Forests of Fall Smoke Ring

Now, this project was fun to knit.... I decided on a smoke ring, wimple, or cowl, if you will. I used a lovely yarn from Biscotte & Cie in the Boreal Forest colorway. I've been having fun using up my stash by the way, it's so much fun to just shop for yarn in your own house!

First August project completion is my Forest of Fall Smoke Ring and I am so pleased with it.

This pattern is the Wavy Feathers Wimple pattern, and it is such a lovely knit. It knits up quickly, is easy to remember, and is nearly mindless knitting with enough variety to quell boredom.

It is so soft and squishy... I think I'm officially becoming addicted to cowls. Now I want to have many so I can throw them on whenever I like. It's really the kind of thing I can wear all day long and it doesn't get in the way - which is a plus with five kids and always having full hands - but it's snuggly and warm, but not too hot even with temps in the 60's. This is knit from a 80% superwash wool with 20% nylon.

This last picture is taken before I blocked it, and really it's quite fine without blocking. The blocking pulls out the pattern of course, and gives it some extra size, but it's very stretchy and I imagine that I can just machine wash it and dry, then take out when it's a little damp and sort of shape it for a quick dry. 

The Elvish Cami Project

During July I ended up working on the Inamorata Camisole. I began it three times, with the third time seeming to be the one that was charmed. I'm not sure why, but although I got gauge with a #6 needle when I tested it, I had to go way down and use a #2 and #4 when I was knitting it. This is why I ended up re-starting it because the first time I knit it, it was about 6 inches too large.

I used my 'Prince of the Wood Elves' colorway (this is a colorway that's named after Legolas from Lord of the Rings) and thus began my Elvish Cami. I held it double during the entire project and it created a very nice, and dense fabric. It's quite cool and comfortable to wear as well. So after all of my work, I needed to find the perfect buttons. A local Portland clay artisan was the answer. BeadFreaky makes these lovely clay buttons, beads and pendants. I absolutely love the tree buttons with the yarn, all coming together to make my Elvish Cami be what I pictured in my mind.

The best part is that the yarn is a superwash and I decided to try washing it inside a pillowcase the other day. I also tossed said pillowcase into the dryer on medium and then pulled it out after a regular cycle and hung it up to finish up drying since it was just the slightest bit damp. It looked just as fabulous as when I'd soaked it by hand and blocked it! I have to love that "wash and wear" aspect. Superwash yarns are beginning to really get on my good side, I'm telling you...