tangled yoke and carnival

If I look like I'm wilting while wearing my new sweater, the Tangled Yoke Cardigan it's because of the heat wave. Many cups of coffee helped me through the weekend and a visit to the fair that parked across the street from our house. And I was determined to finish my sweater, maybe the heat will go away and cool air will prevail a little while longer if I get all the ends woven in and the buttons sewn on. Yes, magical thinking is my friend.

Part of me wanted an oversized, comfy cardigan but I'm glad I decided to make it more fitted. The yoke feels roomy even with the snug fit through the body. I like the finishing on the neck, how it is doubled over and bound off together with picked up stitches along the base of the neck. It feels sturdy and I like the look of the rolled edge uninterrupted by a chained bind off finish. Of course, my favorite part of the sweater is the unique, tangled cable stitch and for me it's just the right amount of cable.


I made a couple of modifications to the pattern. The yarn is Rowan Scottish Tweed and my gauge: 20 sts and 30 rows = 4 inches. Needle size US 4/ 3.5 mm for main body, US 3/ 3.25 mm for button bands and collar.
I cast on enough stitches to make a 35 1/2 inch finished bust circumference. After 2 1/2 inches of ribbing I switched to stockinet. The yoke has 20 sts less than the smallest size in the pattern.


C'mon who doesn't love a house of mirrors...


and smiley faced lady bugs going around and around?


These are the pretty buttons I bought for the Tangled yoke. They have weight and I like the burnished metal color with the tweed. If you're in L.A. and need buttons, I got these at The Button Store, a wonderful place for button lovers.

boys do knit

Last weekend Felix helped his dad make a wood box for my sewing machine. It was a surprise. My sewing machine came with a flimsy plastic cover and I think Johnny was tired of looking at it on the shelf. I didn't want to store it on the floor in the closet. But, now I can. Anyway. Felix helped make this box. He hammered nails, and sanded the wood and other stuff too; and he was so proud of himself. We were all proud.


The little striped toy is named Tiny and he made it out of a sock filled with stuffing, eyes are glued on and a string is tied at the “neck”. It’s a great project for a four year old. He’s been carrying Tiny around all week.


I got to thinking, if Felix can work with wood, why couldn’t he start learning to knit? My mom taught me to knit when I was eight so I had that age in mind for teaching my child to knit. Nevertheless I already own a great book for kids knitting appropriately titled Kids Knitting by Melanie Falick.

I asked Felix is he wanted to learn knitting. “YES Mommy!”
Off to a good start, I handed him knitting needles and yarn, I cast on a few stitches and started to show him the motions.

“Now I’m a granny momma.”
What?! Not that I have anything against grannies, but where did that come from? Must have been TV. So, I said, “Boys knit too, and I knit everyday and I’m not a granny”.
He giggled and said, “BOYS DON’T KNIT”.
Yes they do! I showed him the pictures of boys knitting from the kids knitting book. It helped my case a lot to see boys knitting, and lots of kids knitting too. He was excited.


The first lesson ended shortly after that when frustration set in, that his sticks weren’t going to be immediately flying through the yarn. He gave it a good try.
I asked him the next day if he wanted to knit. He did but said he wanted to do it "by myself" and when that didn’t work out he ran out of the room.

babette blanket begins

You've seen my stash, now see it at work. The Babette Blanket by Kathy Merrick (available to purchase from the Knitting Daily site) is a perfect pattern for all my Tahki Cotton Classic and Gedifra St. Tropez leftovers. Crocheting around and around is addicting. Just one more square, just one more square….
What will these two colors look like together, and then this one too? What will happen if I combine these together?


An embroidered Spanish shawl guides some choices.




The blanket’s explosion of color compliments my painting of two skunks kissing.


Who am I kidding; it’s pretty psychedelic over here at my house.