I loved working with this colour. There’s just something about greens! I’m definitely looking forward to autumn, and this shawl will be perfect for chillier days. The pattern is Gudrun Johnston’s Wast Side Shawl and the yarn is Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine in Peat Mix. I’m a big fan of Gudrun’s patterns. In fact, this is my second in a row. The shawl is worked from the edging inwards, so once you move to the body you feel like you’re almost done!

Wishing my knitting partner for life a very happy birthday today!

[Photos courtesy of Chris]

[Ravelled]

Last week’s post got me to thinking about more stash-busting projects. Patterns that would make great holiday knitting with the added bonus of using up small amounts of yarn. I took a trip through ravelry and came back with these great patterns.  Some of them old favourites, some of them new (at least to me!):

Fetching (L, courtesy of Knitty) and Emerald Fingerless Mittens

Fingerless Mitts

CanCans by Erica Lomax

Upp by Védís Jónsdóttir (from Einband, available from Schoolhouse Press)

Fetching and Dashing by Cheryl Niamath

Purl Beret (L, courtesy of the purl bee) and #24 Lace Beret (courtesy of Vogue Knitting, Holiday 2009)

Hats

#24 Lace Beret by Kate Gagnon Osborn

Purl Beret by The Purl Bee

Ripley by Ysolda Teague

Herringbone Cowl (courtesy of Lauren Osborne, Hungry Knitter)

Cowls

Herringbone Cowl by Lauren Osborne

sev[en]circle by Kirsten Johnstone (free ravelry download, login required)

Cabled Cowl by by Olga Buraya-Kefelian

mara (courtesy of madelinetosh)

Shawls and Other Shoulder Warmers

DROPS 108-53 by DROPS design

shadow[]box by Alison Brookbanks

mara by Madelinetosh

Otto (actually, I like to call her Churchill)

Toys

Otto by Ysolda Teague (or any of Ysolda’s toy patterns, really)

Pile-able Pups by Anna Hrachovec

Rotary Dial Telephone by Katie Park

My bear knit for the Mother Bear Project

Charity Knitting

Good for stash-busting anytime of year, but especially now in colder climates like mine…

afghans for Afghans sends handknit and crocheted blankets, sweaters, vests, hats, mittens and socks to the people of Afghanistan.

Blankets for Canada creates blankets for Canadians in need.

Mother Bear Project sends handknit or crocheted bears to children affected by HIV/AIDS.

This long, lacy triangle was knit from Terhi Montonen’s adaptation of Strikkelese’s immensely popular Baktus scarf.  The pattern was named after a character from the Norwegian children’s novel Karius and Baktus. The end result is part scarf, part kerchief and part shawlette. Lots of options here!

This is a perfect project for knitting up leftover sock or sport weight yarn. I knit mine with another all-time favourite, Misti Alpaca handpainted Suri & Silk. It’s so very lovely to knit with and to wear.

It was almost a year ago now that I knit my first lace. I was intimidated by the complexity, but once I got into it I realized lace knitting is really just knits, purls, increases, decreases and yarnovers. Nothing scary, and there’s nothing more pleasing than finishing a lovely piece of lace.

Ishbel is another knit from Ysolda Teague’s Whimsical Little Knits collection. At the rate I’m going, I should be through the collection by the end of the year! Ishbel can be worn as a shawl or scarf and knit with either laceweight or sport weight yarn. I used Misti Alpaca lace (100% baby alpaca and so very soft) in cobalt blue.

It’s so lightweight and airy, but alpaca is deceptively warm. Even in laceweight yarn, it makes for a very cozy shawl/scarf.

My Grandma sent me this beautiful shawl. Handwoven by one of her old friends from Ocean Falls – Sylvia Hiebert. Ocean Falls is a ghost town now but in the 1950s when my grandparents moved there there were more than 3,500 people. Most of them working for the mill.

I think the shawl is made of a mohair blend. So soft and, since my Grandma doesn’t wear shawls or scarves (as I learned the hard way after some hard kntting hours), it’s like new. Very fine and such a vibrant colour.

I think I remember meeting Sylvia once when I was very young. I was sad to hear that she passed away recently but I’m happy that my Grandma shared her fine work with me.

I just got back from the post office where I mailed my latest project to a dear friend. It was a long, long time in the making (she can attest to that!). The Perfect Pie Shawl from Melanie Falick’s Weekend Knitting.

The pattern intimidated me a few years ago when I first received the book. I don’t know what scared me, maybe it was all that lace. I ended up finishing it off with a knit rickrack lace edging. The pattern calls for Koigu Premium Merino for the lace edging, and gives instructions for a crochet picot edging as well as the rickrack lace that I used. I wish I could have found the Koigu. I don’t know why it’s so hard to get in Ontario, especially considering the fact that their farm is in Chatsworth, Ontario.

I’m not crazy about working with mohair. It can be a pain to fix mistakes. I substituted the Berroco Mohair Classic called for with some Idena Dream Mohair I picked up at Romni Wools. This is definitely the first project I’ve worked on where I haven’t been cursing the mohair. It’s really soft and the wispy fibres didn’t get all matted looking!

This shawl was a lot of fun to make and I have to say I was pretty proud to see it finished!