Tech Square Afghan

Pattern: Tech Square Afghan
Source: Tech Square Afghan by Joanne Clark (Fiber Trends)
Needles: US 7
Yarn: Harmony 10 ply 100% merino (neutral tones), Perendale DK in dark red

This was a really fun project to do. I made this for a class I'm teaching and all the variations amongst the students are turning out quite lovely. I created my own pattern for the Intarsia square and the Fair Isle square pattern is a design out of Fair Isle Sweaters Simplified, by Ann and Eugene Bourgeois. On a side note, the Bourgeois' make a really wonderful yarn that is especially suited for Fair Isle work called Philosopher's Wool.

Modified February Baby Sweater

Pattern: modified from February Baby Sweater
Source: Knitter's Almanac by Elizabeth Zimmerman
Needles: US 7, 32" circs
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Fisherman in Cranberry

I increased the size of the pattern to make it fit a 4 year old. The yoke is knit in stockinette instead of the called for garter stitch. I also turned it into a pullover with just the yoke opening in the front for detail.

Circus Shawl

Pattern: Circus Shawl
Source: Christina Moran Designs
Needles: US 10.5
Yarn: Louet Circus in Irish Coffee, 7 skeins

This is a nice easy shawl to knit, yet looks lovely and complex. The yarn does a wonderful job of adding texture and detail to a simple design.

Kits are available at www.paradisefibers.net with the pattern.

FlowerIsle Hat

Pattern: My Own
Source: Christina Moran Designs
Needles: US 5,7,9 16" circulars, US 7 dpns
Yarn: Cascade Yarn Baby Alpaca Chunky
one skein of each color



This yarn is some of the softest alpaca yarn I have ever used. There is absolutely no itching at all on the forehead and it feels very luxurious and warm. I used a kitchener cast on for the brim and it gave a nice finish to the edge. It can take a few minutes to learn but is worth the effort and can be used for many other applications as well once it is in your toolbox. Removing one of the flower repeats from the pattern will make the hat a nice size for a small child.

Misti Alpaca Hat

Pattern: Misti Hat

Source: Christina Moran Designs

Needles: US 8, 16" circulars and set of double points

Yarn: Misti Alpaca Super Chunky in Azulichen

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A wonderfully comfortable hat to wear both in the yarn and the size. It will fit most adults. This hat is meant to fit gently on the head to help prevent your hair from getting flattened. The top is gathered with straight decrease lines for a simple finishing detail.

Backyard Leaves

Pattern: Backyard Leaves by Annie Modesitt

Source: Scarf Style, Interweave Press

Needles: US 5 straights

Yarn: Angel Soft Organic Baby Alpaca

I held three strands of yarn together for this project. It is ever so soft and wonderful. I can't take it off!

A New Dolly

It was time for a new doll in our house. The doll this is "replacing" was made with a poor choice of yarn hair, which is more than a little sad to look at these days. Her skin is stained with chocolate and bleached by Color Wonder markers. I am quite happy with this one, it is my favorite hair choice yet. She got a new outfit too :)

Toe-up Socks

Pattern: my own

Needles: US 1, 40" addi's

Yarn: Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Juniper, one skein

This yarn turned out wonderfully. They are soft and comfy and feel quite fluffy for their thickness. I have two more skeins sitting around, so they may be finding themselves turned into more socks soon.

Stockings

Here is the full set of stockings as they hung this year. I'll knit the final one sometime before next Christmas. There might be an additional little one for our cat Raven too someday.

This is the first one I made. I found it gorgeous at the time, but now I wish I had used the white for the snowflakes instead, so they would stand out as well as in the other red stocking. I think this one has the nicest proportions and overall shape.

This green one is the most recent addition. I like the contrast to the other two, it breaks up the red a bit. The fourth will be in the green as well.

All of these were knit with a very uneven yarn, so the Fair Isle irregularities are intentional.

Pattern: The Chubby Sock by Lynn Gates

Source: Christmas Stockings, Interweave Press

Needles: US 5, 16" circular and dbl points

Yarn: Adrienne Vittadini Nadia in 804 and 805 (red and white yarn)

mystery white mohair held together with white Nadia

mystery green tweed for background to snowflakes on red stockings

ShiBui Highland Wool Alpaca in Highland Seaweed (main green in green stocking)

Christmas Stocking

Alpaca, wool and mohair stocking lined with velvet. This is the second in a set of four, the last still needing to be cast on.