Yummy Baby Alpaca, Chunky and Fabulous

This beautiful luscious red scarf is made with 2 different sizes of knitting needles, 10 and 17. This stitch is called Condo stitch and is straight garter stitch knitted alternatively with the 2 different sizes.

You can see how lacy the stitch can be in this photo where the scarf was held up next to a light in order to see through it. The suggestion is to use the size needle suggested on the yarn wrapper for your small needle and then go as big as you like, depending on how open you want the lace to be. I like this 7 size difference. My daughter made this fabulously soft scarf for her school secretary as a special gift to thank her for all the extra things she's done. The yarn is Cascade yarns, Baby Alpaca Chunky ( a bit pricey but this is a special gift).

Below is my start using the same technique but with size 8 and 15 needles and some rather nice high end wool. I say high end, because I rarely purchase fiber of this nature; but am treating myself. I've not made myself a scarf in about 5 years and those I have are looking pretty pathetic. I love the fun colors in this yarn. Crystal Palace Taos 100% wool. Daughter needed to take needles with her so I'll knit this off onto my round Denise needles and attach a different size to each end.

Happy New Year

The photo is of wine and flowers, not champagne as I've not yet photographed a bottle of bubbly though I'm sure we will have some.

New Years is a time of reflection, out with the old and in with the new. Some make goals, some make resolutions, some party, some stay in, some have a special meal. What's your New Years Tradition? Generally we go out for a nice meal, have champagne at home afterwards and watch the ball drop. After we kiss for New Years, we call family. Then go to bed.

This New Years will be the first without Mom, as she passed in April. I'm writing this early, scheduling it to publish so am unsure if we're staying in or going out this year.

I'm hopeful the year 2010 will be a better year than 2009 was. It was a long and difficult year for us. My Mother was very ill for an extended period of time, in and out of nursing facilities, multiple surgeries, multiple hospital stays before she mercifully passed. My younger brother had surgery and has not yet recovered. My daughter moved from Baltimore to St. Louis (some of which still isn't resolved); and switched jobs. Hubby and I both had a less healthy year than normal. All in all, it's been a stressfilled year.

I am pleased with the progress The Bridge and Beyond has had with donations and membership and hope that continues to grow. Sadly, the need has grown.

I learned how to do a few new things here in the blog world, though I hope to learn a few more in the coming year. I started this blog way back in August of 2005, though I've deleted the older posts to minimize bandwidth. My Alexa ranking is 2,159,176, hope that goes down in the coming year (lower is better) while my Google page rank is currently 2 perhaps that will improve and go up (higher is better). I've enjoyed getting to know some new bloggers and hope that also continues.

I'm trying hard to improve my knitting skill and would like to learn to knit socks in the year 2010.

Happy New Year to all, may you be happy, healthy, and safe in the year ahead.

Harold and The Purple Crayon

One more of my unfinished projects sliding over to the finished objects column. Yippee, the end of the year is almost here and I've made some good headway. I still have 2 ghans in the works, that simply aren't going to get finished this year; a scarf I'm working on for myself (which I plan to finish in time for New Years Eve), and a pair of mittens I need to finish (probably will be the first item in 2010 to be finished). Made one mitten and laid it aside, totally forgot I never finished it's mate.

The credit for the cute name for this preemie blanket for The OddBall Knitters group goes to my daughter who thought of the book when I showed her the purple yarn I planned on using. The stitch I used is Purled Ladder Stitch which is an 8 row repeat. It's soft, as I used Caron Simply Soft yarn. I don't like working with this yarn, though knitting with it is better than crocheting with it. Many love this yarn because it is soft and is classified as worsted weight. Although I don't believe it stays together well, separates easily when working with it which requires one to knit or crochet slower. It also often requires adjustments with gauge because it truly is thinner than most worsted weight yarn. For a baby blanket though, it will be soft. It's now on it's way to Michigan to the next Oddball knitter.

Happy New Year one and all, if you're traveling be safe.

Green Acres

Green Acres is the place for me, ...can't remember the rest of the words to the song. Chim in, if you do. This is, as you can see bright lime green. I am the first knitter on this preemie blanket already headed to the next knitter. With the title of Green Acres, I imagine as the blanket grows we'll see lots of shades of green being used. Kinda fun to start one and think up a title/theme.

I cast on 102 and used a new stitch...well new to me that is. It's called horizontal dash which is an 8 row repeating pattern. I like texture when using a solid color, as I don't think stitch varieties show up when using variegated yarns.

This preemie blanket is for OddBall Knitters who donate to hospitals all over the country for The Linus Project.

Who's counting down til New Years with either crafts or home projects?