Fun with Fiber

Every time I sit down to knit, I'm right next to my stash. No matter how enchanting my current project, something in that stash entices me. The handspun yarn I bought in November was especially alluring. It didn't take long

It was just so delicious to knit with this wonderfully soft, handspun yarn. Unlike many commercial yarns, I could smell the lanolin and the yarn just felt.. well.. lively. It took a few tries to find a pattern that complemented the texture of the yarn and the slight color variations of greys and creams. The first couple of attempts seemed to compete with the yarn, but I finally ended up with a simple woven cable pattern.

I love it.

Besides, it's the first thing I've managed to finish in a month. I know that doesn't really seem like a long time, but I got addicted to that finishing rush after completing 9 projects in December. So I evaluated my WIP's and decided that Irene's socks were the closest to done and finished them.

Yarn: Fleece Artist Basic Merino Socks that Irene bought in Canada.
Pattern: Victorian Lace Socks from Six Sox Knitalong

I highly recommend the yarn. The pattern turned out well, but I probably won't make it again - I found the "mini-melon" stitch somewhat annoying. Fortunately, I only had to do it every 8 rows. Also, these were the first time I've done a short-row toe. I did it as written in the pattern. It was nice to not have to graft, but I'm so used to grafting that it would have been faster!

Meanwhile, knitting with handspun re-inspired me to spin. I kept working with the one fiber I owned, even I found it difficult to work with. The fiber is a deep violet with some ocher streaks - very similar to my rug. Add-in the fact that I mostly spin in the evening, without particularly good light and it makes for a squinty experience. Even so, I managed to eke out a ball of yarn. As I wound the ball, the yarn was like a record of learning to spin. The most recent yarn was thinner and far more consistent. The first bits have huge variation in size and twist. It seemed to me that I'd earned some new fiber!

Off to Shuttles! I picked up Maggie's new book and some fiber. Even though I had a great time fondling all the fibers I had no idea what to buy so Maggie helped me out. She steered me away from the cottons and silks, the hemp and the linen. Also no blue-faced Leicester (I just love the name). The feather-light buffalo was tempting, but pricey and was dark - I'd had enough of dark fiber for a while. I bought a couple ounces of basic Merino:

Then some pretty stuff with sparklies. Not too many - just enough to speak to me. I also love the colors. This is Alpine Meadow Artisan Fibers, Soft Wools in Alpine Sunset.






The real splurge was the Llama / silk blend. I was delighted when Maggie said it'd be an excellent choice, but then I put it back on the shelf. They were only selling it by the bag and I'd really wanted to buy smaller quantities to experiment. Eventually I came around and added it to my pile of purchases. Later than evening, I headed to punkin's for a pizza party. I was so excited about my new fiber that I had to try it out. It's so easy to work with! Much faster, softer, and easier to see. Isn't it pretty? I'd love to spin a really thin yarn with it, but my spindle is bit heavy for that. Another trip to Shuttles may be in my near future!

I'll be wearing it in July, thank you very much

I started working on the warm hug (Suzy) last fall, and it hibernated during christmas knitting and didn't come back out until the i-cord gloves had trouble - they're a little too big. The problems just have kept coming on the damn thing, I am so frustrated. I would really like to finish this in time to wear it but spring is already right around the corner. I just know I'm going to finish late... or not at all. I don't really mind the knitting, because it's such a large gauge, but the yarn it starting to look a little tired and felted. Sissy Princess asked me what had gone wrong, so here is the hit list:

* I can't count. I'm not sure why I thought 38 stitches was 48, but voila, now I've ripped back to the armscye bindoff. It's probably okay though, because...

* I also can't tell how many stitches I bound off on one side, and I don't think it matches the other side. I have this strange method of binding off at the edge that makes a nice smooth line instead of a zagging line - it's a variation of a short row, really - but it completely prevents me from being able to determine what row I started my bind off on, and it even makes it hard to see how many stitches I've bound off. I don't know why I think I like it because this won't be the first time I've had to frog back to the decreases simply because I can't tell what the fuck I'm doing.

* I can't write. OK, actually I can, but later when a post-it falls out of my knitting bag with the number "56" on it, I have no idea what it's for. 56 rows? Bind off on the 56th stitch? My aunt's birthday?

* I still can't count. If I have 25 rows in the raglan sleeve decreases, then just maybe I should have 25 rows in the body as well. Front AND back? Well, now that's just crazy talk. Frog, frog, frog.

* I can't seam. How many times did I start the seam with some kind of bizarre, made up stitch instead of the one my mother taught me which I think is a mattress stitch? Let me count the ways... one.... two.... three... ah damn it!

* I can't measure. Sure, it looked fine when I held it up to myself. It even seemed okay when I pinned it together with stitch holders. And it is the same size as something sorta similar in my closet. But it wasn't. It pinches at the underarm and is a little too cropped. I like slightly cropped, but this is Sissy Princess annoying, way too short, cropped. A visit to the frog pond, anyone?

I've disassembled the freaking thing back to the armscyes, again. We are in very familiar territory here. I've confirmed the body length at this point, using TWO different methods - actual measurement (!!) as well as the gee, it was too short before, I should add about 4-5 rows method. I've double checked the row gauge they're using and since I'm whoppingly off on the rows, recalculated using my row gauge. I know, seems totally obvious, but usually the row gauge isn't that important - I've learned something new about raglans! I think it might be to never knit one again.

So now the plan is to triple check the row calculations, since I did them on the bus using the calculator on my phone and a piece of paper ripped out of a magazine and I'm just feeling like a spreadsheet might be a safer bet. I may even check my numbers against the Handy Book of Sweater Patterns. Stand Back!




For the fitting, I may have to go the extra mile. I've certainly had problems getting a good fit in a partially completed item before. Threads magazine has had a few articles on creating a mannikin / dress forms. Good dress forms are expensive, and ones you can change the size on are REALLY expensive, the idea was to have something cheap enough that if you changed weight, you could just create a new one. Since I'm currently wearing pants that would fit better were I to lose 10 pounds, and damn it, I'm on spark people every day, I like the idea of a body double that is cheap enough to chuck. Even if I don't lose the weight (sob!) I'll still need to get rid of it in a few months when The Big Trip (TBT) starts.

A Hat x 2 - Double Your Pleasure

Double Knitting - what a brilliant way to double your hat stash.



This is the Celtic Beanie pattern from Son of Stitch 'n Bitch: 45 Projects to Knit and Crochet for Men. Men? Oops. My bad.

Anyway - I used Berroco Ultra Alpaca in Pitch Black and Lovage. It doesn't itch and it's super warm and soft. The technique of double knitting allows one to knit both sides at once - a reverse image. It was a fun pattern. I had to decrease the number of rows by about 10 to fit my female head.


This is where I spent a few hours knitting this past Saturday. The view was amazing... the weather
was beautiful (60's!), and I had it all to myself.


The weekend was filled with a few hours of quality car-travel knitting time. I was able to pick up working on my socks, and I've fallen in love with them, especially now that the cables show up beautifully when worn.

What WIP's?

I have a couple of projects I'm totally inspired to finish. The olive cardigan is getting sooo close. I know it'll be spring and too warm to wear it, but it's so lovely. I'm almost done with the left front - only the right front & collar to go.

Then I have Irene's socks. The yarn is completely enchanting. The color changes are so beautiful that I can't wait to knit with it, so second sock syndrome hasn't struck here. Each day I've waffled about which project I love gets to travel with me. What's a girl to do?

Start another sock. Earl Grey for Sean. I'm so tired of hearing how he comes last in the knitting queue that I just wanted something to wave in his face. Turns out that the pattern is fun and fast. It's easy to cruise through the stockinette parts, but the cable makes it just interesting enough to motivate me.

Now with 3 projects that are fun and a snowy day yesterday, I sat in my yarn corner, happily knitting away. There's such a wonderful view of all my yarn there. It's a bad thing. I kept picking up a hank of handspun and smelling it. It's amazingly soft and just kept begging. I started the scarf last night.

I've got to start knitting where I can't see my stash or I'll never finish anything.

Who says "darn" is my favorite curse word?

There has been some foolin' around on my ravelry account. Should I point fingers? Yes, I think so - weather heather!!!

Looks like I need to come up with some pictures - the half lost Noro gloves, mom's sweater. But did you see the new ones? Now if I only liked how I look in those pictures I'd be quite happy.

** Very important news **
The yarn shop in Frisco is having a sale. Mom is going. Do you need her to pick up anything?

I'm all done with one sleeve on the warm hug, and halfway done on the other. After that I just need to figure out the collar and sew the sleeves on. Yay!

I'm posting this picture because I particularly like this sweater. Brooks Farm Yarns, henley, one of my fav thing to wear. Maybe I should finish sewing in the ends?




















OK, now what can I do with this hat? I don't look very good in it, should I try putting a brim on it?

My 70's Ugly Duckling Grows Up

I was born in the seventies, so maybe it was my subconscious rebelling 30 years later. I fretted and agonized over the yarn colors for this project. On screen, the colors were beautifully matched - earthy... browns, greens... the essence of nature. When the yarn arrived I didn't flinch too much at first. It was only when I started my 3 tier in the pattern (from the top down), using the 'pumpkin' color, that my doubts rose substantially. Pumpkin = orange. Yeah, duh - but people tend to be very vague and more romantic when naming colors, so I ignored the red flag when ordering it. I knew that it had a tinge of orange, but that was ok since "wheat" was going to be tan, or so I thought. Wheat also had a orange tinge, however. When do fields of wheat look orange, except maybe during an exceptional sunset? Arg.


I was a little embarassed during the first few knitted tiers, almost apologizing to questioning onlookers that I didn't know it was going to be so bright, so orange, so... SEVENTIES. Even my own mother proclaimed 'Ick'. Fine. Thankfully SissyPrincess assured me that I would come to love my ugly duckling - that maybe it would felt into a beautiful swan. I think it did just that - I already love it now that it's felted, the colors melded subtly, making it autumn-like. I love it. Whew.



Pattern is Market Squares from Bags: A Knitter's Dozen - using the entrelac technique. Yarn is Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in colors: maple syrup, pumpkin, wheat, fern and avocado ('avocado' color should have been another obvious clue, don't you think?). Before Felting (right)

Resistance is futile

(say it in Jean Luc Picard's accent)

I am now a Ravelry WHORE. I've joined groups, I've added favorites, and my yarn stash, and books, I've even taken really bad pictures because I'm too impatient to wait for better light.

Sissy princess will probably comment that it hasn't made me any more productive. I'm sure that has nothing at all to do with a turkish cast on! I just need to give it a rest and do the fingers in icord.

The janfebs

Every year January and February are a slog for me. Just put my head down and keep going, spring will be here eventually. It's a lot like my current project - the olive cardigan. Yes, it's still around. 4 months and counting. I'm a lot more motivated. The socks, oriel, the hat, the gloves I'm dying to knit.. I'm not even tempted. Really. I want to be done with this sweater. I'm thinking I'll finish the back tomorrow.

No, this isn't my project. But it's kinda pretty and it does break up all the icky text. Besides, I know how much someone loves this pattern.

I did have to take a break from the cardigan last week to knit an emergency replacement for Sean's slippers. He loved his first pair to death. Wore right through the soles - both layers. But that was only temporary.



I guess there was the quilt distraction too. I pieced together the quilt top I'd cut out 2 years ago. No.. this isn't a picture of it. This is a random flickr photo. Nice colors though. Anyway, apparantly I need to "practice" or some such thing before actually quilting. But I don't wannna (insert whiney voice) practice, I just want my quilt. I'm thinking about just tying it instead of quilting. We'll see.


Next? Back to the kite. Oh I didn't mention this before? I made a kite-inspired object for art class last semester. It was all set to be hung in the libary in a couple of weeks, but somehow got torn in storage. I picked it up on Saturday and it's awaiting repair & return to the library. If I can only quit knitting this cardigan I'd have time for that.

Here's the last picture I have of the kite - before I'd finished it. All along the cat was fascinated. Hmm... Do you suppose he snuck over to the library last week and damaged it so I'd have to bring it home?

Anyway, if I just keep plugging away I know this winter and this cardigan will be done. It's just hard to see past the next decrease or snowstorm sometimes, but that's when you just don't look up.

He's, like, so cool

Mr. Suave (Chris, Rob's brother) has a hat. I'm beginning to think that I knit solely to keep heads warm. Everyone's gotta have a hat. Or my subconscious knows that they're: fast, easy, and cheap to make. yeah, right on.



This hat was special. I've never made a brimmed hat or anything of note from plastic canvas, so that was nice. Plus, Chris really loves it. He's the kind of guy that genuinely appreciates and understands a homemade gift. That works for me, so he's worthy. And he's just so cool. =)

I mean, now doesn't he look like he's enjoying it?



Pattern is Reasonably Hip; yarn is (gasp) Vanna's Choice in taupe. I didn't like the snugness that the finished projects seemed to imply on ravelry, so I decided to add about 20 stitches. That helped but it made the top decrease area a little loose. It seems to fit Chris but he's going to let me know if it stretches.

Lord Kelvin Would Be Proud

After months of waiting (well, only two), I finally have my own fair isle hat. The pattern is my own creation, although the waves are directly from the Vogue Knitting Stitchionary, Vol. 3 (Color). The lining instructions are identical to Rob's ski hat, from Jared Flood's Red Light Special.


Yarn is Mirasol Yarn Cotanani (Wool/Cotton blend) that SissyP made me buy in Frisco. I've slowly learned that she knows best - so now I don't question as much.



In case you care (and you should), the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (by Lord Kelvin) is an atmospheric science term that represents waves (unlike lenticular wave clouds, but I won't bore you with details about that).