Snow Day

Finally!  We got some real snow here along the front range in Colorado.  Badly needed and most welcome, especially since the most of it has fallen now and on a Sunday too, when not everyone had to get out to work or school.  We even postponed my knitting class today at Knit Knack and will take up the needles for the Moebius Vest workshop on March 10th instead.  I was all ready to go this morning but after taking a little drive out for some errands, was glad that all the knitters were home and safe and hopefully enjoying their knitting on this beautiful snow day.

I decided to use the free day to cast on a variation of the Irish Diamond Shawl from Folk Shawls, getting it ready for the St. Patrick's Day class on this design that's scheduled on March 17th.  This one uses Green Mountain Spinnery Slyvan Spirit, a gorgeous DK blend of wool and tencel.  Knits like a dream and feels like a wool/silk blend.  The color is Sterling.  I got several hanks of the yarn this morning in one of my errands over to, that's right, Knit Knack, where I'll be holding the class.  Gerri has been selling this yarn well and so there were only 5 hanks left, a bit tight on yardage for what I had planned.  Turns out  the Studio yarn basket had another hank of the same color that I brought home from the Green Mountain Spinnery booth at the Wisconsin sheep and Wool Festival last September.  It is even the same dye lot.  When it's meant to be, it's meant to be.

Watch for more details on the Diamond Shawl class here and on the Knit Knack website. The model shawl will be hanging at the shop for the next couple of weeks if you are curious about the details.  I hear there will be a St. Patty's Day party going on outside the shop that day, too.  Green beer and knitting?  Bet it wouldn't be the first time.   But I wonder if Gerri can make a green skinny latte? hmmmm....

Moebius Vest Workshop At Knit Knack

    Continuing the exploration of Elizabeth Zimmermann's genius, this time with the Moebius Jacket.  While many of us might call it a vest, or at least a sleeveless jacket, it doesn't matter what you call it, this garter stitch beauty has hidden charms and many options.  The customizable fit makes it a classic.
 

 

  I-cord trim it or not, make it short or long like the model here and, of course, you can use any yarn you like.  Elizabeth gives you both the encouragement and the information you need in the chapter on the Moebius from her book, Knitting Around.   While knitting this one, a couple of ideas for variations popped into my head.  It's a sure thing that I'll be casting on another right away.  That's the beauty of EZ's work, it takes you beyond yourself every time. 

   And if you are ready to jump in,  I hear we have just one seat left in the Moebius Vest workshop  at Knit Knack this Sunday, February 24.  We'll be exploring the techniques involved in the construction of the vest by making a miniature version and then we'll be getting each knitter's own Moebius going on the needles.  Gerri has loads of gorgeous colors in the yarn I used for this model, Cascade Eco Wool, and she's still got a few copies of Knitting Around, though many have been going home from her shop with excited knitters. After getting to try on this ingenious design, they were sold.  I am truly excited to be enabling the introduction of more knitters to this great volume of knitting wisdom.  Will they be surprised when they see all the other goodies inside!
     My own personal copy I've had since the day it first arrived in my LYS almost 25 years ago.   A friend took it with her to Elizabeth and Meg's camp that first summer and, as you can see, it is very special indeed.

Happy Valentine's Day!

     I'm thinking today about how much all you wonderful knitters mean to me and hoping that you remember these wise words from one of my favorite films;

"A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others".
                                                                            Frank Morgan aka the Wizard of OZ 

 Happy Valentine's day to you all

 

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!