Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Coming Down The Home Stretch




Boneyard Shawl is almost finished! I started the garter stitch edging last night. I probably could have squeezed one more 12-row pattern repeat out of the yarn and then did the edging, but these long rows take a lot of yardage so I didn't want to run out and not have a wide enough edge to do the shawlette justice. I just LOVE this pattern and will knit it again...probably in some of the Alpaca I got from my friend Monica who has an alpaca farm.

I will post a finished shawlette soon. I'm not even sure I will need to block it. Now, wouldn't THAT be a bonus!

Saturday, June 05, 2010

Farmers' Market


Being a summer Saturday I made my weekly trip to a local Farmers' Market. As usual it was packed with people of all ages enjoying the conversations, local products -- from breads to apple butter to freshly picked strawberries to early lettuce to plants to iced tea and cookies. There was a trio playing and singing folk music and a dog or two roaming around their owner's stand. There also were people working in the demonstration garden. A fun few hours on a June morning.

I went for my usual multi-grain bread and strawberries. However, today there was another item on my list and I found it. Janice and Mike from Tamarack Farm were there with spun wool from their sheep. I was looking for something in particular and I scored big time! Please note the two skeins of Icelandic yarn in the photo. It is a 2-ply DK weight in a tan/mocha mixed that I want to use for Stephen West's Boneyard Shawl which is a free pattern available on Ravelry.
I currently am knitting the pattern in Zauberball 6 in twists of dark blue, navy blue and some white. Perfect for the Penn State games this fall. I LOVE knitting this pattern and wanted to make one in yarn similar to what the designer chose. What I purchased today is perfect! The pattern calls for 654 yards and I bought 800 yards, so I will probably knit until I almost run out of yarn. The shawlette/large triangular scarf will be a big larger but that is fine. The yarn is a bit scratchy but when I soak the finished garment in some hair conditioner it should soften nicely.
A fabulous Farmers' Market find and supporting a local farmer at the same time.