Winter’s Fantasy
I love icicles; there’s something lovely and fanciful about them and this has been the winter for them. We’ve had more icicle formations than I’ve seen since I was a child - and I loved them then too! They always make me think of crystals. These are hanging from the eaves of the building next to ours.
I worked more on the shawlette last night while watching Speed. Guess we’re just having a Keanu Reeves week here :) For such an unlikely premise, it wasn’t a half bad film - I could even stand Sandra Bullock. I like Keanu’s hair longer though :)
About three flowers along now
This is slow going, but it’s worth it. I’m very happy with how it’s coming out and those colors…just unbelievable color. Being able to watch those saturated vibrant shades blend and meld is worth going a little slowly.
I also dragged out the chenille last night (you knew I was going to, right?) and played with it for a while. I tried it first on size 11 (US) needles but it was worming before I was three rows along. Then I tried crocheting it with a size I hook. That worked a little better but was kind of lumpen looking. Sigh… So I tried knitting again only on size 8s this time.
Possible scarf or moebius
This is coming along much better and not only has the beautiful colors of the shawlette, but a silky, heavy, velvety hand as well. I need more width here before I stop increasing and go on the straight-away :)
I’ve been looking for a shawl pin for a while now and it’s always in the back of my head when I walk through the mall. Yesterday, we passed a little kiosk that specialized in fancy looking costume jewelry and I stopped to look at the pins. Of course they were eye-popping, but they were also heavier than the shawl would support and they ranged from about $30 to $50 - quite a bit more than I had expected. And then it occurred to me that a fancy french-clip style barrette might also do the trick, so that’s something to keep an eye out for too :)
Bulky mitten
I made this the other night, thinking that mittens and socks would be good things to focus on for the Dulaan project. I had been looking for a good, versatile, mitten pattern and had found this one: Gifted, courtesy of Kate Gilbert of Clapotis fame. There are three children’s and two adult sizes, they’re worked in bulky yarn (so they go quickly - not necessarily a requirement, but a nice feature none the less) and they have a neat and unusual thumb architecture.
Unfortunately, I don’t seem to have what it takes to make this - easy as it should be. The picture doesn’t look too bad, I know, but the base of the thumb, on the inside where it meets the mitten is holey and the crocheted seam down the digit (it seems to me) would further limit the already limited dexterity of mittens. Plus, this is knit on two needles and seamed - and that seam is bulky.
I can work out how to do this in the round, I think and that’s probably what I’ll try next. I like the shape of the finished item really well - I just don’t like the seams. So I’ll see if I can eliminate them :) The seams, that is - not the mitten!
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Love the color of the shawlette,it looks so bright and vivid. Another idea for a shawl pin…I read somewhere to check thrift shops for belt buckle. Sometimes you can find very decorative ones. The mitten looks great too. 
Love love love those colors! I think both the spring shawl and the moebius will be gorgeous!
Maureen - Thanks for the buckle idea - that’s a nifty notion too :)
Laura - And, lucky you, you get to trot down the street and see what other incredible delectables Blue Heron might have around :)
they make decorative hair picks (don’t remember their name, but they look like a short chopstick that has a decoration on one end) that i’ve seen used to close a shawl-
those colors you are working with are truly beautiful- absolute eye candy- chenille can be a major pain to use, but it feels so good (it’s like rubbing a nice soft kitty ear) that i just like to stroke it-
no matter what pattern i use, i always seem to have a couple of vents in mittens- are you using the white buffalo yarn for the pair you are working on? it looks quite warm and comfy-
stay happy-
Barb - You’re right about the hairsticks, and I saw some pretty ones yesterday. Itmight even be possible to make a couple. I’ve got a few beads lying around somewhere :)
The yarn in the mitten is a couple of strands of baby yarn, just acrylic, I’m afraid. But it is very soft and snuggly.
Thanks for the idea for a shawl pin - I have a hair holder - hearts and a rod that goes in one side, under the hair and out the other - that would probably work as one. My DH bought it for me at the Rennisance Festival years ago and I can’t wear it in my hair anymore because I now have a pixie instead of wearing it long. This would be a great way to use it! 
Jane - My pleasure though, you know, I hadn’t been thinking about that type of barette and that’s a super idea! Thanks!
