All things EZ

A new wallet in town....

 .....for my son.  The choice was Houndstooth.  

I found it in an upholstery fabric.

The inside was made with linen.

 I like it and what's MORE important is my son loves it!

You can find this FREE tutorial at Noodlehead.

Making things, instead of buying things

Made this years ago at a Super Saturday.  If you are LDS, you know how much fun those are.

This Ascot (by E.V. Zygas) from Knitter's Magazine, Summer 2010 K99 page 77,

is a gift to my mom.

I used Plassard Meri-Cash8 in color 155 and pink ribbon for the trim.

I have been sewing.....

.....the Eleanor Burns, of Quilt-In-A-Day, way.............AND I CAN'T STOP!!!!

Surprise from Down Under.......

 Look at all the wonderful colors!  The floss, crochet/tatting thread, different squares of fabulous fabric, hand painted cards, a heart key chain, buttons, lavender sachet, embroidery embellishment and then.............

............................................THIS.  I love.  This.
All this from my wonderful friend, Shirley, from Australia.  We have been blogging friends since way back when.  She's a wonderful and very talented friend.

Footies and a Sweater

Ahh, footies!  My son has received a pair of these almost every year since he was a wee lad.  He loves the strange ones and even better if they don't match.  Yes, those are them.....the ones with all the colors.  The other 3 are just one of each of three additional pair he asked me to knit for his friends.  No sense in putting them all in since they look just like the ones shown.  :)
I used 2 strands of Cascade 220 Superwash and US sz 6 dpn's.

Then there is this sweater I knit without a pattern but it was EZ.  Yes, easy to knit with what I learned from EZ (Elizabeth Zimmermann).
I did learn the Channel Island cast-on from Meg Swansen with split welt on the sides.  I kept the side stitches in purl and took in the waist a bit for an hourglass figure.  I kept knitting in the round setting in the sleeves and only doing a 3-needle bind-off at the shoulders....the rest is seamless.
Mom sent me the yarn (a little heavier than worsted) and I used US sz 7 needles.

Two of the saddest things I know......

.....when my needles finished the last round of knitted lace on this delightful-to-knit Herbert Niebling design,

.......and when my spoon got to the bottom of this super delicious Bengal Chutney made by Julie.

Herbert Niebling knitted lace never looked better

The title says it all....when you have beautiful stitch markers by Marilyn.  I only used 3 of one set and one green (to mark the beginning of the round) even though there were 8 repeats to start.  You end up with 32 repeats at the end.

This is one of many from "Knitted Lace Designs of Herbert Niebling".  A picture of it is on page 48 and the charted pattern on pages 50-51.

I used #30 DMC Cebelia Crochet Thread with US sz 0 circular needles. 

This lovely knitted lace traveled with me to Canada on Holiday with Julie and caused many a conversation on the Clipper!

My excellent adventure......

…with Julie.  Of course, there was Robert and Arban, too.  I was just there in July when I received an invite to come for another visit.  So soon?!  Oh for sure, eh!  I was delighted!

Julie picked me up and as soon as we arrived, we left again.  Supplies were in and we had to pick them up.  We were back and quickly went to work making……dill pickles!....40 pounds of pickles!  I knew it!  That’s why she asked me up for a visit!  ;o)

Then came Tuesday and my hair appointment with Greg.  I had been dreading it.  I mean…..REALLY dreading it, sweats and all!  I was trying to get him to hear my concerns about my curly hair but he only heard, “Blah, blah, blah”.  Greg escorted me to get my hair shampooed, then to THE chair and he asked me in a soft voice, “So what do you want people to say when they see your hair?”  Wow!  I had never, ever been asked that question by a hairstylist.  Never.  “I want them to say, Look at that curly thick hair”.  Something like that.  I was still thinking about his perfect question!   Pictures?  Maybe later.

Needless to say, Greg was finished with my new do and I was super happy.  I was Glamorous!....so Julie said.   I Love it!

I thought all the stress and excitement was done.  I thought she was all surprised out.  Wrong.  Julie had one more up her sleeve for Wednesday, the day after my Glam hair day…..we were going to Salt Spring Island via the Ferry!  To visit Marilyn!!!!  

After a delicious lunch on the Wind Walker (Marilyn and Michael’s boat) Marilyn took us to Fulford  

where we walked and got acquainted with some of the shop owners.  It was over before we knew it.  We boarded the Ferry, were home in no time and then we rested.

I think I ate and talked a LOT!  It’s just not fair we all don’t live closer together.  As it is, my excellent adventure is just a drive and Clipper-trip away.

I'm wild about the Wild Rose Scallop Doily!

I used DMC Cebelia sz 30 in light pink and light green with US sz 10 hook and ended up 11 inches in diameter.

My finish (the pink edging) is not 'exactly' what the pattern called for...but I just could not 'get it'.  I did what I could figure out.

This pattern was one of the choices on the DOM.  It was not picked but I couldn't help myself and just HAD to crochet it.

Loves Me, Loves Me Not.....

....this crocheted doily was a rewarding one since I made it for one of our neighbors down the road.....a nice retired couple.

In my Decorative Crochet-March 1999 - Number 68, it is pattern #19.  I used size 20 Aunt Lydia's Fine Crochet Thread and US sz 8 crochet hook to make it the size it came out to be...14.75 inches wide.

I can't WAIT to give it to them on Thursday!

Secluded Copse Shawl

by Lost City Knits is one stunning piece of art.  I was a lucky, lucky gal to test knit this shawl.
It's light and airy even with the jumper-weight wool I used.  I will, more than likely, knit this again using the same fiber Denise used....wool and silk.

The charts are easy to read and should you ever have any questions/comments, Denise is just an e-mail away.  So, if you would like your own copy of this non boring pattern, head on over to Lost City Knits.

I think I get along with lace knitting.  :0)

To Canada and back

The proof is in the pictures......and the new words and phrases I learned. 

I had the best "holiday" of my entire life....in Victoria, Canada.  Oh for sure, eh.  I know that that’s an Eastern Canadian thing but I couldn’t help myself!  I loved to say that!

Sitting on the Clipper for 2 hours and 45 minutes, I was able to finish single crocheting around my Wild Rose Scallop Doily (sz 30 thread and US 10 hook).  The ship docked and my feet were on solid ground in Victoria.  I looked around for a short time when my friend, Julie, greeted me with the brightest pink cap on her head.  She seemed as happy to see me as I was to see her.  I met Julie, who gives the best FREE advise on the care of an aging loved one (just click on her name), many years ago at an antique circular sock-knitting machine retreat in Lacey, WA.  We hit it right off and she has asked me many times when I was coming for a visit.  Once I mentioned I didn't have a passport.  "Well, get one!" was Julie's response.  So I did.  Finally.

After I met Robert, Peter and Veronica and Arban, I remember eating the best tasting food....EVER!  I could go on and on about THAT!

So my friend Julie, well…used to be my friend……  You see, she did a sneaky thing and surprised me with these lovely ladies who wanted to meet the KnackfulKnitter from Washington.  I can no longer say I have never had a person pull a surprise on me. 

These ladies are all very talented….  From Left to Right, there’s Marilyn, no longer my friend…Julie, Catherine, Dela and Gayle.  We had show and tell with our knitting projects, talked about weaving and Tunisian crochet and even had Julie wait on us.  

Like I said, I had the best holiday of my entire life!