vs Grandma

Other than the basic cast on and the knit stitch that a friend taught me, most of my knitting has been learned on YouTube. My favorite knitting tutor is The Knit Witch.  She has simple, clear videos and explains things in an easy to understand way.  There isn't a lot of extra yammer leading up to what you need to know, and she takes the time to repeat more complicated steps.

l believe something is lost by learning an ancient craft primarily by means of modern technology.  Obviously it lacks the warmth of personal connection and scent of fresh baked cookies. Watching a bunch of videos online also doesn't make for warm and fuzzy memories either. However, YouTube doesn't lose patience or fall asleep while you are trying to get your brain around a new stitch. You can pause and replay as many times as you need and find different ways of getting the same result.

Perhaps it is one of those instances where new and old can be successfully "knit" together (ha ha! ) so that the best of both worlds can be had.

Being new to this whole blog business, I had no idea how to do the "follow by email" thing, especially since my only other blog is one Tumblr. BUT! Yay for other blogs that tell you how to do things like this on your own blog. There is now a follow by email link so you can get notifications when I publish new stuff (if I did it right).

Enjoy!

Katrina's Infinity Scarf

This is a scarf made for a girl at work who wanted a basic infinity scarf in a neutral color that would coordinate with a variety of outfits. (BTW, this is not a black and white photo)

It turned out lovely and has resulted in more requests!  I used a full skein of Paton's Lace in Patina.  Using 6 mm needles and the long-tail cast on method, I cast on 40 stitches and worked in stockinette for approximately 117 inches. I then laid it out and "killed" it slightly with my garment steamer. This yarn being a blend of acrylic, mohair and wool, the killing process gave it a beautiful drape.  I applied heavier steam to the edges to reduce the stockinette curl then joined the two short ends with mattress stitch.

Intro

I guess introductions are in order, this being the first post and all.  :) 

My name is Dayna and I am a knitter.  Obsessed.  Addicted. Crazy. Use whatever word you want, but I have a passion for knitting.

It all started when I was a kid, and like my other obsession - birding - I found it came back to me as an adult.  My grandmother tried to teach me to crochet when I was little and it never took.  She made all manner of things - sweaters, blankets, jackets, slippers - and I still have some of them.  A few years ago, my sister learned how to crochet and when I saw how beautiful the things were that she was making, I thought I would try learning again.  This time, after a rather frustrating beginning, I finally learned how to crochet.  I made a few scarves and several blankets, some for myself, others as gifts.  The whole time, though, I wished I knew how to knit.

For me, knitting seemed to be the more versatile of the two. So between a friend who taught me the basics and YouTube, I learned how to knit.  I found that it sparked an interest in trying new stitches and yarns and techniques in a way that crochet never did. Now, I am not going to get into debates on this blog (knit vs crochet, continental vs English, man-made vs natural yarns) because I think that most of it is purely personal and everyone feels different about certain things and in a lot of cases, I have found it is based primarily on the application.  For example, if I am in need of a quick gift, a crocheted afghan is where it's at, simply because I usually don't have the time required to knit one. However, I personally prefer knitting and love how many lovely things can be made with just simple stitches.

That being said, I have decided that I am going to specialize my knitting, at this point in time anyway.  I find myself drawn to scarves, shawls, wraps, cowls and occasionally blankets.  I don't have a desire to attempt a sweater, although some of the patterns out there are gorgeous.  I hate working with double-pointed needles so I don't do hats, mittens or socks.  I found that with scarves and other similar accessories, it allows me room for creativity as well as a space to practice new techniques and stitches without having to commit to a large-scale project.

Like most knitters, I have an extensive yarn stash and a long list of knitting patterns that I am dying to do.  I have started doing my own alterations to some of the patterns and often use what I find online as a base or for ideas rather than following them to the letter.  I will be sharing a variety of things on here, using it as an outlet so my brain doesn't explode trying to hold in all this knitting stuff.  I will share links, yarns, discoveries, patterns I am doing, patterns I have made myself and whatever else comes to mind.