{this moment}

Helping Mom make mash blackberries for Jam.

{this moment} - A Friday ritual inspired by SouleMama. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Be well. Create. Inspire.



WIP-Wednesday-Today

So, by now you have seen the new blog layouts for Fridays {this moment}, Monday- RainMomma days, and Wednesdays are now WIP-Wednesdays.  It was a late night last night.  So, here it is. 

This is a crochet project for a Summer Sorbet Bolero.  My recent crochet student approached me with this pattern. So, I am creating it in an effort to help walk her through the pattern.  I am all caught up with her now so we can have a little crochet along.  I am making it in the small/medium size.  It has a solid back, some open work along the outer circumference, with a floral detail as well.  I'll try and remember to post the finished product. 

Be well. Create. Inspire.

Frost Flowers

*Starting today.  Each Monday will be a post about most anything RainMomma related.  This could be a pattern (like today), a recipe or just a little bit about life.

So, when my LYS (local yarn store) was bringing in a new yarn I knew that I wanted to help them out with a sample.  The yarn is Acadia from The Fibre Co. and the pattern is Avery Cowl by Kate Gagnon Osborn.  What I loved about the yarn was the colors. All very earth-toned.  The one I chose to use is called wild onion.  The main portion of the yarn is definitely the color of an onion skin. But, every so often there will be a slub of bright purple.  The combination is so lovely and the yarn was a pure joy to work with.  Now, on to the pattern.

The pattern is a cowl, so worked in the round.  This was my first introduction to a particular lace chart called frost flowers.  Little did I know this pattern exist for ALL sorts of items.  If you go to the Quince & Co. blog you will see it made into a blanket, a sweater and a scarf. I think what was most difficult for me was the transition of working the pattern in the round.  This could have been solved several ways, I think.  It could have had some kind of divider like a ribbed row or notated differently on the pattern and perhaps changing where the marker placement was at those transitions.  Either way, I mustered my way through the pattern.  It took a little longer than I had hoped but it turned out lovely nonetheless.  And, yet another moment to grow and learn while knitting.

Be well. Create. Inspire.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual inspired by SouleMama. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

 This will be a new feature that will appear each Friday. Keep watching to see the other new blog features that will appear each Monday and Wednesday's too! 

Rose Olatz

 So, the request was for a shawl that she could wrap around and get warm with. Anything for mom, right?  Her previous shawl was the Summer Flies shawl. It turned out rather lovely in purple, but a little on the small side.  So, off to Happy Knits to find the perfect yarn.  She has good taste.  She picked Aslan Trends Royal Alpaca.  This yarn was an absolute dream to work with.  I was one of the nicer plied yarns I have tried. Here is what Aslan Trends says about the royal alpaca: Royal Alpaca is a rare and unique fiber, only 1% of all alpaca fiber production in the world can be classified as royal. At 19.0 to 19.5 microns is with no doubt the king of alpaca fiber.  Super soft, lighter and warmer than cashmere.  She even picked the color- bright pink.  So many people asked what I was making with the super soft, pepto pink yarn.  The answer was always easy- something for mom.  Needless to say, she loves her new shawl.   I gave it to her for her birthday/mother's day.   It is just as warm as Aslan describes.  I now need to find something to make for myself out of it.  I was very moderately priced and has great yardage at 220yds.  Keep watching.  I am certain whatever it is will land on these pages.

Be well. Create. Inspire.

French Press Cowl

I love finding community in the knitting world.  It is so nice to be able to bounce pattern ideas around, exchange yarn reviews, and find other people who can be in your presence without words and knit alongside you.   With the French Press Cowl it is the story of pattern testing.  Larissa Brown of the blog Stitch Marker .  Larissa put out a request for someone to test her new cowl pattern.  Okie doke!  Cowl's are pretty quick knits.  And this one was no different.  It is a lovely and simple lace pattern with a different kind of rib pattern.  I think the ribbing is what makes it interesting.  The simple lace pattern is a series of eyelets that are stacked on top of each other.  The idea is that when finished one will weave something through those holes.  I thought about getting really wild and crazy, but you know that isn't my style.  So, I went with ribbon.  I still considered the idea of buttons or beads, but ribbon was the clear winner.  One of my coworkers loved the cowl so it has found a new home with her.  But, I think I may have to make another.

Up Next: Rose Olatz

Be well. Create. Inspire.

Quince & Co.

First off, I love the entire aesthetic of Quince & Co. yarns.  You can find them here.  I had been interestdin trying out their line for sometime.  So, I ordered on skein of Puffin, a lovely bulky weight wool and Osprey in the goldfinch colorway.  Goldfinch of course being a lovely yellow for Ms. C. 

**Above is the Crow pattern made with the Puffin in the Lichen colorway.  Crow is a wonderful quick knit cowl pattern from Larissa Brown.  You can find out more about her here.  She is also having a special on her patterns in order to help her sister with adoption fees.  To see her patterns and here more about how you can donate visit this blog entry.**

Not only do I enjoy their yarn but they have some truly lovely patterns as well.  Claire and I did some looking around and she really like the Camilla sweater.  One of the other treats I ordered was there color card.  I may have to get more of these from companies, they are very handy.  Claire enjoyed being able to pick out the color she wants.  So it will be in yellow of course. The color way is Carrie's yellow and the yarn it suggests is Lark.  Her next sweater is a little down on the queue, but when it is done you will see it here.  For her current Goldfinch yellow yarn I am going to make her a hat, beret I think.

Quince & Co. and I are off to a great start.  Their yarns, just as great as I expected them to be.  I truly recommend sending off for some, the hardest part will be deciding what awesome color to go with.

Next up: French Press Cowl Test

Be well. Create. Inspire.