Morehouse Merino, thank you!

I just received an email ("just" meaning about three days ago) from Morehouse Merino and there's a great shawl pattern featured, the Gypsy Melody Shawl, something I definitely want to add to my newly revived knit list. Anyway, I've always loved their shawl patterns, what I didn't love so much was the fact there wasn't an option for downloading patterns after purchase. Well, no more, Morehouse Merino now offers their patterns in .pdf format as well as by mail. Mind you, they do a very nice job with their hard copy patterns, but I am an instant gratification junkie. When I purchase something, I want it now. Well, now I can feed my craving for instant fulfillment. Thank you Morehouse Merino Farm!

As I mentioned, not a lot of visible progress on the shawl, but every row counts. The weather is perfect (I'm probably alone in this assertion, we've been hit by temps in the upper 90s the past couple of weeks) for knitting outside. It's warm today, upper 80s, partly cloudy and there's a breeze. Coquille doesn't lend itself to reading & knitting simultaneously, but I managed to work on section three while reading my history text today at lunch. Yes, that brown blur is my hand in the bottom of the frame, I never said I was a good photographer, lol.

Getting away from my desk +

Enjoying the non-conditioned air +

Working on course readings +

Getting in a few rows of knitting

= Contentment

(This post was originally written on Monday, July 12th- before the monsoon rains began. Banking postings already, lol)


Ramble, done.

No Pics, but Progress

Silly me, I forgot to take a pic before I left for work today. I can tell there's progress, I'm not sure anyone else will be able to, though. I'm on the third repeat of section three and the I've definitely memorized the pattern. The only issue is remembering which row I'm actually on! I'm pretty sure there are a couple of extra row 7s in my shawl, but, I'm not going back to correct them. I seriously doubt that they will adversely affect the look of the finished product (since the errors aren't apparent to me) and I'll know better what to pay attention to the next time I use the pattern.

Oh, yes, I've already decided to make this pattern at least two more times, using stash yarn that's been languishing for a few years. One of the shawls will be a solid, maybe blue, maybe taupe. The other I may really experiment with needle sizes and knit it with lace yarn but using size 13 and 6 needles. I think it's one of the strengths of the pattern, it's endlessly adaptable. Pics later this evening.

Thank you for the comments! Woohoo, I got a comment from the pattern designer, lol!

Coquille Day 2, or Scallops anyone?

I started the Coquille Shawl yesterday and I am amazed at my progress. I haven't knitted in a few years, but when I saw the new Knitty, I knew I had to pick up the needles again. It's funny how, for me at least, knitting fever ebbs and flows. I am definitely in a flowing stage right now, I didn't use the recommended needles or yarn, but cast on anyway. I love the way it looks and think this will be a fairly quick knit.

I'm using KnitPicks Shimmer, in the Flower Garden colorway, something I've had in my stash for at least two years (?). That colorway unfortunately is no longer available, but I love the shades of red, pink and purple. I'm envisioning the shawl jauntily wrapped around my neck topping blue, black and red jackets this fall. Ah, fantasy life is fun - everything matches, I'm always at my perfect weight and I'm always chic - lol. I originally planned to knit the Janet lace shawl with this yarn, but never got farther than looking through the pattern. Maybe with the latest resurgence of knitting fever, I'll get to that pattern next.

Okay, enough rambling, I have knitting to do before starting this week's readings for my history course.