I’ve had a few days of not working in the yarn shop and I’ve made very good use of my time, if I do say so. I am settling into my new atelier, my TV is working and it’s starting to feel like home.

I’ve managed to finish several projects that I’ve been toting around in my knitting bag for what seems like an eternity!

Open Star

I’ve finished my Open Star test knit. Open Star is a cardigan designed by Lori Versaci of VersaciKnits. I made mine in Quince & Co’s Lark in the Lupine colorway. I loved the yarn. It’s soft and squishy and it knits up like a charm. I love the classic lines of the cardigan and, as with all of Lori’s designs, I love the way it all goes together. I have to admit to struggling with counting to four, however. The pattern is a very simple repeat and a wonderful rib pattern that is easy to follow until I start to chit-chat and that’s when I can’t count. Thank heaven knitting is forgiving and ripping/frogging is my friend. I made my sleeves a bit longer than was called for in the pattern because I have long arms. I could have shortened them a little bit but they are very acceptable. The most difficult part for me was picking buttons. I like the buttons I chose but I will keep looking for the perfect button. I wore the sweater yesterday for the first time and LOVE it! It’s so toasty warm despite the “open” pattern. Thanks to Lori for asking me to test knit!

Cabled Poncho … two of them!

AND I’ve finished the knitting part of the two little ponchos that I was knitting for my nieces for Christmas. It soon became evident that, with having taken on the test knit mentioned above, there was no way on this Earth that I was going to get them finished by Christmas. I know they’ll forgive me when the ponchos arrive in California … they are absolutely adorable. I will be adding fringe around the outside of the poncho today but they are blocked and ready for a fringe and the mail! This pattern is a Sirdar pattern, Cabled Poncho and Beret that I knit in the Sirdar Snuggly double knitting yarn in colorway #0440. My sister-in-law wanted blue for the girls and I didn’t want to do a true powder blue. This is a little bit brighter and I just loved the color. The pattern is really easy to follow and the cables are lovely. I think knitting cables brings out the Irish in me every time. When I start cable projects, I find myself longing to visit Ireland. I know it’s odd but that’s the honest truth. The Sirdar yarn is a great choice for knitting for children. It’s washable and dryable (although I think I’d still dry them flat.)

I can’t find a picture of the finished piece! Oops!

I’ve also blocked a shawl that I knit earlier and have been wearing unblocked. It’s the Shadow Shawl (it’s a free pattern!) that I wrote about earlier this summer in my blog knit in two shades (Horizon and Wildflowers) of Serena by Manos del Uruguay. Every time I’ve worn it in the shop, someone has bought the yarn. It’s just a simple triangle shawl but the yarn is so lovely and the colors are so soft … it’s a little bit of heaven! I chose to make the “neutral” Horizon my color #1 which becomes the purled “stripe” in the shawl. Making the Wildflowers the background color (color #2) of the shawl and I love it! Now that it’s blocked, I’m sure I’ll love it even more.

I can’t find a picture of this one either … but I had knitted a Penny Straker sweater, Child’s Johnny #C772, from stashed yarn awhile back and had forgotten it. I’d never blocked it or sewn on buttons. I’ve now added cute pewter heart-shaped buttons and blocked it. It will be going to California with the little ponchos. If my nieces can’t use it, they can forward it to my cousin in Southern California. Someone will love it, of that I’m sure. I first made this pattern for my own daughters. My mom made one and I made the other, both were in a wonderful shade of red and we found the cutest panda bear buttons made of clay. Every time I had to wash the sweaters, the buttons were cut off and then sewn back on. It was so worth it! The yarn is a worsted weight acrylic (and perhaps a blend of acrylic and wool) that is from my stash. My Ravelry project page says it was a Patons Decor. The periwinkle blue is a pretty shade. Not sure what I bought the yarn for originally, but it’s not in my stash any longer and the Penny Straker patterns are classic!

So, there you have it! Four projects completed! Yay, me! Knitting is my super power!

Gone fringing.