Short Rows

I have become a short row junkie and it's all Fiberbliss's (Linda) fault. She sent me a link to Iris Schreier's site, Art Yarns Short Row Tutorials. I made a half dozen or so Multi-directional triangular Scarves and the more I made the more short-row techniques I wanted to learn--which lead to buying more yarn...but that's another addiction.

These are two ot the short-row scarves. For the first I used Schaefer's Elaine in Jane Addams and for the second Noro Silk Garden #104 (I think).

The pattern is simple and the results quick and gratifying and non-knittin' people think I'm an awesome knitter when they see it. (My mum is going to be so impressed). Never made one of these? Why? This scarf is as much fun as making a clapotis but without the stitch markers, dropped stitches, yo's, and, ummm, purl stitches. (I still love my Clapoteye, don'tcha know.) It works up well in almost any yarn with the yarn's recommended needle size for a dense fabric or several sizes larger for a more lace-ish-like fabric.

Yesterday...was is just yesterday?...yeah, it was...okay, yesterday I received from the aforementioned fiberbliss Iris Schreier's new book, Modular Knits. Go ahead and check out the the images under the book's cover--I'll wait......Amazing isn't it? The beautiful woman sitting in the chair is wearing the Square Holes Sweater. I love it and it is in my To-Make-in-the-Near-Future-List--as opposed to the Make-It-Sometime-Before-I-Die-List. The book has many different techniques complete with diagrams, beautiful patterns, and directions for learning backwards knitting. With the techniques mastered one could design one's own patterns if one so desired. Want to put a hexagon in a triangle in a rectangular scarf? Well...actually I don't know if that can be done but, by George, this is the book that will let you know if it's possible. Besides the Square Holes Sweater, I particularly like the drop stitch garter lace table runner. Not just that pattern but the whole drop-stitch-garter-lace idea because I love lace and can't, yet, make it. This stitch makes an elegant, airy fabric, a guaranteed non-knitting-person-mind-boggler sure to provide many comments on the amazing artistry and skill of yours truly. I can't wait to flaunt it. (You may remember from a previous episode that I harbor a sick, evil inner being that thrives on the oohs and ahs of nonknitters. I am going to try and learn backward knitting to keep my sick, evil inner being from getting a swollen head. Check back with me to see if I survive).

Totally off topic but...

Lookee over there --> -->

I made a button. **imagine big cheesey grin here** It's ugly and if you were to put it on your blog and someone clicked on it it wouldn't do anything but I am ridiculously proud of it. I'm only slightly abashed to admit that it took me two hours to make. I used an online tutorial (whichwas wonderful and which I can't find right now or I would put the link here) to learn how to make the button and I have the know how, I think, to turn it into a link but it will have to wait.

I'm off to be modular. (Most people just think I'm off.)

Thank you, Linda.