NaKnitMo

It's November again already!! It's amazing to me how fast the time flies. Instead of doing NaBloPoMo where I have to blog everyday, I decided to do NaKnitMo - National Knitting Month. I have to knit 60,000 sts during the month of November. So far I've had a bit of a head start by finishing this scarf that is a store sample for The Purple Purl.

The pattern is called Nightjar and it's from the Mirasol Collection book 6. This book chock full of lovely accessories. The yarn I used is Sulka and it is just scrumptious. It's a softly spun chunky/bukly weight yarn that I'd love to untwist and spin with. The colour is Red Onion.

I also started this Cabin Fever pattern called Jane Austen Shawl. I did the kerchief size which is much smaller than the shawl size. This is also a store sample for The Purl and I used Misti Alpaca Super Chunky. This was such a fast knit. I'm not used to using such big needles like I used for this and the scarf. Lately I've been knitting socks on 2mm needles or shawls on like 3.25mm needles so the 6mm and 10mm needles was quite the change.

The best part of it is I've forgotten just how quickly this stuff knits up. If I need a reminder, I recently discovered Sylvi. I discovered it when an FO was posted by someone in one of the groups I'm in. Well I just fell in love and knew I had to make this pattern. It's not really for me so I decided to knit it for my daughter. I bought Cabin Fever Northern Lights yarn in Blueberry for the sweater. I was debating other colours but this was one I liked and there was enough of them in stock. I am having challenges with the gauge but I think there will be some wiggle room in the size so I am going to use 6mm needles. I tried going up to 6.5mm but I didn't like the way the swatch felt even after being washed. If I knit this with needles that are too large the weight of the coat will just stretch the coat to pieces. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Now to just try and get the first sleeve done.

I'm also trying to knit a pair of socks for my BIL. Knitting these socks reminds me why I can't stand knitting socks for men. Their feet are just to bloody long. I'm also using Brunswick Nylamb in a chocolate brown colour and it's not easy on the eyes at all. The first sock is done and I am going to try and use NaKnitMo as encouragement to get the second sock done. Even though I don't usually have second sock syndrome, I think I could easily develop it with these pair of socks.
Finally, Monday was my friend Suzie's birthday. A friend of hers made these cupcakes and brought them to The Purl last night. The decorations are knitting related. They are just too cute for words. I can't speak for the taste because I didn't try them but judging from everyone's reaction they tasted as good as they looked.

I went to Gemini Fibres on Saturday and I'll post all about that in my next post. I need to take pictures of the loot. Saturday is the annual DKC bus trip and I'm going this year for the first time. It promises to be tons of fun. I am so looking forward to it. The challenge will be to behave. I'm going to try but it won't be easy. It never is. However, my stash is so out of control I will try to keep that in mind as I try not to browse.

A Whole Lot of Knitting Going On

I've been knitting away lately. Surprisingly enough, I've managed to stay up later than usual all week so I really got some good knitting time in the evening. I finished clue 4 of the Vernal Equinox Spring Surprise shawl as well as the Coral Reef socks. I also started another doily - Herbert Niebling's Trollblume oval doily. I finished chart A but I didn't bring my camera to my in-laws yesterday and by the time I got home it was too dark to even bother. I am using DMC Cebelia No. 30 in a mint green colour using 1.5mm needles. I wanted to use a pink DMC Cebelia 20 but I only have 1 ball and I was afraid I would run out so I decided on the green instead. Once this one is finished I'll have a better idea if I can do it in the pink. Now to get started on the oval sections and get this doily done.

Catching Up

The time between posts just seems to fly by. I've been planning to post since I came home from the Purl on Monday night and I never got around to it. Where does the time go? Kate Jacobs was at The Purple Purl on Monday night for a book signing. She did a reading from her latest book, Knit Two. It was a lot of fun and I am glad I decided to go and the weather cooperated for a change. I am looking forward to warmer weather so I can get to the Purl more often. It seems like whenever I want to go it snows. Spring will get here eventually no matter what the ground hog says tomorrow.
I decided to join yet another KAL. Most of the time I end up waiting until the pattern is complete and then knit it rather than knit the clues as they come out. This pattern is called The Vernal Equinox Shawl Surprise. I'm using Filtes King Color Baby by Needful Yarns. The colour is Pink Roses. I bought the yarn from elann.com. The yarn has a nice feel to it. I just hope the shawl isn't going to be extremely large. If I find it's too big I can always stop before the last clue, I suppose.

The first of the Coral Reef Socks complete and I'm on the leg part of the second sock. I hope to get it done by Tuesday. The only question is, once that sock is done what I am going to knit next? I've got some cashmere that I want to use. I just don't know what it wants to become yet. I know it's going to be a shawl I just wish I could figure out what shawl.

Yesterday I took one class at the Downtown Knit Collectives Winter Workshops. I think the next time I am going to take more than one. I just didn't have the time this weekend. The class I took was on interpreting Japanese Patterns. It was given by Patrick Madden. The class was fantastic. If there was anything I could say I wish, it is that the class would have been more than 3 hours. The class was way too short but very informative. I also have to get down to Village Yarns. I've never been there and Patrick works there. That's good enough reason for me to try and make a trip to the store. Now to figure out how to get there. Google Maps is my friend. Sorry, I don't have any pics. I forgot the camera at home yesterday. (I didn't make it to Romni either.)