Striped Diamonds.

Isn't it getting dark early?

Thank goodness we have a wood burning stove to cosy up to in the evenings, it makes the dark nights an occasion. That's the positive way of looking at it.

My lace dress is coming on at a couple of rows a day at the moment, so a bit slow, but I like to think that these little bits of knitting all add up quite nicely over time.

So whilst the lace knitting is progressing at a snails pace, I decided I needed some knitting that was quick and easy, for those times I don't want to concentrate too hard, and I found JUST the thing!

It all started with seeing a blog post on Dutch Sisters blog here.

Corry was making a wonderful star ornament, (which she shows finished in this blog post here), and I thought it was just the job for a little inbetween knitting.

Then I went off my plan to make an ornament, because I latched on to the idea of making many little diamond shapes, and joining them up to make a scarf.

The tutorial for the knitted star, and the individual diamond shapes, can be found here.

They are easy peasy lemon squeezy, so have fun making them.

They are wonderful stash busters too. I'm using up all the 4-ply yarn I can find in my stash. It's especially good for using up bits of variegated yarn. I have some Koigu left over from something else I was doing, and it looks delicious knitted up in tiny amounts and scattered throughout the array of diamonds.

I wouldn't have thought to use the variegated yarn if it hadn't been for seeing an AMAZING design for The Beekeeper's Quilt, by Tiny Owl Knits here. Stephanie brings a fresh approach to the use of variegated yarn, a look I love, so I thought I'd mix some variegated diamonds in amongst the solid and striped coloured ones.

Isn't the web a wonderful place for inspiration.

If you do go to the link for the Beekeeper's Quilt, try and have a look at the short film Stephanie has made,(you just scroll down to the bottom of the page, or you can go to it by clicking here). She's very, very entertaining, and funny and enchanting. I especially love her asides about the noises she can hear her neighbour making through the walls of her flat. I've just watched her latest video about her Mr.Fox Stole (my heart), very entertaining too.

You know winter is closing in when the geese honk off. Don't they do just that, honk?

We stood watching them in amazement, as they flew in their undulating and purposeful v-shape. I almost waved them goodbye, it felt like I should shout "till next year, all the best, and you'll be missed. Take good care of yourselves".

I stood and admired a group of birds sweeping through the sky in a graceful clump the other day. It was the view from the spare room window.

So lovely, they were.

Well, I must get back to work, so I shall say cheerio, and see you on Friday!

Vanessa xxx

Comments

[Stephanie]

Dearest Vanessa,

I STILL haven't opened the package you sent with the Christmas cards! It is SO pretty I just want to savour the outside before relishing the inside.

I love winter except for the fact I succumb to colds, etc. so much. I am nursing my bronchitis right now and I cannot smell a thing! Fortunately it doesn't get in the way of knitting.

I love the juxtaposition of the coloured diamonds and the dark geese silhouettes against the leaden skies.

Have a wonderful week.

[kate is greedy]

Gorgeous - I was so excited to see your comment because it meant you were online and you might have done a post. What a wonderful pattern - I want to try and make something like it and overlap them so they look like feathers - my niece is staying with me and we have been talking about owls (ruru in maori - it means big eyes) and my thoughts are now all feathery. Lots and lots of love, Kate xxooxx.
p.s. I am loving my cards so much thank you. I am looking for frames to put them in and then I will do a post about them. They are amazing!!!!.

[serendipity]

So pretty, they look like colourful fish scales! How wonderful to see all those geese. Shame we can't all fly off somewhere warmer for the winter! xx

[julie]

wow, they are mega cute, and look almost achievable even by me!! I do like a quick little project too - all my things at the moment are large, which means they are dragging, which means my enthusiasm is lagging, and they are difficult to carry around if we are out or away, so they lay in neglected little heaps. A little stash buster project sounds just the thing to get my crafting mojo back again!

[森]

oooooh...i love the stars! and all these pretty, pretty variegated diamonds you have made! and the seasonal picture of the migrating geese, i hope they have a good journey.
Stephanie Dosen is indeed an entertaining, magical and inspiring fairie. i love the beekeepers quilt, it is stunning! and must be so cosy. you are lucky having a wood burning stove to snuggle up in front of. i live in a modern house these days with no fireplace at all :( in our previous abode we had an open one where we could burn logs and pinecones, toast crumpets and roast (or more often burn) chesnuts. it was fun and atmospheric and i miss it so.

thank you so much Vanessa for your warmth and supportive words. they mean so much to me. i am happy you liked the animation too :)

i want to make some diamonds now, you are such an inspiration!

xxx

sumea

[Bonnie]

I adore the Beekeeper's Quilt as well, and although I was SURE I was finished with Christmas knitting I now have a very strong desire to knit a bunch of star ornaments. Beautiful!

[Archie the wonder dog]

Love the diamonds and the Beekeeper's quilt is wonderful!

[Kate]

That quilt is awesome- her stuff is lovely, I've been contemplating knitting the hat with antlers for my daughter for some time now!
Those stars were so very tempting too...I had to force myself NOT to rush away and start knitting one when they were posted the other day,way too much stuff to do first.

[Fiona]

Hi Vanessa! Did you ever finish your Coraline Cardigan? I loved the colours and was really looking forward to seeing the finished article (maybe I missed it?). Wood burning fires are the best, we've resisted having ours on yet but being up in Scotland don't think we can hold off much longer...am really looking forward to knitting in front of the fire! Keep cosy x

[Penelope]

Dearest Vanessa
You know what they say about diamonds being a girl's best friend! Well I think your diamond scarf is a stash busting knitter's best friend and know it will look divine once you have finished it.
I adore Stephanie and her Bee Keepers Quilt, I haven't attempted it as \ I still don't know or am afraid of using DPN's.

Alice, my daughter was in a production called HONK and it was all about the ugly duckling. We once had the V shaped geese flying as a team effort analogy used in a team building day at work. Geese are truly miraculous and I am really fascinated by them. Thanks for these ace pics xox

[Penelope]

ps. I've just watched Stephanie's video on her mini fox and fox stole and just feel all warm and fuzzy inside. She is great entertainment and inspiration. I'm totally obsessed with anything foxy xox

[GardenOfDaisies]

Wow, these knit diamonds are going to make an amazing scarf!! (or star ornaments)

[Planet Penny]

Those little diamonds would be a wonderful way of using up sock yarn, as would the bee keepers quilt, there are not enough hours in the day. I seem to be needlefelting furiously at all hour at the moment! I do love to see, and hear the geese, it's mournful and uplifting all at the same time.
I'm off to have alook at the little video,
lots of love Vanessa,
Penny xxx

[Magic Cochin]

That's what I love about this time of year - the rich fire colours set against the iron grey skies and winter shades.

Those littles diamonds must be quite addictive to knit, I should think... just one more before bed-time... oh, just one more...

Celia
xx

[Carole]

Hi Vanessa,
What a brilliant idea to use up bits of wool. I love the idea of the beekeepers quilt.The stars are brilliant too.So thank you very much for more ideas for Christmas knits LOL! I`m busy knitting little Christmas socks for a christmas fair for my friend ( a pattern from littlecottonrabbits blog). Also i`m knitting some christmas pudding chocolate covers, to put over a ferrero rocher choc. And now knitted stars! you`re not helping Vanessa, LOL! Cos if my friend sees it thats me knitting diamonds to make stars :-). Are you going to make a beekeepers quilt with your diamonds? I just think its brilliant. I`m soo glad you are feeling better too.
Love Carole from Rossendale xxxxxx

[bellabeeandme]

I'm just tentatively dipping my toe into lace knitting with a votive holder and edging on a shawl/scarf. It's hard work isn't it! I applaud you doing such a large project, my little dabbles would often leave me puzzled, frustrated and unravelling!
I love seeing the v shape formations, but often feel sorry for the lone ones out of formation and the ones that are at the front of formation, as they must be working much harder without the aid of flying in the slip stream of one in front. Do you think they take it in turns like the pelotons in bike races? ;p
Kier x

[Corry en Heleen]

I knitted a doll blanket once from these starpoints.
But what a great idea to knit these star points for a scarf! I love the stripes and solid diamond combo. Can't wait to see the finished product. Groetjes, Corry

[Jan]

I can hardly wait to see the scarf! The colors look positively glorious, and what a way to use up those bits of yarn that keep piling up, right?

Thank you for the link to the Beekeepers Quilt....I'd lost the link while cleaning up my computer. She's quite a character.

You must knit like the wind!

[Mojca]

The diamonds are so pretty, they would make a lovely scarf... :)

[Kentish Keg-Meg]

Great idea for the decoration. Those pictures of the geese were a timely reminder of the seasons moving on.

[Frances]

Good evening Vanessa. I do love those multi-colored diamonds. (I've got a little plastic box full of my own Koigu leftovers, just waiting to find the right project. That yarn is just wonderful, isn't it?)

Tomorrow's the official full moon for New York, but on my walk home tonight from the subway station, that light in the sky looked pretty full to me!

Thank you so much for your message. Yes, I am still working on finding more time for creativity. xo

[Affordable Insurance]

They look like colourful fish scales! How wonderful to see all those geese.

[brooke]

Love the diamonds!

[Siobhan]

I think those diamonds will make an amazing scarf. When I saw them I was reminded of the Bee keepers quilt and then you wrote about that too. That quilt is a lovely thing, full of squishiness and colour. You could make all sorts of things out of the diamonds couldn't you? Mind you I love those stars. I had forgotten all about them but I favorited them a while ago. I liked them as they were knitted rather than crocheted and you don't see so many ornament type things in knitting. Your colours are gorgeous and you can have lots of fun positioning them all. I love scarves because you can get to have fun with them and you can wear them every day.

I love those videos; I've seen the first one but not the second. Stephanie is very engaging. The little foxes are so cute I think. She also has some lovely little mitts that I intend to have a go at. Hers is a fairy tale world which I am quite enchanted by.

The birds look beautiful, literally awesome. It's a good job they've got somewhere warmer to go as it's getting a bit cold around here. Hot water bottle weather I think!

[Jenni at Baa-me Kniits]

Naughty Naughty Naughty of you to tell me about Tiny Owl Knits and Stephanie's blog! How adorable is that little fox stole and her gloves and her mitts.....aaaaagh my to do list is getting longer and longer!

Can't wait to see your little diamond scarf, such fun colours xx

[karen jane]

I don't know where you are but I am in Lancashire in NW England.
For me I know the winter is comming when the geese arrive. It is usually just before my daughters birthday on the last day of september.
They come all exuberant, calling to each other, great wavering skeins of victory.

They fly in family groups joining up with other groups once they get here. I have walked into a field with more than a 1000. They didn't seem to mind too much, they don't let you get too close, but the minute the farmer turns up, parks his tractor and gets off, they are away, as one!
The zzzzzzzz of all those wings beating together is felt throughout the whole body rather than heard.
When they start to break up into smaller groops again and spend more and more time flying rather than eating I know they are readying themselves for their long, extraudinary, primitive migrate north, to raise new familys and ready themselves to come back to me the next year.

[lori]

these are so adorable! what a lovely idea and a good way to use up stash. i'm not sure how i found you, but it was your darling broaches that brought me here.
i'd love to come back again!
xo lori

[Barbara]

Dear Vanessa, you keep us all so happy with your photos and links to other wonderfully creative blogs, thank you!! Barbara x :)