Needlework Tuesday - It's too Gorgeous outside to Stitch

Needlework Tuesday is open to all readers looking for inspiration, encouragement or who want to share their recent needlework project. Introduce yourself in the comments and be sure to leave a link to your current post. Feel free to grab the cute little mouse for your post.


It has been absolutely too gorgeous here to want to stay inside and stitch.  Our temps have been hovering in the mid 20s (Celsius) when they are usually right around freezing.  To say the least, I am in weather shock.

Contest Alert

I am currently hosting a contest to win a postcard from the Art of Pixar Post Card Collection.  Follow this link to my earlier post to find out how to enter.

I suspect that none of my regular readers will be surprised to hear I have started a new project.  I seem to excel at starting, have to work on that finishing.  I am using a pattern named Amalia.  It is one of those narrow shawls, also I have heard them referred to as Shoulder Shawls. This gorgeous shawl was designed by Katherine Matthews of Purl Diving.  Click on the pattern name to be taken to her site.  It is knit in Koigu KPM.  This pattern is for more experienced knitters.  I had to rip out several rows before I got the hang of what was happening.  To be truthful, I still don't know what is happening, I am blindly doing exactly what the instructions tell me. 
This is unusual for me, as I can usually visualize the whole pattern in my mind and can work intuitively not.  Not this one.  I haven't stitched much lace work, and thus am unfamiliar with the techniques of getting that airy open look.

 I have completed four repeats and have 23 more to go.  After the edging is complete, then I have to pick up a huge number of stitches to knit the body.

At one of my online guilds, I came across a link for a neat technique.  It uses all those left over bits from jelly rolls and other 2 1/2 inch wind scraps.  The Q and the U - Quilting Blog has posted a tutorial for a Scrapbuster Random Railfence Block Tutorial.  Of course I had to put everything else aside and make one up.  Only thing I did different was to cut my pieced strips to 12 1/2 inches and my block turned out 12 1/2 inches including seam allowances.  I do have plans to stitch more of these.

Did you learn a new technique this week.  Leave me a comment, I'd love to try something new see what you are up to.

I was visiting at Hills Creek Quilter this morning, and Anya has posted a wonderful video of the first Quilt Bombing in America.  You must check this inspirational and totally fun video.