Creativity

  Whenever I feel that a project is taking too long or is too involved...I will remember this installation that I saw at the PDC last week.

little bits and bobs...but no thumb

  I am ready for thumbs...here are test pancakes of Camilla and Swedish Fish by Spilly Jane sans thumb.
It is a slow process now that Spring has sprung in Manhattan Beach.

Creativity

   Whenever I think I have chosen a  sweater or blanket too large...I will remember this Knit Bedroom
that I saw at the PDC last week.

Camilla

  I have begun my education in changing colors,yarns and patterns....in other words  I am counting!
I am using  Spilly Jane's Pattern Camilla(free on her website).  Using Tree Frog yarn in cream  and gray for my test pair #1.

The second pair is Black Frog Tree with a silk gray yarn...
  It was a beautiful weekend, so I was out and about but I have a good start... 

Rainy weekend....

  It was predicted to be a very rainy weekend in SoCal and it was....but there were beautiful, clean cold hours for walking dogs and I knit a pair of fingerless gloves (perfect for walking the heir and the spare in the
cool Manhattan Beach mornings.  I used a skein of Malbrigo Zarzamora  and I think they turned out quite

nice.  The pattern is called Fetching and is free on Ravelry.

Sari silk/Malbrigo

  I knit a few hats at the holiday mixing a recycled sari yarn and Malbrigo.  The reasoning was the recycled just wasn't soft enough and the Malbrigo evened out the feel.  Gigi received one of the hats and wanted to get her Mom knitting again....here is Gigi modelling her Mom's vest.  It was just adorable and I thought you might like to see.

Resting on my laurels....

It was such a busy week at work and having a tea for Kathy that I had no time to knit.  Last Saturday, I finally got a photo of my good friend Ginny in her Audrey coat (that I made for her birthday).  I made a "test pancake" Audrey coat for myself. 
 They both turned out beautifully....

Spilly Jane

  There is a Mitten Designer in Windsor, Ontario creating fantastic patterns.  Her new pattern "Camilla"  is  available free on  her Spilly Jane blog. http://spillyjane.blogspot.com/  She sells patterns on Etsy too.
 Mittens  are dear to my heart  because my mother was the "Mitten Lady" for the children at the Catholic
Grade School in the Corktown area of Detroit (she could not bear to see children with cold fingers).  She
knit hundreds of mittens each year and my Father would deliver them.  It was one of those simple kindnesses
that make me love her so much. 

Gifts from Mexico...

I have been thinking about needlework (again).  Gigi went to visit family in Mexico and brought me all these treasures...
  All the work was done by local women.  Fantastic!

Phoebe Philo "flaws and all"

EmailStory    Here is a very cool story that references my favorite designer, Phoebe Philo and her love of the hand made, the imperfect and our search for a sense of place .
  I feel that way about hand knit items, my favorite clothes and furniture.  It gives me a sense of place and where I've been....and where I want to go.
 
 
 

and the next two...

 I am working on two additional sweaters....these will have colors and a bit of fun.  I want to add more finishing techniques to my needlework this year.
  In the LA Times Image section (my favorite section of the LA Times) was a good article about three very
creative Southern California designers...there use of yarns and patterning is really unique.  Read the article and then check out there web sites
Designer knit sweaters: Southern California knitwear designers - latimes.com

Link: http://www.latimes.com/features/image/la-ig-knitwear-20110123,0,1290010.story

The new year...resolutions, lists and the scale

  I was so thrilled after sending off my blanket and sweater layette to Children's Hospital in Los Angeles that I knit TWO Baby Surprise Sweaters (Elizabeth Zimmerman pattern) and  many caps of all different colors.
I am on my third and I am going to add a collar and edging to this one....
  All my yard was purchased at Twist Yarns in Manhattan Beach .  Twist carries really beautiful yarns and so many are organic and/or one of a kind "Yarns of Conscience" by local women trying to make a living in South America, India, and Africa.  It is always a feel good purchase at Twist.

    and so 2011 begins....