Category Archives: Rings

Feb 13

Making of a Heirloom

So when Ryan gave me the amazingly beautiful Vintage Purls yarn as part of my engagement ring package, I knew instantly that something that special needed to be part of my wedding and as a shawl. Next started the search for the perfect shawl, first I checked Elann.com for something and found the luna moth shawl and moonlight sonata but neither were exactly what I was looking for. So my next stop ,should have really been my first stop, was to see Anne over at Knit Spot to have a peruse of her beautiful sexy patterns. Seriously if you thought knitting could never ever be sexy you should check out her patterns. I browsed and many MANY of her patterns spoke to me but none of them were saying wedding to me, tho they were throwing themselves at me they really have no shame. It was while at her site that I realized I wanted something that was vintage since my dress is going to be very Victorian inspired. It hit me suddenly like a ton of bricks exactly what I wanted it to look like I thought I had seen a pattern I like, months maybe years ago. I did and it was at Knitting-And.com(BTW congratulations to Sarah and her new baby son Charlie) it was this absolutely beautiful table cloth pattern from the 1940′s by Herbert Neilbing and updated and corrected by Sarah Bradberry who runs Knitting-And.

Wedding Shawl

This was perfect so I instantly set to working on it. The cast-on was really interesting and fiddly at first but I just kept trucking and soon found it had to transfer it over from 4 DPNs to 6 DPNs It was just going so fast… Well now I have just finished 52 out of 238 rows and I just can’t stop knitting the rows are now getting bigger and more complicated so I only get to knit on it a little here and there. On Average I get about 2-3 rows a session now. I know you want another picture so here is a close up of the texture, I really hope the rippling center blocks out.

Wedding Shawl Texture

Isn’t that just the most beautiful think you ave ever seen? I am absolutely in love with it and think it will make my wedding day just a touch more special wearing my handknit shawl made ith yarn my fianchad dyed to match my engagement ring. If that doesn’t signal a heirloom in the making I don’t know what does.

Dec 15

Finding the one.

I think that sometimes as knitters we tend to worry about the ones we love and our craft. Often it’s about the compatibility of the two. Sure your guys seems to not mind the knitting as of now, but he hasn’t lived with it you say. Will he mind the fact that I have knitting on the desk, next to the couch, on the bedside table, sometimes in the loo(very rarely usually it got left there on accident when I was tidying up)? How about the need to just pop into the LYS on the way home, or the oooooOOOOooo look a yarn shop on all of our vacations? What about the 4th jumper you have knit for that does fit right. The socks you have been “making” for him for 3 months now that were for his birthday 4 months ago.

We imagine our loving partners running away pulling out their hair in a fits due to the our habit. No matter how many times the show appreciation of our knitted gifts, or even the occasional fascination or even awe at what you were able to do with just sticks and string, we are still a touch skeptical. He’s okay now we say but soon he will wake up and realize he’s living with a deranged woman! So thus we are always looking for those little signs that he really truly gets you. Signs like “Honey I know tonight is our 1 year anniversary but it is also your knitting night and that is important to you so you go to that.” There is one sign though that is like  the bright northern star leading the lost home. When upon that big day the day that he asks you to be his wife and be with him for all of eternity he presents you with a gorgeous ring AND two skeins of sock yarn hand dyed to match your engagement ring.

Ryan Loves Brooklynne

Is that not the most beautiful yarn you have ever seen. It’s dyed by Morag from Vintage Purls in the exclusive colourway of “Ryan Loves Brooklynne”. I just about cried when he gave me this yarn it was such a sweet thing to do, and meant that he got me and understood me even more than the already perfect ring did. The best part is he solved a problem I was having without him even knowing it. I had been looking for the perfect sock weight yarn to make a lace shawl for the wedding and am so happy because this is even more perfect for that reason.

If that wasn’t enough to make you all jealous that I have Ryan and not you a couple days later he strolled home with this.

Anna Gratton South Pacific 100gm

I have a total of a 100g of that, which is Anna Gratton’s Pukera flock in South Pacific. It’s just sooo pretty I dug out my drop spindle and started spinning it almost instantly… I am hoping to have enough to make a hat when I’m done.

Knitting wise I have abandoned temporarily the around the world socks which I feel bad about but I’m really wanting to finish this asymmetrical jacket, which I have the back and the right front done , going to start the left front soon…

Nov 23

Subtle Beauty

Steam Punk Ring

A couple of months ago a random person added me to their twitter friends list and I was wary. Upon inspection I discovered with great joy that they were a jeweler specializing in Steampunk jewelry. I have since then I have checked her site weekly looking at her new items and drooling. I have commented on the beauty often to Ryan and mentioned how I would love an engagement ring from her, if she can do silver and sapphire that is. I would have said I dropped subtle hints but my hints were as subtle as a concrete baseball bat with 8 inch spikes on it two the head. Anyway recently I was on her site and saw the ring above that is just perfect in nearly every way possible. I’m not really the jewelry type of person but that ring just calls to me! Hopefully Ryan hears it’s pleas too!