NeverBlue Farm

Horses and Harmony

Year of pattern making! Well - I made a few!

Knitting 2009

Wow! I did lots of knitting in 2009! It was fun - I love finishing things (though of course, I still have plenty of unfinished things! Yikes!

Maelstrom Socks - Cookie A

I am going to do these toe-up for a fiberphiles KAL. Gorgeous yarn. I actually couldn't finish in time for the KAL, but will wrap these up over the next couple of weeks. I thought it was cool that they are oak colored! LOL I actually frogged these and restarted from the cuff. I was trying to reverse engineer them for toe up and it was NOT working! Updated pics later. These are very nice socks and I love the yarn.

These socks are hibernating right now, but I will be picking them back up soonish.

FINALLY Finished! Very cute and snuggly.

These are obviously just started!

Cat Bordhi's Whirlpool Toe

Goofy progress pic. Yarn color in detail photo is more accurate.

Started: April 17
Finished: December 2009
Pattern: Maelstrom by Cookie A
Yarn: Fiberphiles Squooshy Sock colorway burnt orange
Needles: #2.0 mm Addis

Herbivore

This is a nice little easy knit scarf by Stephen West. His patterns are available on Ravelry.

Yarn is the delicious and sublime Cashmere/nylon/merino sock yarn from fiberphile! Scrumptious!

Very drapey!

Started: October 2009
Finished: November 2009
Pattern: Herbivore
Yarn: Fiberphile Merino Cashmere Sock, colorway Dark Amethyst
Needles: #4 US

Ishbel

Another fun and quick knit. This is the Ishbel shawl by Ysolda Teague. I did it using a beautiful sock yarn from fiberphile. The color is called "batwings'! How cool is that?! I must thank Hank for modeling lace for me yet again! He looks so apprehensive though! LOL

Worried Hank.

Blocked size is about 24" deep x 56" long (if you uncurl the tips).

Started: November 2009
Finished: November 2009
Pattern: Ishbel by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Fiberphile Super Squish Sock, colorway Batwings
Needles: #4 US

Leaping Dolphin Scarf

This is a quick little scarf that I designed for my dad. I love the way the cables leap and dive in the 'sea' of ribbing!

See the pattern page for the link the PDF.

Started: October 2009
Finished: October 2009
Pattern: Leaping Dolphin scarf
Yarn: Fiberphiles Super Squish Sock, colorway Autumn Rose
Needles: #4 US Wooden

Cables & Checks Vest

4/5 Now have a nice start on this. False started a time or two - but am now rolling along. Need to decide if I am going to add a little bust room - either with short rows or simply by increasing in the torso. Knitting it in one piece instead of in sections and added a slip stitch "seam". The yarn is fabulous.

4/26 Moving right along. Added short row bust shaping - first time trying this, so we will see how it works out. I may need to rewicker it a little to make the short rows work in the pattern.

7/19 Re-did the short rows, am past the arm scye bind-off on the back and working up towards the neck. It's moving along nicely and is my solo project right now. I just decided I needed to get a little focus here and get some stuff finished!

9/20 Still working away. Just need to finish off the shoulders & back (had to add a couple of inches) and then come to a decision about how to finish the front/closure.

10/26 Finished at last! Whoo hooo!

This is the back - the vertical cable rows are going to make this very slimming.

Not sure if it really shows, but short row shaping to give a little more room in the bust area. Right side completed, left still in work.

Started: March 2009
Finished: October 2009
Pattern: Cables & Checks Vest
Yarn: Lisa Souza Queenstown Worsted, colorway Siobhan
Needles: #2 & 3 Addy Turbos

Damson by Ysolda Teague

What a fun quick knit! I used this to practice my Continental because there is lots of garter stitch! LOL

Love that beautiful Fiberphiles yarn!

Started: Late September, 2009
Finished: Early October, 2009
Pattern: Damson by Ysolde Teague
Yarn: Fiberphiles Squooshy Sock - Forest colorway
Needles: #4 Addi Turbo

Caricia by Anne Hanson

This is the last of my travel knitting. I had finished the scarves and decided to do Caricia. The yarn is a little darker than the picture shows and I started it on black needles - Yikes! I had to buy a pair of light colored bamboo needles to save my eyesight! I am really enjoying both the pattern and the yarn. It's going very quickly.

Started: September 16, 2009
Finished: October 3rdish, 2009
Pattern: Caricia by Anne Hanson
Yarn: Fiberphiles Squooshy Sock - August sock club colorway
Needles: #4 Addi Turbo (started on wood)

Ivy Vines #2

I liked this so much that I made another one!

Started: Early October, 2009
Finished: Mid October, 2009
Pattern:Ivy Vines by Anne Hanson
Yarn: Lisa Souza Superfine Sport
Needles: #5&6

A couple of fun cowls.

These were some quickies for birthday gifts. Scarf #1 is Ivy Vines by Anne Hanson. I totally adore this pattern! It's not difficult and the finished piece is simply gorgeous!

Scarf #2 is Herringbone Neck Warmer by Craig Rosenfeld. Another quick and fun pattern, it knit up really quickly. I wound up making it shorter and if I do it again, I will make it a bit taller as well. Found a cute stickpin on the studio tour.

Yarn for both is Lisa Souza's beautiful Glacier silk - a silk single yarn with wonderful sheen and drape. It stands up to quite a bit of abuse too! I frogged it a couple of times.

Ivy Vines

Herringbone Neck Warmer

Started: Early October, 2009
Finished: Mid October, 2009
Pattern:Ivy Vines by Anne Hanson; Herringbone Neck Warmer by Craig Rosenfeld
Yarn: Lisa Souza Glacier silk - Olive tones colorway
Needles: #5&6 for IV, #6 for HNW

A couple of scarves

I knocked out a couple of scarves while out of town on work travel. Both very fun and beautiful.

Scarf #1 is Hypoteneuse by Anne Hanson. This is a "man lace" scarf. It's a super easy and fun knit. I did in Wollmeise Amazonas (thanks to the gal on Ravelry who let me buy some!) on #4 needles.

Scarf #2 is One-Row Handspun Scarf by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. Another super easy pattern that delivers great results. The yarn is Classic Twist (mohair/merino blend) in colorway Rainforest. I picked up the yarn while on travel in CA. It is one of the house yarns from Twist, Yarns of Intrigue. Cathy has a beautiful, tiny shop in Manhattan Beach. While she has lovely yarns from Malabrigo, Handmaiden, Tilli Tomas and others, if you stop by, you definitely need to check out her hand-dyed yarn - the colorways are simply gorgeous!

Just getting started. This is more true to color than the other pic.	Hypoteneuse blocking. Honestly in real life it doesn't have that almost argyle look! I will get a modeled picture once it's off the blocking board. Very light blocking with a spritz of water vs soaking.
I wish I could get a better picture of this yarn. It is a beautiful smokey green/blue/brown that is somehow cool and warm at the same time. Gorgeous!	Very lightly blocked. I did this on #10's, but if I had it to do over again, I would use 8's or 9's for a little more body. But dang, it went fast!

Started: September 2009
Finished: September 2009
Pattern/Yarn/Needles:
1) Hypoteneuse by Anne Hanson / Wollmeise 100%, Amazonas/ #4 wooden needles
2) by Stephanie McPhee /Classic Twist, Rainforest / #10 Bamboo

Twisted Sock

4/5 These are a cute little self designed sock. The yarn is Fiberphiles 2 ply Merino/Nylon in Choco Berry. Lovely yarn and I like how the pattern is knitting up. I have this written up to the point where I am now, which is just having turned the heel. Hopefully will finish these in the next couple of weeks.

4/26 Working on some other stuff. These will be snoozing for a bit.

7/19 Finally finished! Now I have to write up the pattern, but at least the socks are done. They fit perfectly and are awfully cute (if I say so myself!)

Started: March 2009
Finished: July 15, 2009
Pattern: Twisted Sock
Yarn: Fiberphiles 2-ply Merino Nylon, Choco Berry
Needles: #1 Addy Turbos

Knitting Archive 2009

This year I plan to create more of my own patterns and provide them for folks here and on Ravelry! I have a nice start to the year so far!

Tudor Grace - Anne Hanson

This lace scarf was done for the PVDA Ride for Life. It will be donated to the fund raising raffle. Anne kindly gave permission to use the pattern and even offered to supply it for free! The yarn is from Fearless Fibers and I just knit away until I ran out! It is very luscious - although it's 100% merino, it has a sheen like silk - beautiful!

I am super pleased with how this came out. The scarf traveled many miles, coming with me to both LA and Las Vegas before finally being finished last night at home in Maryland!

Started: May 17, 2009
Finished: June 19, 2009
Pattern: Tudor Grace by Anne Hanson
Yarn: Fearless Fibers laceweight, colorway Rubicund
Needles: #5 Lantern Moon

Leaf and Acorn Lace Scarf - Shui Kuen Kozinski

This was a scarf I made for my mom for Mother's Day. It got to her a bit late (mid June), but she was okay with that! The yarn is Clotho from Spirit Trail Fibers. It's a one-off colorway from Md Sheep & Wool festival. It's hard to photograph the subtle misty grey greens in the yarn - very beautiful, very soft. Lovely to work with.

The pattern was very fun to knit as well - took a little attention, but wasn't overly tasking.

Started: May 3, 2009
Finished: June 10, 2009
Pattern: Leaf and Acorn Scarf - Shui Kuen Kozinski (free download from Elann)
Yarn: Spirit Trail Clotho Lace - 100% merino 1 Skein ~500 yards
Needles: US #4 bamboo

Viridescent Diamond Cardigan - Norah Gaughan

Love this sweater! It's from an old Classic Elite Book - "Knitting Beautiful Classics". All of my other current projects are stashbusters, but this was yarn bought just for this project. It's Simply Shetland Lambswool Cashmere in Red Hot! I have been struggling a bit with gauge, but I think I am now on track. I love the feel of this yarn, but it's a little splitty to work with, especially on the fiddly left twist, right twist bits.

1/18 Mostly concentrated on the Blue Heron morphing identity shawl, but got a bit done on this sleeve. The color is much closer to reality in this pic. The texture on this piece is just so fabulous!
1/25 No Progress :( - But did finish the Blue Heron Scarf and got a good start on Simurgh.
2/14 No Progress, but I did finish Simurgh and do some work on the socks, so I think this sweater deserves a little attention. No deadlines here or on the socks, so I can swap back and forth at my leisure.
2/24 Worked away this week. Finished the first sleeve and am almost done with the second sleeve. Whoo hoo!
3/2 Both sleeves done and about 7" of the back squared away. I think I am going to need to add length to the sleeves and the body, but I did get extra yarn, so should be okay.
3/16 Making progress!
4/13 Slow and steady, eh? Have a few more rows to go on the right front, then will block and put the body together. Once that's done, will check and see if I need to add any length to the sleeves, then finish those up. Getting VERY close!
6/1 STALLED!!!

Updated - left front done, right front almost done. BTW - this isn't blocked - just pinned up so that I can take a picture.

3/14/2009 Sleeves are finished & blocked. Shoulder seams are sewn and fronts and back are blocked. Now on to the collar, sewing up sleeves & sideseams, & buttons. Whew!

3/21/2009 Buttons went on this afternoon. I love this sweater - it is sooooo gorgeous!

This shows the right neck shaping and the Perl Gray button that I selected. I think it will be very spiff! This is the closest I have been able to get to the real color of the yarn - you can see how rich and varied the red is. Yummy! 3/21 - left this picture up to show yarn color and the richness of the pattern.

Started: January 1, 2008
Finished: March 21, 2009
Pattern: Viridescent Diamond Cardigan - Norah Gaughan
Yarn: Simply Shetland Lambswool Cashmere - Red Hot - 14 skeins
Buttons: antlercuts
Finished size: Mine
Needles: #5 Addi Lace & Lantern Moon Rosewood

Twist & Lace

This is a fun little pattern from Brenda Patipa. I found it on Lisa Souza's website. I had some Jade Sapphire Cashmere Silk that had been sitting in stash for a while and I used that for this piece. I could have used another skein as it's a wee bit short. but it's still cute and the niece it's intended for will like it a lot.

Started: February 2008
Finished: March 5, 2009
Pattern: Brenda Patipa's Twist & Lace
Yarn: Jade Sapphire Cashmere Silk
Needles: #5 Lantern Moons

Flame Cheveron Sock.

This is a self-designed sock. There are several variations out there, but I will write these up anyhow. Just need to jot this down and add it to the patterns page. Maybe the next hit of bad weather! LOL

Started: January 25, 2009
Finished: February 16, 2009
Pattern: Flame Chevron (self designed)
Yarn: Lisa Souza Petite Merino Hardtwist
Needles: #2 Addy Turbo Lace

Slubby Nubby Vest

What a fun, quick knit! Dalis designed the pattern and the yarn. It's a blast and oh so cute! I will try to get a photo of my neice wearing it, because it's adorable on.

Started: January 10, 2009
Finished: Feb 8 2009
Pattern: Slubby Nubby Vest
Yarn: Dancing Leaf Farms Slubby Nubby - a one-off red colorway - gorgeous! 2 skeins + a smidge
Needles: #15

Spiraluscious Mitts

This is my second pair of spiraluscious mitts from Anne Hanson. I made these out of Louet Gems Merino Fingering. It doesn't even take a full skein. I love these mitts. They are simply gorgeous and not nearly as difficult as they look. Lots of bang for the buck here!

Started: January 10, 2009
Finished: Feb 15 2009
Pattern: Spiraluscious Mitts by Anne Hanson
Yarn: Louet Gems Merino Fingering - colorway Candy Apple Red - 1 skein
Needles: US #2 Addy Turbo. I used #1's to finish off the ribbing.