For me, this is a busy year, and I'm not able to blog as much as I would like. I hope you have been having a fun, energizing and creative summer.
I thought I would share my latest knitting project. I have been knitting a shawl (stole) with 100% merino lace weight yarn. It is my first time knitting with lace weight yarn, and it took a while to get used to knitting such a fine, delicate yarn. I'm sharing photos of my work in progress today, though I have actually finished knitting the shawl and need to block it, and perhaps add fringe, tassels, or another trim to the ends of the shawl.
The yarn used is from www.KnitPicks.com. I purchased it a few years ago, and I'm finally using it to make a project! I purchased a different shawl pattern at the time and have misplaced it, so I decided to use a pattern I found in the May 2009 issue of Creative Knitting magazine. The pattern is called Zigzag Wrap, by Nazanin Fard. It is a beautiful design, with a repeating lace pattern across the shawl, with fringe trim. The pattern calls for DK weight yarn. It is also a beginning lace project, so you may want to give it a try. If you don't have the back issue of the magazine, I did a search on www.Ravelry.com, and found it is also published in: Creative Knitting Magazine Presents, Spring 2013: Easy Everyday Openwork & Lace by Kara Gott Warner, executive editor
If you click on the following link, it will take you to a page where you can purchase the publication:
anniescatalog.com
I ended up changing the pattern, by using lace weight yarn (I adjusted my stitch number a bit to get the correct number of stitches needed with the finer lace yarn). I decided to use the lace pattern on the side edges only. I had started knitting the pattern all throughout the shawl, but found I wasn't in the frame of mind to concentrate, and kept messing up my knitting. I often find myself changing the patterns I am using a bit to suit my own mood or style. This is a great way to get used to working with patterns and begin thinking about designing your own work from scratch. Just like taking a quilt pattern, picking out your own fabrics, colors, rearranging the layout and adding your own special touches to make the project your own. I may still go back and knit the pattern the way the designer intended, as it is a very pretty wrap pattern.
Speaking of patterns, I have just published a Free Downloadable Holiday Gift Tag Ornaments pattern on www.Patternspot.com and also available on www.Craftsy.com.
Here is a photo of the design:
The pattern can be downloaded for free at: https://patternspot.com/patterns/sewing-patterns/5301-holiday-gift-tag-ornaments-by-denise-a-buchwalter-losczyk-pdf
http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/paper-crafts/holiday-gift-tag-ornaments/158622?rceId=1440474339273~cyrytry3#
There is also a sale currently going on at www.patternspot.com, with 20% off Downloadable Beginner Sewing Projects, with code SCHOOL2015.
if you have been interested in purchasing my Yo-Yos Cubed Ornament and Pincushion Pattern, and would like a bit of a discount, the discount is available on my pattern, which can be found at Patternspot.com. Here is direct link to that pattern, as well: https://patternspot.com/patterns/holiday-seasonal-projects/4705-yo-yos-cubed-ornaments-and-pincushion
Hope you will give the free project a try, you can use the techniques to create the gift tags, and also create your own designs, or alter the design to personalize the Gift Tags for your own use.
Happy Creating! Enjoy this wonderful Summer season! The holidays are just around the corner....
Denise A. Buchwalter-Losczyk
