Shruggity Shrug Pattern is Ready!

I forced myself to finish this pattern today! Now I am so happy to say:
Shruggity Shrug Pattern Now Available Here!

Now I am going to tackle Flower Box.

Flower Box Sweater

I absolutely love this sweater! It fits so beautifully and was so fun and easy to make. I just love when everything comes out exactly the way I envisioned it in my mind before I started.


The knitted squares have crocheted borders and then are sewn together.


The lace edging is crocheted.


Random crocheted and embroidered flowers with crystal centers inspired the name. The hand made porcelain buttons couldn't have been more perfect if I had made them myself!

The sweater is for sale on my Yarnartist's site and I am considering writing the pattern, too.

Mo' Flower Power

Mo as in mohair!

A little story: When my son was in elementary school, I started an art and needlework program at his school. One year I taught everyone in grades 2-5 how to knit. The unit began with me bringing in samples of many different types of fiber and explaining how yarns were made. We talked about where the fiber came from - plants, animals, chemicals, etc. In summary, I asked "Where does wool come from?" "Sheep!!!" the children yelled. "Where does cotton come from?" "Plants!" the children responded. And where does mohair come from?" One little voice replied uncertainly "Moles?"

Anyway, the above scarf is Flower Power made up in Claudia Handpaints Mole hair, I mean Mohair! See the crystals on the fringes? One skein made this entire very long scarf! I will be putting up the pattern, yarn and beads as a kit on my site later today or tomorrow.

I Guess You Could Say...

... that Berroco makes some of my favorite commercially produced yarns. When I saw this yarn I just had to have some.

Yarn: Berroco Sox
Colorway: 1425 John Moores
Pattern: My own basic toe-up with short row heel and stretchy bind-off on 58 sts, Size 1 needles.

Secret for getting the stripes to match: Before beginning, pull out yarn and start at a place where the color/pattern is clearly beginning to change. Measure long tail if using long tail cast-on. This is much easier to find than a random beginning point when you are ready to start the second sock.

Love the way these socks look - really enjoyed knitting with the yarn as the color and pattern changes were so pleasing to my aesthetic sense. However...they itch. So into the gift bag they go, waiting for the perfect owner to be revealed.

More on socks: I finished writing up the pattern for the Electric Flower Socks for Tops and Toes, due out next February.

I am proud to say that for once I didn't procrastinate and actually sent the pattern and sample off more than a week ahead of the due date!!!

Could this be a new trend? I sure hope so. I love the sense of freedom I feel now, except there are a few more deadlines and promises I must keep before I am really free of pressure.

Flower Power

Finally, I completed the pattern for this scarf.

I can't believe that this goes back to last August!!!

I guess that I don't need to mention that I like making things better than I like pattern writing.

The name has changed from Lucky Scarf to Flower Power. The pattern is available via download here. Enjoy!