Eventhough I hate being late and I'm rarely tardy (unless intentional which happens when I'm in a slump), I seem to be on CPT time with announcing the winner of the Sisters of The Yarn GiveAway! So with no further ado. The winner is:
In continuing with Throwback Thursdays, peep the Aran Weight Lace Shell. This was my first lace project (I can be ambitious at times). Originally made for myself but better suited for my older sister so I gave it to her. The pattern is from Elann.com.
Time: March 2006 - April 2006
Yarn: Elann Endless Summer Connemara, Cashmere Blue, 7.5 balls (91yds each)
Needles/Hook: US 7
Kamika
Consider this to be a sort of "digging in the crates" installment. Every Thursday I plan to show a project that I completed prior to blogging from my early knit/crochet days. Forgive me if some of the info is incomplete. My goal back then was to get stuff done and move on to the next project rather than to savor the knitting moment and be thoughtful about fit.
The first FO is Mrs. Beeton's from Knitty Winter 2005 and Marigold from Marnie Maclean. I made them as a set for my friend Rae Ann as a Christmas gift. Here she is modeling the hat. Enjoy!
Time: December 2006 (1 day)
Yarn: Sirdar Denim Aran, Just 3 balls (259yds each)
Needles/Hook: 8 US
Modifications: Beaded with larger pearls and attached second color on the inside instead of outside.
Kamika
Look Mom. No mods! Presenting the Chrysanthemum Tea Shawl from the Amazing Crochet Lace book. A love gift for one of my church sisters (I'm not saying which and all you church readers better not say nothing!). This took only 4 days to work up but was a lot more intensive than the Blue Curaçao. I hope she enjoys it.
One suggestion. If I make another in the future I will make it with a solid color. Eventhough the variegated yarn looks good, I think the leaves would have stood out more on a solid color. The solid colors to me provide for a more satiny filet look.
Time: July 31st - August 5th (ran out of yarn)
Yarn: Paton's Grace in Tangelo, Just 5 balls (136yds each)
Needles/Hook: I/9
Kamika
I finished it and I love it! Of course modifications, de riguer of well-fitted knits, abound. Not too many though as Stefanie Japel seems to design dang near specifically for my body type. She's 6'0" tall and I'm 5"11" which means automatic long arms and legs and/or torso. Kismet that can only be found in the Knit/crochet fashion world.
I only made two changes. The first one was to create a side slit between the cabling to thread one of the ties through. This cut down on bulk and made the garment lay better. It also exposed the ribbing in the back rather than covering it up.
The second modification was to shorten the opposite tie by 24.5" or 7 pattern repeats. I didn't think it was necessary for both ties to wrap around my waist. The tie that is threaded wraps around my waist and meets the other at the front to give a smooth tie. Enjoy the pics!
Time: July 14th - July 26th
Yarn: RAM Angora (Mohair Laceweight), Just under 2 skeins (545yds each)
Needles: Size 11 US
You silly! I got my Ravelry invite a couple of days ago and I went immediately to the site to start uploading my info. I'm KinkyCoils over there as well. Feel free to add me as a friend/pal/homie, what'ev. I've been working on a couple of projects from the Fitted Knits book since my last post. I really like this book and plan to start another project from it soon. Here's an update:
Perfect Periwinkle Turtleneck Vest
Time: June 28th - July 10th.
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca, Just under 3 skeins (220yds each)
Needles: Size 6 & 7 US
Modifications: Omitted the turtleneck and half the back. Added straps. I had to rip the back one time because it was entirely too big for my back. I knit the back in the smallest size. It's still a little too big.
Airy Wrap-Around Lace Sweater
Time: July 14th - In Progress
Yarn: RAM Angora (Mohair Laceweight), Just under 2 skeins (545yds each)
Needles: Size 11 US
Modifications: Added side slit to thread ties through. This will cut down on the bulk and add extra shaping.I plan to block it out to smooth out the stitches and make the cables pop.
Time: Mid May 2007 - In Progress
Yarn: TSC Cotton Classic, 10 hanks
Needles: Size 6 US
Modifications: None
Kamika
I finished the Sambuca Jacket from the Amazing Crochet Lace book a couple of weeks ago as a gift for my mother for Mother's Day. My Mom has been my muse for a minute, not by choice, but because everytime I start to work on something she asks for it. This time she had seen a cardigan in Catherine's and asked me to make one for her. The ones in Catherines seemed cheapie and balloon like. I knew I could do one better. Once finished I had every intention of posting pics of it immediately but my memory card in the cammie became stricken again and I couldn't resuscitate it.
Anyhoo, I worked up the jacket with the Berocco Ultra Alpaca in the "Prune Mix" colorway. Some of you may remember it from here. I frogged that sweater and reused the yarn. No since in wasting good yarn on such an ill fitted garment. Besides, I'm not a Rockefeller and yarn AIN'T cheap. As usual I made my usual adjustments and cut the arms down to make them short sleeve. I also omitted the butterfly clasp because women with big tiggly biddys (read: breasts) shouldn't wear jackets/tops with single closures at the neck. It's obscene!
I really like the Amazing Crochet Lace book. I did notice though that the pattern did have a number of small errors in it. But once you learned the actual pattern repeat you really didn't need to look at the book again save for increasing points. I also didn't like that the charts on this pattern were blurry, small, and not complete. This of course will not hinder me from doing other garments out of the book.
Enjoy the pics and let me know what you think!
Kamika
I've had the book "The Five Love Languages for Singles" by Gary Chapman on my nightstand for over a year now. I bought it last year because I had heard how great his books were and the idea of Love Languages really intrigued me. Sad to say I still have not read the book but it has been in my knitting bag for a week now pushing it to the front of my reads behind the Bible.
Earlier last week I had come across a show on OnDemand entitled "Everyday Woman." This is a Christian show fashioned like the View where 4 women of different generations and backgrounds discuss the issues of the day but from a Christian perspective. At first it seemed a little sappy but I liked it. On this particular show Gary Chapman was the guest and what he said about the Love Languages really touched my heart.
Gary says that every one has a primary love language and possibly 2 to 3 secondary love languages from which they operate in order to give love and feel the most loved. The five languages are:
I plan to touch on all of these in the future as I read the book but today I wanted to touch on my primary love language and that is the language of Giving.
A gift is a tangible object that says, "I was thinking about you. I
wanted you to have this. I love you."...Anthropologists have never
discovered a culture whre gift giving is not an expression of love. Giving
gifts is one of the fundamental universal languages of love...The important
thing is not the gift but the emotional love that was communicated by the
gift. The right gift is any token, big or small, which speaks the
emotional love.The Greek word from which we get our English word gift is charis, which means "grace," or an undeserved gift...A gift is given without strings attached or it ceases to be a gift...It is no longer a gift when you use it to soothe a wrong commited.
I love to give gifts! Those who know me IR would probably say this goes without saying. I love giving presents, time and my service. I love it when others recognize that I have taken the time to learn something that is dear to their heart and they benefit from it. I like to see the look of "I'm loved" on their faces.
When someone is a gifter, then they also love to receive gifts. Loving to receive gifts is totally different than expecting something in return for a gift given. When I give gifts I don't expect anything in return. I could care less if someone bought me anything. I often cringe when people feel the need to return a present given with a present. I don't feel that that is thanks but that that person doesn't want to owe me anything. Moreso guilt. A thank you card or a sincere thank you spoken would suffice. I want to see your eyes sparkle.
For a gifter to truly feel love you must give them gifts. It doesn't have to be anything big. Just something that lets them know you were thinking about them, that they were not forgotten, and that you are concerned about them and their life. A card, a handmade item, a pretty bookmark, etc. I don't care how rich a person is. No one ever has everything they could possibly want. If he/she is having financial trouble, offering to pay a bill, pay for lunch, take them out for a fun evening, or giving them a cash love gift goes a long way. Make it sincere! Gift givers have such a hard time when they don't have the means to give gifts like they would like.
I was so blessed this week. I got an opportunity to give gifts and I 
received a couple of great gifts. I give much love to my church family. Especially to my Pastor who always gives from the depths of her heart. Thanks to Dee Dee who gave me this great bag of makeup. I love makeup and it was so sweet. I got many of the colors I had been wanting. I can't wait to try the creme blush.
Now look at what the Lord has done! It is the 
Curacao Shawl from the Amazing Crochet Lace book. I'm excited that I get the opportunity to present this love gift to my church sister Jacqueline tonight. I hope she loves it. Would you believe it only took me 12 hours to make. I'm ecstatic!
Kamika
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