Knitting Sandwich

red scarf project 2014

my donation to this year's red scarf project is finished!  i love this project and i know i've talked about it over and over in the past, so we'll cut to the chase and you can click here for the rav group, or here for the official web page if you want to learn more.  they're accepting scarves until december 15th, and i would encourage you to grab some red yarn and knit up a scarf!

 this year's scarf is a 3x3 slip stitch scarf (rav link) knit up in some lion brand wool-ease.  i love this pattern because it is so squishy and thick and it never ever ever tries to roll up even a little bit.  

 i love this yarn because it's soft and warm and most importantly for college students - it's machine washable.

 and while we're at it, i love my scarf model because she completely cracks me up!  here she is plotting... something... adorably devious!

-melissa

p.s. don't think for a minute that i forgot about pip in that first picture, he is my very sweet kittyboy and i love him a terrible lot.

yarn along 11.05.14

 

joing up with ginny at small things for this week's yarn along:

 reading: i'm still enjoying reading the books i bought "for lily."  i'm only a few chapters in but so far, wild wings by gill lewis has me wanting to drop everything and just sit and read... 

knitting: well i'm only 3" away from finishing my red scarf project scarf (the 3x3 slip stitch scarf - rav link) so the sensible knitter would go ahead and finish those 3", right?  in theory, yes, but instead i cast on for a new project.  a pair of fetching (rav link) for a friend.  my thinking was that they're a super quick knit and i needed a break from all that scarfing.  i've got one mitt finished, so i figure it's time to go and finish the scarf... it's what the sensible knitter would do.

so friends, what are you reading and/or knitting at the moment?

-melissa

yarn along 10.29.14

 

joining ginny at small things for this week's yarn along:

 knitting: it's that time of year again... red scarf project time!  (click here for the ravelry group or here for the official page for more information.)  this is my 8th year knitting a scarf for this project, this one's a 3x3 slip stitch scarf (rav link), i've knit this pattern before and love what a squishy scarf it creates.  foster care to success is accepting scarves until december 15th, so if you want to do some good and help young adults who have come up through the foster system and are now in college go knit a red scarf!

reading: i've been in a bit of a reading slump the past month and haven't been interested in reading anything... when that happens it's usually some well chosen young adult fiction that gets me back on track, and this time is no exception.  i bought these books "for lily," but really if i'm honest i bought them because i enjoy reading ya fiction myself and i thought they looked interesting.

both an elephant in the garden by michael morpurgo and lara's gift by annemarie o'brien are quick reads, with strong young women as the narrators, and compelling story lines.  (as a bonus they both have animals in the stories as well, which i always enjoy.)

so tell me, do you ever get in a reading slump?   if you do, what gets you out?

-melissa

europe trip: of interest to knitters

one more vacation-themed post... things that might be of interest to other knitters/crafters...

like sheep in a cathedral in rome:

or a tapestry in the residenz dedicated to sheep sheering:

 the timing worked out so that i got to go to a sheep and wool festival with claire while i was in germany!

 lots of travel time equated lots of knitting time and i finished my matchy-match sister cowl (also known as rhythmic (rav link)) while in germany!

 then i cast on for my *8th* annual red scarf project scarf (this one's a 3x3 slip stitch scarf (rav link)):

 while in london, we made a pilgrimage to the holiest of holies - the cath kidston store:

one of the most amazing parts of the trip was getting to meet up with anna of anna's creative corner and her adorable son luke while we were in london.  we had lunch and then chatted while the kids played in a play yard.  this was our first time meeting in person, but it felt completely comfortable, like catching up with an old friend!  

 -melissa

red scarf project 2013

my 2013 red scarf for the red scarf project is finished!!  technically it was finished back on november 15th, and then sat in my knitting bag waiting for me to weave in end and take photos...

  i finally got around to that, *ahem* yesterday.  but that's how things are going around here these days, so i'm just rolling with it... (pun totally intended to draw attention to how much i enjoy rolling scarves up like toilet paper rolls and then photographing them!)

 the scarf is the twin rib by marie-christine mahe (rav link) and i believe i've said this before but it definitely bears repeating, i love this pattern!  it makes up a scarf that is pleasingly squishy, with enough drape to look lovely yet enough structure to stay up around your neck where it can keep you warm!  and also (and this is a huge plus for me) it does not roll!  not at all! 

 we had some snow yesterday and lily was kind enough to come outside with me and model the scarf so you can see for yourselves just how fantabulous it is!

 hooray for the red scarf project!

-melissa

yarn along 10.25.13

i'm a couple days late to actually join up with ginny at small things for this week's yarn along, but that's how things are going this week... so here i am, better late than never, right?

knitting: it's that time of year again, time to knit a red scarf for the red scarf project.  this is my 7th year participating and i look forward to it every year.  this year i'm making a twin rib scarf (rav link).  it's my second time knitting this pattern for this project (the first was my very first scarf for the project back in 2007) and i have to say that i love this pattern because it is reversible, texture-y, and doesn't roll up even a little bit!

you can submit scarves until december 15th, so if you are itching to do some good, go make a red scarf!

reading: i have to admit that the main reason i wanted to be sure to post this week is that *again* my book coordinates with my knitting!  ever since kate pointed this out i am both surprised and amused when it happens!

i'm currently reading against a dark background by iain m. banks.  i have to say that i love iain m. banks and every book of his that i've read convinces me just that much more of what a complete genius this man was.  dark background is no exception.  he has a gift for developing complex characters and a literary style unparalleled in any science fiction i've ever read.  there is so much derivative science fiction and fantasy writing out there, with empty archetypal characters thrown into fantastical yet typical settings, that finding someone of banks' caliber is truly something special.

-melissa

red scarf project 2012

my scarf for the 2012 red scarf project is finished!  this year i knit ágnes kutas-keresztes' christian's scarf pattern (rav link) out of deborah norville's everyday soft yarn.  i like this yarn because it is soft and doesn't pill and is machine washable (very important when you're in college, if memory serves.)

earlier today lily and i went out to the back yard for a finished scarf photoshoot.  here are a few of her shots... we had a lot of fun being silly and posing.

there's still lots of time to knit up your own red scarf for this year's drive!  head over to the ravelry red scarf group for some inspiration!

-melissa

ps - lindsey made that headband for me - isn't she fantastic!?!

it's that time of the year

each september my thoughts turn to red scarves...

this is my 6th year participating in the red scarf project!  time certainly flies when you're having fun.

who's up for making a red scarf for care packages for the orphan federation of america?  join the ravelry red scarf group for inspiration and pattern ideas!!

-melissa

2011 red scarf project

my donation for the 2011 red scarf project is finished!

here it is in its "i'm a roll of toilet paper" pose:

here it is in its "casual scarf" pose:

and here it is in its "super-coldy wrapped up" pose:

and here are its stats:  the pattern is the 3x3 slip stitch by barbara kobyashi (rav link or pattern) and the yarn is from my sweet acrylic paramour, vanna.

-melissa

oh vanna...

so it appears that lately when i need a washable, user-friendly non-wool yarn i am leaning towards a certain blonde letter-turning lady more often than not...

oh vanna!

really, vanna?!?  who knew?  turns out i've been rocking the acrylic more often than not and you know what?  i'm totally okay with that.  i think the melissa-knitter of 4 or 5 years past would have been rather embarassed by her love of all things vanna.

but today's melissa-knitter stands tall and proud so all can hear, "i love vanna!!"  

so what am i currently knitting during my acrylic, shiny blonde hair fuled knitting frenzy?  a scarf for the red scarf project.

which reminds me, if you've got time the fcs is accepting scarves for this year's drive until december 15th.  

-melissa

ps - "oh vanna...."