***This post was written about 10 days ago before the first cold snap.  I grabbed the cowl, unblocked to wear to work.  It was awesome.  I had it for the coldest days of the week.  The one morning after I got off the train, as I was exiting the station, I reached into my bag for the cowl – it wasn’t there.  I fought my way back through the crowd and there was no sign of it in the station. I checked with lost & found at the station three different times.  Somewhere, somebody is wearing a lovely cowl – I hope I see them so that I can ask them where they got it.  (I’m also really glad that I didn’t weave in all the ends either.)***

I can’t believe that its already winter! I can’t believe how fast time is flying – though I am convinced that I lost two weeks in July and now another week from October has gone missing. In order to survive the vicious cold and wind downtown, I decided a needed a cowl.  So the Impression of a Llama Cowl was created using Mirasol Miski yarn

I started with the Impressionist Cowl (Ravelry) by Fiddle Knits.  Here’s the picture of the cowl without my modifications:

What you can’t really see in the picture is the provisional cast-on I used because I need a cowl that would do more than just cover my neck.   I took out the waste yarn and picked up the live stitches and began the lace pattern at the other end.  I was going for more of hood that I can pull up over my head/ears/face.

The lace pattern was fun and I really liked the tubular cast-off/border.   But I’m sure what you’d really like to see are the modeled shots:

I think the model really helps show the lovely lace pattern, don’t you? Unfortunately, she didn’t have the same opinion of her modeling gig.

It started out oh so innocently.  A little roving and a drop spindle.

It was fun. A lot of fun. Maybe too much fun…

I figured a little more roving could hurt. Just 4 oz from here – 4 oz from there…

It added up fast. Very fast. Maybe too fast…

Then it dawned on me – I could spin faster if I had wheel. My wonderful, loving husband thought that it would be a great birthday gift. My birthday isn’t until next week, but I got a chance to go shopping with some friends at The Fold last Saturday. I brought home a beautiful Schacht Matchless Wheel.

It is beautiful. So very beautiful. Her beauty calls to me…

The first bobbin took several starts and stops but then we clicked…

It was so sweet. It so very sweet. Maybe too sweet…

The second bobbin took less than 24 hours…

The roving is 100% Corriedale from Illinois Green Pastures Collection – Esther’s Place. (Ravelry Link)

It was fun. A lot of fun. Maybe too much fun…

As always I have a ton of project in progress – the 95% just need to be blocked to be considered done, but I just don’t have the motivation.  But that doesn’t mean that I’ve stopped knitting.  I need knitting for my commute into work (don’t worry – I take the train).  Here’s pictures of my latest commuting projects:

Celestial Wall

The pattern is Stonewall (Ravelry) by Anne Hanson of Knitspot using Celestial (Ravelry) by Woolywonka Fibers.  I’m through the first skein so at the halfway point.  This pattern was part of the Change of Seasons (Ravelry Group).  Its a nice pattern with enough interest that I don’t fall asleep, but not so complicated that I can’t pack it up when the train reaches the station.

However, realizing that Christmas is fast approaching, I’ve swapped out the Celestial Wall for this:

Misty Primero Christmas Present

The pattern is Misty Garden by Jo Sharp from Scarf Style.  The yarn Primero (Ravelry) by Brooks Farm Yarns. Again, a simple pattern with enough interest to keep me awake.  I’m not a huge fan of mohair, but I do like that this yarn isn’t sheeding everywhere and isn’t as hairy as most mohair yarns.  However, it is painful when you make a mistake – no ripping, just tinking.  I do hope it blocks out nicer than this…

Have you started your Christmas knitting yet?

After a dreary Monday, complete with the first sightings of snow, I came home to a wonderful surprise.  My Plurk Swap package arrived!  Eric of Sweaters for Dragons blog & podcast and purveyor of yarny goodness at Cables & Lace was my awesome swap pal!

How I figured out who my swap pal was…

Nestled snugly amongst the paper:

Both milk and dark chocolate to tempt the palate and an dancing nanner…but its not a pin!

It is a SUPER AWESOME “I know what I can do with this!” MAGNET!!!!

You may now commence with the jealousy.

And it will get worse as, the package included some lovely yarn goodness too.

Gorgeous Merino/Nylon sock yarn in Siren’s Call

Lovely Merino Lace Yarn in Mariner’s Wife

My pictures don’t do this yarn justice.  The colors are awesome, I have no idea how he manages to get the subtle tonal shift in the sock yarn and the gorgeous melding of blues & greens in the lace.

Thanks Eric for the awesome package!!!!

Look at what I got in the mail:

A skein of Perfect Day Yarns Beat Sock in Woods & Frozen Lake colorway. I also picked up two Knit Notes for Socks – these books are pretty cool. It gives me the place a write down the gauge I get for different sock yarns and using different needles – which is good because I can’t remember anything anymore.

I spent a lovely Saturday shopping with the FoP at Yarn Con in downtown Chicago. Here’s my haul:

1. Piddly Bag, 2. Laptop Bag, 3. Franklin Habit Goodies, 4. Piddly Bags, 5. Merino/Angora, 6. My Small Thing BFL, 7. Lorna’s Laces, 8. Red Rock, 9. Red Rock, 10. Red Rock, 11. My Small Wonders, 12. My Small Wonders, 13. Bag of Goodies, 14. Corriedale Top, 15. Fiber Arts Studio, 16. Fiber Arts Studio, 17. Fiber Arts Studio, 18. Spinundrum Fibers

I spent a lazy day today and manged to finish knitting another scarf. Of course, I haven’t blocked it yet so, I thought it should be included in the “What Am I Waiting For Group”. But it is so pretty, I think it deserves its own post.

Downpour Rivolo

This is the Rivolo Scarf from Knitspot. I fell in love with the pattern as she was designing it on her blog and when she said it reminded her of raining dripping, I knew I had just the right yarn for it. I used one skein of Blue Moon Fiber Arts Seduction in the Downpour colorway. I think the pattern and yarn went together very nicely. (I apologize in advance for some of the pictures, the shiny-shiny of the yarn made pictures difficult.)
The in-progress shot:

The finished shot:

The stitch shot:

And lastly, the artsy shot:

Li_B of Life’s a Stitch and designer of the Herringbone Rib Scarf.

You should go check out her blog, she’s a very witty writer and posted one of the most honest Spousal Interview I’ve seen. (You can see my version here: The Husband Speaks)

Congratulations Li_B!

Don’t forget to email me your info so I can send your package of goodies to the right place. (knitting at pantheonacres dot com)

The Red Scarf Project is a really wonderful charity knitting effort put together by the Orphan Foundation of America. So what if your family doesn’t appreciate your knitting, I’m sure one of these kids will.

All of the details can be found here: Orphan Foundation of America

Here are the highlights:

• Knit a unisex red scarf – they are fairly liberal in their interpretation of red so reddish should be better
• Add a little tag or note – if you want you can even add a gift card or something else small and fun.
• Mail the scarf and note and little something to:

Orphan Foundation of America
The Red Scarf Project
21351 Gentry Drive
Sterling, VA 20166

The most important bit:

Scarves for the Red Scarf Project will be accepted from

September 1-October 31st this year.

Now if you don’t think you can knit a scarf in that time frame, cash donations to help pay for shipping will be accepted.

Scout of Scout’s Swag is also holding a contest if and to enter you only have to spread the word, but hurry her contest closes on Monday.

Apparently, I have an awful lot of works in progress. You’d think I’d get the hint from the Ravelry progress bars I have on the blog. I’m going to include projects that are hibernating because I’m going to have to finish them eventually. I’ve grouped my WIPs into 3 categories: 95% Complete, In Hibernation, and Should Be Actively Worked. Here’s the first group:

95% Complete

All of these projects are finished except for blocking and perhaps weaving in some ends. I don’t mind weaving in the ends, but the blocking – oh the blocking – I really hate to do. The wet wool just irritates my skin as I’m pinning things out. And it takes so long to pin things “just right”. I wish there was an easier way.

Christmas Gifts*
This project is actually 3 projects in one. I made a hat, mittens and scarf using Knitspot’s Paris-Roubaix pattern with a modification to change the mitts into mittens. The yarn is Brooks Farm Mas-Acero; a lovely wool, silk, rayon blend.

Zig Zag Mitts

I don’t know if this one really counts as 95%. I have enough yarn to do the hat and/or part of a scarf. The pattern is Zig Zag Mitts, Hat, and Scarf from KnitSpot. The yarn is Merino Twist from DragonFibers in Water.

I also picked up two skeins of yarn that compliment the first skein. I think I can use to them to finish up the entire set. First is Superwash Merino Yarn from Thank Ewe in Starry Night.

The 2nd is Superwash Sock from DragonFibers in Lagoon.

What do you think?

Commuting Chevron Scarf

This is the Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts that everybody felt obligated to knit. I used two skeins of Superwash Sock Yarn from My Small Wonders in Lagoon and Sunlit Waves. This was a great commuting project because it was so easy to pickup and put down as needed. I still have at least 1/3 of each skein left, maybe I’ll make a small scarf for one of my nieces.

Rose Garden Stole

I love this stole. I love the colors, the stitch pattern and the yummy softness of the yarn. I modified the original Hattie’s Rose Garden Stole by Christy Roosien from Briar Rose Fibers to keep the garter stitch edge on both sides. (Modifications are on my project page if you’re interested.) I used Wistful from Briar Rose Fibers and I LOVE this yarn. It is an alpaca, silk, and merino blend that is as soft as you imagine.

How about a couple of lovely, artsy shots of the stitches.

Autumn Mystery Shawl

This was my first mystery shawl — and I still haven’t finished it. (Note to Self: Don’t sign up for mystery projects — you never keep up.) I had the hardest time finding the right colors for this pattern. Morehouse Merino came to my rescue with their 2 ply yarn in Autumn Fields. At the end of the mystery, Goddess Knits revealed the name of the pattern as Lughnasadh. I really want to block this baby out and see just how big it is.

In progress:

The finished product:

The close-up artsy shot:

The saddest part of this is that all of these things were finished back in April or earlier! I really do need to bite the bullet and just deal with the wet wool. Any motivational suggestions?

Stay Tuned for Wrangling WIPs – Part 2 – Hibernation Station later this week.

*Almost all the links go to Ravelry. If you’re not on Ravelry, you should sign up.