I am an avid backpacker, hiker, kayaker, mt. biker, etc. I’ve done several multi-day trips, so I’m very good at packing very light. I’ve gone so far as to break the handle off my toothbrush. I’ve often gone several days without changing my socks because I didn’t want the weight of carrying extra pair, and I would certainly never bring a paperback to read–way too heavy.
Last week I went kayak camping in the San Juan Islands outside of Seattle, WA for four days. It was awesome. The weather was perfect, we kayaked about 60 miles, carrying all our food, water, lodging and entertainment with us. I’m working on Christmas gifts, so brought my knitting along and I finished the project.

I was so excited when I realized that I could easily bring my knitting with me. It was …

I’ve been traveling so much this summer that I’ve had time to knit a lot of lace. It’s funny how I knit, knit, knit, block, and then the shawl sits for so long before I photograph it. If I was a better photographer, I might get that done sooner.

I love the Myrtle Lace Shawl! It’s long enough that the rectangle wraps around well and doesn’t slide off too frequently. One of my main criteria for wearable shawls is that they stay on my shoulders with little to no adjusting during the day – I need my hands for other things.
I also love knitting with Shadow – for so many reasons. Here’s my staff pick review.
Pattern: Myrtle Leaf Shawl from Victorian Lace Today
Yarn: Shadow Merino Lace Yarn in Campfire, a discontinued color from my stash
Needles: US 3 Harmony Wood 24″ fixed circular
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All of us here at Knit Picks, including Sheldon, would like to wish you and yours a very happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day, mateys.

In honor of this auspicious holiday, we’re giving you a sneak peek at one of the new upcoming colorways of Imagination– Pirate King.

We hope you like it, it will be available in late February. If any of you land lubbers try to steal it before then, we’ll have to make you walk the plank!

Buccaneer Humboldt got in on the fun sporting a Kettle Dye eye patch and a stitch marker earring and protecting his booty of blueberry crumble bread.
How are you going to celebrate? Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum? …

Lately it seems like all I’ve knit are baby gifts. Since we launched Comfy this Spring I’ve made two baby sweaters from it, and while I’m sick of baby sweaters, I must say that I still love the yarn!
I knit this Pea Pod Baby Sweater (an Interweave Knits pattern) for a friend’s newborn baby boy in Comfy Honeydew. I couldn’t resist going with the light green of the original pattern. I love the little details of the pattern, like the leaf accents in the edge ribbing, though I suspect that the sleeves are too long for a baby. I started the pattern when I was home sick, which is never a good idea and resulted in several froggings until getting it right. I must say the Comfy held up like a champ.

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So, I am working through my lace yarn stash. I’m sorry I keep showing you all discontinued colors in my projects. About a year ago, when we put the discontinued lace yarn colors on sale, I bought a TON (while, not quite literally, but enough to keep me knitting for a long while, obviously). On the upside, this enabled us to bring in lots of new, delicious colors of lace yarn for your enjoyment!

I absolutely love the shape of the Curved Shawl from Victorian Lace Today. It’s the only shawl I’ve ever worn that actually stays in place during the day. I knew my hand-dyed yarn was a little busy for a lace pattern, so I decided to make a shawl in simple garter stitch, but with the curved shawl shaping. I’m going to use two hanks for the body of the shawl and …