Thursday, February 05, 2009

Weaver Girl's Hat and a New Shamrock

Hi Knitters,
I asked The Collector if I could take a picture of her in a hat I just knitted. She said sure and then when she posed for the picture she grabbed her weaving project. She said she wanted to share her weaving with all of you: ) I thought that was sweet. She is taking an art class at the Madison Fine Arts Center on Monroe St. This is her latest project. Next week her teacher is showing her how to take it off of the cardboard and string it on a stick from a tree. I'll have to find a prominent place to hang it.

I think it is funny that her teacher sent her home with some fun fur to finish but instead she goes in my studio and picks my most expensive mohair and Colinette Point 5 to add to her weaving. Of course I can't say no.
Anyway, this super cool hat is made from a fantastic yarn called, Cilantro. Just happens to be the name of my favorite dressing from Trader Joe's. I will wear the hat while I eat my cilantro salad. The yarn is from Sunshine Yarns and it is dreamy. Dani sent me a few skeins out of the blue a couple weeks ago. I know, that's three gifts in the mail. I must have done something good lately: ) You know, if you are a Harry Potter fan you have to check out Dani's Harry Potter inspired yarns. I have some of her Harry Potter striping sock yarn and it is fantastic.

I modified the Felicity pattern again for this hat and I added a strand of Kidsilk Haze for a little mohair goodness. I love that I have knitted a big stack of hats this winter and last and my girls have such good choices to wear to school everyday. We all share and switch. It is fun. You should try it. I love seeing them walk off to school in their knits. 
Here is the Shamrock Washcloth knit in the Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille. This one is knit on size 6 needles. It is the same gauge at 4 stitches per inch but it came out a wee touch smaller than the Sugar-n-Cream shamrock. I think the chenille just knits up differently. I think for the Sugar-n-Cream I would use a 7 needle next time instead of the 8's. I will write all up in the pattern. 
My husband and I were laughing about the Irish Springs soap commercials from when we were kids. Remember that? The Irish Springs commercial when the man would cut the bar of soap with his jack knife so you could see that the green stripes went all of the way through the bar. Also, was the man showering outside by the springs? That is so funny to think about. We didn't think they made Irish Springs soap any longer but my son said he saw someone on swim team with it the other day. Who knew? Maybe a bar to go along with your Shamrock Washcloth?
Left is Sugar-n-Cream, right is Cotton Chenille. I have to say, if you can splurge a little, the cotton chenille feels so good and squishy, it may be worth the few extra dollars. You could get two out of two skeins. Now I just have to get my son to help me get the pattern up and available for you. I may have to tie him down. I am going to sit with him this time and figure out how to do this myself. That would be good, right?

Knitters, I have to get back to my pattern writing. This was a fun break.
best, susie