Instagram

I finally signed up for Instagram. I have been wanting to for awhile and just haven't done anything about it until now. I like the idea of documenting some of my knitting and knitting processes as well as the great places around Salt Lake that have been my inspiration. So if anyone wants to follow me, be prepared for  lots of pics of Utah and knitting. Oh, and I am vcatherall on instagram. 

The photo above is a sneak peek at a conceptual design I am thinking about. More on that later.

Red Butte Creek Scarf Finished

I love this scarf. It is not only a beautiful lace, but it feels scrumptious with the handmaiden silk and wool yarn. It drapes nice and is long enough to double over around the neck.

Thanks to my niece who is my go-to model for everything I do. She was a trooper modeling this scarf in 105 F weather. Making a scarf in a heat wave is not the most comfortable thing, but thank goodness the scarf is light and airy and quite cool.

I am almost sorry that I am giving it away! I made it into a pattern and have it on my pattern page again.

Peridot Yarn

I started the scarf and the pattern looks lovely with the Peridot yarn. I am already a little way through the scarf and really like how it looks. It does need to be blocked to actually see the lace, but you can get a good idea of how it will look even now.

Swatch for Red Butte Creek Scarf

I made a swatch of a pattern I made that has leaves on each side of a creek-like lace pattern. It looks ok but I did use some waste wool yarn that is not the greatest. I will begin the scarf with the handmaiden and see how it looks to determine if I want to continue.

Red Butte Creek

A dear friend that I have known for over 15 years and have worked with for 11 years is quitting her job at the museum to pursue a new career. I am going to miss her terribly and wanted to design something for her that has some meaning. She likes to hike Red Butte Creek by Red Butte Canyon with her dog a lot so I wanted to do something inspired by the Creek. It is a beautiful area. The creek runs through Red Butte Gardens but you can hike it starting on the outskirts of the gardens and go up the Canyon for a little ways.

Because I am trying to learn more about my immediate surroundings, I looked up some scientific data about Red Butte Creek. Here is what I found out from http://redbuttecanyon.net/hydrology.html

Red Butte Creek is a perennial stream that flows out of Red Butte Canyon. Red Butte Canyon is the smallest canyon of the seven canyons in eastern Salt Lake County. It is without upstream regulation or diversion until flow is collected in the reservoir located near the base of the canyon. The stream has created a narrow-based canyon with sides rising abruptly. The stream flow is a straightforward annual pattern, characteristic of this geographic region - high spring flows driven by snowmelt followed by very much reduced flows derived from groundwater throughout the remainder of the year. The Red Butte Creek watershed is the most pristine area along the Wasatch Front. In the last couple years there have been massive oil spills from an oil pipeline that runs through the area putting this ecosystem at great risk.

I might do a scarf since it is quick to knit and I need to get it done quickly (She is quitting soon). I have some beautiful silk/wool Handmaiden yarn in Peridot that would be great in a creek/canyon inspired scarf.