Scarves!

Before I went to the UK and Germany in August, I completed quite a bit of scarf knitting, to add to the ones I'd already made so that I would have some gifts for the friends I was meeting and staying with.  Using gorgeous hand dyed and small batch made local yarns, I knitted these 3 scarves...

Above is my favourite go to pattern, of the two leaves, which interlock to form a lovely neck-warmer.  The blue scarf is knitted with pure merino and the grey scarves are from a merino, bamboo and silk mix.

 

This grey scarf is using the pattern Speedbumps from Steepndeep designs on the Ravelry website.



For my quilting friends, I gifted either a collection of aboriginal prints or a patchwork pattern book with local icons by an Aussie designer.

In return I was lucky enough to have been hosted by these wonderful ladies and their families as well as receiving some fantastic gifts in return and being well looked after.

Brrr.... it's cold outside

Now that Winter seems to have overtaken Autumn here in the southern part of Australia, I thought it prudent that I get out my knitting projects.

Here is the first knitted project for this year:  A keyhole scarf with large leaves for the ends.

The pattern is a design from By Lynette and the wool I used was Utiku Merino/Possum blend.  I purchased the wool and pattern as a kit from the Craft and Quilt Fair about 3 years ago.

So soft and light, but oh so very warm.  This scarf will really keep the winter chill away every morning when I have to brave the frosty outdoors.

I sewed the ends of wool in just now, hence the indoor photo.  My MIL was keeping us interested with old family history and photos of my husband's great uncle in his full regalia as a leader of the Light Horse Brigade.  When I was working on the Honour Quilt, I had no idea of the history of that side of the family.  A truly remarkable way to end what has been an emotional and poignant weekend.  This story helps in some way to make my Honour Quilt even more honourable for our family.

Chenille Scarf

Yummy, yummy blue fabrics.  Two batiks and two blue floral prints. Normally I'm not a 'loud' fabric person, but there was something in these prints with the flower centres that I just really needed to buy them at the time.

I spent some time flicking through magazines to try and figure out something that would allow me to use the nice big print of the water lily to it's advantage, with no real thought in mind of what I even wanted to achieve.  Then, as I was about to give up hope and put the fabrics away again, I found an article in the Nov/Dec 2011 issue of McCalls Quilting Magazine about how to make a chenille scarf.  Perfect.  I had enough fabric, in fact, more than enough, which is just as well because the first scarf I didn't read my tape measure properly and so it's about 30in too short.  I realised my error when I wrapped it around my neck after completing it.  Sheesh.  That one's now  a neck warmer which requires a pin to hold it in place. 

Then, I had to make a second one the correct length.  It's perfect.  Very soft and very warm.  There might be a few more of these in the future. 

I gifted this one to a friend (who looks gorgeous in blue) for her birthday.