knit project: scarf style - ruffles
difficulty (1-5): 1.8
size: 86 inches long
yarn: ac moore's fantasy yarn, 100% alpaca in cream, 3 balls
knitting specs: US 6 dpn

i do not own a lot of accessories in my wardrobe, but every now and then, i do love wearing some interesting pieces that would complement my outfit. ruffles play such an essential role in this season's vintage theme, and luckily, after more than six months, i have completed this scarf just in time.

cream, my favorite color, is both classic and versatile. the muted palette really gives an unspeakable warmness when worn with rich gold tones. 100% alpaca yarn is used for my ruffles and i just love the softness of this fiber. though blocking is probably not necessary but i steamed it lightly to smooth out the short rows and to open up the curling edges a little.

this was not the most interesting project, turning the scarf back and forth was time consuming and slow in progress. however, this was a perfect mindless project and quite forgiving when an error was made. i probably have done a couple short row turns incorrectly but as you can see, the scarf turned out just perfectly.

love the scarf. and i may start to accessorize more. ruby red earings, crystal drop pendants, here i come!

Posted by blossom at 06:47 PM | Comments (38)

in the world of knitting, nothing bothers me more than unfinished pieces of knitting laying casually in my room. it seems to be a self-inflicted bothering matter as the moment i start a new project, the new status of such project is immediately changed to knits in progress, thus, the longer i let the process go, the more annoying the project will become in my distorted mind.

as such, i tend to race a project to the end. and i must confess, sometimes i forget how wonderful the knitting process can actually confers. like this klaralund project, i have only one sleeve piece to go then i'll be finished. as i probably will not knit with silk garden in the immediate future, i should slow down and enjoy the progress. but i did not. i may later regret. i know i will.

the projects above are the only ones on the needles at whispering pine. it may not seem like much, but trust me, they are the stress of my life at this moment. i enjoy working on each of them. and they do provide pleasures in their own way. like this alpakka sweater, it forces me to think while i knit. i have now passed the armhole decreases and a few inches away from binding off which will become a finished back piece. i added some 70's inspired colors. i love it. it is sort of retro and crisp in its colors and defined lines. i can not tell you how the rest of the sweater is going to look like for i'm not sure myself. and i am most productive in this project when i'm inspired. can these sort of impromptu inspirations be short-lived? will i look at the sweater a few months later and be completely disgusted by the colors that mused me now? it will be a gamble, i'm sure.

the two little ongoing projects are probably too familiar to mention- the ruffles scarf and a pair of socks. this is probably the second time i had mentioned about the ruffles scarf on this blog, that gives you an idea of how much i valued this project. i started it in march this year, and had great intentions to make it an "on-the-go" project. but you see, i drive to work, i don't usually knit when i ride in a car and i don't carry projects to work on during my lunch hours. so, after a good half a year, this scarf is still short! i do want to finish it soon before the ruffles trend ends. i love the yarn, though. 100% peruvian alpaca, i bought them at ac moore with an affordable price!! they are soothing to my hands!

and the opal socks for my husband... it was meant to be the anniversary gift. sadly, it is not a complete pair!! there is not much i can elaborate on this generic looking green sock. but i will finish it soon!

Posted by blossom at 10:58 PM | Comments (12)

after finishing off some small projects and the cheesylove vest, i now have the time to focus on the new ones! though spring is coming and i need to start working on some lighter garments, i still would like to get these couple projects out of the way! the more i knit, the more i feel that i'm a "finisher", unfinished projects give me anxiety. too much yarn in my stash gives me anxiety, too. that is probably why my stash can still fit into one plastic tub.

these are the projects i'm (will be) working on:

i wanted to have this camisole the moment i saw it! i bought the oh so lovely "kidsilk haze" in trance and matching cotton DMC perle a while back for this camisole so i'm all set to go! the lace pattern is so delicate and beautiful, it'll be a challenge to work on, but i'm sure i'll enjoy it! these soft 100% alpaca yarn was purchased at "ac moore", i did not expect to find such soft and beautiful alpaca yarn from there, not to mention at that price range. so i immediately have this scarf in mind! this yarn knits up so beautifully, though the progress of this project is currently slow (due to the twist and short rows), but i think it'll be a great project for my upcoming travel to asia. i have made the hat using lion brand's "kool wool" in ivory and it looked fantastic! never thought i'd like anything lion brand. so i'm proceeding with the scarf using the same yarn. this project will also be on the plane with me. as for the cable sweater, i have yet to make one for myself, so i think i'll take on this one. this pattern is the most appealing one to me so far!

so next weekend, i'll be in asia knitting like mad while checking out all the LYS and buying pattern books!

Posted by blossom at 11:04 AM | Comments (0)