Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Ribbed Ear Warmer


Materials: 1/3 - 1/2 skein of Noro Silk Garden
#5 needles 16" circular
For Adult Small, very loosely cast on 71 sts.
When joining the end of the first row to the beginning, being very careful not to twist the row, knit together the first and last stitches to help ease the jog.
*Purl 4 rounds, knit 4 rounds* 4 times, purl 3 rows and bind off loosely. (Knit on the reverse side if you don't like to purl.)
Sew in ends. If either the cast off or the cast on edge is slightly tighter that's okay -- the tighter edge will be the top of the ear warmer, farthest from the fast.
The right side has five purl ridges. For larger or smaller sizes, add or subtract sts but maintain the same number of rows/ridges. This is nice and stretchy and is quite flattering. And, thank you to my kind model!

Friday, February 04, 2011

First Weaving Project


It's been forever since I posted. This is how I spent my summer vacation -- last August. Following the suggestions in Deborah Chandler's Learning to Weave, a truly fabulous introduction for the novice weaver and having completed the sampler (see earlier blog), I designed some placements for my dear friend who loves these colors.

Don't you love this wonderful piece of equipment. I was very lucky to buy this excellent warping board from a New York Handweavers Guild member in my neighborhood who no longer uses it. It's just gorgeous by itself and even lovelier with the yarn on. When not in use it makes a handy hat peg board. The weaving went pretty well. Even tho'
I thought I knew just how much loom waste to allow for, I hadn't calculated quite enough. When I began the 4th mat I only allowed 2" between them for fringe. That wasn't enough extra so by the end the rod was almost touching the heddles and I was throwing the shuttle very, very carefully as the shafts kept coming off the bobbin loop thingy that goes through a spool on the castle. I am still learning all this new vocabulary! But, in the end it all worked out. Marsha cut the fringes beautifully and Maria and Shawn were very pleased.