Accessories: Autumne 2012 Update

Happy Friday - the final one before the big day! I hope everyone is on target with their gifts - if you're buying them, you've already done so, and if you're making them, you're done or are in the final stages (like I am as I type this with, among other things, a certain red shawl to be revealed next week).

In the meantime, I thought I'd provide a wrap-up of some of the FOs wonderful stitchers made as part of my Ravelry Accessories: Autumne 2012 join-along. Everyone had free reign and could make whichever pattern they wanted. Here are four of the lovely completed items (and each person gave me permission to use their respective photos):

First up - a beautiful black and silver version of the Piaf Scarf, made by a Louisiana Ravelry member as - you guessed it - a Christmas present for her sister-in-law. I really appreciated her project notes, which described it as "an easy, portable project." Right on.

She worked it up in black Berroco Ultra Alpaca and added gray Crystal Palace Yarn's Kid Merino for fringe contrast. Very sophisticated. I hope her sister-in-law loves it as much as I do.

Next up, an interpretation of my Rustically Elegant Shoulder Warmer. Some of you regular readers of this blog might recognize this face - Kim was one of my wonderful testy testers. However, no arms were twisted in getting her to make this, she actually wanted to (well, I also didn't have to twist her arm to be a tester, but you get my drift).

Kim worked this up in Orange Flower 50/50 merino/silk. It's a dk weight yarn, which Kim used to approximate the fingering weight yarn that I held double in the original sample. However, since her fiber choice has no halo and mine did, she decreased hook size slightly and achieved great stitch definition. Add some great silver buttons (chosen because, in her words, they looked "like hammered metal rings"), and you end up with one stylish shoulder warmer.

The next finished piece is another version of the Piaf Scarf - this time done by our very own WonderWhyGal! Andrea worked her version in Briar Rose Fiber's super bulky thick and thin hand-dyed yarn. Boy, I do love this colorway, as well as how the uneven quality of the yarn adds to the overall lacey effect in the final scarf. Andrea made her fringe using the same yarn - no contrast colorway needed on this one! And the best comment ever in her project notes - she said she would make it again. Can't get much better than that. Thanks Andrea!

And last, but by no means least, is Bits and Pieces' version of my Le Bouquet Stole. Let me say right up front I am so impressed that Vivian chose to work up a crochet pattern. She knits most of the time, so this was a real departure for her, and I truly appreciate her willingness to stretch her skills. She worked up the initial row of this intermediate lace stitch pattern, got comfortable, and just went with it. I like this approach. Using Newton's Yarn Country Cashmere Merino in a wisteria colorway turned this shortened-width version into a very pretty scarf.

There was one other finished piece that I would have shared here, but the crafter didn't return my request to use one of her photos ... so, Robin over at Crochet Nirvana, know that I didn't intentionally overlook your lovely red Slouching Towards Tassels cap ... I just won't use a photo without the owner's permission.

I also finished up an Enveloped Cowl as one of my model thank-yous - and please be patient with the dark photo. I snapped it at night with the cell phone camera just prior to gifting it. No light anywhere at the moment:

Wishing everyone who links in at Wisdom Begins in Wonder's Fiber Arts Friday a truly joyous holiday spent in whatever way brings each of you the most joy.