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Retirement Ripple

I've started another ripple for a friend who's retiring, well technically her retirement has not been made official yet, but I can't wait til the last minute. I rarely make things for people I know. Not that I don't like them but it becomes challenging to explain why I made something for person A but not for person B. So I typically limit gifts for people I know to babies and weddings. Most of what I craft is donated to charity.

This afghan for Doris' retirement will be an exception. When I met her she was already married with children. And I've known her for almost 20 years. So I figure she's worth it. I asked her if she might be retiring and I might decide to make her an afghan, what color might she want it to be. She said green and cream.

I chose Caron Simply Soft because I believe she will be heading to a warmer climate and I wanted to make it easy care. She might want to use it outside on the porch or as a picnic blanket. Handwash would be a pain and she might not use it as much.

It's the Shades of Coral Ripple from the 200 ripple stitch patterns book by Jan Eaton. I'm using an 8 row pattern repeat of 2 rows Dark Sage, 1 row Sage, 2 rows Off White, 1 row Sage, and 2 rows Dark Sage. So far only 1 repeat is done.

Nautie

I finally decided to try and make myself a Nautiloid. It's one of the cool patterns from Knitty.com. The pattern looks easy right, just stockinette stitch done in the round on dpns. No big deal, right? Wrong!!!!

Actually most of it is really easy so far. The problem I have is the part where you coil the shell and connect it. You just pick up a stitch and knit it and the one next to it together, just a k2tog. Maybe it's me, but I find it to be rally awkward. The shell's getting in my way. But Nautie is worth it.

I'm making really good progress and hope to have him finished soon. And the one awkward stitch is only 1 stitch every 4 rows. I can handle that.

The color's not showing up quite true. This is the Caron Simply Soft Brite in Grape that I had left over from my Ripple Afghan. Nautie's head will be done in the Lemonade shade.

Feather and Fan Scarf

My scarf for the International Scarf Exchange is coming along nicely. It's grown a bit more since the picture was taken and is around 36" long. I plan to make it around 60" long unblocked figuring it will grow once it's blocked.

Dulaan 10,000 or Bust

This month I mailed off 12 hats, 1 pair of baby booties, and 1 pair of thrummed mittens to the Dulaan project.

Ripple is done... well almost

I have almost completed my Ripple Afghan as part of The No-End-In-Sight Ripple-along. The ends still need to be woven in. In my push to finish it over the weekend I overdid it. Now my hands are achy, my knuckles swollen, my tendonitis acting up, and the circulation not too good. I'll rest them for a few days and they'll recover.

Here are the stats...

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Brites in Lemonade, Limelight, Blue Mint, Berry Blue, Grape, Watermelon, Papaya, and Mango. Just a smidge more than 1 skein of each color.

Hook: Size H real cool wooden hook, Ebony or Rosewood

Size: 48" wide and 63" high

Pattern: Malibu Ripple from 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns

Color Sequence: designed by my friend Dianna. All eight colors in sequence for a total of four repeats.