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.
Beginnings
One of my favorite things about finishing things up, knitting, shows, books, etc, is getting to start something new, and for the first time in a couple of months I’m finishing up projects without having another to immediately fill the void. But of course every void must be filled and so I’ve been casting on a whole host of knitting projects.
The fact that I’ve joined TheKnitGirllls stash dash is also helping rationalize the casting on spree, because after 4 shawls in 3 months (3 secret deadline shawls, plus Mrs. Peacock, between March, April, and May), I had basically nothing on the needles.
But lets start with projects you’ve already seen, shall we.
First up, the top down stocking cap has grown by about 2 hours worth of knitting (or about 10 inches), and is beginning to outgrow the DPNs it’s on.
The formerly Springy, now Somewhat Argyle Mitts, have been ripped out, redesigned, and recast on (even the cuff).
Of course I couldn’t go without a shawl (or two) on the needles.
This is tentatively being called Mirror World, and is out of Madelinetosh lace, colorway curiosity, on US size 2s, and is also a crescent shaped shawl.
Then, because Mirror World is a very “pay attention to me” pattern, I cast on a sideways shawl, currently without a name, knit out of some old handspun, on US size 9s. Since these pictures were taken I’ve added 3 or so more repeats.
And because why not. A skinny little scarf of 1×1 rib over 20 sts, on US 8 needles, out of half of a left over ball of Schoppel Wolle Zauberball in their rainbow colorway.
I also picked up spinning again when my LYS started carrying some fiber. I now have half a pound of a green merino/silk blend, that I’m spindle spinning. So far I’m getting a lace weight-ish single, that I’ll two ply.
But wait there’s more.
In an earlier post I talked about having a skein of Madelinetosh on hold at my LYS. Well. I bought it.
I haven’t cast it on yet, so I’m counting that as a win.
But I have the pattern and yarn ready and waiting.
I also stumble onto a pattern for a mini alien (pattern here), and about 20 minutes later the knitting was done.
Who knows how long it will take me to get around to finishing this little guy. But maybe next time he’ll have a couple friends and the beginnings of a mini alien army?
Mrs. Peacock Photos
The shawl formerly called ‘flashdance shawl’ and sometimes thought of as the ‘peacock shawl’ has been rename, Mrs. Peacock. It is also off the needles, off the blocking wires, and has been photographed.
Pattern coming soon (ish).
