The Tank Top Saga

When I made this tank top I wanted it to look like Matt's on Digimon. It did not turn out at all like what I was looking for. But every project teaches us lessons and I learned a big one from this tank. I hate seams.

This led me to learn about top-down sweaters and I am in the process of making a raglan right now. Pictures later. The ones I took at fair no longer do it justice since I am a foot beyond that point. :)

So, when the raglan is done I am casting this tank on again from the top down and designing the Matt sweater. I've even found the perfect shade of green on kpixie.

Also, I am ripping out the two sweaters I started for the kids and redoing them top-down. I can try them on as we go and no seams. Plus they will make up twice as fast...a win-win in my book.

Ruinwen
:)

Spring Fling 2006

Sorry, I've been away but we were gearing up for Spring Fling. Here is our tent; notice the new walls? Where if it had rained they would have been wonderful...the wind nearly carried us away. The tent next to us did blow over and had to be bolted to the parking lot.

We had fun and broke even and then some. :)

My sister happily crocheted away with us and my MIL, BIL and all the kids had a great time too!

All in all, it was a really breezy, fun weekend. :)

Ruinwen
:)

What's Up Doc?

So, I’ve been thinking about what my DH said about getting an angora. I mean it would be wonderful to have my own angora to spin and dye and make a few things a year out of. Plus they make wonderful pets and my son would love a pet rabbit.

But being an Aries I know I’m going to jump in and get overwhelmed by my emotions before really thinking it through.

So yesterday I researched angoras and came up with a plan. I also learned a lot about them that I didn’t know…like they are very prone to heat stroke, they get wool block (like fur balls but they can’t expel them) and they can be litter trained at an early age.

So here is the plan. I bought a simple drop spindle with some wool yesterday on E-Bay and I will see if I can even spin wool. If I can’t then that is that. If I can spin wool then I will get some angora/wool blend and learn to spin that. If I succeed there then I will buy some angora roving by itself and work on spinning that. Finally I will by the raw wool (fresh off the angora itself) and work on spinning that. After all that spinning, if I still enjoy the whole prospect of creating my own yarn, then I will go on to the next step.

Then we have to ask ourselves some serious questions about where is our bunny going to live? We will need supplies and a hutch for our angora and to learn everything we can about taking care of our new family member before we even go look at angoras.

Then we will start looking at types and decide on which angora breed will be best for our needs. I personally am thinking about a satin because there is a really nice sheen to their fur. Also we will have to decide if we ever want to show our angora. Some breeds are not approved by the judges.

Finally, we need to visit angora farms and actually find the bunny that meshes with our family.

<*whew*>

This process may take months or years but I don’t want to rush it and get involved in something I can’t handle. So we’ll see how I do with my new spindle when it comes in and anyone who wants to leave any advice about spinning is more then welcome. I feel I will need all the help I can get!

Happy crafting,

Ruinwen
:)

Sheep & Wool Festival -(picture laden)

I love alpacas. Here is one lounging after being sheared.

The reason we were here was to be in the lamb cook-off. Here are the judges eating and critiquing.

Of course, another reason was the beautiful yarn. This is some kid mohair that I wanted but resisted.

Everyone was so talented. Watching them weave this shawl was amazing!

Here is something I couldn't resist...a totally washable micro-fiber that feels like silk. I bought it in a teal/purple with my prize money. I also bought some merino/hemp to try. Both of these yarns I had never seen before so we'll call it research...yes that is my story and I'm sticking to it. :) Oh, I also bought the pattern that is in the picture.

So, I came in third but that is okay. I lost on plating technique by three points. It gives us room to improve for next year. Yes, next year...we had so much fun that we are going back! You should have seen the mobs of people as they gobbled up our samples out of dixie cups...they didn't need a plating technique...heck, they didn't even have spoons at the end and it was all good. :)

But seriously, we had an awesome time and my son got to see more sheep then he had ever thought possible. He even conversed with a few and was over-joyed when they answered him back! DH had fun serving the masses and sneaking the shank bones off to nibble on. I even got to knit a few rows on ponchette! So it was a great day for everyone!

The last thing I would like to leave you with is the angora woman. She is my fondest memory in years gone by of the Sheep & Wool festival. She calmly sits her angora bunny on her lap and pulls fur off of her and spins it...just too cool! DH said of all the animals we saw today a bunny to sit on my lap and spin would be okay...maybe someday! :)

Happy crafting,

Ruinwen
:)

Size really does matter...

"A man may fall many times but he won't be a failure until he says someone pushed him."

-- Elmer G. Letterman

"I haven't failed. I've found 10,000 ways that don't work."

-Benjamin Franklin

I was on the last row of my ponchette when I realized that it was way too small. Looking at the pattern my DH remarked, "Hon, you are using the 5s right?"

After I nodded he added, "That's for the centimeter needle. In the US sizes, it calls for an 8."

"Well", I smiled, "At least we know what went wrong. It looks like I have some frogging to do."

So after dinner, I sat at the frog pond and ripped all 23 pattern rows out (something like 240 actual rows)...knowing it was the right thing to do.

The old me might have tried to keep repeating until I had enough to wrap around me, but I knew that this was not something I wanted to do. What drew me to this pattern was the lace and the drape of the fabric. In my piece the lace while pretty, was closed and precise. It should be more open and airy,

So, I will begin again on my dear ponchette. This time I am armed with size 8 needles and I have learned one way not to make this pattern.

I hope to have it done for Sheep and Wool this weekend where I am entered in the lamb cook-off. But if I don't, well that's okay too. :)

Happy crafting,

Ruinwen
:)

I'm Innocent I tell you...really! :)

Okay, I know you are saying, "Ruinwen you said no more yarn until you finish your projects..."

And you are right, but I didn't buy any of it myself, it was all gifted.

My sister blessed me with The Sweater Workshop by Jacqueline Fee A Gathering of Lace by Meg Swanson, Knitting From the Top by Barbara Walker and The Knitting Way: A Guide to Spiritual Self Discovery.

With the exception of the last book (which was a surprise), these are books I have been chomping at the bit to own. Thank you, sis! :)

My parents blessed me with yarn from Knitpicks. Six skeins of each: Merino Style in Storm and Wool of the Andes in Hyacinth.

I've already started the ponchette on kpixie in the storm and I love the pattern.

My LYS wonderful lady blessed me with a cable and bobble sweater in pumpkin spice. It was last year's model and it fits me to a Tee! And she also blessed me with 5 skeins of Maggi Knits Multi Linen Color 102! It is like pumpkins and fall all rolled into one. I've been wanting to try it and she gave it to me to make a ponchette for me! Isn't she the best!?!

So see dear readers, I did not buy anything new, I have not broken my promise and all is right with the world.

Happy crafting,

Ruinwen
:)

Hope For The WIPs

The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.

- Oliver Wendell Holmes

We can learn to be the catalysts for our own change.

- Sarah Ban Breathnach

I’ve been working on bonnets and booties as of late so there is no need to reshow the same pictures in different colors right?

On Friday a wonderful thing happened, my LYS asked me to teach a bonnet class. Everyone loves the bonnet so much that they demanded a class! I am so happy!

On Saturday I had to move the WIP bags that sit around the table and when you pile them all together they make a nice little mountain-o-projects. Why I just can’t sit and finish one thing and move to another is beyond me…but the important thing is to “know thyself.” And I know that this is how I am, so I accept it to a degree…

On Saturday night I had a dream where I sat down and organized all the WIPs into categories and set them out on a calendar and completed each one as scheduled. At the end of my dream new yarn came in and I started all over again but that was okay because it was exciting to reward myself with new yarn and projects.

I woke up pumped. Why couldn’t I just finish all the WIPs that only need a few rows, seaming, or weaving in the ends…why did I just leave them there and start something new? Well, we know the why…I’m a self-starting…never finishing Aries…but I want to see these projects done…so yesterday I finished my crochet blanket I started at last Fall Fair…it only needed one more skein and the ends woven in and I was able to move a big bag off the chair…that blanket fits a twin bed!

Then I finished the bonnet I started on Wednesday…all that needed was 2 rows, the neck finished and all those ends are woven in…that is…count ‘em…2 projects in one day! Then I cast on some booties and they are half done!

The thing is I really didn’t spend a lot of time knitting either…maybe four hours all together spread out over the day…

Why do I have all these WIPs then? Because dear readers I lack focus. My friend Sallee made me think maybe what I need is to focus on my WIPs. It seems I am now stashing projects just as easily as I stashed yarn before. I took an inventory and just like in my dream there a bunch of things that are almost done and I will work on those first and get them out of the way. Secondly, I will only use the two chairs behind the table for projects.

I know myself enough to know I will always have more than one project going on at a time but I also know that I follow my own rules. So if only two chairs can be used then no new projects can be cast on if those chairs are full. That will be my new rule…after I empty another chair. ;)

Happy crafting,

Ruinwen
:)

The Zen of Froggin'

An old adage says, "There are three items you can’t take back—a spent arrow, a word spoken in anger and a lost opportunity.” As I sit here lounging at the frog pond, I realize that isn’t it nice we can tink and frog and correct our mistakes?

Don’t get me wrong I get as teary eyed as the next person when I have to destroy something I’ve worked so hard on. But isn’t it nice, if you want to, you can redo it the right way?

The “inner knitter” has been trying to teach me this lesson all week and I have been resisting with all my might. But yesterday I had to ask myself, “Why?”

Is it really better to stubbornly try and fix a mistake that I know I will have to come back and rip out later? So yesterday I accepted tinking back five rows with a smile knowing that this too is part of the process.

I may not still like it…and I may still cry from time to time…but it is nice to know a mistake in my knitting is one of the things in life that I can take back and fix when the need arises. And that knowledge makes me smile. :)

Happy crafting,

Ruinwen
:)

When the Knitter is Ready, the Pattern Appears

As I try and find or create the patterns that I have in my head, I am amzaed by the resistence I seem to find to each idea until it is ready to be birthed into existence. They say that pulling on the shoots of a plant will not make it grow any faster and it seems to apply to my creation of the Laurene shawl.

I am desperately enjoying the challenge though. My mind is being forced to work in ways that it usually avoids. I feel freedom in trying stitches that create a pattern out of disorder.

I've been working with these twisted stitches all week and finally yesterday I swatched something I liked. The alternating pattern of knit into back of second stitch on left needle, do not slip stitch off needle, knit into first stitch on needle, slip both stitches off needle and *deep breath* knit 2tog but keep them on needle, knit into first stitch on needle and then slip them off was very comforting...but not at first.

At first I was ripping my hair out because the directions that I had for these stitches were reversed. And silly me I expect the pattern to be right. But in doing that I took me out of the picture. I was relying on the pattern to guide me when I should have been looking within.

Instead I blamed myself that I must have done something wrong and searched on the web for twisted stitches and learned a whole lot of things in the process. Now I came at the pattern with knowledge and I understood that this pattern would not work the way it was written.

And suddenly the little voice in my head said, "Now you're ready, check the updates for this book," and "poof" there it was confirmed for everyone to see...the pattern was backwards in two places.

I felt giddy as I cast on the only needles that I had with me and swatched. I watched the yarn form the pattern I had been seeking...how could something with only three stitches have vexed me so?

The spiritual "ah ha" took hold and I saw what I could not see before. Elated I took note of how each stitch twisted and turned the fabric into the image I had held onto in my head.

After a few rows of tweaking, I had my stitch. Next time instead of boldly ploding ahead when I should sit and listen to my inner self, I will be still and quiet and listen to my "inner knitter".

I say this as I begin the search for the perfect flower...a swatching I will go...

Happy Crafting,

Ruinwen
:)

Right-Slanting Decreases

So I've begun the process of swatching for the Laurene Shawl. I was trying to find a pattern that worked for the hearts. I wanted them coming out from one another but the left side looked so much different than the right that I frogged the whole thing and began again...many times.

There are so many left-slanted decreases but most books say the K2tog is the only right-side decrease one will ever need. In this situation, I disagree. So I tried this one and I have no snappy way to abbreviate it:

K1, Sl knitwise, return the slip to the left-hand needle keeping the stitch twisted, pass the knitted stitch in the same manner to the left needle, now PSSO the slipped stitch over the knit stitch, and finally slip the knit stitch purlwise back to the right-hand needle

Can you believe I can do that really fast now? But the main thing is, I really like it. Everyone I've shown it to likes it so these are the side hearts. Yeah!

I really like designing it is very freeing trying all those combinations until you find something you like.

I'm wondering if I should use that stitch on my Serenity Chain Lace Scarf design? I may have to try that. By the way, I taught that class yesterday and it was so much fun! The woman enjoyed herself so much she gave me a hug!

At that moment I knew that this was where I am supposed to be...I am so glad I listened to my inner voice!

Happy Crafting and Happy Holidays,

Ruinwen,
:)

A Finished Set

Here is my Baby Butter Layette completed. Bet you were beginning to wonder if my Ariesness ever let me finish anything. :)

I really liked making the whole set. I was just making a sweater and then I had a ball of yarn leftover and I thought why not booties...then the hat soon followed. I just love the hat!

This was the first thing I've made in a while that had no repeats just 50 line by line instructions on size 3 needles. I loved seeing it shape up...could it be the lace? LOL


But seriously, I'm going to make the whole set again in blue because it was so much fun!

My LYS liked the hat so much that she gave me a skein of yummy pink King Cole to make one for the shop! Yeah! I think I will throw in some booties too because they are that much fun to make!

Happy Crafting,

Ruinwen
:)

Follow Your Heart

There is an Irish folktale about a mortal who was given the chance go hunting with the "wee folk". He was given a fairy steed and the choice to have the horse become big or for him to become small to ride it. He chose to become small so he could ride with the fairies. He and the fairies went galloping around until he came to a wall so huge that he didn't think his tiny noble steed could carry him over. The Fairy King, seeing the mortal's hesitation, said, "Throw your heart over the wall, then follow it!" So the man rode fearlessly at the wall, with his heart already bravely past it, and went safely over.

_______________________________________

I’ve been feeling called lately to design knitting patterns. I ignored the summons for as long as I could because I thought maybe I had heard my inner voice wrong.

But finally the “voice” turned into a roar and now I am listening. I have thrown my heart into my work after much meditation and prayer and I know this is what I’m supposed to be doing.

Yoda said, “Do or do not there is not try.”

So this is not a whim that I will “try” and see how it works out, but rather I will give it my all and pour my heart and soul into it and see what happens.

I have been having fun working on the Laurene shawl design, which I am dedicating to my Mom. I have been working with different twisted stitches to honor her arthritis. I wanted to show how the shawl is still beautiful just like my Mom. I’ve also been working with different flowers to put next to the hearts.

It is fun to work out each piece and slowly see it all come together. I hope to make a swatch by the end of the month. I’m going to see what it looks like with lace weight yarn first. I hope that works because it is ideal for someone who doesn’t like a lot of weight on different areas of the body.

So as you see I really am following my heart on this one! My next goal after the shawl design is tested and completed will be something with more lace I’m sure!

Happy Crafting,

Ruinwen
:)

Creating Time To Play

"If we fail to nourish our souls, they wither, and without a soul, life ceases to have meaning.... The creative process shrivels in the absence of continual dialogue with the soul. And creativity is what makes life worth living."

-- Marion Woodman

I didn't know what to do with my cotton/wool blend and decided on a simple drop shawl. The fabric is light and drapes beautifully. But most of all I've had fun knitting it.

Knitting is many things to me; but at the heart of it all, it is something I truly enjoy. I love seeing the colors join together in the fabric or a pattern emerge before my eyes.

Sometimes it is the simple things that give me the most joy. A smile on my child’s face, my DH excited at a new idea or knowing that today I will get to knit; all give me joy in very different ways.

But it seems to always come back to knitting. I love to knit. This love has never gone away over the years and I think at the core of my being, I am a knitter.

Last week I talked about paring down my life and finding out what is real and authentic to my personal self. I’ve decided that trying to do that in a season of growth and renewal is probably not good timing. So I will wait until Fall when it is time to let go of the seeds that went fallow even though they were planted in good strong soil. And I will continue to nurture the ideas that have good strong roots and pour my strength into them.

Aries don’t like waiting. It is one of my worst traits. I’m a go and plan and get a move on type of person. Being patient is agonizing for me, but I think this is best for now.

In the meantime I’m going to learn a lot of new things and grow as a knitter and a person…and I think that all starts with having a bit of fun and really enjoying the whole process of creating something from beautiful colors of yarn.

Happy crafting,

Ruinwen
:)

Where Do I Go From Here?

This was taken at night with no flash because this is how I feel. Right now I feel that the light is outside of me because I have been spreading myself so thin that there is nothing left of me. It could just be a passing moment but I think it is more than that.

Have you ever woken up and felt different than the day before? Well, that’s how I’ve been feeling this whole week. It isn’t everything that’s changed, just certain aspects.

One thing that hasn’t changed is my love of knitting. Knitting to me is like feather and fan; invoking serenity and peacefulness. Sure there are days of cursing when a project doesn’t work out, but that is all part of the process.

It amazes me that my skills as a knitter have been growing by leaps and bounds. My love of lace astounds me since a year ago I was afraid of YOs. LOL

I love designing lace patterns and it has become such a passion as of late it scares me. I even dream in lace. :)
Knitting seems to fulfill all the needs that aren’t fulfilled by family, friends and my job. I love being able to send gifts of yarn goodness to a friend who is down or making something for the needy. It is nice that this wonderful gift helps me to give back.

It also has filled the niche for a community in my life. Every week sitting at the LYS I enjoy talking with the wonderful women who sit and knit around the table. I know that I can go in there any day and just sit and feel appreciated and loved. It is like entering a giant heart chakra. How can I not find my bliss?

I am happy that I am teaching too. It is so wonderful to share myself with someone else; to give back.

I think it is time for a Spring cleaning within. I can’t eek a little of me everywhere and survive anymore. I could when I didn’t have a child, but now I want to spend as much time with my son as I can. He is such a blessing to my life I try not to miss a moment of his.

So something has to go and it cannot be my knitting. My knitting weaves a thread through my being like a lifeline is used on lace. Take away my fiber and I might go insane.

No for me knitting is like breathing; necessary and automatic. No meditation has ever worked for me like knitting. Knitting can be done anywhere and at any time. It is the perfect activity for me.

So, for now, I will knit and breathe and slowly clean out the aspects of my being that are no longer pieces of me and hopefully uncover my true essence in the process.

Happy crafting,

Ruinwen
:)

My Dirty Little Secret

I hate to cast on. I know, how could a knitter even admit such a thing? It isn’t that I don’t like new projects, challenges and the feel of a new yarn between my fingers. That isn’t it at all. I just really have trouble keeping track of how many stitches are on my needles.

Have you ever counted CO stitches three times and each time you get a new number? This happens to me all the time. I started using marker rings to count off sections after making sure they were the correct number. But when you have 200 stitches to cast on this seems to waste time I could be knitting.

The Yarn Harlot, a knitting Goddess, IMHO, of our age, says: “I cast on the approximate number, then count them as many times as it takes to get the right number twice.

So it seems I’m not alone. But let me tell you that was little comfort when I cast on last night for a lace scarf. I was oh so proud that I had the correct number of stitches only to find the pattern was off by 10 stitches. *sigh*

Happy crafting,

Ruinwen
:)

You've gotta Have Faith

Isn't it amazing how the mess on the left will transform into the bootie on the right?

Knitting never seeks to astound me! I remember the first time I knitted booties. I wondered how this (see left bootie to be) would ever become anything but a failed WIP. But after picking up the rows a little nubbly thing emerged. Somehow all that weirdness was necessary for the yarn to become a bootie.

Lace never stops confounding and amazing me also. You do all those YOs and K2tog and other decreases/increases and suddenly a pattern emerges from the fabric. Wow!

Kinda like Spring. See the flower in the picture for proof. it is really cold today and it actually flurried this morning but signs still point to the fact it is actually...Spring. There is a cold little robin on the lawn and even though the flowers have closed up, they are still there.

They believe while I am a bit unsure. I was doubtful that I would make it home today when wires fell over the road due to the high winds. But I had faith that my car at least has more sense then I do and hoped that the three people I asked (all with different routes) knew what they were talking about. And see, I made it home in time to spare to take a picture and post a bit.

I've found as of late that when a pattern is asking the impossible of you, don't look with human eyes. Look through the eyes of your inner knitter (that is if the pattern has been tested) and follow the pattern of your heart (a pattern is only a suggestion anyway) and you will achieve your goal.

Happy crafting,

Ruinwen
:)

When Yarn Tangles...

"For a long time, it had seemed to me that life was about to begin -- real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be got through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last, it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life." 

-- Fr. Alfred D’Souza

It seems as of late that I can’t seem to find time to blog and I realized it was because I was waiting for life to stop for a few precious seconds. And then I read that quote above and it all became crystal clear; there will never be time because life doesn’t stop for me to blog. I just have to do it and then suddenly, “poof” that time I have been craving has been birthed into existence and a new entry is born.

Lately, life has seemed so unbalanced; like a center-pull ball that tangles and you spend hours trying to calm it back into some semblance of yarn.

On Tuesday I spent a majority of my precious knitting time helping a fellow winder with a hank gone bad. I guess because it wasn’t my problem it actually was fun to work with her untangling this mass of spring-green wool. People asked us what we were doing as they entered the store and we joked, “Abstract art, yarn-chi and just plain having fun.”

The funny thing was I did have fun doing nothing more than slowly rolling a ball out of the yarn that escaped the moorings of the huge snarl. I would find a path that would release a little more precious wool back into my care as my partner teased the knots loose one by one.

My life as of late is a lot like that ball of yarn. There are places where it has gotten a bit tangled and I have a choice to see these roadblocks as boulders in my path or rest-stops where I need to pause, asses the situation and breathe before finding where this new knot is going to go.

The next time I find myself with a tangle in my fiber I will remember that the Universe is not out to get me but rather it is giving me a yarn-awakening. (The Universe uses yarn to teach lessons all the time.) The yarn is telling me that I’ve overdone it again and it is time to slow down.

I will take time to breathe and remember that this is my life. Yoda said something to the effect of, “There is no good or bad, only thinking makes it so.” It is so true I can label every yarn snarl in the road of life as bad or take a tip from my cat and breathe, stretch and play.

Happy crafting,

Ruinwen, who loves hand-winding her yarn
:)

My Beautiful New Knitting Bag

First and foremost, please let me apologize for the counter in the background. But it was the only place with good lighting at 5:30 am. :(

I love my new bag from Nana Sadie Rose! I got to pick out the pattern which I loved at first sight! Sallee put a beautiful cat button on the front which really sets it off.

It is so roomy; I can put patterns, even books fit in there. Right now I have six balls of yarn and it is not even full!

Thank you so much, Sallee! I've been giving out cards to everyone 'cuz they all love this bag.

Happy Crafting,

Ruinwen
:)

New Project

I fell in love with this top and it seemed the perfect yarn just appeared at my LYS.

It is from the latest issue of Vogue Knitting. You make it in a bunch of pieces and then put the sleeves, front and back altogether on a circ. I'm insane for even wanting to try it now. Everything is so crazy trying to get ready for Fair. But when you're in love, what can one do?

So once again my poor Queen of Hearts shawl has gotten pushed back. I'll get to it just not until after Fair. :(

New Yarn!!! :)

My LYS has a wonderful woman who makes spins and dyes her own yarn and I love it! She had a special trunk show this week and this is what I took home.

The ball that is on the left is all wool in blue, green and purple hues. It goes from super thin to chunky and my son picked it out to make a baby sweater. The problem is that I've swatched it twice and it comes out different each time. I've also cast on twice only to find that the sweater is bigger than two of me! But I promised my child that this would turn into a sweater and by all that is sacred, it will...just not today. :)

Next, we have more yummy merino in a lovely sky blue color. It has already been dedicated to the capped top above.

And last but not least, the spring rose garden cotton/wool blend. It was so beautiful I couldn't pass it up but I have no idea what to make with it. It also changes sizes throughout so the three things I've cast on didn't look quite right to me. Any ideas?

It really isn't like me to buy yarn that isn't slated for some project. C'est le vie.

Butter Baby Sweater Update

I've almost finished the butter baby sweater. All that's left is the left side seaming. But I thought it looked nice enough to take a pic.

This is a fun sweater to make and since it is all in one piece, there are only two side seams. You can pick up and cast on for a hood or a collar. I chose a simple collar that increased one stitch on each side for six rows and it looks nice IMHO. Now all I need is a set of booties to complete the outfit!

I'm going to make another one of these in teal King Cole yarn. I love the King Cole yarn it is so smooth and soft!

Serenity Chain Lace Scarf

Here is the prototype scarf for my class. It is made out of Knitpicks Decadence 100% Superfine Alpaca in Winter Berry. The color is totally off; it is more of a deep burgundy.

You can't see the texture either that defines the chain but c'est le vie.

I've been knitting it like mad to get it done to hand into the LYS today. The chart really helped. For my class, I'm going to make it in something thinner to see how it looks in a different yarn.

Happy crafting,

Ruinwen
:)

Uncharted Waters

I don't know what gave me the sudden gift of being able to read (and write) a knitting chart, but I am ever so thankful!

This is my chart for my lace class. My DH downloaded the knitting font for me. He is always so sweet and helpful!

I don't know what finally clicked, but when I looked over all those lace patterns I knew how much easier they would be if I charted them! So I did. It is so much easier to knit from a chart than from the written out pattern! I couldn't believe it! I was able to follow the chart while watching TV in the dark, I might add.

So after May Fest, I'm going to pull out all those lace patterns that I had previously deemed confusing and gleefully complete them!

Happy crafting,

Ruinwen
:)

Ode to Mom, Butter and King Cole

It is days like this that I am glad my Mom taught me to knit. She is a textile goddess and used to make the most beautiful things before her arthritis took hold. I know she misses creating things from beautiful fabrics and it makes me sad to see such a wonderful gift taken from her.

I know that being able to knit is a gift and I will treasure it as long as I am able; just like my Mom. Her cancer has come back again. I know she is scared and mad because I am too. I can do nothing but love her (as I have always done), be there for her, pray and send Reiki. Even so, I feel helpless, lost and desperately out of control.

The only thing I can think to do is knit something simple; something she will like. So I am knitting another baby sweater. My mom adores babies. Something comes alive in her that is so beautiful to see when she is with my son: something akin to spring gracing a barren world. So I am making this sweater out of King Cole Smooth in buttermilk. It is the softest acrylic yarn I have ever touched. I feel like I am knitting with liquid butter. I know mom will love it too.

I had to re-gauge the whole pattern for the King Cole and let me tell you after casting on and frogging 6 times I thought maybe this wasn’t the project for me! My Mom is a mathematician. She would have figured out how to convert all these stitches on the first try. I did not get that gift but I do have tenacity and I was not about to let the yarn win on this one! I finally figured it out and the pattern is working.

I’m enjoying row after row of smooth buttery garter. Simple, classic and wonderful to come back to after such a stressful day; again just like my Mom. My Mom has always been about the simple pleasures in life. She loves spending time with family. She taught me family is one of the most important gifts we have. Ours celebrates every milestone with a dinner. She also taught me that while you are alive you need to eat and it should be something you enjoy. She is a wonderful cook (I really think the math helps there too). I love her home cooking she always puts so much love and care into everything.

The color of the King Cole reminds me of Mom and butter. She would spend hours sautéing mushrooms until they were just right. Everything in our house was cooked in either olive oil, butter or both. It was never greasy but mmmmmm just right. My favorite thing in the whole world is my Mother’s potato pancakes. She would always make them when I couldn’t eat anything else. I’ve tried to make them the same but mine while good, are not moms. There is something about all the love she put into stuff that I can’t seem to duplicate.

There is no one quite like my mom. She always makes me laugh and cheers me up when I am down. She will give a stranger the shirt off of her back to help him out. She is talented beyond belief. She is has a sweet romantic side balanced by the Alias side. I can talk to her about anything and she really listens. I’m not saying she is perfect, because no one is, but she has ALWAYS been there for me and there is no greater gift then that. What can I say, she’s a great mom, and I am so blessed that she is mine. :)

As I knit some more rows on the sleeve level of this sweater I start to think about the cute little arms that will fill it. We’ve been trying for a while now. I’ve had to dissociate myself from the outcome because I was getting too disappointed each month. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy with my family the way it is and I will be happy if we have another child. It is all blessings to me and it is all out of my hands. The waiting is always what I’ve been bad at…

So I will knit and cherish my Mom and all of my family and friends; which includes you the reader. All of you make life more enjoyable and fun. I will be happy and content with what I have and if more comes I will open my arms and take it in. And I will knit with this beautiful yarn in simple stitches over and over until I reach meditative bliss.

Happy crafting,

Ruinwen
:)

Charity Items

Here are the items for the Changing Lanes Charity. The booties are really washed out but they are white with flecks of pink and blue eyelash. I really had trouble knitting them on size three needles with the eyelash getting in the way but they came out really cute.

The jacket I did in a popcorn type yarn that was also surprisingly madding to work with. But I think it came out cute as a button and I would make it again popcorn and all. It was a very fun pattern done in one piece and then sewed at the sides.

I wish I could have made more....as always...but I'm really happy with the items I made!

Ruinwen
:)

1Year Today!

It is my blog anniversary! Yes, I can hardly believe it has been one whole year since I started blogging.

I have learned so much. I have made really wonderful friends that I treasure deeply. :)

i have knitted things in the past year that I previously thought impossible thanks to my friends who inspire and show me the way when I've dropped a row (or two). Now I don't fear new stitches or patterns; I invite them in. I love to try new things and feel new yarns in my fingers making different stitches.

Another thing I have always wanted to do I finally worked into my schedule; going to my LYS once a week to sit with other knitters and just enjoy the community that comes with crafting.

Speaking of community; I made sure to include charity giving in my crafting. For to me giving back is as important as breathing. I even ran a charity for orphans in the Fall.

Speaking of running things; our home store Vixenpath made its official debut at Spring Fling and it was so much fun we went back for Fall Fest. My DH learned to make chain-mail and he has some of the most beautiful jewelry I have ever seen IMHO.

What a wonderful year! And thanks you to you just for looking!

Bright blessings,

Happy Crafting,

Ruinwen
:)

Branching Out Scarf

ETA:  photo lost - this yarn was very purple with dark accents

I've been wanting to try Knitty's Branching Out Scarf for a while now but I've been working on so many other things. I wanted to do it for the Olympics but I just wasn't sure I could get it done in time. But I cast on anyway and here is what I got done while watching it snow today.

It is a 10-row repeat pattern and this isn't the best picture but I am enjoying this project immensely.

The yarn I'm using is Cascade Peruvian wool and it has a lovely blue sheen that really makes it shine. This was really a test to see if I could make this scarf and it really was no problem. After I finish it I will make another one in my long-forgotten handspun angora that my sister gave me last year for my birthday. I think it will really show off the lacy pattern.

I'm pretty excited! I also have two more balls to wind of merino and I will finally begin my heart shawl! I looked over the pattern today and there is nothing in there I haven't done before...only 52 rows repeated 12 times. LOL Okay so it will be October before I can wear it...but I will get it done this year...Goddess willing. :)

Be safe where ever you are in blog land and happy crafting.

Ruinwen
:)

Mike's Feather and Fan Blanket

I love this pattern! It is so much fun! I have never knitted feather and fan before but I really like it! The merino I am using is so beautiful that it is really a joy to knit.

Can you tell I'm really happy about this baby blanket? LOL

Happy crafting everyone!

Ruinwen
:)

Mike's Baby Blanket

ETA: Lost this photo. The yarn for this looked like a Victorian garden with sunshine.

How I loved casting it on and knitting a few rows just to let the merino wash away the stress from my last project.

I love the feel of merino. It slides on my addis and I find myself lost in the simple rhythm of its beauty. I feel like I am soaking in a hot tub of bubbles and I find myself totally refreshed. Ahhhhhh! :)

I love this yarn! It is so beautifully hand-painted. This is a new pattern for me and I am excited to try feather and fan for the first time! :)

Happy crafting!

Ruinwen
:)

The Baby Blanket From He-double Toothpicks

ETA: Another photo lost.

 Never has a project vexed me more than this blanket. Normally a blanket takes me a week to make; this took 2 months I'm ashamed to say.

What did I learn? If you make a mistake and you know that you need to fix it - don't hesitate! If you are talking on the phone while knitting; don't let the yarn drop off your needles. And finally, don't let the yarn win.

As you can see the blanket didn't even want to pose for its debut. The colors are dull compared to what they truly are and it would not come into focus no matter what I did.

But it is done and in the mail tomorrow! :)

Prayer Shawl Complete!

My prayer shawl is done! I loved the Plymouth Encore; it was a joy to work with! I fringed the shawl with beautiful ribbon yarn and more Encore.

Happy crafting!

Ruinwen
:)

Scarf In Showstopper

ETA:  Lost this picture in the update.  Makes me sad all the projects that have disappeared. 

This scarf was made in Showstopper yarn which is three different yarns: Paris Nights (which is a thin ribbon), Eyelash (which is pale green and copper) and pale green Mohair.

I realize this was not on my list of things to do but I saw it on Tuesday at my LYS and fell in love with it. This scarf took maybe two hours to make on size 15 needles and I enjoyed every minute of it.

It is beautiful, which the picture does not show. It shimmers and glimmers and it oh so soft.

A nice diversion.... :)

Meme of the Day

Sallee had this meme on her blog so I thought I would participate.

4 JOBS YOU HAVE HAD IN YOUR LIFE
Counselor
Admin Assist
Techie for the theater
Healer

4 MOVIES YOU COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER
Ledgend
Laybrinth
Ladyhawke
Midsummer Night's Dream

4 PLACES YOU HAVE LIVED
Potomac, MD
The Blue Ridge Mountains, VA
Gaithersburg, MD
Mt. Airy, MD

4 TV SHOWS YOU LOVE TO WATCH
Battlestar Galactica (the new series)
Yes Dear
Pokemon
Charmed

4 PLACES YOU HAVE BEEN ON VACATION
Colonial Beach, VA
Hershey Park, PA
Daytona, FL
Hawaii

4 WEBSITES YOU VISIT DAILY
yahoo.com - for e-mail and daily crossword
Click to Fund Mamograms
All Updated RSS feeds for blogs (that counts right?)
Sorry - I don't have time for more then that each day :)

4 FAVORITE FOODS
Sushi
Mocha Lite Frapucchino, no whip, at Starbucks
Italian coldcuts
Potato pancakes

4 PLACES YOU WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT NOW
With my DH
With my son
With my family
At my LYS

There you go!

Happy crafting and have a great day!

Ruinwen
:)

My Knitting Chair

My DH was upset that I didn't post my knitting chair...so here it is. I love a dedicated place to sit, relax and knit! :)

I've Been Busy

We started the year off with a plan; take back the basement. After two days of cleaning and organizing and throwing a lot of stuff away we have an organized and clean basement. There is a place for me to knit and all our workout stuff is there and there is plenty of clean floor for our son to play on. Also, the other half of the basement is now a music room complete with a panio! I am so very happy! :)

One of the results of this organization is that all my yarn and projects were bagged and tagged and now I really know what I have. The below posts show my progress is various projects.

Also, I have been taking a sock class with Sallee and I am really enjoying it! Thanks Sallee for giving me the incentive to try socks!

Happy Crafting!

Ruinwen
:)

Toe of sock

Here is my first attempt at a sock. I thought it would be hard but it really wasn't. The short rows were fun and I really enjoy the colors as the pattern emerged. But...these tiny needles are crazy at times I think I am creating a four-legged monster! :)

Diamond Lace Scarf

This was knit in Noro and the picture does not do it justice. I love this pattern and this yarn! This is my lunchtime project and I can usually get a whole set of pattern done in 20 minutes. The thing with Noro is that the dye lots are totally different so what is the chance that the yarn my Mom gave me for my birthday and the yarn I picked up two months ago would be the same...but they were! :)

Baby Blanket

ETA:  Lost this photo in the update.  It was light blue, green and purple.

This is the baby blanket from he-double hockey sticks! I have tinked it back more times then I have knitted forward! But it is lovely and the pattern is really striking. I try to only knit on it when the house is quiet and I can count the rows. I am on the last color and hope to finish it soon!

Crocheted Brown blanket

This is the only project I am crocheting right now. The really brown yarn is so fuzzy that my cat raised his hackles and thought it was another feline! When this is done it will fit a twin bed; I am 3/4 done!

Ribbon Shawl

I really need to move this to circs...but this is a lovely ribbon shawl that is really actually very big. It is made with two kinds of ribbon and two other yarns. I haven't had any trouble with the ribbons and this is an enjoyable project.

Prayer Shawl I Started Last Night

ETA:  The picture of the triangle was lost but thankfully I still have a picture of the end project.

Okay, so it is only an itty bitty triangle at this point but I'm in love with the Plymouth Encore. I'm going to make the fringe in the ribbon yarn. I was thinking green for healing and the colors are really brighter then the photo shows.

Sleeveless Cowl Done!

Yes, I actually do finish things once and a while. :) This was a joy to make in hand-dyed merino. I learned that when I make it again I will add to the neck because this one was too small for me.

Charity Challenge with Yarn Yoga

I hosted a charity drive with Yarn Yoga and here is their two month accomplishments! This group is loving and caring. They love to craft for others and their needs. This was a wonderful project and I really enjoyed it! We had 60 items in all to donate. Go Yarn Yoga!

My DH donated a purple scarf and a green one that he crocheted himself! He learned just for the charity! Go DH!

Ruinwen
:)

Me and Dalia

Dalia is a wonderful woman who is not only an amazing knitter but a beautiful person as well. She loves helping others and is a blessing to our community...of course, she also has the most amazing yarn! ;)

My LYS

This is my LYS. I love it here. I have yet to sit down and knit at the inviting table but I will someday! :)

Triangle Prayer Shawl Completed

Here is my first triangle prayer shawl. It is made in Lion Brand Jiffy yarn. It was quick to make up on size 15 needles. I enjoyed making this shawl and I will make it again in the future.

Happy Knitting,

Ruinwen
:)

Happy New Year!

For those of you who celebrate Samhain; Happy New Year!

I have a new mantra this year and it is; I do what I can. I am not going to worry about all the things I didn’t get done. I am just going to be thankful for what I did get done.

I have not written in a long while and that is because my summer consisted of making squares for charity. Where as I could of showed you each square as it was completed, it seemed a little tedious.

Then I began making prayer shawls and I haven’t stopped. I barely have time to get one done and send it off before the next one is needed. So..again, no pictures. When I finish this next one I will take a picture of it. It is the first triangle shawl I have ever attempted and I’ve really enjoyed making it.

I’ve enjoyed all of my charity knitting and crochet. I believe that giving back in whatever way we are able is as important as breathing. I’m happy that this great gift that I’ve been given can help some body in need.

So that is where I’ve been. As I look over the previous year, I really have come a long way. Vixenpath attended its first fair and we had a great time! I made clapotis and it was beautiful! I learned to slip stitch and I really enjoy it. I brought my stash close to zero…I saved a few things for some really time consuming projects…like lace. And…the most important thing is I made a bunch of new friends along the way.

Bright blessings to you all,

Ruinwen
:)

Tagged Twice in One Day!!!

Birdsong tagged me so here we go...

1. Go into your archive.

2. Find your 23rd post (or closest to).

3. Find the fifth sentence (or closest to).

4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions.

5. Tag one person to do the same.

Here is my exciting 5th sentence in my 23rd post!

Despite my problems in the beginning I really love this sweater.

I tag Sallee! Sorry Sallee!

Have a great day!

Ruinwen
:)

Eeek I've Been Tagged

I’ve been tagged by Sallee and I’m not sure what the question was but I think it is what are six pieces of music that I’ve been listening to.

Blister In the Sun – Add it Up - Violent Femmes
Ancient Mother – Ancient Mother
Bring Me to Life – Fallen – Evanescence
Shanti/Ashtangi – Ray of Light – Madonna
He Lives In You – Rhythm of the Pride Lands – Lion King Soundtrack
The Mummers’ Dance – The Book of Secrets – Loreena McKennitt

Sorry it took so long.

I tag Christine

Have a great day

Ruinwen
:)

It's Ready For a Night Out on the Town

Mom's crochet lapghan is finished and I think it looks great. The black yarn is Cascade 100% Peruvian Highland Wool and the component yarn has a black base with auburn filaments flecked with black ribbon.

Usually wool burns my fingers and apparently Shetland, Icelandic and Aran make me sneeze and have an allergy attack, but that is because they are not stripped of the lanolin I've found out.

At least for me, the processed yarns are a joy to work with. I loved this Peruvian Highland Wool it was so soft and slid so beautifully off the needle. The component yarn while beautiful became a terrible mess of tangles if I let it even touch itself...and forget frogging, tinking or any other activity! It is beautiful though and well worth all the bother! Mom is always worth it! :)

I'll let you know if she likes it or not.

Have a great day!

Ruinwen
:)

8/29/05 - Mom loves it! I am so happy! :)

Mom's Lapghan

Up close and personal this crochet lapghan is sleek and stylish. Just perfect for a night out or an early bird dinner.

Slip Stitch Cats

Here is my first attempt at slip-stitch. I think it came out pretty good. I had promised this year I would learn some sort of stranding technique and I have! I am so excited!

I really like slip stitch technique is also called mosaic knitting which was coined by Barbara Walker in 1976.

In slip stitch, one carries only one color across a row so the piece is not as bulky as some Fair Isle but it does have a sort of texture to it where the slipped stitches are used.

My next attempt is a slip stitch hat with these cats which are from Slip-Stitch Knitting - Color Pattern The Easy Way - By Roxana Bartlett.

Happy Knitting everyone!

Ruinwen
:)

Harry Potter Personalilty Quiz

Harry Potter Personality Quiz by Pirate Monkeys Inc.

The Nature of Becoming

Have you ever worked on a piece and it just doesn’t come out right and you aren’t sure where you failed? Well, I began a simple scarf that had a diamond lace pattern in it and I frogged the whole thing six times and tinked back more times then I can remember. It really frustrated me. I had the knowledge, I understood the pattern and this wasn’t rocket science.

Then I read a post by a fellow knitter and it all made sense. This yarn was supposed to become a clapotis and here I was making it into a scarf. I think it was insulted and fought my new choice for its design. You can laugh and think I’m crazy but I’ve spoken before on the yarn teaching me and this time is no exception.

This beautiful patterned yarn wanted more then I was offering by my simple scarf. So I explained that in the months ahead my time might be limited by some of my choices and this scarf would be my Red Heart Knit project for Fall Fest. I also explained how the fringe would be beaded with Swarvoski crystals and it would sparkle in a rainbow of colors like the sun hitting new-formed ice at dawn.

Suddenly, there was no problem. The four hours I spent agonizing were erased by the ease that I now possessed. The 20 rows pinnacle that I never before reached was achieved in 22 minutes. The yarn had agreed to what it was becoming and together we are creating this scarf.

The teaching of this yarn brought me much as I reviewed the choices in my life that were ones that I had chosen because they rang true vs. the ones that to this day I struggled with. I realized that the ones that I didn’t enjoy were not harmonizing with my nature and my inner knowing self has been trying to show me that this is not me by any means necessary. But I ignored all the signs and plodded on.

In last night’s meditation, I took the strands of my life and looked at each one to see if it brought me joy and peace and if it didn’t, I no longer let it continue on in the tapestry that is my life. I thanked each strand for the good and bad and let it go. I also lovingly caressed the strands that were now shining like spun silver and invited them to grow. I watched as they filled in the spaces left by the things that I let go and I could feel my heart well up with love and happiness. I left that meditation feeling renewed and vibrant.

Today I continue to carry on that meditation by writing the letters and making the phone calls that will allow me to let go of those areas of my life that are not me. And as I settle into thoughts of the weekend I have created more room for the things that I love and that bring me pure unadulterated joy.

May you find your true joy,

Ruinwen
:)

Create a Beautiful Day :)

"Imagine a hot tub for the mind. That is what meditation is; it can bathe your mind in relaxing thoughts."

-- Eknath Easwaran

"Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths or the turning inwards in prayer for five short minutes."

-- Etty Hillesum

There is a Buddhist practice of focusing on one body part throughout the day to bring you back to yourself. After all, we are not a mind with a body we are a body with a mind. But too often the mind runs the show and when you are always thinking it is hard to ever truly be. The monkey mind is always on churning which leaves us little time to be present in the moment.

But it is this never-resting mind that brings on stress. Stress is alleviated by the breaths in between the thoughts; the moments that we are actually showing up for our own life. I saw a car ad that stated, “I am not the sum of my errands.” But that is how we sum up our day; I went to the bank, picked up some groceries, swung by daycare, came home, cleaned the house and made dinner. This is a to-do list that doesn’t make one feel alive it makes one feel tired, stressed and ready for bed.

These things have to be done but how can we slow down the pace enough to be present while still getting the to-do list done? Have you noticed when you are rushing that it doesn’t really help? Try slowing down at the bank take time to smile at the teller and relax while they are working on your request.

At the store pick out something for yourself or smell a flower. Take a moment to focus on you and find something in the store that brings you a moment of joy. For me, that is a Mocha Light Frappuccino. I slip my coffee decadence while I shop and with each delicious drop, the stress melts away.

By the time I pick up my child, I am renewed. Since this is when my day truly begins, I need to be fresh and ready for the ball of energy that is my son. Now is our time when I get to be alone with my little boy and he tells me all the wonderful things he learned or experienced and I have found a Mother’s bliss.

When we get home the cleaning and the dinner gets done because I am blessed enough to have a house and a family and both need tending. My whole view has changed and with a little help from my son, everything is ready and on the table by the time Daddy gets home.

Did this all happen in a day? The resounding answer is, “No!” Bit by bit I told my husband I was trying something “new” and worked on changing the way I did things. When I used my mind all the time, everything seemed rushed and hurried and I was just happy for the day to be over. Now I can’t wait until my family gets home and I prolong going to bed as long as I can because I have this well of energy that fills up in me and allows me to do more by thinking less.

I guess it is like a new knitting pattern. You read the pattern and it is all mind. You work the pattern and refer back to it often but you aren’t really feeling it yet. Then you get to a moment when you know the pattern and you are knitting and confident and there is a flow, a rhythm to it all.

I’ve discovered that this flow, this feeling of serenity can be felt in everyday moments. There are things that I have done a thousand times before and yet I was putting all this thought into them. But now I enjoy the moment whether it be shopping or giving my child a bath because they are all the beautiful moments that make up my life and how I face them shapes me and who I am becoming.

Create a beautiful day!

Ruinwen
:)

The Prayer Shawl

"The successful man is the average man, focused."

-- Source Unknown

I’m sorry that it has been so long since I have written. My life seemed so unfocused there for a while…but now I feel reborn. :)

It all started with a prayer shawl request. Simple enough…But I just can’t make a prayer shawl. It needs to be full of prayers and well wishes and this cannot be accomplished without shutting myself away to work on it.

I had been trying for days to find some time alone to work on it but I wasn’t being successful. Finally, realizing that the yarn tangling and other events involving tinking were trying to tell me something…I listened.

I locked myself away and put on the I-Pod and chanted and prayed and worked. My husband tells me that I was there for two hours, yet time stood still for me.

For the first time in a long time in a week, I felt centered and totally serene. As I stitched and fringed something was being rewritten on my soul. I was changing deep inside and it felt so right.

Finally, the shawl was done and I felt as if I have woven all the peace, goodness and prayers that I could into it. But as I stepped back I realized that my inner weavings had changed too. I felt no need to do anything but watch the waves on the river. I was truly at peace.

I still carry that peace, it courses through me and wells up and over flows out of me from time to time during the day and I just have to smile. :)

Ruinwen
:)

Me at our Table

Hello everyone! We had an awesome time this weekend! The Fair was so much fun and we met some super people!

Here I am at our table which is full of my husband's beautiful chain mail bracelets!

To my right (your left) is the clapotis for Sallee's Red Heart Knit Along which I raffled off. A lovely little girl won who asked her Mommy to enter so she could have two chances! Also many people said what a great idea it was to have the info about heart disease...including an RN!

My sister joined us for both days and she got a lot of crocheting done as did I and it was so great to have her there! My husband made three bracelets over the course of the weekend! It was so relaxing to have nothing to do but sit and talk to people and craft.

My son was with us both days and he was very good for being cooped up in a 10X10 booth.

We're already looking forward to this Fall!

Ruinwen
:)

My Wares

Here are the blankets and scarves I have been working on since Feb.

Vixenpath at the Fair

Here is Vixenpath's booth at the Fair!

Rainbow Blanket

Warning: The following entries are about crochet and have no knitting content what-so-ever. Thank you for your understanding. :)

A friend of mine gave me a family blanket to fix because it had "dropped a stitch". The thing that confused me was that she said it was a crochet blanket.  Crochet does not drop stitches.

On examination I found the drop stitches to be chain ladders in between double crochets. I had never seen this pattern before and after fixing my friend's blanket, I had to try to make one of my own.

The result is this weekend's entry. I have left one drop ladder so you could see what I was talking about before I finished it into a neat braid. Also, the original pattern had tied the braid at the end but that is why it unraveled. I chose to weave the last chain through the finished braid thus holding it for all time.

I really enjoyed this blanket and I think I will make another. It crochets up very fast because of all the chains.

Thank you again for your understanding. Hopefully, my next post will be on some knitting. :)

Drop Stitch

Here is a close up of the drop stitch on the crochet blanket.

Braid Stitch

This is a close up of the braid stitch on the crochet blanket.

Side-By-Side Stitches

This shows the dropped stitches side by side with the braid stitch in my crochet blanket.