STASH BUSTER UPDATE

Nine years ago when I moved into my new husbands beautifully appointed home,

he had this striking oil hanging over his couch.

It stills hangs there over a very masculine leather sofa.

To soften the look a bit I felt that I needed to add a knit throw.

So I began this lap throw after taking an improvisational knitting workshop 

with knit star Valentina Devine. 

I first became acquainted with her in the gorgeous coffee table book 

Knitting in America.

Valentia lives in Los Alamos, New Mexico and her background is fascinating. 

I have always knitted! Born in Russia and growing up in Germany, I can remember knitting all sorts of things from doll clothes to small garments for myself. In the early eighties I became a life-time member of the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria Virginia. There I exhibited knitted one-of-a-kind garments and wall hangings. For the Folger Theater I knitted costumes for Macbeth. At the same time I started teaching a technique “Creative Knitting” and I continue to the present day. I have also knitted two major costumes for the road show of “CATS”; Deuteronomy and Gus, The Theater Cat. Some of my knitted garments have been chosen for the movie industry. I now enjoy designing for different publications. I have been a contributor to many knitting books and publications. As time went on I have added to the courses I teach. I now teach six different techniques. I show my art-to-wear garments in different boutiques throughout the United States. I cannot imagine not knitting and I hope to continue to inspire many more knitters here and abroad.

In 2011 I was able to get this far

which I posted about in March of that year here on the blog,

but then I lost interest and put it away

 and finally took it out this last week and have started knitting on it again.

I took it up to the cabin this weekend and have almost finished off that bottom row.

Please note!

I have not blocked this yet.

And it's all over the place lumpy bumpy and wavy.

I will tame it eventually when completely done.

I still have so many stash yarns to bust thru so I'm going to lengthen and widen 

and then probably put several borders around it.

At least that's my plan right now.

But knowing me I will get distracted with another project

 and this will wait another 8 years for me to pull it out again.

Ha!!!

Speaking of that,

headed out tomorrow morning for a 2 1/2 hour drive up to Ojai

(inland from Santa Barbara but above Ventura)

to a new crafts shop called Cattywampus Crafts for a knit-a-long.

Going to be starting a cute little v-neck cardigan with all handspuns (some mine)

knit on size 17 needles.

Can hardly wait.

Poor little throw.

LOL

Slow and Steady - My Work

OK, so probably about a year ago I showed you (above) where I was at with this lap blanket, using up all my little bits of leftover yarns from other projects. And now I've gotten a little further along, but it's still taking me FOREVER, cuz I hardly ever work on in. But I really enjoy finishing things, so I continue to plod along at a very slow pace. So I'm hoping by next spring to show off a completed piece. Stay tuned :) Oh, and it wouldn't be this misshapened when I'm done, I will block it into the perfect rectangle, I hope. Wish me luck!

Recycled Blanket - My Work

Those of you who have been following my blog may remember this pillow (above) that I posted last Sept. It was such a fun project, I got to use up a lot of my scrap yarns, and it knit up real fast in a log cabin style. Well I still had so much extra yarn left over after this pillow that I thought I'd make a throw to use on the couch to go with it. So whenever I had a chance to do a bit of knitting this last year, I'd make random squares and rectangles to be sewed together at a later date (below).

But recently I felt a need to start sewing them together to see how many more I needed to make (a lot) before it was lap size. So below is a shot of the first couple that I put together. The mitered squares were swatches that came from another project. They were the rejects and I've been saving them forever, so I threw them into the mix. Bette, do you recognize the ones I made when I was in Florida? They are the 3 darkest ones in the pix above.

When I finish this up I'll post the result. Probably in another year or so. LOL