~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~
Sadly, I need to put aside my Follow Your Arrow Shawl for a few weeks. I finished clue three last week, but I have to give priority to a gift for Larkspur now. She loves shawls, and wants me to knit one for her upcoming birthday. She chose the yarn, and I must say she has good taste, making it not that sad that I have to switch gears for a few weeks. I’m knitting Jared Flood’s Terra shawl in Luna Grey Calypso yarn in the sugar plum colorway. This yarn is very similar to Madelinetosh vintage; it’s springy and soft. Larkspur is not a rustic wool sort of girl, and can’t tolerate any itch factor at all. The Calypso is perfect for her and she was thrilled when the yarn arrived and was pleased with the color she chose. While she knows I am supposed to be knitting a shawl for her, she doesn’t know what pattern, and I am hoping to only work on this at night so it will be a bit of a surprise. I realize that I now have four shawls on the needles. Oops! I think sticking with working on the Terra for a little while will be good though. I’m not sure that my brain can handle complicated stitch patterns at night, and this one is pretty simple to start. Looking over my work last night saw two places where I forgot to knit the last three stitches on purl rows (despite the fact there are markers to remind me). So yes, simple knitting is best right now.
I finished reading Sons last night, and I am not sure if I am going to dive in to the third book in The Good Earth trilogy yet. I may focus on finishing up Crossing to Safety instead.
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hey ginny, is that a provisional cast on up there? Do you have a good source for someone who doesn’t quite “get it” yet? Love the pattern. That yarn reminds me of the MT Dahlia colorway you knit up as a honey cowl that inspired my own honey cowl. Have you tried Fibre Company’s Road to China Light? Delicious soft yarn. Larkspur might love it.
also, random question, is there TV in your home at all? You all seem to be so well-balanced into the slower old-fashioned “here and now!!” stuff (knitting, reading books, crafts, home projects, etc.) I am too, but find I do end up spending way too much time online (mostly looking at blogs and recipes….). Okay I’m done now! Thanks!
To echo what everyone said, I also love the color of this yarn. I received a skein of Vintage from DH (at my suggestion) for Christmas, but have yet to try it out yet. I decided to knit a 2nd repeat of clue 3 for my shawl, so we’ll see how much I get into clue 4 this week. I do not anticipate finishing it on time, but am hoping to be only about a week or so behind. (sjn821 on Rav)
Ginny,
I love the sugar plum colorway! That is going to be such a pretty shawl.
Love,
Taryn
I absolutely love the color, it´ll be a great gift 🙂 Thank you again for hosting!
That yarn is a gorgeous colour
The shawl looks fantastic, I love the garter rows!
Oh that yarn is just gorgeous! Larkspur made a lovely choice!!! On my list is one of Jared Flood’s shawls. We shall see when it happens…..
Thank you for hosting the Yarn Along, Ginny. I have been looking at so many wonderful projects, on so many fantastic blogs. It is very inspirational! Today, I am looking at projects in order of colour… a silly game, but its fun to see all the yellow ones, and then all the blue ones.. Not quite random, but almost. 🙂
I love that color! I don’t think you can ever have too many shawls in the works 😉
Pretty yarn! We’ve been watching Lark Rise to Candleford and I am dying for a shawl! LOL
Thanks for your kind words regarding my Calypso yarn, Ginny. It is such a joy to work with and takes color so beautifully. Excited to see your finished shawl.
Four shawls are quite a few to be getting on with, although a simple shawl can be a soothing thing to work on in the evening 🙂
That color is gorgeous! I’m sure she’ll love it.
My current knits are purple, too. 🙂 I’ve determined to put off starting any new projects in order to finish all my WIPs.
I read “The Good Earth” (just the first book) this past year, and it was simply gorgeous — and heartbreaking, of course. I really need to read the whole set. Thanks for reminding me!
One shawl was enough for me to concentrate on last year, it was a simple one and it’s long finished but I keep noticing little mistakes in it each time I wear it! I just keep telling myself that it just adds to the charm of handmade.
I’m working on simple patterns my head is full of all sorts at the moment and only seems to have room for k1, p1 or knit a row, purl a row. But it’s good and there’s less room for error…still I manage to make a few though. Your little Larkspur chose her colour well. It will be a beautiful shawl…enjoy knitting.
Larkspur has excellent taste~
Larkspur will love it; and what beautiful yarn she chose! Thanks for the opportunity to link up. 🙂
She has great taste, that Larkspur! 🙂
your Terra Birthday Shawl is simply wonderful, so deep purple!
here my Yarn Along from Italy.
ciao!
I am so partial to that deep purple color. It seems to be the color I most often pick and look for in clothes and in knitting…Larkspur has good taste! I wish I had the gumption to try another shawl but that last one about did me in. The boys have requested scarves like their dad’s, so I’ve got to get yarn for that this week. Oh, darn. Yarn shopping. Such torture. 😉 I’m just getting caught up on your last few posts, especially the small house/greatness posts…I totally agree. Because my husband’s job has been very mobile the last few years, we’ve chosen to rent. With six kids that makes the options very narrow- the last house we rented we were so thrilled to have for size (four bedrooms and about 2500 sq ft I think), compared to the rather small house we had before. But my goodness, it was SO hard to keep up with and now that we are in a more ‘normal’/small house (with only one bathroom), things seem a lot easier to keep up with. Do we drive each other batty sometimes? yes. But we were driving each other absolutely batty in twice the square footage, too. It’ll be fun to see how you guys decided to renovate and make it work.
I love this color. It will look beautiful on her.
The Terra Shawl is one of my favorite patterns. I love the color yarn you are using. I love that your kids appreciate hand knits. My kids refuse to wear anything I make for them. It’s sad, but only for a second then I realize I have more time to knit for me 🙂
I love knitting the Terra Shawl…and anything Jared Flood for that matter. His work is genius and easy to follow. Beautiful color your kiddo picked out!!! Have a great day and thanks again for putting this together week after week 🙂
What a treasure Larkspur will have for years to come. There is nothing wrong with simple knitting, ever.
Very well chosen, it looks like a very lovely yarn and the color is beautiful!
I am knitting my first shawl at the moment, another Jared Flood pattern. I love the pattern you are knitting and the yarn is a gorgeous colour 🙂
Lovely color. She has great taste :-).
That is beautiful Ginny. I thought it was Mad Tosh Vintage at first. She is going to be thrilled!
love the color of that yarn, so rich! Nothing wrong with simple knitting. I do all of my thinking knitting during the daytime, less errors are made with an awake knitter.
oh dearest Ginny, I here waiting with baited breath praying that you were not affected by this winter storm. Sending prayers your way for warmth and electricity ahaha. I haven’t even read your post yet but just wanted to say that I was thinking of you all morning!
good to know that even in knitting there are seasons and times for simple things… I must say I value the simple highly! beautiful yarn and colour… just lovely.
What beautiful yarn! I remember loving shawls when I was a young girl – my grandmother had a mohair striped shawl that I now have! Good luck with your knitting – I look forward to seeing the end result modeled by your daughter!