Stocking Up
I don’t think I’ve mentioned this on the blog yet (though at this point I’m quite sure what I have/haven’t told anyone so don’t feel left out), but I’m moving on Saturday.
And then again on Wednesday.
Basically, I’m headed back up to school with a pit stop at my parents for a few days of sleep, laundry and repacking.
But all of this moving and packing and repacking and leaving, is giving me the feeling like I need to hoard things. Things like yarn and knitting projects of course. But also things like ideas and feelings and possibilities, mostly in the form of sketches and charts and swatches. I sort of feel like I’m stock piling these ideas and this yarn for later. For a time when I’m out of yarn (ha!), or out of ideas, or both.
Whatever the motivation, these feelings have led to yarn buying, and yarn swatching. And we all know that yarn obtaining, means a post with lots of pictures, and who doesn’t love that. So, onwards to pictures and yarn!
Piles of washed and blocking swatches. I always get a warm, fuzzy feeling when I see a pile of swatches (or any pile of knitting really). There’s something about a large quantity of knitting all in one place that somehow simply makes my day better.
One skein of Madelintosh Prairie in the colorway Chamomile. This skein is 840 yards of a heavy single ply lace weight, and is destined to become something bright and cheerful in the middle of December or February, when everything is grey and drab, and knitting a lacy little thing in bright yellow will feel fantastic.
Two skeins of Cascade Heritage Silk, in black and an electric blue to be knit into mittens. A second sample of the not quite argyle mittens. Speaking of the not quite argyle mittens.
They’re done!
(they’ll get their own post once I wash them and weave in the ends, but they are done)
Part of a skein of Wollmeise Lace-Garn, won (awhile ago) in a blog giveaway from Wendy Knits. I’ve never used or even seen Wollmeise before and I’m super excited to get the chance to work with it. I’ve got about 500 yards that will become a shawl/wrap of some sort. This swatch was worked on a US 5 (3.75mm) needle, but I’ll probably go down to a US 4 (3.5mm) or even a 3 (3.25mm) for the actual piece.
Another ball of new to me yarn that I’ve been eying for a month or so, and finally picked up. It’s from Alisha Goes Around, in the Riches (of Martens) Fingering base. I don’t know the colorway, but it’s stunning shades of purple, and I simply can’t wait to work with it.
Three skeins (one is hidden under the swatches) of Madelinetosh DK in the colorway hearth, that is destined to become a large cushy, comfy, not quite lace, sort of circular shawl, perfect for fall.
Some beautiful yarn that will be worked up into a pair of cushy, warm fair isle mittens. I don’t have the name or colors of the yarn with me (sorry!).
And finally a small sweaters worth of Cascade Greenland. It’ll become a simple stockinette, top down, hip length, short sleeved sweater, with skinny white stripes starting at the waist and finishing at the hem. Finished off with an i-cord cast on around the neck, and ether i-cord or a hem around the sleeves, and a need finished hem. Closed with a large metal statement of a zipper.
I’m also making good progress on my sanity keeping garter stitch shawl, and I’ll try to get those mittens washed, blocked and posted this weekend (can’t promise though). Either way I think that’s enough for this morning. Until next time.
FO: Tumbling Deco
(click on any of the images to see them larger)
Pattern: My own (pattern available soon-ish)
Yarn: Madelinetosh, Tosh Lace, colorway Robin’s Egg
Yardage: one 950 yard (868 meter) skein
Yarn Source: Knitty City
Needles: 2.75 mm 36″ circulars
Gauge: 6.5 sts/inch; 10 rows/inch
A-HA
UPDATE: A-ha! is now available here on Ravelry.
These pattern releases seem to be lumping themselves together lately, (birds of a feather and all that?).
Anyway, I have a new shawl available for purchase and download in the latest issue of Tangled Magazine, A-HA (I love the name too, I keep wanting to add an exclamation point every time I type it.)
Forgot to add something super duper important!
Get 1$ off with the coupon code SOCKSUMMIT11 from July 28-August 14!
This shawl relies on the combination of self-striping sock yarn and pi shawl shaping to create radiating bands of color which give this shawl its pop. The combination of these ever-shifting colors and small bundles of easy and repetitive flower-like motifs creates a shawl that is the perfect challenge for newer lace knitter wanting to dip a toe or two into lace, or for the more experienced knitter to work as a relaxing break between more complex projects.
Yarn: Crystal Place Yarns Mini Mochi (80% merino wool/20% nylon; 195 yd [180 m]/1.75 oz [50 gm]; CYCA 1) colorway #108 neptune rainbow, 7 balls
Needles: US size 5 (3.75 mm) 1 set of 5 DPNs, one 32” (80 cm) circular, one 40” (100 cm) circular. Adjust needle size if to obtain correct gauge.
Gauge: 20 sts and 30 rows = 4” in washed and blocked stockinette stitch
Notions: Tapestry needle; 1 stitch marker.
Finished Measurements: 44” (112 cm) blocked diameter
Skills Used: casting on, knitting in the round, k2tog, k2togtbl, sk2p, ssk, yo, decrease bind off, weaving in ends, blocking lace
Only written stitch directions are included.




















