New Project -- New Needles

Wow. No entries in a while. There's a reason for that -- no knitting for a while.

I stopped at Knit-n-Hook, my LYS, the other day and picked up a skein of Cherry Tree Hill yarn -- Ariel. It's a cotton blend with a lot of texture. The skein has over 400 yards -- lots of yarn to play with.

She was well stocked with various colors, but the first one which caught my eye was Champlain Sunset -- fushia, blue, gold, lots of nice color combinations.

With the high texture value of this yarn, and the many bright colors, I decided to do a very simple garter stitch scarf. I cast on 375 stiches -- I'm knitting it the "long way." I used US size 9 turbo circular needles, but came to the conclusion that the points weren't sharp enough. I pulled out my Knit Picks needles, put a 30 inch cord on each one with an end cap on the free floating end, and then knitted the work to the sharper needle. I thought I would show you a comparison of the needle tips. I'm enjoying the knit picks needles.

Knit Picks needle on the right -- Addi Turbo on the left.

Watercolor Hat

I finished the pink baby hat -- same pattern and needles as the purple one. I never did make it to the store for bamboo needles, so I suffered through the aluminum ones. I've started calling it the watercolors hat.

These hats are is my first try at colorwork. It was really kind of fiddly (if that is a word). I do like this pattern, and I love the little swirl of leaves on the top.

I didn't mention that when the purple hat (which I gave the mom with some other lavender clothes) was opened at the shower and passed around, someone turned it inside out to check out the stranding on the colorwork. Never give a knitting gift at a shower where other knitters are invited. (just kidding).

How about a purple flower for purple month?

Knitpicks Options needles

Temptation began as a catalog. I received the KnitPicks catalog in the mail -- you know the one -- the one announcing that KnitPicks is now carrying their own brand of needles (see them here).

"Hmm. Those look interesting, I thought."

Then I read the review last Thursday from Clara at Knitter's Review. I should label Clara an an enabler, because I pulled out my credit card and ordered a set. Not that I wouldn't have done it anyway, but I might not have done it at right that moment in time.

Why do I think this would be a handy set to have?

1. The cords look flexible. That's one of my favorite characteristics of Addi Turbos -- no steaming of the cords.
2. The points look sharp. I don't like dull points.
3. I like the idea of having every size available to me. I have tons of needles, but I always seem to NOT have the size I need.
4. I like that I can add to the set as desired (note I did not say as needed).

So my only problem now is the backorder state of the needles. Here's hoping they come soon.

Pink baby hat

July is purple month. Purple can be a great color, although I don't knit with it very often. When we were at Disney in March, I saw bunches of purple, so here is a sample.

Some purple flowers (pansies?) and a purple castle.

On the knitting front, I have been a BAD knit blogger. I haven't posted since the end of May. But since this is "knitting journal," so to speak, and because I can do what I want, I added posts to June, back-dating them. Today's post, though, is "live."

I'm not working on anything purple, though. I'm making another baby hat, this one for a member of a small group I belong to at church. This hat is for Rachael.

It is also made with the Dreambaby DK yarn, this time in a multicolor yarn with pink/green/blue (202) and a soft pink (119) for the stems and leaves.

Just so you'll know, I hate these needles. I need to pick up some bamboo ones. These keep slipping out of the stitches. This yarn is so SOFT, that it has almost no body and lots of drape. It drapes right off these aluminum needles. And who needs that aggravation? Not me.

Blue Dock

End of the Blue month. Look at the little blue building way out there. Love the blue sky! This is a dock at Calabash, North Carolina, right outside where we went to eat that night.

Plum Hat

I finished the plum hat. It is as cute as any hat I have ever made. Actually, I've never made a baby hat before, but this one sure is cute. Look at the top -- don't you love those leaves?

The pictures aren't that great. I finished it late at night, and needed to wrap it, so the color is off and the photos are kind of blurry. But take my word for it -- it's cute.

The yarn photo is a better representation of color, since it was taken outside

Yarn -- Plymouth Yarn Dreambaby DK in purple (112) and green (111). I used more than half of the purple skein, and not much of the green skein.

Needles -- Size six double pointed aluminum.

This hat is for a little baby girl due in July (?) to Niccole and Mark. May the Lord bless her and keep her.

Baby hats and Boat bag

While at the beach, we went to Pawley's Island, and I went into Island Knits. I really like this store.

While there, I picked up, of course, some yarn. I received a shower invitation, and thought baby hats might be fun to knit.

I bought Dreambaby DK from Plymouth Yarn -- so soft, I can't describe it, and washable. I bought a purple and kelly green (112 and 111) for a plum hat, and a pink/green/blue (202) plus a pink (119). The pattern is by Ann Norling -- fruit cap pattern.

While at the beach, I bought a new bag -- for knitting, of course.

Kind of fits with Blue month, doesn't it?