Hey Friends! I wanted to mention that I did a little "how to" over on YouTube.  If you are needing any assistance with striping your Friend to Friend, you can find the video here.

 Wow!  Meant to get over here and let you know about the fun Knit a-long we have going on.  It started on March 1 and ends on May 1.  But don't worry, it's already the 4th and I haven't even cast on!  

If you are interested we would love to have you join!  You can join the Dartmoor group on Ravelry or just use the #dartalongkal on Instagram.  We will find you!

It's gonna be fun!  And one of the best things... you will have a new sweater at the end of it!

You can't really tell from this photo, but this scarf is loooooonggggg. And super cozy and squishy and cool! While in Berlin in December Steve fell in love with a gorgeous scarf in the most beautiful yarn shop.

I love a quick and useful knit! Not to mention cute!

 Making a few of these to give to a few of my peeps. 

Spending the week out in Lake Tahoe and it's been very very relaxing! 

A Hot water bottle is one of those things that just adds a little something special to the day!  It is amazing how much it can warm you up and when kept in the bed all night (I scoot it away from us but keep it under the blankets) seems to keep the bed at a nice temperature during those freezing nights.  A true quiet luxury.  

It's my first sweater of the year and I am so happy it came at the coldest time of the year.  With snow on the ground it is Winter White at it's finest!

This was my Christmas cast on, however, I cast on December 26th.  Originally, I had other plans for this yarn but, wow, it decided to be HUGE so Plan B was made.  
 Since I had already made a Fancy out of Big Birdie, I knew it was the perfect combination of yarn and pattern.  Thanks to my friend, Margaret, I acquired a ball of MYPZ kidsilk Mohair to add a little bit of detail.  It's hard to tell from the photos, but it is a deep, rich plum and it is delicious!  

I added it to the inside of the neckline as well as the edge of the sleeve cuffs.  

 It's my husband's birthday this weekend so what's a girl make her guy?  A scarf and a hot water bottle cozy that's what!  HA.

Well, poor guy.  He will get the Warm Friend (pattern coming soon), but the scarf will be wrapped "as is" and finished as soon as, well, as soon as I finish it!

Steve chose the yarn for his scarf while we were traveling in Germany last month.  I know they sell this yummy Lang Cashmere here in the states but it was so much fun to have him pick it out and purchase it there.  It's like I am knitting the memories of our trip into the scarf.  I love having a memory of where I buy the yarn and the places I knit the project.  

I made Banana Bread last weekend and it has been a friend every morning this week with my coffee.  Coffee, yarn and banana bread, well it just seems to be the perfect combo.

I'll be baking a cake later today.  Birthday cake goes well with knitting, too!   

Happy weekend!

*****

What I'm watching:  Fool me once on Netflix.  

What I'm reading:  One Italian Summer.

I also filmed a few things. 

This. Now THIS is what I call a dreamy day.

I used to spend a lot of time baking cookies and trying new recipes.  I don't bake as much as I used to.  However, when I do, I get super excited to pair it with my yarn.  It's all just so delicious.  

 And what could be better than Big Birdie by The Lamb & Kid paired with the most amazing fall cookie.  They are called Acorn cookies but all I see is little knit caps.  Still.  Oh, and I don't make them Gluten free.  I used unbleached white flour.  

Well, the sea of Antique Flora's was all that and more.  For some reason it is just SO wonderful to twin with other knitters!  Gina did the most amazing job dying the yarn so that all the sweaters looked wonderful together!  It was raining on and off that Saturday... But that didn't stop us!

I do wish mine fit a little like the others.  Ha.  I guess I should have made the 37" instead of the 34"!
Can you stand the cuteness of these sweeties?!!!
Felted.  I mean!!!

This was during the CAKEpoloosa event.   That's gorgeous Gina loving the rain wearing a no frills in her yarn. (Ha!)  And that is marvelous Margaret from Boboleros sporting her Saturday Shrug in her yarn.  

 I finished it for Rhinebeck!  And wore it along with 4 other friends who wore one also!  All in different color ways.  It was a Sea of Antique Flora's.  More on that soon.

Pattern:  Antique Flora by Wool & Pine Designs

Yarn:  SkeinCocaine (Kits coming soon)

Needle:  US 4 cuffs, US 7 (color work)  US 6 body

The Rhinebeck sweater is important.  I learned this during my first trip to Rhinebeck when I failed to wear a knit.  WHAT?!!!  I've learned a lot since then!

This year, when I go, I will be wearing the Antique Flora by Wool & Pine.  The yarn is by Gina from SkeinCocaine and she will be wearing one also!  Along with a few others.  All in different colors with the body of the sweater in the same color.  I am super excited to see them all together.  
We were in Colorado last week (more on that later) and I spent some quality time outside knitting.  

This knit was finished back in June however, I just took photos of it last week! 

Why?  Well, there were several reasons.  First, I couldn't decide on the buttons.  And then, once I decided, I changed my mind and decided I didn't want buttons after all.  So, I sewed the buttonholes closed.  
Then, whenever I tried to wear it, it just wasn't right.  I couldn't find the right outfit.  This came mostly because although it is a mesh fabric, it still was a little too warm for a summer knit.  
And then the weather shifted.  And something magical happened.  The fabric became just right.  Just the right amount of warmth on those crisp days.  

 And now?  Now I think I might want buttons again.  Ha!  But since I have closed up the buttonholes, I may just sew some on for the days I want to wear it closed.  That way, when I want to wear it open I can just easily remove the buttons.  

This sweater has truly been my end of summer love. I just love a super wearable wardrobe essential! This truly checked all of my boxes.
I had some stash yarn I had in mind right from the start.  Yarn I ordered from Purl Soho last year during one of their summer sales.  Unfortunately, the yarn was being discontinued and was a close out sale.  Ugh.  

 Can you feel it?  The chilly mornings, the crispness in the air, the smell of the leaves?  It's coming.  And it is my favorite time of the year.  FALL!  I absolutely adore this time of year.  And the prospect of donning the hand knits once again.

SO, whenever I have a coffee and knitting date at my home I want to make my friends something yummy to go with the yarn and coffee. Actually, I love to have something special most weekends with my coffee! And Sundays are usually that day.

I woke up knowing exactly what I wanted to accompany yesterdays coffee + yarn session!

Have you made a Friend to Friend yet?

She is going to have to wait for her second one as my list is long.  I have a growing queue of these fun knits!

I have made 8 so far and now have 6 in the queue.  But they are so easy and fast that as soon as I cast off, I cast back on for a new one!  I actually finished one in Belini today (pictured in rear) and will be casting on for one in Magic Hour this evening!   It's one of those knits that can definitely be made in a weekend.  It's affordable and machine washable.  I throw it in the dryer, too!  Perfect for gift knitting!  

Okay. So this is one of those knits that will mostly be layered but it definatley can be worn on its own.

I absolutely adore the yarn I used and the color is the most delicious brown I have seen in a while.  I am totally crushing on browns at the moment and this was love at first sight.  

 I used one ball of the Trio yarn and the only reason that worked is because high rise jeans!  Otherwise this would be extremely short!  

I have been wanting to knit a Lento Sweater for quite a while.  And back in the winter/spring the amazing girls Amy and Rebecca were hosting a KAL.  I knew I wanted to jump in, however, i missed the mark by a couple of months!    

That certainly didn't stop me from stash diving and finding, what I believe,  the perfect yarn to use for this pattern.