How The West Was Spun

New Stuff

I've been very happy that I've been working at sticking to my WIP goals.  Part of it, I know, is that it has been stormy/snowy enough around here that we haven't done much outside and once the spring comes, I'll likely be devoting a lot more time to horsey pursuits, but for now, I'm enjoying actually having time to relax and work on fiber projects.

Since I had been doing so well on my WIP goals, when D and I decided to sit down and watch the newest Bourne movie (the third of the trilogy - Ultimatum maybe?) on Xmas night, I decided to treat myself to a new project and cast on for some stranded mittens.  The pattern is the free Sea Mineral Mittens pattern from Spilly Jane.  I'm knitting these up in Jamieson and Smith jumperweight wool in (what else?) blues and purples.

Since I plied off the bison, I decided to also get another project on the wheel.  I did a little stash-diving and came up with - there's a theme here - a merino/tencel roving from Blue Moon Fiber Arts which I had bought back at SOAR when it was in Park City (2 years ago?).  Blues and purples yet again.  I have a full 9 ounces of the roving, so I thought I would spin it fairly finely and earmark it for a lace project down the road.

There are lots of long color runs in this, so I think it would be well suited for a lace shawl.  It'll be a nice slow project for the winter.

All for now......

WIP Wednesday - 12/26/07

First off, let me take a moment to discuss ruts.  As in "I'm in a rut".  I apparently have a very deep brain rut about days off/days of the week.  Since I worked Monday, that was all well and good, but then I had 2 days off (Xmas Day and the 26th).  Therefore, the 26th, being the second in a row of days off was Sunday.  Right?   

Not so much.  Ahem.  I totally missed that yesterday was a Wednesday until far too late in the evening to take decent WIP pictures. 

So you are getting them on Thursday.  Sue me.  At least I remembered before next week.

Project #1: Nevis Cardigan

Lots of lovely progress on this.  I not only finished the back (my original goal), but also cast on and then finished the left front.  Bulky yarn - where have you been all my life?

Goals:  Cast on and knit the right front piece.

Project #2:  Rattlesnake Creek Socks

Thanks to a visit at Starbucks with Mim last week, and a get-together with Margene at Three Wishes comfortable knitting area yesterday, I am cranking along on these.  I have 1 more pattern repeat to work on the foot, and then the toe decreases.

Goals: Finish sock #1.

Project #3:  Bison Fiber Hat

I finished getting the yarn plied up and cast on.  I chose an arrowhead lace pattern for the body of the hat.  I have done something wonky with the crown decreases, but after chatting with Mim via email this morning, I think I have those issues figured out so I can rip back and get those lined up correctly.

Goals:  Finish up hat and get pattern written.

All for now.......

No-More-Humdrum Mittens

There's a great new swap for patterned mittens out and about: No-More-Humdrum Mittens Swap!  Signups are open through January 12, 2008, if you think you might be interested.

Since I already had several patterns for different pairs of mittens on deck, this was serendipitous - and sounds like a whole lotta fun to boot. I can't remember the last time I participated in a swap, but a pair of mittens and some fun goodies - I couldn't resist.

So here's my questionnaire for whoever gets me in the swap:

How long have you been knitting & how did you learn?  Since I was 6, and then off and on into high school with a long hiatus until after college.  My dad's mom taught me, and then, after she died, I had help from my great-aunt Iris.

Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? Advanced?  I suppose that's where I am these days - I can do colorwork and lace, and do some dabbling in designing my own.

What are your favorite colors? Any you dislike?  Anything in the purple/blue/gray family.  I tend toward cool colors.  Yellow is generally not good for me and I don't like any of the acid/psychedelic colors.

Do you like Latvian type patterns? If so, what are your favorite patterns?  I adore any kind of colorwork/stranded fair isle patterning, so Latvian mittens are in that category.  No particular favorite patterns - I really tend to like them all.

Do you desire mittens for yourself, your "special someone else" or your child?  Oh it's all about me - always. :)

What is the measurement from your wrist to the tip of your longest finger?  7-1/2 inches from the bony prominence on the outside of my wrist to the tip of my middle finger.

What is the circumference of your hand at it's widest point? 7-3/4 inches around my knuckles

What other things do you enjoy knitting?  Socks are probably my number-one project, but I like almost all kinds of knitting - sweaters, vests, shawls, hats, mittens.  I can't really think of anything I don't like, except maybe fun-fur scarves.

What sort of needles do you enjoy working with? (straights vs circs, bamboo vs aluminum) Bamboo or wood are my preference.  I like circulars for large projects and DPNs for smaller things.

What’s one project you’ve not yet tried but are dying to make? Heh - I think my Ravelry queue would indicate there are LOTS.  I have several Alice/Jade Stamore projects in my "wish I had more time" list.

What’s one yarn you’ve not yet tried but are dying to work with?  The new Noro sock yarn.

What other hobbies do you have? Do you spin? Sew? Garden? Cook?  I horseback ride a lot.  I spin, but don't have time for a lot of it; i have a loom, but am in the process of selling it due to absolutely no time to weave!

Besides yarn, do you collect anything? Nothing specific, but I do have a lot of horse-oriented things in the house.

What kind of goodies do you enjoy? Sweets? Salty? Anything you hate or are allergic to?  Sweets more than salty.  Good chocolate is always nice.  Gourmet tea is a favorite too.  I'm not allergic to anything, but I really don't like things that are spicy - like cayenne pepper or too much ginger.

Do you have any kids? Pets?  No kids, except for the 4-legged ones:  1 cat, 2 dogs, 4 bunnies (3 are angoras) and 3 horses.

What is your favorite part of Winter?  The cold and the snow - I love fresh snow.  And lots of warm woolen clothing. :)

What is your least favorite part of Winter? It really cuts into my horse-riding time.

I think that'll sum it up.  Swap pal - if you need more info, please ask!

All for now......

Flatiron Clog Socks

I'm really not sure what kept me from just finishing these - I zipped through them once I got my crap together and just worked on them. (Note to self - perhaps this is a thought for other stalled WIPs, m'kay?)

Project Specifications:

• Pattern:  Flatiron Clog Socks from Designedly Kristi (available for download at the link).  Easy pattern and it works exceptionally well with those "extra busy" sock yarns with lots and lots of colors.  The overall pattern is a slip-stitch rib and it helps to break up any spottiness of the color into sort of a painterly effect. Kristi has this in multiple sizes, from wee ones to extra large.  I opted not to carry the ribbing down the heel, but the pattern is written so that you can if you wish to.
• Yarn:  Claudia Handpainted Yarn in colorway "Purple Earth".  This was a birthday gift from Margene.  I thought it worked great with this pattern.  Note, however, if you are going to make anything larger than the women's medium size, you'll need another skein of this yarn.  I had 2 skeins, and I was down to perhaps only 20-25 yards left per skein after each sock.
• Needles:  Bamboo US size 0 DPNs.
• Modifications: None, really.  As above, I didn't carry the pattern down the heel flap, but Kristi has that option written into the pattern anyway.

Here's a closeup of the leg with the slip-stitch ribbing:

Overall, these would make a great last-minute gift, as they do knit up quickly and since they are quite stretchy, would be fairly forgiving if you were unsure of the exact foot fit of the recipient.  With 2 days forecast of cold, dreary rain and snow, however, these suckers are going on my feet pronto.

All for now.....

WIP Wednesday - 12/19/2007

First off, look at this great button Miriam made for me!

Love it? Want it?  Feel free to save a copy to your very own server!

And now onto the progress:

Project #1: Flatiron Clog Socks

Not only did I finish my goal of finishing the heel decreases, thanks to 2 doctor's visits this week and an hour spent cooling my heels (heh - sock reference there) in the lab yesterday waiting to have blood drawn, I finished these!  But, tease that I am, you'll have to come back tomorrow for the FO post. 

So, the new project #1 is the Nevis Cardigan from A Season's Tale (you'll have to scroll down in the link to see the picture).  This is knit on large (size 11 US) needles in a chunky weight wool, so I am hoping it will move right along. Here's where I stand right now on the back:

Weekly Goal:  Finish the back

Project #2: Rattlesnake Creek Socks

Finally decided on a name for these and I got the calf portion knitted, plus the heel flap. I was pleased with how the undulating cables are working, so I'm going to forge ahead with these.

Weekly Goal:  Finish the heel gusset decreased and start on the foot.

Project #3:  Bison Fiber

Both bobbins' worth of singles are spun.  Still no pictures, but I'll have some next time, when my goal will be to....

Weekly Goal: Ply into a 2-ply yarn, double-check my yardage and cast on for the Exotic Fiber Club pattern.

All for now.......

December Kit of the Month

This month we are kicking off a great dressy occasion sock AND featuring a new-to-us designer, Janine, whose work you may have seen in Magknits and other internet venues.  She's designed a lovely feminine sock with rows of lace and small cables extending from the cuff down to the toe.

The pattern is printed on heavy cardstock, with full instructions for completing a pair of women's-sized socks.  The kit also contains enough of our hand-dyed bamboo/merino superwash sock yarn (which is machine washable) to knit the pattern.  It is available in 3 colorways:  Raspberry Sorbet (pictured above), a light purpley-pink color; a fun, young-at-heart colorway.

Smoke, a sophisticated blend of pale pearly gray through deepest charcoal:

and Mountain Jay, a subtle blend of deep smokey blues with black overwash:

US customers will receive free US Parcel Post shipping (please select this option upon checking out), and overseas/Canadian customers will receive a $4.25 discount off the cost of their shipping.  Please note that additional shipping charges may be incurred if you add on other products to the final order.

All for now....

Back-To-School Vest

Are y'all sitting down?  I've actually had this finished since the weekend, but wanted to give it a bath and take some daylight pictures, which are hard to fit in this time of year when there is actual sun and it's not overcast and gray outside.

Without further fuss, then, here 'tis:

Project Specifications:

• Pattern:  Back-To-School Vest from Fitted Knits by Stefanie Japel. I decided finally on a slightly looser fitting version than that shown in the book, so I went with the size M rather than the usual size S I'd wear and I think it fits very nicely over a long-sleeved shirt.
• Yarn:  Harrisville Highland; colorway "Chianti", but overdyed by me. I had a total of 800 yards (4 200-yard skeins), but I only wound up using 2 full skeins and a wee bit of skein 3.  Plenty left for a pair of mittens and a hat.
• Needles: Size 5 and 7 US.  I decided to use two 24" #7's to knit the body.  That way, I put the front and back half on each (which you have to do when you divide it at the armholes anyway) and I could easily try it on as I went.
• Modifications:  I did a 3-needle bind-off at the shoulders rather than seaming.  I like that MUCH better.  I also only did 3 rounds of purl at the arm openings.  I thought 3 purl/3 knit/3 purl rounds, like at the hem and neck would be too much. I also shortened the ribbing by about 1-1/2 inches at the waist to accomodate my short-waisted'ness.

Overall, this was a really fast, easy knit.  There is some shaping, but nothing difficult and almost half the vest is semi-mindless K2/P2 ribbing.  I like the fit of this and I used up stash yarn, so how can you go wrong?  The yarn softened up considerably after a bath in some Eucalan and I will likely wear it to a holiday party on Friday.

All for now.....

WIP Wednesday

I used to belong to a yahoo group called "Productive Knitters" or something like that; the exact name escapes my memory bank at this point.  Every week you'd check in with a list of goals for the upcoming week (no more than 3) and update the list with how successful you were towards reaching that goal over the previous week. Nothing was too big or too small, so if you thought it likely you'd have a busy week without much knitting time, fine - have as your goal to knit 1 row on each project.  I actually got a LOT of things done when I was a member of that list, and while I don't think I'm going to rejoin the group (no time to read long involved emails from tons of people), I decided I'd like to try to get back in the habit of keeping track of my projects and where I stand on them.  So, with that in mind, I'm going to also try to get in the habit of posting every Wednesday with a WIP Wednesday report.

Project 1: Flatiron Clog Socks

I've had sock #1 finished for a while.  This is a fairly easy pattern and I'm not really sure why I put it down other than the dreaded second-sock syndrome issues.  Anyway.  Sock #1 is done.  Sock #2 is on the needles and I turned the heel on it last night.
Weekly Goal:  Finish the heel gusset decreases.

Project #2: As-yet unnamed socks

I just started these and I'm designing as I go.  The concept is a bunch of intertwining cables back and forth across the ribbing.  I'm knitting these with a new superwash merino sock yarn I just got in, which is a lot like Louet Gems.  The colorway is also a new one - "Mountain Glen" and while it is extremely hard to capture on film, it is a mixture of dark pine green and dark blues.  Once I've got these done, I'm thinking a free pattern for the store will be in order.
Weekly Goal:  Figure out what I'm doing with the cables on the leg/ankle portion and get that knitted.

Project #3:  Bison Roving

No new pictures of this, because it currently looks exactly the same as the last picture, only now on a different bobbin.  I've gotten bobbin #1 of singles spun up and started on #2. 
Weekly Goal: Finish spinning bobbin #2 of singles.

I'm going to limit myself to 3 projects a week to post here, but if I finish my "homework" on these, I may work on other things.  I also reserve the right to take a week off from one of the listed projects and substitute something else I'm working on (like Lizard Ridge squares) for a week or two (or more).

I'll be back tomorrow with an FO!

Edit:  From the sounds of things, folks think this is a fine idea.  I've thrown myself at Mim's feet to ask if she'll make a button for a WIP-Wednesday-Along and I'll post it here when I've got something together.  If you want to participate, feel free to grab and save the button to YOUR server and check in on Wednesdays with your progress!

All for now.....

Random Friday Thoughts

As an update, just to let everyone know, I did have 3 participants who wanted to sign on for the Pay It Forward challenge.  They are:

1. Anne of Knitting Under Water
2. Birdsong of A View from Sierra County
3. Chris of Woolybuns

I think this is a lovely idea, and I'm looking forward to picking some handmade gifts for these 3 ladies.  I already have a few ideas, but I have a whole year to decide!

In other news, my pony boys are giving me a twitch.  Diggs has always been a bit of an aggressive horse.  He isn't with him mom, because... well, he's not stupid enough to want to have a royal arse-kicking, but he can be with other horses.  Before we got him, he was pastured in the "wild boys" group with 2 other geldings (both bigger and older than him) plus an intact stallion (also bigger and older than him) and he routinely kicked their butts.  He also went through a hot electric fence to get to a mare that was in heat the year he had just turned 4.  I have had him tested for testosterone levels, thinking maybe something was missed when he was snipped, but no.  It's just him and his ways.

So, while Bhen is not a pushover, I worried about the boys.   About 2 weeks ago, Diggs spent the day working on a 6-foot high metal gate that separated him and his mom from Bhen's section of the pasture, and then finally broke the damn thing and then spent an hour kicking and biting the crap outta Bhen before I looked out the window and went out to separate them. Bhen had a 6-inch x 2-inch gash in his flank that is just now finally healing up. Diggs routinely will try to rear and strike at Bhen through the new gate panel I put up in the barn to keep them apart, when it is feeding time. Generally, after breakfast, I will watch the 2 boys standing out at the 3-strand hot wire fence playing "bite my face" in the small space between the strands of electric fence (where they aren't getting zapped, but ARE nipping at each other).   But then the dorks will stand as close to the fence as they can without touching it and take a nap next to each other.

Hap has given up on them.  She just ignores their boyish antics or whatever the hell this behavior is, and goes off to nap by herself.  Usually with her back to them.  With great annoyance if they wake her up. 

I'm not entirely sure she doesn't have the right idea.  What a buncha dorks.

All for now.......

A new project

Having gotten thru my compulsory knitting (and not really doing any last-minute holiday knitting), I took stock and decided since I have a few small things on the needles and a bit of time to knit these days with the wintery weather outdoors, I'd cast on and start a somewhat larger project. 

I picked up a copy of Stefanie Japel's Fitted Knits a while back and there are several projects in the book I am thinking about making.  In going through my upstairs closet (maybe I'll eventually get everything posted to my Stash Page in Ravelry - or maybe not), I re-found 4 skeins of Harrisville Highland wool that Susan gifted to me last year, and which I had overdyed to a deep mulberry wine/merlot-y colorway.

Not quite enough yardage for a sweater, but perfect for a vest, so I cast on some swatches and decided on needle size and off I went on the Back-To-School vest from the Fitted Knits book.

I think my favorite part about these designs is that you can try them on as you go.  That makes getting a good fit a lot easier (or at least less painful) than flat-constructed garments.  I went back and forth on the sizing for this vest, however.  I didn't want something super tight (such that I couldn't breathe or raise my arms above my shoulders), but I also didn't want slouchy and sloppy looking.  I eventually decided to go with a zero-ease size, figuring it will look tailored but not tight.  I picked the medium finished bust size measurement for this and it seems to be fitting just right.  Gauge looks good and I've actually made more progress than this photo would indicate (and the sun washed the color out of this shot; it's closer to the color pictured above).

Zipping right along as I am, I am hopeful I will be able to finish this up before the end of the month and have another 2007 FO!

All for now......