Knit up some warm confidence.

Get A Backbone shawl

Get A Backbone. A shawl pattern.

Here is the pattern for Get A Backbone.  A lovely shawl that can be knitted in any yarn to any size.
This link currently goes to ravelry.  I will be posting the pattern here soon.
It is an easy enough shawl, with just a bit of fun in the center with the cable.  A gentle cable, great for cable newbies or experienced cable-rs alike.  

Fast on size 11 needles with bulky yarn.  I hope you enjoy it!
If you leave a comment, please leave your email address so I can get back to you, or send me an email at the address listed above, or on ravelry. 

Get A Backbone, a shawl.

Need a bit of a shore up?  Just not feeling able to put up instead of shut up?  Legs a bit shaky?  Well have no fear, a backbone is here. Yes, a knitting pattern for your very own portable backbone. 

I have had this pattern clanking about in my head for much too long, now it has finally come out. I used a lovely BFL yarn by Feederbrook Yarns, Entropy, blue faced leister. Still working on it at this post, but it will soon be published on ravelry, free even. 

Strength and warmth, what a great combination. 

Another sneak peek.

Here is a close up sneak peek of another pattern from my upcoming ebook 'Stoplight Knitting'. These are the One Way Wrist Wraps. Worsted weight yarn, size 7 needles and quick as a bunny to knit. I knitted the models in Malabrigo Rios, one of ny favorite yarns.  

A rough road

I am currently writing a new ebook of knitting patterns. Hoping to take it to print as well. It has patterns that are portable and only take one or two balls of yarn. Some if the patterns have attention level options from easy to intermediate.

The title? Stoplight Knitting.  Yes we can see a theme.  

Here is a sneak peek at one of the projects. This one is 'rough road' lap mat. 

I am looking forward to showing more sneak peeks soon. 

You can find me on ravelry as hestiasfire to keep out a closer eye.  

Instagram: hestiashands. 

Neapolitan baby

Several friends are having babies for which I love to knit. New mom"s color choices just add to the fun. Here is a baby blanket and matching dress I knitted for a coworker who is due soon. I used Classic Elite 'sprout' for the blanket and 'seedling' for the dress. 100% organic cotton and wonderful to knit with. The blanket is 'baby sunshine' and is a semi-circle.  Brilliant for so many reasons, it is my new 'go to' baby gift.  The dress is a modified version of 'orange creme', a simple and fast top down that whipped up in an afternoon...delicious. 

a delicious looking baby blanket

this little dress makes me want to get ice cream!

scarf in 225

That one skein of gifted yarn, lovely, alone.  I had one of those (I actually have many, but let's focus) in a delicious cranberry color, waiting.  It is still summer here in Southern California so a heavy project just would not do.  I searched for a pattern, I do not generally wear hats, so I came up with one for an airy scarf.
scarf in 225 (yards of worsted/aran yarn that is).
a link to the ravelry.com page:   scarf in 225.


Here is the pattern:

225 yards of worsted or aran weight yarn, I do suppose you could do it with less but it would then be shorter, or you could make it wider or thinner if you choose, simply add or subtract stitches by 2's. 

I used size 10 needles.

Cast on 24 stitches, knit 2 rows.

Row 1: slip first st, k1, *yo, k2tog* repeat btwn *'s  to last 2 sts, k2.
Row 2: slip first st, k1, purl to last 2 sts, k2.

repeat these 2 rows until you are almost out of yarn, knit 2 rows, bind off.

I added a crochet chain loop of 15 chains and a button on the opposite side of the scarf.
this is optional...of course.

Now...go knit.......delicious.

turbines

Turbines, a cowl, draped

Turbines, a cowl, folded

Turbines, a cowl, folding

I bought some yarn, enough I thought for a vest.  My calculations, sadly, were a bit off in the negative direction.  I love the yarn, Rowan Cashsoft Dk in a wonderful smokey gray so I decided to knit up a cowl of my own design.  As of late I have become enamored with the stitch pattern of YO, K2tog and the opposite, K2tog, YO.  This makes what to me looks like a trellis or a turbine.  Using these patterns in a circular fashion with the dark gray yarn it just looks so industrial, Steam Punk even.  I love it.  So I wrote down the pattern and it is available here, on ravelry as a free PDF download. 
Gray turbines to warm your neck, delicious.

velvet grape leaves

Saroyan is a small shawl.  Saroyan is a scarf.  Saroyan is a shawlette.  Saroyan has leaves on one side. Saroyan is delightful to knit.  Saroyan sits comfortably around the neck, layered or not and is mesmerizing me at the moment.  I had just finished 'Summer Flies' when I found Saroyan.  How fortunate for me.
It is supposed to be knit in a worsted weight yarn, but true to my form I am using sock though still with the size 8 needle suggested for the worsted.  Malabrigo sock to be specific, color?  Velvet Grapes.  ohhhh, ahhhh.  Malabrigo and Velvet in the same project.  delicious.

may bites

Logan (second from left) at regatta in Sacramento.

Same boat, same race, same son., fourth from left.

Baby sweater started on bus.

Baby sweater finished.

Citron Circe

Summer Flies.

What a whirlwind my life has been this month.  Beginning with my son at a rowing race in Sacramento, with the obligatory bus trip, hotel stay and bevy of teen boys.  Their favorite toy on this trip was zip ties!  "Mrs. Carter, someone zip tied my wrist to the back of the bus seat when I was asleep."  Thank goodness I brought my pink mini Leatherman tool, it made me Super Chaperone!
I was able to knit a baby sweater on the bus, yes, yes I did.  For a friend of mine who has a 2 year old daughter and is expecting a second in September.  Unfortunately her husband passed away (in May) suddenly, after a long battle with depression, he took his own life.
I was stopped at a stoplight when the person behind me decided it was a good day to pay attention to something other than what was in front of her and rear ended me.  That was a drag.  I am currently driving rental, Kia Soul.  The one with the hamster commercial?  It does have a great sound system. I now have chronic 'head bob' syndrome from the rockin' stereo system and Sirius radio. 
All of this plus work, end of the school year teen stuff, their grades, one's broken wrist (lacrosse) and the hilarity that ensues.
It is no wonder why the call of yarn beckons me with it's soft, silky, merino wool voice.  Patterns that promise with only a size 6 needle and one skein of sock yarn I can have a sweet little fashion accessory to toss around my neck, oh so enticing and semi-circular.  I fell for it and started two of them!  The ever popular 'Citron' from knitty.com and an easy, flirty pattern called 'Summer Flies'.  Madeline Tosh was kind enough to create the lace weight yarn for my 'Citron' in 'Norway Spruce'. A dark and stormy teal green that reminds me of the poisoned sea of Circe fame.  There was a Lacy Baktus of Prism sock yarn in my knitting bag that I had decided was ugly, I frogged it,  now it will become 'Summer Flies'. 
June is around the corner, and I have knitting to do, life is good...and delicious.

bacon

this is not my dog, but it is close.

deep teal Classic Elite Liberty wool.  I want some, no, I take that back.  I want lots.

I am actually a vegetarian, my dog on the other hand, is not.  Since getting a new computer and printer I recently realized that many of the transferred files from the old computer do not read/work on my new one, drat.  Aside from document files coming up in Cyrillic I have not had a working photo program, double drat.  Now this causes me concern because I cannot post projects to my raverly account.  I cannot add new items to my etsy shop and I have no way to post new photos here, on my blog.  So I am resorting to other peoples photos.  Here we have a hat that I purchased from this etsy shop for my pup.  It rocks.  I am also trying to decide on tags for him from this shop and this shop.  I am excited about a new yarn by Classic Elite called Liberty Wool.  It is a washable worsted that feels good and knits up like a dream.  I reeeeeealy want lots of it in teal to make a sweater jacket.  I would be delicious.