shame, boatloads of shame

it is shameful and sad that the couch located just steps from this here chickadee computer portal was in desperate need of pillows for such a long time. the old ones were tattered and torn and truly unwelcoming. a rare free friday afternoon came along and it was time to take action!

dear couch, languish no more! you finally have new friends:

(this project has been in the making for quite a while and the fabric for it was purchased so long ago that i can't even recall the name of the collection. will research if anyone is interested. shame!)

look ma, matched corners!

a clean slate

here's to good old fashioned summer knitting! simplicity that allows the mind to unwind but still yields delightful results. with the heat bearing down on you and your needles, it is sometimes sublime to relax with stockinette stitch. those complex cables can come back in the fall.

the boneyard shawl from westknits was just the thing to weather the latest heat wave. it is a small, portable project that won't take up too much room in your tote. and its straightforward construction was easy to follow without getting lost. sections of stockinette are offset with a tidy purl ridge that keep things interesting without having to maintain strict attention.

another great part of the pattern is that almost any yarn will do. this one is made from the super squishy, soft and luxurious neighborhood fiber co. capitol luxury sock (merino/cashmere/nylon). you can easily customize the size of the shawl to fit your yarn or your pretty little neck. the chickadee version has nine purl ridges and is finished off with an inch and a half of garter stitch. that used up almost all 375 yards and made a cute little kerchief. it is the grooviest slate grey and goes well with most everything.

chickadee: 1 cute kerchief / heat wave: 101º

birthday bags!

fibre space turns one today!

pattern and pic from crazy dazy knits

congratulations to danielle and the gang

and high hopes for continued stitching success!

to celebrate, this chickadee is dropping off some more shop bags. (see pic below). and be sure to stop by space and take advantage of their super sale that lasts through the weekend.

attention dc area artists and crafters!

here's a copy and paste lifted (with permission, of course) from oh meaghan about a new local art/craft happening. arts on n will be held the first two weekends of august in dc's shaw neighborhood. it is hosted by area awesome beth baldwin of tigerflight.

contact beth at the email listed above for more info!

after midnight

some more fancy florals for fibre space

a summertime flourish

greetings friends and patient friendly readers! thanks for sticking around while this chickadee enjoys summertime a little bit too much. hope that you are all doing the same. with no shows on the horizon for the season, there isn't too much production in the sewing department. but there always seems to be something going on in the division of pointy sticks and yarn.

meet the newest addition to the incredibly huge chickadee collection of triangular shawls. she's a beauty! the pattern is flourish by rose beck (available on ravelry). it was a delightful knit and a well written pattern. those of you new to lace knitting and looking for a challenge, look no further!

the suggested yarn is worsted weight, which makes it easy (easier) to read your stitches and follow the pattern. this version made good use of some madelinetosh dk that had been lying sadly in the stash for a while. the colorway, vermilion, is even prettier in person.

as with most hand-dyed yarns, it is a good idea to alternate skeins while you are working because colors can vary quite a bit.

now off to knit more polygons...

on the blue ridge mountains / that's where i'll make my stand

in my mind i'm gone (back) to carolina