Life LackaDaisiCal

The Life LDC Kaffe Klatch has been busy! Clue 4 Turquoise! While Ann started late..... She is keeping up by always doing the new "Clue" and going back to catch up on previous ones! Ann tells me that her two daughters are already claiming the Kaffe Afghan.... looks like she might have to make another one! I am LOVING the Red colour way! Looks like I need to do a "Whole Lotta Blockin'" ha ha ha Darlene (Pastel) is enjoying.. just a quiet evening at home - knitting!  I am loving this Pastel colour way! Ros' Brown colour way is beautiful! This would have been my "other" choice ..... Ros tells me she isn't quite sure about this colour way :) I think these "Brown" squares are quite original  in colour combinations - don't you?    With Clue 5 being released on Wednesday....we will have reached the half way point for this KAL! It is NEVER too late to start!   Want to "Katch Up" on ...

My last blog post about the Rowan Ambassador visit to the Mill is delayed, due to my need to CELEBRATE the completion of my  +RowanYarns   Pure Wool Worsted Mystery Afghan! Pictures are worth a thousand words right? even in Summer, mornings are cool on the deck and a lovely afghan comes in handy Lackie loves mornings on the deck it didn't take him long to join me! breakfast, and a bit of reading! after breakfast, "The Afghan" decided to check out the yarn...er YARD! I love the way this all went together - look at that beautiful seam! and the cable trim - gorgeous! I was away for two weeks...and since I have been home, I haven't spent any time weeding...  I've been too busy knitting....no, hubby was ill while I was away (he missed me) and needed a bit of TLC when I got home! He is much better now thanks! so please excuse the "au naturel" state of my yard! We had these railings installed last year.... I told t...

It's coming up to Week 7 of the +RowanYarns  Pure Wool Worsted Mystery Afghan KAL.  Whew, that is a long title!  So far we have had six patterns, knit each one six times....that's 36 blocks so far! How are you doing?  There are only two more weekly pattern releases to go, that's 12 more knitted blocks before you will be able to get on with the finishing! You've probably heard the term....Hitting the Wall.  It is when runners feel like they have no energy left and can't take another step. Do you ever feel like that with your knitting? That gorgeous pattern, the perfect yarn....but you hit the wall, you lose interest, you feel like you just can't knit another stitch. By week 7 of the KAL you might feel like you have hit the wall, but the finish line is in sight! Just two more weeks of block knitting, then it will be time for sewing it up and then comes the edging!  (This may prove to be another "wall" for some of us, grinning here! ) Runners ha...

I can hear you now...oh no! She's on about GAUGE again! Yes, there has been quite a lot of discussion on the Mystery Afghan Threads on Ravelry about gauge...do I have to get gauge...does it matter? Weeks 1 and 2, my "off the needles" squares were wider than 8" and shorter than 8"....but with a wash and a block, they happily stretched up, and therefore in...to make the required 8" square (or 40 cm). Week 3 threw me for a loop! Using my 4.5mm needles (as per Week 1 and 2) I cast on and finished a block in Apple!  It came out absolutely  square...and seemed to me to be somehow "large". So, being the intrepid knitter that I am, I immediately worked another square in Buttercup with 4mm needles...some somehow it seemed to be "small" Both came out totally square! Shown here on my blocking mat which is marked in 1" increments - the Apple block is 8" square right off of the needles! the Buttercup square is 7" squa...

How do you finish your Rowan Mystery Afghan squares? I wash them first....in a good fibre wash, like Eucalan or Soak Rowan Pure Wool Worsted is Superwash - it will grow a lot and lose body when it is wet.... but never fear...get rid of the excess moisture (use a towel or spin them in your washing machine) let them air dry, don't stretch them out....just leave them to dry!   Then put those squares in the dryer (on low, for 5-10 minutes)! (Yes, I know the label says not to use a dryer.....so this is my opinion only.... please no complains if your dryer is too hot...you know your dryer right?) So my way is not the Official way, but it works for me! My squares didn't bleed much dye, but there have been reports from knitters using really dark shades that their squares bled.  If you are using high contrast shades, I would recommend washing and drying the shades separately, to avoid dye transfer. When they come out of the dryer, they will be nic...

Let the knitting commence! The hardest part about any colourful project...is deciding on what shades to use. With the choice of 50 shades in the Rowan Pure Wool Worsted line, there are enough shades to make it interesting, but not difficult.... because they all are lovely... I love the shades of Autumn, so it wasn't hard for me to choose 5.... I loved the idea of the original 16 shades + border shade  (thinking it was obviously going to be a multi-hued extravaganza....) but my inner reserved self came out at the last moment to pick shades that were strictly my style... laughing....one of these days I really must just let go!!! I am actually using all 5 shades in the body of the afghan.... and will decide on the border once I see how that all works... see...I just can't leave anything alone! Inspired by my favourite Scottish woollen blanket, I decided to mimic tartan in the layout of my afghan squares.... A little bit of p...

RowanYarns  has uploaded  Intro - Pure Wool Worsted Mystery Afghan Knit-a-long with Martin Storey Intro - Pure Wool Worsted Mystery Afghan Knit-a-long with Martin St... RowanYarns We're excited to launch the first video from Martin Storey for the Pure Wool Worsted Mystery Afghan Knit-a-long. Here Martin explains the concept behind the first ever, global Rowan knit-a-long. He discussed the techniques used, and support you'll get during this 10 week extravaganza. Get your needles ready, and Pure Wool Worsted purchased and come and join the fun. For more information, shopping list and to join: Knitrowan -  http://www.knitrowan.com/ Ravelry -  www.ravelry.com/discuss/rowan-yarns/2893168 Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rowan-Yarns/114826272423?ref=hl I've got my yarn!  Have you?   +RowanYarns  #RowanYarns #RowanPWWKAL #RowanAmbassador #PureWoolWorsted

For those of you not on Facebook....here is what Rowan posted on Friday....cut and pasted right here for you! Pure Wool Worsted Mystery Afghan Knit-a-long Updated  on Friday Here at the mill, our fingers are positively twitching in anticipation for the launch of our first ever global knit-a-long! With only a few weeks left until we will release the first of the patterns, we’re now able to share with you a few more details about the project: You already know that we’ll be knitting with the glorious Pure Wool Worsted. Made from 100% wool, this superwash yarn is available in 50 – yes 50! – colours, meaning that we’re thoroughly spoilt for choice. Martin Storey has designed the Afghan with 17 of these colours – although for those of us who may prefer something more tonal, we have also suggested a 9, 5 and 2 tone version. With this flexibility of colour way, you can create a stunning, yet personalised, piece – which, with the yarn’s easy care properties, could form an heirloo...