Our Winter weather is especially mild this year.  I find it a stretch to wear wool hats and hand mitts outside.  They just have not been necessary.  Inside, I still wear my handknit socks (tho I have grown weary of these old friends, I’m afraid — and have been stocking up on sock yarn shamelessly!).  And shawls too, but no wool sweaters since December.  

I always say, though, that our Springs are colder than our Winters — at least they feel that way with the chilling wet winds.  So I have not given up hope on wearing my woolies 🙂

I have finished George’s “Pemberton Pullover” (designed by Bobbi Intweld) and knit in Blue Sky Fibers “Woolstok Worsted.”  He has worn it several times (okay, almost daily!) since it was done 🙂  He and I are both pleased with the fit and the way the yarn shows the stitching,  I chose this light gray (“Gravel Road’) because I felt it would look good as a Spring sweater (remember those chilling wet winds) and also as a beach sweater year-round.  And he doesn’t have a sweater that color.

Red Alder Fiber Arts Retreat is coming up mid-February!  And a couple of weeks ago, I decided to dig around among my “In Process Projects” to see if there was anything stunning I could complete to wear there.  Lo and Behold, there was the “Painting Triangles Shawl” (designed by Stephen West).  I had gone with a vibrant stained glass look — the colored yarns all have Stellino for sparkle!  

The colored yarns are from Anzula and Schmutzerella Yarns.  The black is from Mood Yarns.  

This shawl is so fun to knit!  Slip stitch techniques mean working with only one strand of yarn at a time and there is a nice balance of pattering rows and simple knit or purl rows.  Having started with the tiny point, I increase a single stitch on one side every 4 rows — making the shawl a triangle shape.  And really, I can making to whatever length I choose.  So I have high hopes of getting it done for Red Alder.

And though I am truly focused on Winter, there is an enchanting little shawl in the most exquisite shade of rose…they are squeaking to me of Spring!