Not Secret Knitting
Things seem to be getting wrapped up left and right around here, everything from the show I’ve been frantically working on (it opened Wednesday, closed Sunday and went smashingly), to the semester, to a bundle of knitting projects and patterns (most of which are secret, sorry), to some personal stuff that I’m glad to be letting go of. But since most this either isn’t very photogenic (the semester, and personal stuffs), or I forgot to take photos of (the show), or I can’t show you photos of (secret knitting), why don’t I show you what’s on my needles.
Most of my knitting focus for the past couple of weeks has been directed at two projects. One of which needs to remain a secret (I’m starting to sounds like a broken record here). The other project, which I can show off, is currently in my Ravelry projects as the ‘Flashdance shawl,’ but desperately needs a new name.
When this photo was taken, 2, maybe 3 days ago, I was a handful of rows away from binding off. I finally finished it over the weekend, and it is currently laying next to me blocking. I tried taking a couple of blocking shots just now, but it’s a very grey day, and flash does not to this shawl justice. So I’ll have to wait to get a few shots once it comes off the blocking wires, and the sun comes back out to play.
According to my Ravelry page, I cast this on sometime in March, but it feels as though I’ve had this project on the needles forever, (maybe it’s the 2, almost 3, other shawls I’ve started and completed in the mean time, just maybe).
The yarn is Madelinetosh Lace, colorway ‘flashdance’ knit on US size 2s (2.75mm). This is the first time I’ve used Madelinetosh anything, and I think I’ve said this before, but I might be in love. I’ve got two more skeins waiting in my stash, and I’m trying to talk myself out of a third skein that my LYS is holding for me.
The pattern is already in the works, and I’ll probably start looking for test knitters later this week.
If you follow me on twitter, you might have seen me mention wanting to knit a hat once the deadline shawl I was working on at the time was finished. This was kind of spur of the moment since I don’t wear hats all that much, and it was April (I think) at the time I said it. But since I try to do what I say I will (unless it has something to do with blogging regularly, or more often) I started a hat.
It’s a top down stocking cap, knit on US size 10s, in an unknown yarn that I got from a friend who picked it up somewhere in Asia. This friend actually got me four balls in two different colorways (the two, not blue balls, really are the same colorway, I promise).
I don’t know what the yardage is, or exactly what the fiber content is, but it’s a single, with what feels like a high wool content. I’m betting the hat won’t take more than the one ball, and I don’t know what I’ll do with the other three balls. Maybe a felted bag?
Though I hate to end this post on a down note, the Springy Mitts made a trip to to frog pond. They’re now just a cuff. Though I might rip the cuff out as well, cause it’s kind of big.
I really liked the boxes on the palm, but I wasn’t in love with the waves going up the back of the hand. So I’ve ripped it, and I think I’m going to do a more geometric pattern. Maybe a play on a classic argyle? We’ll see.
Anyway. Until next time, keep knitting.
Zodiac le Plume
July 12, 2012 update: “Zodiac le Plume” was originally part of The Sanguine Gryphon’s Spring 2011 pattern collection, and is now available directly from the designer (me!).
The pattern is now available for purchase as a download for $8.00, either on Ravelry, or directly through the blog … buy now
I mentioned Zodiac le Plume in my last post a couple of days ago, but I’ve got a handful of free minutes again today, so I figured I’d better do a proper post now before something else comes along and eats up all of my time.
I’m also trying something knew, so all of the pattern details (yarn, needles, gauge, etc) are listed at the bottom of this post instead of on the Original Designs page.
Swirls and curls created by little pin pricks of light floating across a solid field, flit and flutter, combining and intertwining to give the impression of uncontrollable chaos. Only by prolonged and careful observation will order eventually emerge and the secrets of the stars unveil themselves.
Knit out of two skeins of the Sanguine Gryphon ‘Little Traveller,’ Zodiac le Plume is a crescent shaped shawl begun at the back of the neck and knit through to the hem. Just before the bind off, an increase row is worked, to ensure that a thorough blocking is possible.
Yarn: The Sanguine Gryphon ‘Little Traveller’, 4 oz/560 yds, 100% superwash merino, 2 skeins, shown in ‘Tintagel’ (Standard colourway)
Needles: US 3/3.25mm 40”/101 cm circular, or size needed to obtain gauge
Notions: 4 stitch markers, tapestry needle
Gauge: 22 sts and 38 rows = 4”/10 cm in washed and blocked St st
Blocked Dimensions: 23.5”/59.5 cm down the center back
Skills Used: cable cast on, knitting and purling, k2tog, k2togtbl, k3tog, k3togtbl, sk2p, ssk, yo, decrease bind off, weaving in ends, and blocking lace
Both charts and written instructions are included in this pattern.
Hello Again
It’s been awhile (again, sorry bout that), lots and lots and lots of stuff has been happening.
The condensed version of events.
Knitting has continued (Icy Fields is this close to being done and Christmas knitting has been started).
Some spinning has occurred (not enough to get excited about though).
Some frogging has happened (the project just wasn’t meant to be).
One project has been finished (Liesl! YAY!!!!)
Another is off the needles (The knitting on Walk in the Woods is done, but I can’t remember if I’ve talked about this yet, I don’t think I have).
I had a design submission accepted somewhere (which will almost definitely be hush-shush knitting and not see the light of day on this blog until it’s published).
Another two designs are being written up then prepping and preening to go off to test knitters (if you’d like to test knit let me know, they’re both fingerless mitts with lacy ribbing along the backs of the hands).
More yarn was acquired (but I ordered it before Rhinebeck, and arrived shortly after, so it’s been hanging around for awhile now).
Four designs were released (but if you follow the blog you knew this already).
I was profiled on another blog (which is where many new people came from [I think], so this isn’t really all that new either).
More design ideas are brewing (but that’s not all that new or strange).
Classes are getting to be kind of annoying (but that happens around this point every semester, so this isn’t new either).
Now,
the longer version (much longer).
In the world of knitting.
I have less than one full round to go before I can cast off Icy Fields. Less than ONE round to go, that means I’m almost done (I’m ignoring the loopy crochet cast off I have planned for now). This shawl has been on the needles (in an astounding number of incarnations) for THREE YEARS, and let me tell you I am ready to be done with this shawl. Oh so ready.
Part of the reason I’m so ready to be done with this project is that, though it has changed a lot (and I mean A LOT), the stitch patterns (all two of them) have remained the same, they have not changed since the finalized swatch three years ago. And I love both of them, but three years is a crazy long time to be working on the same design with the same stitch patterns (in case you’re wondering, it has been the construction that’s changed many many times).
On top of all that I ordered this yarn (Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud, color smoke) in one of the first Knit Picks orders I ever did. That was some time around 2003. I think I talked about the life of this yarn before but to recap. I’ve since started and ripped one shawl. Designed, knit, and published a second shawl (A Study in Grey), and am designing, knitting, and eventually publishing a third shawl. I am ready to be done with this yarn too.
So if anyone would like my leftovers, just let me know and we can work something out. There will be at least one or two, possibly three skeins left over along with one or two not complete balls (there might be a tiny amount of cat hair mixed in, I don’t currently live full time with a cat, but I’ve had contact with a lot of cats throughout the time I’ve had the yarn). It is fantastic yarn, I love it to pieces, I’m just sick of it.
Though Icy Fields has been taking up most of my time (I want it done damn it!), because I want to finish knitting it before all of the details about the design that got accepted get finalized and I need to switch my attention to concentrating on that project, I have been knitting other stuff.
Gothic Spires has been quite neglected (poor thing), and has only gotten a repeat added to it, though hopefully that’ll change over Thanksgiving weekend.
I’ve started one of the three things I’m knitting as Christmas presents, a cabled hat for my sister that matches the fingerless gloves I gave her for her birthday in September (apparently I hit the nail on the head with the gloves, and I’m hoping the hat is just as well received). The hat too is my own designs, and once I finish, I’ll write up the pair and release them as a set (after knitting myself a set). This project is progressing along nicely, I’ll probably finish it up in a day or two, after I’m done with Icy Fields.
And I think that’s all I have on the needles at the moment (we’re not talking about Celtic Forests, it needs lots of chart work). I’ve got a bunch of stuff that I want to cast on for, but I’m waiting till I’m done with Icy Fields (this is starting to get to be a theme).
I worked through another 16th(?) of the silk/merino blend that I’ve been spinning since *cough*April*cough*. I told you the spinning wasn’t very exciting.
Belle got frogged. I love the idea. I love the yarn. I hated them together. So now, the idea is waiting for the right yarn, and the yarn is waiting for the right stitch combination or pattern.
I finished Liesl!!! Happy, happy dance. Truth be told the knitting was finished for ever ago, then I managed to weave in the ends about three and a half weeks ago. After that it sat on my floor for awhile until on Thursday I (finally) sewed the buttons on. And now I have a new sweater. I’ll try for photos and a wrap up post soon-ish.
Walk in the Woods is also off the needles, but is now waiting until I go home to get blocked. Maybe over Thanksgiving, but probably not.
I got a design accepted. YAY!! There was a lot of real life happy dancing.
The pair of fingerless gloves and their matching wristlettes (I’m wearing the wristlettes because my room is freezing) I talked about absolutely forever ago (about the same time I talked about the gloves for my sister’s birthday) are getting written up, and double and triple checked, then going out to test knitters (if you think you’d like to test give me a shout).
I got a big box of new to me yarn in one of Susan Pandorf of Sunflower Designs stash sales. They are all sport, DK or worsted weight workhorse yarns, destined to be hats and gloves, maybe a cowl or two.
I released the Crisscross Caps Collection, available through Ravelry or on the Original Designs page in the side bar (I’m working on coming up with a better way to showcase designs on the blog, the one page for everything is quickly getting clunky).
Shortly before that release I was profiled on CanaryKnits’s blog which introduced a whole bunch of new readers to this blog. Hello and welcome to everyone new, pull up a chair, take out your knitting, grab your beverage of choice and make yourself at home.
Once Icy Fields is finished expect to hear about an explosion of yarn and needles
accompanied by a butt ton of new projects.
Until next time, happy knitting.
