Scarves

I'm glad that we aren't driving to Detroit today. Going along the 401 in snow isn't a fun thing to do.

Fog isn't fun either. On our way home on Thursday we started passing wind turbines. Some of these were no more than 200 yards off the highway. It was so foggy on our drive last Sunday morning that we didn't even see them.

We learned something else on Thursday. When we got to the border the guard asked us for our hotel invoice. I never keep these. A lot of times I check out on the TV and don't pick up the invoice at the front desk-lesson learned. Always pick it up.

I finished the Frillseeker Twilight scarf last night. Seven stitches makes  for a perfect length scarf.

When I was done I handed it to Beth to feel. She said 'I thought it would feel scratchy because some metallic yarns are but it feels nice and soft'.

Drop City is growing. Every repeat you increase two stitches. The pattern says to do this increasing until 14 repeats are done. Then you are at the half way point. I've reached this but the scarf isn't long enough for my liking. I like them really long. I'm going to keep increasing for at least 3 more repeats. Then you start decreasing two stitches every repeat. The second half will go quicker. :)

It's almost football time. NFL - Beth and I have clinched a playoff spot in fantasy football. We missed the last two years so this is exciting. Then the Grey Cup later this afternoon. I don't really care who wins as long as we get to see a good game.

Somewhere in between this all we need to watch last week's episode of The Amazing Race. Beth forgot to tape it before we left last Sunday morning. I'm blaming it all on her. :)

Free Patterns

There hasn't been much knitting content this week. Before I left I was looking on Facebook and found two free patterns from Debbie Bliss

http://www.designeryarns.uk.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Paloma2.pdf

Sorry-I don't know how to add a link while posting on my iPad.

The cowl (and a muff) are knit in Paloma. This is a thick chain yarn (it looks like it has already been knit before you knit with it) that is super light.

60% baby alpaca
40% merino

knits on 9mm-10mm needles

I knit a cowl in the yarn and it is super soft!

And here is my scarf. I spent time last night watching TV and working on it.

It might not look longer but two more repeats of the pattern are done. Every time you start a repeat 2 stitches are added. This means the rows are getting longer and the sections are taking more time. Yes, I am making excuses for my lack of progress. :)

Ready to Go

It's the time of year to wear scarves. I started thinking about my Hitchhiker Scarf and the fact that I had no clue where it was. After some searching (some should be in capitals-it took a bit) I found it in my room. This led me to think about Rock Island. I have two-one that I knit and one that Diana knit. Where were they? I know they weren't at home. I found them nicely folded (thanks Cathy) along with some other shawls downstairs in the store. They are hanging in the store again.

My Rock Island (knit in Shepherd Sock) is now hanging along side the Austin Hoodie (knit in Solemate) that has a Linen Stitch Scarf on it (knit in Shepherd Sock). A little corner of Lorna's Laces. The Offhand Designs bag is a Scottie in Gilroy. I'm hoping no one sees it because it will look good in my house.

I'm almost ready to go. One more load of laundry and then I can pack. Maps (hotel, shopping, zoo) are printed. I have a navigation system in the car but when I'm going somewhere new I like to have a map as well-just in case.

My knitting is ready to go.

Drop City using Dream in Color Everlasting Sock. The colour is Concord which didn't photograph well. The pot lights made shadows so I kept moving rooms but it didn't help with the colours.

The colour is purple-what else would I be knitting with??

Now a bit of knitting and then early to bed. Morning will be here soon. :)

Do what the pattern says

I learned a very good lesson today. It is one that I am always telling customers but sometimes you need to remember to practice what you preach. Today was hair day. It has been forever since I have visited Trish and it was very necessary. I thought about taking All the Shades of Truth with me but it is getting so big. I have two balls of Freia Fingering at home so I decided to start a scarf. This will be the knitting I'm going to take away with me. 

The pattern is called Drop City-I mentioned it yesterday. Short rows worked in self striping yarn. Every time I read the pattern I was sure it was wrong. I have been thinking about it for days. When I go to bed I try to figure it out. This morning I cast on the stitches and started. It isn't wrong-I was misreading it. Once you start it is easy to do-kind of mindless knitting.

NOTE TO SELF: JUST DO WHAT THE PATTERN SAYS. 

There are 170 people making the scarf on Ravelry so if the pattern was wrong someone before me would have found the mistake!!

Here it is after seeing Trish

When I took it out of my purse at the salon the stitches had come off my needle so I had to pull back a few rows. This is my excuse for not getting any further. Really it was the fact that I was enjoying some quiet time by myself and was daydreaming instead of knitting.

I can't say that I like Beth's iPad Mini. I LOVE IT!! It didn't take long to set it up. It is so light-weighs nothing compared to my iPad and it's lighter than my iPhone. I put a knitting pattern into iBooks to see how easy it is to read. Very. TV shows look good on it. Easy to watch. It fits nicely into the pocket of my purse. It won't take up any room in my knitting bag. I hope Santa is reading this.

It's TV and All the Shades of Truth time. I have 2 rows of black, 42 rows of purple and then 11 rows of black to go on section 6. Then the two side borders. It won't be done and blocked before I go away but I hope to have the knitting finished.