Author: Virginia

Wool and Oranges

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Dan’s needle felting business has been keeping him pretty busy for some time, but I am happy to report that he has been able to find a little time for spinning again. He has been using it a bit like a meditation I think, 15 minutes with his coffee in the morning, before the world wakes up. Here is his first skein of the year.

Handspun Yarn

I love these little daily practices, and I had a good one last year that I’ll show you in another post. I haven’t found one for 2015 yet. I have some ideas, nothing has solidified yet.

Kieran Foley Test Knit

I have been knitting a lot of scarves/shawls lately. At the moment I’m having a blast test knitting this fun one for Kieran Foley (pictured above). I finally finished this one I started back in October. There is some secret knitting going on as well, stay tuned!

Handknit Shawl

This weekend brought a bit of a winter thaw to our corner of the world, but mostly January has been so cold all we have wanted to do is stay in, cook soups and other comfort foods and stay warm. I hope you are staying warm and finding pleasure in the season, at least the citrus fruit has been great, hasn’t it?

Winter Citrus

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2014 Winter Light

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Winter Hydrangea

I always get reflective this time of year, setting goals, making lists, feeling the urge to clean and start fresh in many areas of my life. Last year I thought about starting to publish some of my own designs, and unlike most of my resolutions I am happy to say I actually stuck to that one! It’s been an exciting process and one I am really enjoying. It has given me another way to think about my love of fiber, yarn and knitting. I am so grateful for all the support I have had to give this a go!
I published two in this last month of the year, between the hustle and the holidays. The Chester Creek Cowl and Terrestrial.

Chester Creek Cowl

(Pattern details for this cowl can be found here.)

Terrestrial Hat

(Pattern details for this hat can be found here.)

I also started posting here on the ScratchCraft blog, having been in the background most of the time. Who knows if we will both write some posts, or how that will shake out, it’s still evolving.
I am looking forward to what 2015 will bring. I’ll make the usual pledges toward fitness and diet, friendship and trying new things. How about you, what do you want 2015 to hold in store for you?
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Yoshimoto Scarf

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Yoshimoto Scarf

To continue my small series of scarves inspired by some of my favorite female authors, this design is inspired by Banana Yoshimoto and the delightful way she heartens us to appreciate with our senses simple things; a cup of tea, a wooden floor, hot noodle soup or an elegant and soft knitted scarf.

Yoshimoto Scarf

The yarn I used for this scarf is a luxuriously soft yarn from Blue Sky Alpacas, called Royal. It is 100% alpaca, and I used the Antique Black color (#705).

Yoshimoto Scarf

Since it requires only one skein of this luxurious yarn it would make a great and pretty quick gift for someone special, or yourself!

Yoshimoto Scarf

Pattern details on Ravelry.

Hoodoo Hat

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Hoodoo Hat

I fell in love with Blue Sky Alpacas newest yarn, Extra, when it was first released. It is so soft that it seemed perfect for a hat, something cozy for winter. With just one skein each of three of my favorite colors I was able to make four hats, trying out multiple color combinations!

Hoodoo Hat

The yarn knits beautifully, with the softness of alpaca without any shedding, and the loft of the fine merino to give it a nice body. It’s a dream to work with.

Hoodoo Hat

This pattern is quite fun and quick to knit. Now we are just a little closer to being ready for winter!

Hoodoo Hat

Pattern details on Ravelry.

Minneapolis Mitts

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Minneapolis Mitts

You can’t beat Cascade 220 as a workhorse yarn with all it’s lovely colors, but I knew right away I wanted to design a fingering weight version of my Montreal Mitts in something with more refinement, a bit more urban panache.

Minneapolis Mitts

I am a big fan Spud & Chloë Fine with it’s saturated colors, and hint of sheen from that 20% silk. It has a nice firm twist making it sturdier then you might expect. The fabric has a nice, plump density that is very satisfying, so it came right to mind for Minneapolis Mitts. It has generous yardage, therefore one skein each of three colors will certainly make multiple pairs of mitts.

Minneapolis Mitts

These work up fast and would make great gifts for your buddies. I picked three of my favorite colors, but I might need to try more combinations for myself!

Minneapolis Mitts