Last April . . .

 Last April when I couldn't tell you what I was knitting . . . This is what I was knitting.  This is the Nightlife Skirt and Top made in Juniper Moon Farms Findley and Findley Dappled lace weight yarns.  The top is intarsia in the round - proving that I can knit intarsia even if I don't like it.

This is the same outfit modeled by each of my daughters - one is thinner and less curvy than the other.

I think it looks good on each of them.  

This is a closeup of the skirt - it was actually stranded knitting - two colors alternated.  They called it corrugated rib but it isn't what I have seen called corrugated rib.  This might be a broken corrugated rib though.  Anyway, it was stranded knitting in the round in knits and purls ribbing.  

Teresa

Mexican Toes

I am now ready for my Mexican Fiesta! The most important packing is done . . . the knitting. I have two pair of socks ready for the road, needles and yarn and no pattern so all is good. This year I got the toes done before we left because I didn't want to get on the plane without knowing that I had the right needles and gauge. The striped yarn with the most green is Quaere Fibre's (www.Quaere.etsy.com) Sublime sock (80% merino, 20% silk) in Talented Turtles. I love this color way! The red/yellow/orange/green is The Color Wheel's (www.Thecolorwheel.etsy.com) Tuff Sock (80% BFL, 20% nylon) in Genevieve although I think the color should be called parrot. Super happy with both colors and both projects!

The Long Dark of Moria

Second pair of socks for 2015 - these are a Claire Ellen Design called The Long Dark of Moria (a hobbit title).  The yarn is Malabrigo in the Arco Iris color way although it looks to me like the Jolly Green Giant skinned his feet.  I love the socks - comfy and a very quick knit.  Girl is modeling them, but they are all mine.

Teresa

Heart Full of Love

These are the Heart Full of Love socks.  They come in the form of a kit with the yarn, beads, pattern and a heart stitch marker.  Rosemary Chapman designed them.  She designs a lot of socks for a cause - breast cancer (bought the boogie sock kit for Dena when she was going through her ordeal), ovarian cancer, and heart disease research.  These socks were created in honor of her son who died of heart disease at a relatively early age and left a wife and children behind.  I bought the kit after a friend had a heart attack but, for whatever reason, it didn't occur to me at the time to knit the socks for her.  The kit has been sitting idle for a couple of years.  This year, I knit them and gave them to my friend.  Her heart is better now, but after someone has a heart attack, you always worry.

Here is Rosemary's (she goes by Chappy) explanation:

The Artery Band: 82 million adult Americans have 1 or more types of heart disease – that is 1 in every 3 people. The circles in this band represent those open and closed arteries.

The Broken Heart Band: An average of 2,200 Americans die every day from heart disease – that is 1 loved on every 39 seconds! Many of our families have been affected by this disease. This band represents the hearts that have been broken and the many tears shed.

The EKG (Electrocardiogram) Band: 90% of all women have 1 or more risk factors for developing heart disease. Heart disease is the number 1 cause of death in women aged 20 or older – killing 1 woman every minute! More women die of heart disease than the next four causes of death combined – including all forms of cancer. Get yourself or a loved one tested! (All heart related facts within this pattern are quoted directly from the American Heart Association© website.)

Teresa

More Wristers

These are Flapjack Mitts that Girl Far From Home knit for herself.  They only took her a few days to finish, my guess is because she really wanted them!  She has worn them almost every day since, so I guess she likes them.

Teresa

Overrun by Rats

Ok, overrun by stuffed and felted rats and that is much better than being overrun by real rats.  

The stuffed rats came from Ikea and were 99 cents.  The white, felted rat was made by Girl Far From Home.  We sent it off to her cousin who traded a sewing machine for it.  Yeah, we absolutely got the better part of that bargain!!!  

Teresa

And a Lot of Silk

Another hat for the Godmother.  This one is 50% silk/50% merino and should be both warm and soft.  The pattern for this one was Linga by Gudrun Johnson - a wonderful designer.  This was a super quick knit - just a couple of evenings.  The yarn was Juniper Moon Findley DK that was leftover after a sample knit.  I love this yarn and I love this color.  I hope the Godmother does too!

Teresa

A Little Bit of Cashmere

At Thanksgiving we found out that The Godmother has breast cancer.  She had several surgeries starting on Thanksgiving day and throughout December.  On the 29th, her birthday, she started chemotherapy.  I made her a few nice hats to wear if she should lose her hair.  This one is Merino and Cashmere and oh, so soft.  It is stranded and cabled so thicker and softer and should keep her head warm.  The trick was getting them to her . . . in Istanbul.

The pattern is Reach by Wendy Gaal who owns Knitter's Brewing Company.  The yarn is Prism Symphony Layers and up close the colors are marvelous.  I have two more hanks of this yarn that just might become a hat for me - this one was that nice!

Teresa

Christmas Knitting

 These are the Under the Party Tree wristers/fingerless mitts by Claire Ellen.  She's a marvel - all of her patterns are wonderful and she cranks out at least one a month for her sock club and then more.  I made these for DH's secretary for Christmas.  I really hope she liked them!

Teresa