waldorf mama

araucania bloom tunic...

this may be my most favorite bloom tunic that i've knit for maya yet! i adore the feel and squishiness of this gorgeous plied yarn (a nice variation from my usual single ply favorite), not to mention the amazing colorways...and the aran weight of it makes this tunic feel quite a bit more substantial, which is nice. maya also specifically requested that i make several eyelet rows for the bottom border. :) after my previous attempts at beginning this tunic, i'm pleased to finally have it completed now and ready for her to wear and enjoy these last few months of cooler weather!

pattern:  my personal hybrid version of tikki's bloom tunic and rainbow dress

my ravelry notes here:  scrappy araucania bloom tunic

yarn:  araucania toconao multy

knitting details this week...

this week i finished a thorpe earflap hat that i've been working on. maya is modeling it here but it is actually for wesley! as popular as this hat pattern is, it's hard for me to imagine that this is the first time i've knit it?? with simple and easy-to-follow instructions, this warm hat knits up quickly in a bulky gauge (i used malabrigo worsted held double - ravelry notes here)...

i'm also working on another colorful milo vest - again, using malabrigo worsted (ravelry notes here)...

and my yarn stash update for the week is some truly beautiful colorways of merino worsted single ply that i recently purchased from 100purewool.com:

in reign...

in praia...

in ajaniame...

in poison...

and in indajani...

what creative projects are YOU working on this week?

in my knitting basket...

i've got two knitting projects-in-progress to share today - one is brand new, and the other has been through...well, let's just say a few incarnations since it was first on my needles. i'm talking about the most recent bloom tunic for maya that i've been working on since october! i originally intended to make this for maya for her traditional handknitted martinmas gift (nov 11) but, unfortunately, that date came and went. i had also begun knitting the top portion of this tunic in a single colorway (a definite deviation for me)...but quickly decided that it was just a little too plain. so i frogged it back quite a ways and included the additon of a second color that second time around (and thought i might finish it by christmas?). some weeks later, i was still unsatisfied with the color combination so i decided to pull out all of the remaining various colorways i had in this araucania toconao worsted merino yarn (which, by the way, is a lovely squishy multi-ply 100% merino - love it!)...and reknit the tunic once again, from the beginning, this time using all of the colorways together, randomly, in my own signature scrappy style. now i'm wondering why in the world i didn't just start it like that?? i'm much happier with this final version and should be completing it in the next few days - just in time as a new year's mid-winter no-reason-in-particular gift? :) now it's just a matter of quickly deciding which border i want to use!

the second project i have to share today is a new simple ribbed scarf that i'm making for wesley, using some lovely sundara silky merino in the most beautiful shade of variegated green (his favorite color). yes, it's true, i have a couple of other scarves for him that have long been in progress in my never-ending knitting queue...but i just couldn't resist this gorgeous yarn that was begging to be made into a quick colorful scarf just for him!

and, at last, a yarn stash update! all new araucania toconao worsted merino colorways (see notes on said colorways mentioned above):

araucania toconao multy, color 410...

araucania toconao multy, color 421...

araucania toconao solid, color 514...

araucania toconao solid, color 506...

what's in your knitting basket this week?

handknit holidays :: bloom tunics

we enjoyed a lovely three day holiday weekend and spent some quiet time together at home doing the things we love. i hope you and your loved ones enjoyed the same!

here are the last of my holiday handknits - two bloom tunics! using a plethora of malabrigo worsted merino colorways and finishing both off with a feather and fan lace border...

pattern:  my usual hybrid version of tikki's bloom and rainbow dress

my ravelry notes here:  scrappy bloom tunics

some work-in-progress projects coming up tomorrow, and a long overdue yarn stash update!

this moment...

a single photo capturing a simple, special, extraordinary moment from the week. inspired by soulemama.

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this week, i am grateful for...

:: the swing bar papi put up years ago in our front yard tree!

:: joining back in again on 'this moment' fridays (oh, how i've missed them).

:: post-holiday simplicity.

in gratitude,

shelley

handknit holidays :: felted items

it was also fun making a couple of felted things during this recent gift-giving season...

pattern:  i just made this one up as i went along  :)

my ravelry notes:  felted case

pattern:  my own felted iphone purse

my ravelry notes:  felted purse

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the last installment of my handknit holidays posts will be coming up next week!

handknit holidays :: for dolls

what holiday would be complete without some special knitting for some very special dolls?

pattern:  tikki's dolly milo

my ravelry notes:  waldorf doll scrappy milo

waldorf doll:  uncommon grace

pattern: tikki's dolly bloom

my modifications and ravelry notes:  waldorf doll scrappy bloom

 waldorf doll:  orit dotan dolls

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more tomorrow!