Thistledown Too

     Caught the last bit of sunlight in the Studio garden today to take this photo.  Thank goodness my garden angel was standing by to model for me!  I'm binding off the ruffle on a cream colored Thistledown shawl in Just Beautiful alpaca.  It's another piece for my booth at the Rocky Mountain Sew Expo, Feb 6-8, at the Denver Merchandise Mart.  Do come by and try it on.  There will be lots of other shawls to explore there as this is going to be a very shawl-centric show for Cheryl Oberle Designs.  Besides, I always have chocolate in the booth.

    

     I'm also teaching a Sunday afternoon workshop on the Thistledown Shawl at Knit Knack on February 16th.  We'll make a miniature shawl and learn all the great techniques that make up this cutie.   As we'll be launching your full-sized shawl too, the class fee includes the pattern and Gerri's shelves are stocked with gorgeous yarns to suit every taste.  Thistledown is knit from the top, shoulder-shaped, simply laced and with just a bit 'o ruffle.   You just might want to knit more than one of these.     
    

    

Rocky Mountain Sew Expo and Knitting Too!

     I'm just finishing up a new shawl using this gorgeous Sari Silk ribbon yarn with the finishing techniques I've "unvented" to make it an especially wonderful knitted fabric.   It will be  in the collection of shawls I'm taking for the Cheryl Oberle Designs booth, #16, at the Rocky Mountain Sew Expo this weekend.  The Show opens at 10 am Thursday and continues Friday and Saturday.

 

     I'll have oodles of Dancing Colors, Just Beautiful Alpaca, Gossamer, exceptional colors of OM Organic Merino along with the Sari Silk Ribbon, my books and pattern pdfs.   Come by the booth to say hello, try on a shawl or two, or have me sign your books.  As always, there will be some tidbits of chocolate in the little swan candy dish.  Sweets to the sweet!

Highland Triangle Workshop at Knit Knack

     The Highland Triangle Shawl has got to be one of the top three favorite shawls from Folk Shawls.  I'll be teaching a one-day Highland Triangle workshop this Saturday, January 26th, from 10 to 4:30, at the wonderful Knit Knack Yarn Shop in Arvada.  If you haven't been to Knit Knack yet, give yourself a mid-winter treat and take in this charming and welcoming fiber lover's venue.  If you are one of the many fans of the shop, join us for the workshop or drop by to say hello.  I'd be happy to sign some books during lunch break too.  Love to see you there.
   

 

    I've got another version of the Highland Triangle on the needles now, using Just Beautiful Alpaca.
The shawl is at what I like to call the awkward stage, with lots of stitches on the needles and looking very much like a knitting disaster.  It even still has it's markers in, the one you see here is to indicate the right side of the knitting, where the lace pattern and shaping take place.   At this point the shawl reminds me of a girl getting ready for a dance, rumpled clothes and curlers.  It is almost done though and once it is blocked it will  bloom into a most wonderful garment, light and soft and with a particular way of hugging the shoulders.
     Can you see the bowl that the ball of yarn sits in?  It's a clear "faux glass" bowl that travels well and let's me enjoy the beauty of the yarn as it keeps the ball from rolling around the room.  There are marvelous yarn bowls out there now that are truly works of the potter's art, but I like this simple, light-weight, unbreakable bowl quite a lot.  I haul my tools everywhere and I can be hard on them.  This bowl even sits nicely on the floor of the car and never mind the mid-winter floor mats or the rolling cans of organic tomatoes that might bounce it around on a sharp curve.  But I digress...
      So do take some time for yourself and join us Saturday at Knit Knack for more knitting talk and to learn the techniques of constructing this wonderful example of a traditional Shetland shawl style.  Gerri has some fabulous yarns that make beautiful shawls. You just might find yourself knitting several as I seem to be doing.  And maybe this one will be off the needles and "ready for the dance" by then.  I'd best get back to my knitting.....

Wild Turkey Feathers

      Last week while visiting in the heart of Kansas, we saw flocks of wild turkeys roaming the fields, skirting the shelter belts.  They leave lovely feathers scattered in the woods and I consider it one of my favorite treasure hunts to look for them.  I have gathered a bouquet of them over the years and keep it in my design Studio.  The colors are so rich and the pattern of stripes intriguing.

 

      Being as I live in the U.S., wouldn't you know that turkey is on my mind this week?  Along with knitting, as always.  So today I trotted (yes, I said trotted) into the Studio and found Just Beautiful alpaca  in what I think are the perfect colors.  Hmmm....  I feel some swatching coming on.
      

       While we're here together, let me wish a Happy Thanksgiving to those of you who celebrate the holiday and to each of you wherever you are in the world,  best wishes for all the blessings of an abundant and beautiful autumn.      
       Now then, where are my needles?