I recently (well, within the last few years…) came around to orange. It wasn’t that I didn’t like the color, but it was like I didn’t completely understand it. I didn’t know how to make it work for me. Now, I feel like I have harnessed the power of orange… first, I painted my bathroom orange (and a light orange-yellow) for the first round of Project Spectrum in 2006… then, I actually started to knit with orange too. I think the key was just finding the right shade… kind of red, but kind of orange too.

Phyllo Yoked Pullover

… and many thanks to Elizabeth at ADKD, who made this sweater possible! After my last post on this pullover, Elizabeth wrote to me and said that her LYS had a large amount of Silky Tweed still in stock, and that this color was available. She bought three hanks for me and sent them over! I was so thrilled! Now I don’t have to worry about running short!

Phyllo is miles of stockinette in the round, and that is what I need and want right now. I love working on it. The texture of the yarn makes it something very special.

Printed Silk Cardigan

My sister’s cardigan is coming along swimmingly. I completed the first sleeve, and I am currently working on the body pieces. I have just gotten to the first rounds of waist decreasing. For size 5 needles and DK weight yarn, this project does knit up rather quickly. The yarn is Frog Tree Pima Silk, and while a tad splitty, it has a beautiful drape. I am working on it every chance I get to ensure that it is complete by her birthday next month. I hope I make it!

Funny thing about this particular shade of orange:  it is hot right now.  It must have been on the color forecast for Spring 2008.  I am seeing it everywhere… but that is okay by me, because I love it

…

The weekend highlight was a meetup with friends that I have not seen in too long! Stacey came to town and we all got together for brunch at the coffee shop. It was a great time to catch up, do a little knitting, and show off some completed projects.

me, Stacey, Jolene + baby Joe, Jody, Coleen

I started the Phyllo Yoked Pullover from Knitting Nature a few days ago. The stockinette is like an old friend: so comforting and peaceful. I am really enjoying the chance to work with the lovely yarn too - this is the Elsbeth Lavold Silky Tweed that I picked up at the beach last summer. The yarn was supposedly discontinued - which is really too bad, but seems inevitable - once I start loving something, it goes away! The colorway is an amazing rusty red (#15) and I am a little worried about yardage as I don’t quite have enough for the pulli. I am hoping to get a few hanks from a contact on Ravelry - or I will get creative and play with the sleeve length.

This pullover was part of a little knitalong that Jody, Kelly, and I had planned last year. We talked about starting in mid-February, and I just couldn’t quite wait, so I started last weekend. I am looking forward to seeing their progress on their pullovers too!

I also started a new weaving project - this one is a turning point. I am getting (slightly) more confident in my skills, so I felt that I could actually use some pretty (and pricier) yarns for my warp and weft. I also wanted something that would fit in with the theme for Project Spectrum. My eyes fell on the lovely Rauma Chiri Alpakka, a beautiful Scandanavian-produced alpaca that I received in a trade with Strikker Kris a few years ago. I warped up an asymmetrical striping pattern and threaded it through the heddles (seen above). I started a plain weave and I am still deciding whether it works…

The pink-on-pink seems appropriate for this Valentine’s Day… I didn’t even plan it that way. I am just going with the flow on this one. We’ll see where it take me. I am calling it “Alpaca Asymmetry” because of the asymmetrical striping pattern, which you can see better in this photo.

… … …

I was completely surprised and grateful for every single comment that I received in my last post. Thank you for taking the time to leave those encouraging words about my article and my blog. You are all amazing!

The 25,000th commenter was Jaana from JaanaMaa, a beautiful Finnish blog that I discovered last year. I met Jaana through Flickr, and followed her amazing pictures over to her blog. She writes in Finnish, and while I can’t read her words, it is her photographs that speak volumes. She has created some amazing things - most recently a hat and mitten set in a gorgeous gold color. She chose the red Tess sock yarn, and it is on its way to her now!

As promised, I also rewarded the two commenters who were on either side of the 25,000th - Margit was #25001, and Hege was #24999! Margit started quilting last year, so she was happy to accept the Denyse Schmidt quilting book and kit! I can’t wait to see what she makes! Hege got the Yarn Place laceweight, and I am really excited to see what she does with it!

…and because of the surprising number of comments, I decided to give one more prize…

#25100 was Moni from Blatherskite. Moni is a long-time blog friend - I’d say we are going on three years, huh? She is a fellow librarian, an extremely talented knitter and photographer (check out her shibori-style scarf and her photo stream !) and a friend. She is also a seamstress, so I am sending her a copy of Sew U: The Built by Wendy Guide to Making Your Own Wardrobe. I am excited to see what she will create next.

Thank you so much for being a part of my life - your encouraging words really made my day!
~Happy Valentine’s Day~