Chain Maille Bracelet

This is for my mother.  She specifically requested magnetic closures and a bracelet which wasn't too heavy on her wrist.   I purchased the rings from Jewelry By Sue and it is made entirely from 18g sterling rings.  The pattern is called European 4-in-1 and is found in her first book.

Two Projects Here

There are actually TWO new projects here in these pictures.  The topmost pretty pink on the spindle is my supported spindle project on a Texas Jeans russian walnut spindle.  The spindle is magnificent to spin as the flicking tip is very fine and spins incredibly fast and easily.  The fiber is a blend of merino and tencel in pink, peach, and silky white and is gorgeous.  The spindle is resting on my handspun raglan cardigan, in progress.  It will be a top-down cardigan with a shawl collar.  The yarn is 3-ply handspun polwarth and silk wool and is about a sport weight.  The pictures were taken last night in the fading sunlight on my boat as we travel up the Chesapeake Bay on our way to St. Michaels.

Handspun Percy Shawl

This was my first supported spindle handspun yarn.  I took a class in February with Ms. fleegle, and made this with one of her batts.  It is merino with a little glitz in it, and I got 810 yards of 2-ply from 2.3 oz.  It is perhaps the best and finest yarn I have spun to date.
The pattern is Percy Shawl and may be downloaded for free.  Some of the pattern is actually real knitted lace, with a pattern on both sides, instead of simple purling back.  Keeps you on your toes!  I used about 610 yards of the ball. 

Copper Scrolls and Green Bead Necklace

My new workbench is lovely and I have moved it into a different room in the basement.  I'm much happier now with its location, and to celebrate my new space, I created this necklace from 16, 20, and 24 gauge raw copper with some green beads.  It has been antiqued with liver of sulfer.

First Diantha Shawl

This was the first Diantha shawl I knit, and was set up as a mystery knit-along.  The yarn was handspun from a beloved natural gray fleece given to me by my friend Tammy.  The sheep lived in Colonial Beach VA on a small farm.  I spun the yarn and then knit it into this wonderful shawl, with a few pretty beads.  I sent it back to Tammy a couple of weeks ago,  as a surprise gift to her.

Pink Handspun Diantha Shawl

I spun this yarn almost a year ago from a mixed batt made by Beth, from Whorling Tides, and knew that this design was a perfect match for it.  I also was worried about running out of yarn and this design, Diantha, from Susanna from ArtQualia Designs was easy to change if necessary to conserve yarn.  It is the second one I made this year.

Crimson to Onyx Gradient Shawl

I finished this piece a few days ago.  The bottom braid shows the wool before I spun it into a 2-ply light fingering yarn.  I wanted to use up all the yarn so I searched in ravelry's database and found a gorgeous design called "Cloud Illusions" by Boo Knits and can be found through ravelry.  I used up almost all of the yarn and the shawl has been well-received by all who have seen it.   The lovely wool top is from Fiber Optics Yarn and is the merino/silk gradient.

Norwegian Star Cap

I have been in a hat-knitting mood lately, and this was the first one.  The yarn is handspun from a colorful batt which has been in my stash for a while.  I didn't like the colors as they seemed somewhat disconnected and didn't flow well, so I spun the black/taupe and then spun the lavender to brilliant blue.  I had in mind some sort of stranded hat.  I am so pleased at the outcome.  I used a pattern from "Hats On" by Charlene Schurch, and I want to make a lot more from that book.

Aqua and Copper Peapod Necklace

I finally got around to applying the patina to this necklace.  I am very fond of it.  When I was crafting it, I found that if the torch got too close to the beads, they would shatter!  I think they were not annealed properly, if at all.  I love the organic shape.

Vintage Cardigan Completed

Here is the cardigan I have been knitting for the last month and it is finally finished.  I bought the buttons at ACMoore and they are okay, although I'm not totally thrilled with them.  The yarn is alpaca, wool, and angora and is just lovely to work with.  Great stitch definition.  I will see how it holds up to wear though as angora does tend to felt somewhat.

I am thrilled with the finish on this cardi.  All the little details are so interesting to me, and I am also happy with the finishing I did on this.

The pattern is from Interweave Knits, Spring 2005, and is the Vintage Pink Cardigan.  The color in this post is more true to life than the previous post.  It is called Peapod and does resemble that color!!