WIP: DNA Scarf

Well I’ve finally started a DNA Scarf for my dad. I mentioned back in the fall that I thought he’d love it. After that post my dad said that he’s worked with Dr. Thomas Montville, the original commissioner of this pattern. So even better.

My dad picked the redwood mix colorway of Berroco Ultra Alpaca and I’m knitting the scarf on size six needles.

I’ve worked on this two nights and I’ve finished one repeat of the pattern.  I had to rewrite the directions a bit so it would be easier for me to follow but I’m finding a groove. The twenty stitches of the DNA cables in the center are made over about 36 rows.  Each row is different so I’ll really being paying attention to this one.

So far so good!

More Noro

Previously, I posted about my Noro Striped Scarves and how much I really like using Noro. On the scarves, the color changes are interesting and appear even more gradual because of the alternating yarns.

I used Noro Kureyon to make my mom a Star Crossed Slouchy Beret.

The Kureyon blocked so nicely and the hat grew a lot and softened quite a bit.  I like how you can see the color changes more clearly when you knit with just the one skein.

When I decided that I wanted a bulky ear flap hat, I went into Knitting to Know Ewe in Penns Park, PA and asked what they recommended. The woman working there was so helpful and she introduced me to Noro Transitions. At the store, she told me it was discontinued so I don’t mean if that meant the colors they had or the entire line.

I ended up making short & sweet with my yarn. What’s so cool about transitions is not just the color changes but the different kinds of fiber that make up the skein. And, instead of being a blend, the actual fiber changes as you knit also. It’s a super bulky weight of wool, silk, alpaca, angora and cashmere.

That hat is so warm and so soft around the brim. I really love wearing it.

Finished: Sun Kissed Neckwarmer

Last week I finished a Sun Kissed Neckwarmer.  It was a quick and easy knit and only used one skein of Misti Alpaca Hand Paint Super Chunky.

I blocked it last week and it took forever. But it got even softer!

This neck warmer is so warm and cozy.

The best part is it can be worn different ways.  Here it is buttoned straight on across the bottom.

Or on an angle.

Alpaca from Western PA

This winter I found myself with some free time in Bedford, PA. Previously, all I knew of Bedford was that they had a Sheetz conveniently located at the place where the PA Turnpike and I-99 met.

I found my way to downtown Bedford and discovered it’s not just a stop along the highway but a really quaint colonial town with tons of beautiful houses and great little downtown area.  (A few weekends later I revisited Bedford, this time with friends and we had a great time at the Omni Bedford Springs.)

I took a walk around town, stopping in a coffee shop, an antique mall, and an alpaca store?

Backstage Alpaca Shop sells a variety of goods made from alpaca. Near the back of the store, I discovered beautiful yarn made by 84 Alpacas Fiber Mill.

It’s so beautiful and soft. The only problem is that I don’t know the yardage (I guess I’ll figure that out for sure when I wind it but the lady at the store guessed it was about 200 yards) and I don’t know the weight. I can try to figure out the wraps per inch to be sure. I even emailed someone at the mill with a picture but I never heard back.

Either way, I love having this yarn in my stash and can’t wait to use it. All mystery aside, I think I’ll be able to use it to make sev[en]circle or another pattern that seems to work in a variety of yarns.

New Yarn!

I haven’t bought any yarn since May when I got the yarn for my Sunday Market Shawl while I was in Vermont.

I have been coveting Misti Alpaca Hand Paint Super Chunky since I saw it in yarn store in North Carolina. It feels great and the colors are so vibrant. But I didn’t need it and with 55 yards in a skein, I knew I’d want to get two to make sure that I wasn’t limited in my pattern choices.

Then I saw it on sale on WEBS so I had to get it.  And it arrived last Thursday. In the rush of the weekend, I actually held off on opening it until Friday night! That’s restraint.

It’s soft and beautiful and I can’t wait to find a pattern for it. This color is called Red Rover.

And since I was already paying for shipping, I got another skein of Ella Rae Lace Merino because it was also on sale and I can’t wait to knit my other skein, so I figured I’d be just as excited for this one in orange, yellow and denim!