Swell, FO

Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes and for the comments. Even with a small project I can tell my arm is not well yet, but I can't help it, Malabrigo calls!



Pattern: Knitty's Swell by Kimmie Kemper
Yarn: Malabrigo chocolate brown and natural
Needles: size 5, Addie turbo 16 inch, and clover dp

I wanted to practice the two color knitting and use the Malabrigo. I loved, loved, LOVED, the Malabrigo. It is so soft and such a pleasure to knit. I wanted a small project with a small amount of two color knitting for practice. When it comes to throwing, I'm challenged, so I just invented by own way carrying the yarns behind and dropped the contrast throwing yarn when I wasn't using it. Not very efficient but worked out okay. Did I mention I loved the Malabrigo?

I didn't pay attention to gauge and so have a toddler sized hat even though I knit the large. I'm quite happy with the result. Not as many puckers as my first mitten project.

Aloha Knitters had it's biggest turnout ever. Jill was destashing, and I scooped up some Halloween Vesper and some lovely Claudia handpainted yarn. When I ordered my Malabrigo natural, the bulky was sent instead of worsted. I decided to keep it as I have developed a Malabrigo fixation. Just what a gal who lives in the tropics needs as the warm season is starting up! Help me, Obiwan Kenobi;)

Some Bunny's Suprise

Thank you everyone for your well wishes about my sore arms. I want to get knitting soon and think I'm nearly there.
Some Blue Tototos gathered for a final photo in observance of The Incredible Lolly's Project Spectrum For them, it was all about the blues.


I found a nice squishy package in my patio from the Fed Ex dude or dudess. A lovely surprise from Some Bunny's Love! How she managed to take time out from her incredibly busy schedule to put together this suprise for me is just amazing. Inside I found 3 skeins of Reynolds Garden Tweed in a colorful mix of greens, rust and olive and black sheep tape measure.
In addition there was some caramel chocolates (hmmm, guess where they went to, yum)and the the coolest orange knit sack. I had to explain to the Totoro that it was for knitting but he insisted on trying it on for size.
Thanks so much, Kimberly, for your cool and thoughtful gift!

I'm sure there isn't anyone out there who has fallen prey to buying yarn that marinates for years in their stash (wink, wink), but I once bought a whole cone of white cotton yarn with the thought of making those wash cloths. I decided to try and use up the cone by knitting them on my Incredible Sweater Machine. I made four. After fiddling for a while, I found I was only happy with stockinette squares with crocheted edges. I made four but have more then half a cone left! I think it's a never-ending cone! They didn't come out very well and I have a new respect for those who make all those great looking wash cloths!

Knitting Prevents Whirlpools

Thanks for all the nice comments about Ella! I really appreciate all of them.

My knitting has come to a halt as a result of a combination of tendinitis and neuropathy. I have diagnosed myself and I'm treating the patient with rest, acetaminophen, naproxen, and massage. After two weeks of rest, I can say I'm better, but not well enough to knit. I have satisfied my knitting needs vicariously by cruising my bloglines. There are some incredible FOs and WIPs out there for me to ogle.

Instead I've practicing wire wrapping briolettes. Dang that stumps me! I also made another stained glass crystal bracelet, but finished it a little differently. I only had the magnetic clasp for it. The gold tone looks a bit too shiny to me, but it will do until I find something I like better.

I took a couple days off for my birthday and have just been hanging out. It feels nice to relax. I went to a concert with the local orchestra, Kenny Loggins, Mike McDonald, Ruben Studdard, Natalie Cole and local group from the 70s, Cecilio and Kapono. Hearing C&K made me think about my first real boyfriend. He was my boyfriend twice. I have no clue where he is now. Boy I was clueless back then! So wherever you are R..."I"m sorry!"

There was a lot of grey hair in the crowd. Sigh.

When I suffer whirlpools of the mind
I spin for awhile, then put my foot down.
After awhile the spinning starts again.
OMG, it just spins clockwise!

Ella, The Final Chapter

Ella, is blocked and done. A lot of croaking went into the making of her. She is off balance as described in a previous post, airy due to using a sock yarn, a wonderful handpaint from Woolarina (I had 3 balls and fell short just a smidgen) and luscious in color. But she is all mine and a FO! While many a lace knitter found this pattern easy, it took me quite a while to figure out the big picture. I love her none the less.

This guys have probably been sitting outside on this knoll for sometime but I never paid much attention to them. I was stuck in traffic on Tuesday and there they were, swimming in the rain!

I wonder sometimes why I have the lost the urge to go the beach lately. I loved the beach as a child and spent hours swimming to the reef at Ala Moana, surfing at Waikiki, and cruising the North Shore.
My sisters and I, and then my sons, all learned to swim at the Richard's Street YWCA. It is still there across the street from Iolani Palace, (the only palace in America that real royalty every ruled from), hidden away by the giants that have sprung up around it. The old Hawaiian Electric Building, main Library and Post Office are still there. Oh the memories.

Ooh, I forgot about my Happy Along! The Ribbi Cardi was gifted and fit the incredibly talented Misa, tiny lady that she is! No pictures, though as she was busy working. Her comment "I love it!" thrilled me:) What knitter doesn't like to hear that about one of their projects!