Warm and Snuggly Just In Time

It's a really good thing that I was in such a hurry to start knitting when my yummy alpaca arrived. The hubs and I had the chance to get away to Charlottesville for a long weekend. And with a winter storm warning and lows in the 30's my snuggly new cowl got a lot of use.

And as much as I detest having my picture taken, I did promise to share my finished product. So focus on the scarf, ok? I mean...not only is the yarn amazing, but those buttons! And the scenery isn't bad either:)

I, of course, don't have pics, but this cowl can be worn in several different ways. Buttoning just the top button, for example, turns it into a capelet. Leaving just the bottom button undone results in a cute little slit that looks great over the shoulder of a turtleneck. Or if it's 35 degrees outside, go ahead and button it all the way up and hunker down:)

Knitting Notes: In all honesty, I have no idea how many stitches, or rows, or what needles I used or anything like that (remember I reknit the thing 5 times!)...but here's the gist of it:) And I'll pretend that the "pattern" is intentionally vague so that you can apply it to any yarn you may choose to use!

After a lot of trial and error on the gauge, I settled on really large needles so the stitches were super loose. This seemed to show off the super-chunky yarn best. Then I cast on enough stitches so that the piece measured about 16 inches wide. From there I worked in garter stitch until it was long enough to wrap around my neck and overlap, as Belle says, "just a smidge" without having to be stretched. At that point I STRUGGLED with the buttonholes. I tried a few different methods and just couldn't seem to get the spacing right. I finally settled on a basic eyelet buttonhole and put in 4 buttonholes. To finish up I added another three rows of garter stitch plus the bind off to reinforce the buttonholes. Then I took the finished product to the local fabric shop to pick out buttons that would fit through the holes, but be pretty snug so they wouldn't slip out while I was wearing it. Ginorma-buttons fit the bill:)

Intentionally vague enough??? :)

A Little Something Cozy

A little birdie told me that it is supposed to be cold and rainy in the southeast this weekend. And that's music to my ears. There is nothing like a morning mist and nip in the air to get the blood flowing...and nothing like a warm sweater and a pair of comfy boots to warm the soul!

A while back I fell in love with this ball of alpaca from SpinUp Yarns. Ever since our visit to the Alpacas of Niagra farm last winter, I've had a bit of a soft spot for alpaca yarn. And gray is my go-to color in the colder months. I marked it as a favorite and proceeded to "visit" it every single day for weeks, sometimes several times a day. And finally, in a moment of weakness, I clicked, "Commit to Buy." And then the waiting began.

When the package finally arrived, I tore into and fell in love all over again. I cannot possibly describe how soft and squishy this hank of alpaca yumminess felt.

And since it was probably not acceptable to carry it around everywhere with me like a grown-up lovey, I began knitting immediately. I actually knit and reknit the same 20 or so rows 5 times, just so I could extend the experience a bit. The finished product is absolutely divine...truly! Maybe one of these days I can get someone to snap a pic while I'm snuggled in the cuddly depths of my new favorite accessory...

Because sometimes, you need a little something cozy to brighten your day!

Handmade Holiday Update

I'm slowly making progress on my gifts for the girls. I think I've spent more time brainstorming gifts for Bee than actually making anything. Belle was the ONLY grandchild on either side of our family before Bee was born. Calling her spoiled is possibly a bit of an understatement. Now that little Bee is here, there just doesn't seem to be anything that we don't already have. But, I finally had an epiphany...

Bee is fascinated with filling and spilling right now. Blocks, crackers, small stuffed birds...anything! So for Christmas this year everything will have a container, be in a container, and be spillable from that container. First...a Three Bears Play Set! Three soft, fuzzy bear balls in a box bearing the images of porridge, chairs, beds, and Goldilocks. Fill, spill, toss, cuddle....


Baby Bear is the first of the set. He's made with lovely, camel-colored alpaca fleece from Alpacas of Niagara. Belle and I were fortunate enough to visit with Diane at the Niagara Alpaca Shop while we were vacationing last week. Belle had a blast watching the animals in the field, and I had just as much fun (and maybe more) chatting about felting and fingering all the lovely gloves, hats, yarns, and toys available in the shop. But more on that visit later...

And I'm still working on the river fairy play set for Belle.