FO: Red Blossomy Scarf

It's finished!! My first project of 2012 – Blossomy Scarf. I was one of the testers for the wonderful designer, MyDailyFiber, and her BEAUTIFUL new crochet design, Blossomy Scarf. It's a fantastic crochet pattern that EVERYONE should make.

I used mmmmmMalabrigo Ravelry Red sock yarn and an F hook. This yarn is GORGEOUS! Besides being mmmmmmmmarvelous mmmmmMalabrigo, the colorway is FAAAAABULOUS! It makes a delicious fabric that feels like it melts in my hand. I can't wait to wear it.

The pattern calls for 400 yards of fingering weight yarn and a G hook. There's 440 yards on the Malabrigo sock yarn. I couldn't find my G hook so I used an F. The pattern is very easy. You make the motifs first and then the scarf. That part takes the longest but it is well worth it.

It blocked out to +/-7 inches wide by about 90 inches long. That's perfect! I love my scarves long.
 

I've got some Wollmeise in my stash. Wonder how that would work for another Blossomy Scarf? I just might have to make one and see!

First Project of 2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

What a better way to start 2012 than with a new gorgeous project! I'm testing beautiful new crochet pattern called Blossomy by Michelle Blohm. She is so talented!!

This new pattern is for a fingering weight crocheted scarf. I'm using mmmmmMalabrigo Ravelry Red sock yarn and an F-hook (cuz I couldn't find my G). You just need one skein (about 400 yards).

Y'all need to watch for this pattern to hit KnitPicks and the internet soon!

Hopefully I'll have this finished this week. I have to go back to work and that just really eats into my fiber time. BUT it's almost time for football! Got to gather up my project and grab the comfy chair to curl up and watch my boys beat the Titans and crochet.

Wishing everyone a FABULOUS 2012 – I'm hoping for LOTS of CHANGE this year!!

Wollmeise, You're Mine!

Remember back in June when I said I was going camping at Camp Loopy?

I had a marvelous time!!! I made lots of new friends and I did LOTS of knitting and crocheting.

My first project was my Boho Scarf that I absolutely adore! Project #1's challenge was to use at least two different colors of yarn. EASY!

Then I made my first ever pair of mittens for Project #2. Our challenge was to make sure our mittens included cables...EASY in my Loopy Cabled Cuff Mittens

Finally for Project #3, we were challenged to make something using at least 800 yards. Not so easy!! I made my first every adult sized sweater -- Hey Teach, I'm Loopy! I was definitely loopy at the end of it!! LOL

All these challenges were well worth the effort BECAUSE if you finished all three challenges within the designated time frame (1 month each) then at the end of camp, you get a FREE skein of WOLLMEISE!!! X.O.M.G!! I have been trying FOREVER it seems to get a skein of Wollmeise. I never time it right...they're always sold out by the time I get there. ::sadness::

Well guess what! My skein of Wollmeise came today!!!  HAPPY DANCE!!!!!!!!!! I was worried what color I would get. I have seen some U.G.L.Y colors posted...I was nervous. Turns out I was worried for nothing because I got this GORGEOUS skein of Wollmeise Twin Fliederbusch!!

I'm such a color junkie. I think that's why I love fair isle so much...and WHY I have soooooo many single skeins of yarn I bought just for the color...DUH!! :P But this magenta-red violet skein of Wollmeise is faaaaaaaaabulous!

Not sure what I'll make with it. There's 510 yards of gorgeous Wollmeise to savor. It came with the Fire and Ice pattern...nah...not my type.

THANK YOU LOOPY EWE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I >>HEART<< YOU!!!!

FO: BoHo Scarf

It's DONE!!!! I struggled a lot with this project for Camp Loopy. I ripped it out several times before coming up with this pattern. Yep...it's a Monkey Original! And I LOVE it!!!! I know already I'm going to make more of these.

Four yarns were used. The main yarns were Madelinetosh Vintage Iris and Lepidoptra. Then I added Quince & Co. Tern Sea Grass (it's ALL American!) and AndriaFil KnitCol 49. That helped tremendously!! Just by adding the Sea Grass, the Madlinetosh colors finally popped.

I crochet several floral squares using all the yarns. They went pretty fast once I got started. While crocheting the squares, I decided to try something different when it came time to put it together. Jumprings. It's perfect!!

When I went to Michael's to find jumprings...I found buttons instead. COOL buttons that go perfectly with my BoHo scarf. My mom, the jewelry artist, custom made my jumprings. It was fun...I would attach the jumprings to the squares as fast she she could make them. Hey! I was anxious to piece it together and see the final product.

Now I'm ready to start Camp Loopy Project #2 -- Cabled Mittens.   o.O

Loopy Goodies!

SQUEEEEEEEEEE!!!! I got a box of goodies today!!!

As you know, I'm going camping at Camp Loopy. It was time to order yarn for Project 2's cabled mittens or socks. I ordered some GORGEOUS Madelinetosh Vintage Scarlet to make either Celtic Moonrise Mittens or Cabled Cuff Mittens or these fabulous Aran Delight Mittens. Well my yarn came today...and then some!!!

Oh my goodness!!! I was just expecting my beautiful red yarn but when I opened the box...out came the BAG (literally) of goodies from Loopy Ewe! I HEART Loopy Ewe!! 

Check out what all I got...

Besides the Madelinetosh I ordered, I got a fabulous bag, a skein of squishy soft Sereknity Suga Plum, Lacy Pillar Socks pattern, a calendar AND Tootsie Rolls!!!  How AWESOME is that?!?!?!?

Update on my Camp Loopy Project #1:
Project 1 started out as  reversible houndstooth and stripes scarf and got frogged. Then I started a beautiful Diamond Loopy scarf and I frogged it. I just wasn't happy with how the colors were working with either scarf. I decided something was missing...another color! My Project #1 has now become a Bohemian Scarf. It's cool! I'll post pictures when I finish it early next week. I love how it's turning out!!

In the meantime...if you haven't been to Loopy Ewe, you should go check them out RIGHT NOW!!!

Loopy Diamond Scarf

I've lost count how many times this scarf has been frogged now. First it started off as a reversible houndstooth and stripes scarf. It got frogged a couple of times. NOW it has become what I'm affectionately calling my Loopy Diamond Scarf. It's for Camp Loopy and I'm crocheting this gorgeous Diamond Exchange Scarf... sooooooooo Loopy Diamond Scarf. Makes perfect sense to me.

I started it last night and got several repeats done. I'm not sure I'm doing the edges right but it's working. LOL (Don't look, Michelle!)

I like how the colors are working in this...MUCH better than in the houndstooth. Still using the wonderfully squishy Madelinetoshh Vintage.

AND there's a much better chance I'll get it finished now. LOL!!!

Frogged: Houndstooth Scarf

I love this houndstooth pattern but I'm not happy with the color combo with it. So......it's froggin' time. Time to ripppppppppit! Honest! I love this pattern!!! But I want something faster to do AND a different color. The Madelinetosh Vintage is AWESOME!! I want to make something else with it.

Now I'm going to crochet this gorgeous Diamond Exchange Scarf. I love how the colors work. Plus it's crochet and gots MUCH much faster.

Camp Loopy

It's here!!!! The yarn I ordered for my camping trip to Camp Loopy. I made a mistake with my first order...I didn't order enough!!! bwahahaha! So I ordered another couple of skeins of the Madelinetosh Vintage. This stuff is WONDERFUL!!! I love how squishy it is. And let's not forget about these GORGEOUS colors!!

I decided to knit Cascade Lana D'Oro Men's Double Knit Scarf but for ME! It won't be as wide as the pattern...more like 6 inches wide. That way it can be longer :)  I love how it has stripes on one side and a houndstooth on the other. It's all knit at the same time...WAY COOL!!!

I have already started a "swatch" to see if I like the color combination AND if I can follow the pattern. SUCCESS!!! LOL  It's basically a 1x rib with two colors but it comes out two-sided!! NIFTY! And you move the yarn back and forth between every stitch.

After two repeats, here is the houndstooth side...

...and here is the striped side...

I simplified the pattern so it wasn't as wordy.

Doubleknit Houndstooth and Striped Scarf

I'm using US6 and cast on 40 stitches. It's about 5 inches wide...and SUPER squishy!! But I'm going to frog it and cast on 48 stitches.

Repeat x8. Cast on alternating colors starting with Color B (my magenta).

After the first stitch of every row, be sure to twist you working yarn before the next stitch.

Abbreviations:

YB = Both yarns to the back

YF = Both yarns to the front

K = Knit

P = Purl

A = Color A

B = Color B

Row 1:   *YB K1 A, YF P1 A, YB K1 A, YF P1 B, YB K1 B, YF P1 A, YB K1 A, YF P1 B* repeat to end

Row 2:  *YB K1 B, YF P1 A, YB K1 A, YF P1 B, YB K1 B, YF P1 B, YB K1 A, YF P1 B* repeat to end

Row 3:  *YB K1 A, YF P1 A, YB K1 B, YF P1 B, YB K1 B, YF P1 A, YB K1 B, YF P1 B* repeat to end

Row 4:  *YB K1 B, YF P1A, YB K1 A, YF P1 A, YB K1 B, YF P1 B, YB K1 A, YF P1 A* repeat to end

Repeat Rows 1-4 until desired length...at least 60 inches.

To finish scarf:

Move work to DPNs. *Slip one stitch to DPN #1; slip next stitch to DPN #2* Repeat across. Holding DPN #2 behind DPN #1, work Kitchener stitch with Color A to graft stitches together.

Going Campin'!!!

Well...Sorta. My idea of roughing it is staying at Motel 6. I'm going to CAMP LOOPY!  Keep the comments to yourself...I know I'm loopy!! :P

See...It's a knitting camp and we have monthly goals. If you make all three project challenges, you get 20% off your camping supplies, double your camp shopping points, AND at the end of camp you get a Fall project kit with Wollmeise!!!


I got my yarn ordered ... Madelinetosh Vintage from Loopy Ewe in...
Lepidoptra

and Iris

The challenge this month is to use two colors to make a shawl or scarf to keep you warm around the campfire. My plan NOW is to knit a houndstooth scarf. You know...that can always change. Maybe I do a reversible brioche scarf. Who knows what I'll end up with. LOL

FO: RH Special Olympic Scarf #1

I finished a scarf for the Texas 2012 Special Olympics scarf project.

I used Red Heart's Super Saver Soft Navy and Cherry Red.

This one I crocheted with a I hook. I got carried away and goofed on my guage but it worked out. I chained 250!! OMG! I thought it would come out to 60" long but NOOOOOOOOOOO!!! LOL  It was more like 76" LONG!!! ROFLMAOPIMP!!

Oh well. At least it is the right width...6" wide.

I started off with the chain of 250 in the navy and then did two rows of DC. Then added two rows of DC in the red on either side of the navy. After that it was another two rows of DC in navy on each side of the red. And finallay, I crocheted two more DC rows of red on either side of the blue but this time I did a SC along the bottom as I went to the other side to finish off the bottom edges of the scarf.

Since it was SO long. I did a running stitch up the two middle red rows from the scarf's edge about 15" and back down. I gathered the scarf along the running stitch to shorten the length of the scarf to 60". FINALLY! LOL Then I did another running stitch along the bottom edges and pulled to finish it off. Grabbed all my ends of the running stitch and tied a knot over and over a few times and then wove in my ends.

It definitely looks better than it sounds. bwahahahaha!

Texas is trying to collect 3,015 scarves by January 30, 2012, for the Texas Special Olympic Games in Austin next year for all the athletes and coaches.

New Project: Special Olympic Scarves

OK...who's in with me?

Red Heart is making scarves again this year for all the American athletes at the 2012 Special Olympics. They can be knitted or crocheted. No special pattern. We just have to use specific Red Heart yarn colors and they have to be at least 6 inches wide by 54 to 60 inches long. This year the official colors are...

• Red Heart Super Saver 387 - Soft Navy
• Red Heart Super Saver 319 - Cherry Red
• Red Heart Soft 4604 - Navy
• Red Heart Soft 9925 - Really Red

They haven't set the deadlines yet for each state. I think the rest of the details are suppose to be released on/by May 23.

Check out more information at ScarvesForSpecialOlympics.org and 2012 Special Olympics Scarf Project on Red Heart's blog. 

I picked up a skein each of Soft Navy and Cherry Red today at Hobby Lobby for like $4 each. Not sure how I'll make it yet but I'm pretty sure I'm going to work 2012 into so maybe there'll be some colorwork.

Buffalo Scarf

It's finished!! This scarf started with a FREE skein of Buffalo Gold Lux – so named the Buffalo Scarf. :P I think the color is called Desert Rose laceweight. I mixed in some GGH silk yarn (Spring 2008 #7 wine) and blended Louisa Harding Castello #5 yarn in minty aqua, wine, peach, and metalic gold.

There wasn't much of a pattern. I cast on until I thought there was enough stitches on size 11 US circulars and just started knitting. I wanted long stripes...and that's what I got. LOL I'd do a row or two of knit, then maybe a row of YO-K2TOG – just whatever mood hit.

Finished link without the fringe is 76 inches long! There's about 4 inches of fringe on both sides. So DAAAAAH-UM!

Now I just have to find something to wear it with! Oh darn. :P