I'm knitting ...

I finished gran's BFF (Ms. Shirley's) shawl before Thanksgiving, but didn't block Rose Garden ...

not bad.  And I made a few scarves for the holiday, a few necklaces ... check it out at  http://cemesdesigns.blogspot.com/.

Happy knitting!

To start anew or finish up ...

I have a few unfinished projects on the needles; ok, more than a few, but I don't love them anymore.  I saw this something wicked by Karen Miller and OMG, OMG, OMG ...

Can't I start it ...

Teaching at Loop

My favorite knit shop is Loop at 19th & South in Philly.  I love the people, the yarn, and the shop itself.  Craig's the owner and my neighbor and his shop is so bright and friendly.  The ladies make you feel welcome.  Come on in, can I help you, sit, knit, chat. 

Recently Craig put a call out for knitters/crocheters to teach.  I jumped on it.  I love lace and want to share with everyone.  I also love knitting cowls, entrelac and fair isle.  Craig asked for samples, so I went home and started working on an entrelac cowl.  I took two skeins of Noro Silk Garden (a dream to work with) a pair of size US 8 needles and a pot of tea - sat down with Craig's own Herringbone Neckwarmer pattern and Laura Spaldin's Entrelac Scarf pattern and set about to create the Buttoned Down Entrelac Cowl.  I took the cowl to Loop buttonless because I tend to stick to earthy, comfortable tones and I love wood buttons on cream, and since I didn't want to part with my favorite buttons (and Craig might've wanted something more colorful) I kept my buttons for me, but here's what I cam up with:

11 button holes if you love buttons like I do, but you can use as many buttons as you want.

This cowl may be placed on the Fall schedule, check with Loop.  For a copy of pattern contact Loop directly.  Maybe I'll see you in class.

Happy Knitting!

Ceme

Ida's Gail ...

Its been ages since I've blogged, but I was knitting the entire time, I swear.  As a matter of fact, I finished maybe 10 projects since Dawn, and the one that's worth blogging about ... Ida's birthday shawl ...

Gran won't let me take a picture of her (she hates pictures), but she almost teared up when she saw her birthday shawl and the best thing of it all - I was able to surprise her!  Yup, I got together her best girlfriends (Ms. Ellen - who happened to bring her own tea bags oh mi - they went to elementry school together; Ms. Shirley (they travel the globe together); Ms. Irene (they're churchmates and go back decades); Ms. Mamie (they share grandchildren); Ms. Gertrude; my bff Mary; and my brother - who chauffeured them in his great big ole Lincoln Towncar), a table at the Rittenhouse Hotel (her favorite tea spot), and a Tiffany's birthday cake for Gran's birthday tea.  After everyone arrived and because I can't stand to see a box unopened, I sprung this soft lacy shawl on her - and when she saw it she said "its beige my favorite color" - I knew I had got her. 

Gail wasn't an easy pattern to knit up, Raveler's can read all about it on my Ravelry page Ceme. 

Happy Knitting!!!

Dawn, Meme and so much more

Right side fini - measures 25 x 42 to center seam (stretched, not blocked). I'm getting ready to start the left side orange 2 and I'm going to run out of yarn, so I off to Loop tonight.
Yes, the mullberry pops!

If a Raveler, check out my friend Allison's Dawn - the colors are gorgeous. And like Allison, I'm so not looking forward to the i-cord edging. I'm still suffering from pi-shawl edging, what's a girl to do ... do you think Grace would be terribly upset if I found another edging? It feels like its gonna take me four-ever (in monhts). Ok, ok - I'm gonna just do it!

I've been putzin around doing other projects too, here's my - I'm so lovin these colors.
Mermaid Gloves by Stephanie Degen









And I'm still working on Cheryl Oberle's Sampler shawl so what its been zzz for years, come on peops there's 400+ stitches on the needles and we have to purl back - URGGGGGGGG - its moving slowly, very very slowly.







Happy Knitting from me and the Memester!

Dawn

When I look at this picture I reflect upon Genesis 1

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day ....
14 And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth." And it was so. 16 God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17 God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.

I love that picture!

Now I invest in the shawl. The texture and drape call to me









so I being








then step out








and thrive









Life is good, knitting is my passion, and God is awesome! How majestic is His name, indeed.

Happy knitting!

The Fine Line by Grace Anna Farrow

Grace did it! Self-published, knitting Sensei! Or is she more like a Samurai! (Teacher/Fearless Warrior ...) The shawls are gorgeous!

First there was Volt!


then Dawn!


then Smolder!


Then I wished Grace had blocked Shale, but the more I looked at it, the more I loved it the way it was. Then there was Horizon and Dusk. But no matter how many times I flipped the booklet open (which was lots), I knew I was going to make either Dawn or Volt first.

So, I swatched for Dawn (only because I wound the yarn first) and found this awesome picture of the sunrising in Edinburgh, Scotland - stunningly beautiful!


I decided to make shrimp the contrast and mulberry the first color, but when I started the project mulberry was to dark and shrimp washed out. Frogged! Two nights of swatching, I was going mad! I've got to get started. So, I started with shrimp (like original) and used mulberry as contrast. Here's how I re-sketched it from Grace's original sketch.

Doesn't look too bad (of course the center is not in mulberry.

I was a little frightened, so off to Loop I went. Craig, "what do you think?" Was the second thing I asked (the first was to wind my yarn for Volt), and I completely missed Mark sitting there at the table knitting yall! Mark had needles and yarn in his hands - I said, WOW, I honestly had never seen Mark knitting. Craig said, "Grace would be proud." Well, I am seriously hoping he's right. I started feeling a little better. And today, meeting my BFF Mary at lunch, she said "gorgeous, the mulberry POPS," so now the knot in my gut is dissipating - thank you Craig and Mary.

And yes to all of you out there wondering, I put everything else I have on needles on hold! I dropped everything when the book arrived. I love knitting shawls!

Happy Knitting!

Rectangle Shawl by Kim Hamlin

I'm almost there ... two skeins of Blue Sky Alpaca left to knit up. Why don't I just finish this already? This is it! I vow to get it done. This baby's gonna we worn during the Fall of 2009.

Lady Eleanor - Part 2

All done! Finished on 9/6.

Still haven't blocked. Absolutely love the colorway. No fringe, extra tiers, 1/2 ball of my 10th skein left.

Kureyon ...

Next up, Silk Garden top down sweater!

Happy Knitting!

Lady Eleanor

Started July 24, 2009, I'm now almost done. I'll have two skeins left. To fringe or not to fringe? Maybe I should go over the required tier count, because I'm a plus size woman ... maybe just a few extra tiers and no fringe? This was such an easy knit. I don't know why I kept putting it off. And, I learned something new = knitting backward (purl). I'm a pro at knitting backward now. I never have to purl again (because I always purled back tight). Well I shouldn't say "never" ...

Happy Knitting from me and the Memester.

One Down, One To Go

Ok, one mitt done, one to go ... I will say, it looks good. I left the seam out, because I like a tighter fitted glove. I also used HiyaHiya #2 and 0 for the rib.

I have to confess, I didn't just work on this, I started my Lady Eleanor in Noro Kureyon #149 Friday night and worked through the weekend. Just Tuesday night did I finish Endpaper #1 mitt. Here's my Lady Eleanor Stole ...
looks pretty good. I'm knitting on some big needles for me, #10.5, that's right me - OMG!

Ok, happy knitting!

Fair Isle

My inspiration - Endpaper Mitts by Eunny Jang Nine years of knitting and I fell madly in love with lace. I tried, socks - Doublepoints. Gloves, OMG 10 fingers of, need I say it, Doublepoints! Bags, I went through a spell - sold 40 Felted Bag. Sweaters - I've got a few. Hats - I've got more than a few. Scarves - whose counting .... Shawls, I have 40+ .... I tried Fair Isle and Intarsia, did pretty well in class. Arans, Cables - I'm ok. Top down sweaters, 2. Why can't I do Fair Isle? Floats way toooooooooooooooo tight. Well, I'm in love now and love makes us MAN UP! Finally, I'm plucking up the balls - I'm gonna make these mitts.

Last Sunday I played with the ribbing on my new HiyaHiya needles. Monday, I'm Fair Isling yall ... I ripped ... Time to practice Endpaper ... Tuesday, I did like the Endpaper Ribbing, but oh well, I'm not crazy about mine. Wednesday, I like Fair Isle! I love HiyaHiya! My floats look pretty! I like ... Thursday, time to start Endpaper in my desired colors, charcoal blue and light blue ... Stevie Wonder couldn't sing it louder, Isn't She Lovely, isn't she wonderful ... Friday, Saturday and Sunday I started the thumb gusset, but True Blood is on ... Lovely!

Happy Knitting! Oh, Meme wants to say something ... Goodnight!

HiyaHiya Eunny Jang

I've always loved color work, fingerless gloves and lace, but I've only mastered one, not anymore, I'm about to become a color work, fingerless glove samari. Hiya!


That's right folks, feast your eyes on my newest necessity 9"s of stainless steel circular knitting needles. Lovely! Craig, Loop! Hurry up becuase I'm going back for a second set of these babies. Hey, I've gotta work the pair together.

The reason for this new necessity ... Eunny Jang's Endpaper Mitts. When I saw this one knit up for the shop, I felt the pull to knit in my bones. I went home and swatched on doublepoints, but I wasn't feeling it! I have no love for the doublepoints. But this mitt is weighing heavy on my brain. I found the perfect combo too - grayish blue and light blue - to go with my charcoal grey winter coat. Lovely!

Saturday, July 11. I had things to do, and kept telling myself to get to Loop and get a 40" US 2 needle to make the mitts. No, that cable gets on my nerves more than doublepoints. I played and played with my yarn, I was working well, but what happened, I pulled out the wrong needle and lost an entire side of work - AARRRGGGGGGGGG I put down the mitts and played with my stole. To hell with it!

You can't stop the brain from working ...

Sunday, July 12. I am going to Loop to get the 40", these mitts are taking up every extra portion of my brain. I am miserable! I set off ... I got there and my knitting mom was in the shop - Martha taught me to knit oh my in 2000. Hi mom! What ya working on? We chatted and I told her I had to take a picture of the store mitt to give me inspiration to get my act together. I took the pictures and was working my way over to the needle rack when mom said, have you seen the HiyaHiya needles? No mom, what's that? HiyaHiya are 9" circular knitting needles for things like mitts and socks. Over to the table I proceeded. Oh my, too cute. What said a stranger. I said, HiyaHiya. She replied, Hiyatoyoutoo! I said, no these HiyaHiya needles. I think I found what I need. I said, its a go! Let do it. I'll take sizes 0, 1 and 2. I'm all set.

I ran home, walked the Memester, made dinner, and while I was waiting for True Blood - I Heart Bill Compton! - I cast on just to get myself familiar with the needles. I'm in love! They take a little time to get used to because they are small, but its well after midnight and I wanna knit. I frogged my swatch and started on my own. Earth tones are my favorites, so I grabbed a multi ball of Koigu, Olive/Cream/Brown and a solid Celery and I'm going to town. I had to blog about it before I forgot. I'm having a blast.

Hiyanight!

Isager

I love this yarn. Its lace tweed and I think I found the perfect shawl. I was browsing Ravelry and came across Bendis' Icelandic Shawl. And she did her's true to the book.

But I think Cheryl Oberle's Triangle Feather and Fan will look nice in my three color selection.

I originally swatched in the denim, but decided that the sinfully rich chocolate should be the center. The denim is a true denim if anyone is looking for something to go direct with a pair of jeans. And the golden yellow is beautiful too. You can get your fix at Loop. Thanks Craig for finding this yarn.

Happy knitting!!!

Miralda Finished

Its done and I love it!

Ok, I cast on too tight, like I always do. I used a size 10 needle to cast on, I don't know why ... oh well.

Happy Knitting!

Now I have to figure out what the heck is wrong with my iPod/iTunes music. I can't hear my music while I'm playing on ravelry or blogging.

I think maybe I should trade my Dell Laptop in for a MAC!!

Miralda Shawl Home Stretch ...

I am loving this shawl!





I love the yarn too! Classic Elite Yarns Silky Alpaca Lace - 2 skeins




Ok, I wasn't crazy about those nupps, but I stood my ground. Granted it slowed me down purling those nupps together, but it was definitely worth it in the end, they look lovely. I have two extra balls of this colorway, maybe I'll trade them in for black or maybe I can swap with someone out there in lace loving land. Any takers?


Happy Knitting!!!!

Holiday knitting list ...

Each year around May I start on my holiday knitting list. I add some names or cross out some from previous years and start looking for ideas. I have to admit, by November I'm done with holiday knitting. This year I have a newbie to the list.

I still have a job for now (Thank God) and as a token of appreciation and my hard work, I've been assigned a new attorney. YUP, a Senior Associate well on her way to one day (in the next year or two) becoming partner.

Four days after being assigned to her she went on vacation - YIPPEE - Vive La France. She e-mailed me 10x a day, once branding pictures of the Iron tower.

Every day, for 5 wonderful days, I got 20 e-mails with work to be done - did I mention hard working. While I was here, working for my partner and lateral hire, there was a mountain of work to be done for Sr., so I rolled up my sleeves and dove in - the desk was a wreck, her office a maze, her files - where the heck were her files. What was that pile on the floor I nearly skidded across the office on? What was in that mug ... In between the annoying e-mails (if I was with her in Paris I would have thrown her blackberry into the Seine). Here's Musee d'Orsey, evening, viewed from the Seine. I mustered up the strength to clean up, clear out, find, index, purge, re shelf, organize and file, all the while still loving up my partner and lateral. I got Sr.'s old assistant's desk clear, Sr.'s office clean, files organized, books re shelved, etc. by Thursday, 4p. Now if only I could get rid of her blackberry ... . I managed to keep partner appeased, but the lateral must've gotten restless because at one point she tracked me down (oh did I mentioned Sr.'s office is 2 floors away from me ... go figure).

While away, I was wondering about Sr. Should I add her to my holiday gift list of hand mades? All those e-mails, do this, draft that, get, read because I can't see it on my blackberry, e-mail me the contents of this agreement, no that one, go up to my offices and dig through the piles of sugar honey iced tea on my desk and find that agreement and e-mail me the contents ... I was ready to pull her hair out and pick her icy blues off with sharpened paperclips, but Thank you God, I have a job.

Upon returning I was given a trinket box of French chocolates - oh now I feel bad for being annoyed ... but I'm allergic to chocolate, I won't tell yet. I'll keep the box nicely sealed forever. Hey, how was she supposed to know I'm allergic to chocolate - we've only been together for four days. Its not the gift, its the thought, so I will add her to the list of hand knits, but what? I don't think she does shawls, she doesn't look the type. I don't think a hat would do ever, because one snowy cold ass day in January I was on my way to Borders and we exchanged hellos because we recognized each other from the office, no hat, it was freezing out - but I did spy a full length navy blue cashmere coat - LOL! She always in a gray, black or navy blue suit. What to knit ... what to knit ...

So far, there's the ole list of 23 +1 now, not everyone gets hand knits. My baby sis will get a hand knit, my best friend will get a hand knit, my niece and nephew - books.