Tuesday, July 28, 2015

The 3 1/2 Year Scarf

 
It's sizzling hot here in Northern California today, the kind of day where you stay inside with the air conditioning blasting and a bowl (or a tub) of rocky road ice cream on your lap.
 
Definitely not knitting weather.

 


 
However, early this morning I finally finished knitting this scarf, which I started in February of 2012.
 
I've always known I'm a slow knitter, but 3 1/2 years for a simple drop stitch scarf is a record for me.
 
In any case, I'm pleased with how it turned out and might actually keep it for myself. The yarn is hand painted silk and so soft and lovely. It's fingering weight that I knit with a size 8 needle.
 
 
 
 
Hope you are staying cool.
 

Monday, July 20, 2015

Lily

She's four years old now and so funny, smart and beautiful. Seems like just yesterday she came in to our lives.

 
 

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Brittany Black Walnut Needles

 
Several months ago I was cruising around my neighborhood thrift store when I came across a giant pair of ornate knitting needles made of dark wood. I'd never seen anything like them, and my first response was ... "Ick."

 
 
 
Too big, too fancy, too strange looking. Fortunately I didn't follow through on my instinct to leave them on the shelf. I bought them for a couple dollars, went home, did some Google research and discovered they are rare, vintage Brittany needles made out of black walnut wood. The needles were discontinued years ago when black walnut wood could no longer be responsibly sourced in the United States.
 
Since then I've been obsessed with finding more pairs of these needles. The wood is smooth, lightweight and a dream to knit with. And I confess the fact that they are hard to find makes them oh so appealing.
 
Recently I came across a couple pairs. One pair I bought online and they arrived broken. The other pair are a perfect size US 10 and available in my Etsy store here.