I have been working intensely on samples for a terrific new Craftsy class I just completed filming.  It’s hard for me not to talk about it, but we are scheduled to launch June 6, which is right around the corner, which makes waiting easier.  Even while working on the class, I have knit on my personal knitting project at least a little bit, every day.   Personal knitting is important to me, because although I love designing and teaching, at my core, I love knitting, and wearing my hand-knits.  Knitting I do for work just doesn’t count, and I need to keep a balance between work and personal knitting.

On my trip to Denver to film, I finished the “Forget-me-not” shawl, by Adrienne Ku.  I bought the yarn at Yarnover, and it was dyed in the Minnesota Knitters Guild colors for their 30th anniversary.  This is a fun shawl to knit, and I plan to make it again – the pattern is easy to memorize and knit, and I think it would look great in all sorts of colorways.  I knit until I ran out of yarn, but for the next one I will plan for more yardage, as it is more a neck kerchief in this size.  Considering the colors, though, this smaller size is just right, and I am going to pair it with a t-shirt and jeans and wear it all summer.

Next up will be the Agate Ripples pattern, by Laura Bryant, in Knitters magazine K120, Fall 2015.  I saw the sweater at Stitches West, and almost bought a kit, because the Prism yarn she used is exquisite.  I hesitated, though, because the yarn reminded me of Koigu PPM, of which I have a sizeable stash.  I bought the yarn years ago, and have been “saving” it and feeling slightly guilty about having it sit in stash.  Today I pulled it out and picked which colors to put together for the sweater. That was a lot of fun!  I am going to wind the yarn up and look at it one more time, but I think it is a good mix of light, medium and dark colors, solid and varigated yarn.