Finally, Malabrigo Rios!

Malabrigo has developed a new Superwash Merino yarn that is soft, beautiful, and heavenly to knit with. I have a problem giving gifts that cannot be machine washed, especially to new mothers. My fear, which I think is realistic, is that a beautiful baby blanket that has to be handled with special care, such as hand washing, will be gently folded and put away to save for another day. So when Malabrigo announced that they were developing a new Superwash version of their worsted yarn, I got on the bandwagon. My LYS finally got in a shipment and when my knitting buddy Karen called to tell me it was in, I literally got out of my sick bed to run in and get first pick. I chose two colors initially, Teal Feather, a luscious blue-green, and of course, Natural.

Little baby sacks have become popular with photographers and I believe they will make a handy and unusual gift for new moms. My first Rios project is the Owlie Sleep Sack. This pattern has a little matching hat which rounds out a gift. I haven't blocked the sleep sack and yet it still looks good. When I finish this one, I plan to make one out of the Rios in Natural to give to my daughter, a photographer, for her photo shoots of babies.

BABIES!!

I've never been a fast knitter, and since arthritis has set in, particularly in my right hand, knitting large baby projects has become a chore. Both of these were fun to knit, and were knit out of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran. At right is the Baby Chalice Blanket which I knit for Shawn's new granddaughter, Iris, and the circular blanket is the Pinwheel Baby Blanket I made for Adam's sister Lindsay's new baby. The ruffle on these nearly did me in! So I've been waiting for Malabrigo Rios to come out so that I can find a more manageable "go-to" baby pattern.

Summer Projects

This is the Helms Deep Shawl, designed by JoAnne Mottola. I absolutely loved knitting with Malabrigo worsted and Lettuce may be my favorite color. I enjoyed knitting this so much that I adapted it to make a scarf out of it. And of course I had to dig out the Malabrigo Silky Merino in Natural again. I have blocked the stole but not the scarf.

This is my second Forest Canopy and I made it as a wedding gift for my daughter. It's a good beginning lace project as it has only four repeats. It's knit out of Malabrigo Silky Merino, probably one of my top two or three favorite yarns. She has promised that I can borrow it to take it to my high school reunion in Estes Park next week.

Above left is a simple scarf, also knit out of Silky Merino, stolen from a shawl pattern, the Sunday Market Shawl, designed by Vanessa Carter. If I were to make it again, I'd make it a tad big wider. I gave it to my friend Carol, who has lung cancer and needs a light scarf to cover her mouth when she's around smoke or other unhealthy inhalents.

Summer Knitting

This summer was spent in bed recovering from my second foot surgery in 6 months, and planning my daughter's wedding. I should have been knitting like crazy but in fact I didn't accomplish much. I recently fell in love with Malabrigo yarn so I loaded up on it before the surgery and managed to make some scarves and shawls.

I can't start this blog without first sharing a picture I snapped of my daughter and her bridesmaids getting ready for the wedding.

Sarah is my biggest fan and asks (begs) me to give her everything I knit. I usually do.