Jan 16, 2013

Winning Wednesdays

I'm joining in Ginny's Yarn Along this week.

Sometimes you start a project with one idea in mind and then someone introduces a twist and you go in a completely different direction.  This happened with my beekeeper's quilt after I read Jen's lovely post about the sky scarf. You might remember that I began knitting my hexipuffs in a purple/red self-striping sock yarn, but I'm not thrilled with the thinness of the yarn for this project, and I couldn't stop thinking about Jen's sky scarf.  Then a lightbulb went on over my head.  


I should knit a sky-color inspired beekeeper's quilt! I clicked on my Ravelry stash page, searched by color (I didn't even know I could do that!), and voila, I discovered that I have a fair number of yarns in the blue family.  Not only that, these yarns are dk and worsted weight which I prefer for the quilt. The purple/red hexipuffs will be put away for now (perhaps I'll use these towards a hexipuff pillow one day), and my Long Journey quilt will now be nick-named Skyfall. 

What I'm reading:  I'm sad to say that I just finished Luisa Weiss' food memoir, My Berlin Kitchen: A Love Story (with Recipes). Sad because I really didn't want it to end.  The writer of The Wednesday Chef blog, Weiss has a beautiful writing style that draws her reader in. Throughout her telling of heartache, homesickness, love, and joy, Weiss shares recipes that are irresistible.  I'm not sure which one I want to try first:  the silky buttermilk panna cotta, the oh-so-pretty poppy seed whirligig buns, or the savory meatballs in chipotle sauce. This is another must-read for any of you, even if you're not a huge reader of food memoirs ... My Berlin Kitchen will take you around the world.


And now, I'm happy to announce the winner of last week's Winning Wednesday giveaway:  
Tracey!  

Thanks to all who commented.  This week, I'm offering one skein of S. Charles' Diamante in a lovely smokey grey.  At 104 yards, this skein can easily be knit up into a sweet beanie or a pair of fingerless mitts.  Other suggestions anyone?


27 comments:

  1. Thank you so much Evelyn for the beautiful yarn, I'm thinking a hat!

    I have wanted to read My Berlin Kitchen and I am glad to hear it's as good as I thought it would be, now I need to order it!
    Have a great Wednesday.

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  2. That books sounds like a good read, I think I'll add it to my list. And the sky blue blankets just sounds like it will be so much fun!

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  3. I imagine this yarn would be perfect for the delicate texture of Susie's Reading Mitts.

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  4. Oh to be in your kitchen at the moment :)
    The grey yarn? Definitely a hat!

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  5. I have seen many hexipuffs from different bloggers since joining Yarn Along; one day, I'll probably start that project too.

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  6. I, too, seem to knit with lots of blues. I can't wait to watch your blanket unfold on Ravelry :). I imagine this lovely yarn knit into a pair of mitts! We are having some very cold weather here this winter and, although I knit several pair of fingerless gloves for Christmas gifts, I don't have any fingerless gloves or mitts for myself!!

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  7. Yes, plans can change.....right now I'm thinking of casting on another pair of socks..I got a kit at Stitches for red heart socks....may need to cast those on today!

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  8. I'm so in love with Boot Toppers lately. They are quick, do not require too much yarn, good for destashing and loved by teenagers. One skein is perfect.
    asteride on Ravelry

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  9. The little puffs are so cute! I have never seen those before... must investigate! I have heard of My Berlin Kitchen and was intrigued. Adding it to my reading list per your recommendation.

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  10. I'm totally into conceptual knitting right now and love your idea of a sky blanket! I can't wait to see how it progresses.

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  11. Evelyn, my Hexie puffs have been put away - no way would I lived long enough to collect even half the number I calculated I would need
    However, I do enjoy knitting them, such lovelies to store in a vase.

    CONGRATS TO TRACEY, a nice gal who will knit something wonderful with her win!

    Hugs

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  12. I can see a pair of fingerless mitts in the smokey gray color, too.

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  13. I read about My Berlin Kitchen this fast fall on the Food In Jars blog...she mentioned the baked plum butter from the book and talked about how she made a similar recipe. Dee-lish. Now I'll have to add the book to my list as well.

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  14. Because of you I added My Berlin Kitchen on my Goodreads list. Now I am really look forward to it, thank you for the review.
    Oh and that grey is fantastic! I think it would be a beautiful Jane Richmond hat.

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  15. Wait, you can search stash by color?! Just when I think I know everything about Ravelry. I think that the sky blanket is an amazing idea! You are sure to have twice the fun!

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  16. Ooohhh, I love the nick name for your quilt and what a gorgeous shade of blue. I can see a gorgeous pair of lacy crochet fingerless gloves or wristwarmers. Deb x

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  17. Oh I love the idea of a colour themed blanket, AND in heavier weight! I saw some great chair cushions made with hexis, maybe you could use your first ones for something similar!

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  18. You sound so organized! Just thinking about putting my stash on ravelry makes me a bit dizzy... :) And what a great book recommendation - this one is definitely going on my list!

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  19. Anything you do for that blanket will turn out gorgeous! I do admire your knitting abilities. Congrats to the Wednesday winner this week--lucky, lucky, knitter~
    *smiles*

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  20. Everyone is doing the hexipuff blankets, it's making me want to make one, too!

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  21. skyfall sounds so lovely. congratulations tracey!

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  22. Congratulations to Tracey!! I can't wait to see what she knits up with it! Yay for sky blankets! I've been very good at taking a picture of the sky each day but have very very little sky colors in my stash. Considering blues are my favorite color I'm not sure what's up with that!

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  23. I love your idea of a sky color inspired Beekeeper's Quilt! Awesome! The Wednesday Chef is one of my favorite food blogs. Her writing style is so personal and fun to read.

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  24. I love your Beekeepers puffs! Colour is right up my alley!

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  25. Oooh, I love the new quilt inspiration, I feel like with Beekeeper and Color Affection, seeing everyone's projects makes me indecisive because I want to make them all.

    And I think that's a perfect gray to make a beanie with the cable owls around the 'brim'!

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  26. That memoir sounds inspirational. I think I've only read one and that was eat, pray, love which really spoke to me.

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