How The West Was Spun

WIP Wednesday - 01/30/08

I've been MIA this week.  Sometime mid-week, I got an odd scratchy throat, followed rapidly by the flu that ate Miami.  I spent as much of Friday as I could (other than work) and much of the weekend in bed, hacking up a lung with chills and fever, and generally wishing I was somewhere else.  I think I'm back now, at least to my virtual reality.  Unfortunately for my posting prowess (such as it is), in the world of reality reality, I still won't be here much in the next week.  D and I are off to the east coast for a quick tour with the families and for the christening of the 2 nephews. 

To entertain y'all until I get back, here's my current WIP Wednesday update for this week.

Project #1:  Nevis Cardigan:  I finished sleeve #2.  Gotta love chunky yarn, eh?  I won't get the blocking and seaming done on this since it's not really a portable project, so this will be on hold until next week when we get back.

Oops.  Looks like helper kitty ear snuck into the edge of that photo.  Imagine that.

Goal:  On Hold for travel.

Project #2:  Rattlesnake Creek Socks:   I finished the leg on sock #2 and I'm ready to start the heel.

Goal:  I'm taking this with me as travel project #1.  I'm hoping when I get back, I'll have these completely off the needles or pretty dang close. The pattern is just about ready for posting, and hopefully then, I'll have tidied up any weird-isms in it and will let you know when that will be available through my free patterns.

Project #3;  No-More-Humdrum Mittens:  I am pretty close to my goal.  I finished the hand of the mitten, and just need to work the thumb and darn in the ends. This one's gonna have to wait too, I'm afraid, since it's not particularly travel-worthy with lots of needles and charts and yarns. 

Goal:  On Hold for travel.

I am planning on taking the Rattlesnake Creek socks with me, and then I am trying to decide if I should take a second pair of (half-done) socks - Spey Valley from Nancy Bush's Knitting on the Road, or take another pair in a slightly more complex pattern to keep me occupied on the plane.  Hm....

PS - New shop items will be ready to go when I get back too, so look for that post sometime mid-week!

All for now...

WIP Wednesday - 01/23/08

Okay - let's see where we are, shall we?

Project #1:  Nevis Cardigan:  I am still working on sleeve #2. 

Goal:  My goal is to see if I can get that finished up and then we'll move on to blocking and finishing details the following week.

Project #2:  Rattlesnake Creek Socks:  I did finish up the ribbing and started on the cables for the leg of sock #2.

Goal:  Finish the leg repeats and get ready to start the heel.

Project #3;  Sea Mineral Mittens:  I am reserving the right to move these out of the queue for a bit and will be replacing them with my No-More-Humdrum Mittens swap project, since that's on a deadline and the Sea Mineral Mittens aren't.  I have already started the swap project mittens.  Be forewarned there aren't going to be any pictures until my swap-mate has received these; I missed changing one lousy setting on my "anonymous" email, so she knows who I am already and the swap is small enough she can easily wander thru my blog.  I promised I wouldn't spoil the surprise with details.

Goal:  Finish mitten #1 (Sounds lofty, I know, but I've already knit over half of it, so I'm going to try to push on with this.)

And for an update (in case y'all are participating or following along on Ravelry with the Knit-A-Mile challenge for January/early February), as of Monday, I have knit through 688 yards.  So....1760 yards per mile...minus 668 yards...carry the 1......leaves me with 1092 yards to knit before February 19th.  Best get them thar needles a'clickin.

All for now....

Psssttt.....

Edit:  All the roving is spoken for.  Thanks for the interest everyone!!

Just popping in quickly, as your friendly neighborhood fiber-crack dealer, to let y'all know I have a limited amount of bison down roving available for sale.  This is nicely prepared, professionally de-haired and processed at Still River Mill.  It is a very soft and fluffy natural milk chocolate color.

I've got eight 1-ounce balls bags left over.  Price is $16.00 per ounce, plus shipping, unless you want all eight ounces, and then I'll cover shipping.  I'll take requests first come/first serve on this.  You can email me by clicking on the Contact Me link in the upper left-hand corner of the blog page.  Let me know how many ounces you'd like and I will calculate actual shipping charges, and generate an invoice for you.

PS - I've gotten a couple of free patterns posted as well in the right-hand side bar.  Both would be equally nice and easily done with this fiber.

All for now.....

Another FO

Saturday zipped by this weekend - I had to work, but I took off a couple of hours midday to go ride with Bhen at our lesson.  It's amazing what a little collection will do.  His trot, which had been bouncy (but frankly, compared to Diggs, who is a gaited horse and doesn't trot, everything is bouncy), has smoothed out remarkably by just adding a little "brake" to his front end and a little more "go" to his rear end.  When I got him from Sally, she said he had the world's worst lope and canter - very hard to ride because it was so rough, but I'm encouraged we can smooth that out too with a little more time working on collection with Jerry.  By the end of our lesson (and we trotted for almost an hour), Bhen was overstepping by about 2 hoof lengths, and I was having to work much less hard at posting.  Nice!  We then ran home to meet Dan and John, and the boys helped D off-load another 75 bales of hay that got delivered to be sure we'll have enough to get through until spring.  (We had bought our main load of hay before we knew we'd have a third horse for the winter and it's been COLD here, so the crew has been getting some extra at night to help stay warm.)

Sunday was also a work day for me, but I managed to get finished with work in time to watch the Patriots advanced into the Superbowl (go Pats!) and then moved on to the Packers/Giants game with sock knitting firmly in hand.  I was feeling like something mindless, so I just sat and knit around and around on my socks for the orphanage, and by the time the Giants had clinched their Superbowl spot, I was able to cast off the toe, darn in the ends and call this pair done.  (They look a little funky in the photos as they don't fit on my blockers very well.)

PROJECT SPECIFICATIONS:

• Yarn: Lana Grossa Meilenweit Mega Boots Stretch in a cinnamon red colorway.  I like this yarn.  I like it a lot.  Great yardage (these are big enough for a men's 10-1/2 shoe size, and I still have about 50 yards left of the skein) and nice subtle color transitions.  It's just slightly beefier than the sock yarn I usually work with, so it knits up pretty quickly.
• Pattern:  Just a simple 2x2 rib with a short-row heel and rounded toe.  I cast on 76 stitches onto size 2s and then after 5 inches of rib for the leg, switched to size 1.5s to finish the leg and knit the foot.
• Needles:  Size 1.5 and 2 US bamboo DPNs.

These are destined for a care package for an orphanage in Akkol, Kazakhstan.  They are soliciting socks for some of the older kids (larger feet sizes) between now and March, so these are ready to go.

Today's a day off for me, coincidental to the MLK holiday, and D is home.  Overnight, we've gotten about 5 or 6 inches of snow already, with more coming down, so I think we are going to hibernate inside and wait out the storm today.   

All for now.....

Tres Finis!

Thanks to a semi-trashy novel, I finished up the miles of double seed stitch on the beret, decreased for the crown and called it good last night. (And Susan, I owe you your head back.)  I think the colors in this picture are pretty close to the original.  This yarn is hard to photograph accurately, I'm afraid.

Project Specifications:

• Pattern:  Basque Beret from Veronick Avery's Knitting Classic Style.  Easy pattern, well-written, nice finishing details.  Pretty much what you'd expect from her patterns.  My main gripe about the book is that the photos in it are, for the most part, craptastic.  In the book, this looks like a close-fitting beanie in the one (ONE!) photo you get of it.  Most obviously, it is not.  Granted, I think my bouncy cormo wool yarn probably blocked out a bit more than the cashmere used in the original, but it is still not a beanie!!
• Yarn:  A limited run of 100% cormo wool in sportweight, hand-dyed by me in the Elderberry Wine colorway.  I only used about half of the huge skein for this.  I have just over 250 yards left, plenty for another small project.
• Needles:  US 3 bamboo DPNs.
• Modifications:  I didn't bother with a provisional cast-on for the band.  I just picked up the cast on edge (like turning the edge for a picot-edged sock) and turned the stockinette band under to finish off the edging.  Otherwise, no other mods.

Here's a detail picture of the nice crown decreases and little I-cord nubbin on the top of the crown.

So this lovely little beret will be on it's way to Virginia so my mum has an excuse to visit and chat with our friend and see how she's doing. 

All for now......

WIP Wednesday - 01/09/2008

Back again for another WIP Wednesday, folks!  You'll remember I was making a lot of good headway on various projects in last week's edition, right? 

This week, not so much.

I got a little bit done on each of the projects I had listed (my Nevis cardigan, the ribbed sock for the orphanage overseas, and my Rattlesnake Creek socks), but really nothing worth reporting - maybe a few rows of each.  Due to the late-game substitution at the end of the week, I decided to concentrate mostly on getting a chemo cap done for our family friend. 

I hadn't worked with this sportweight cormo before, so I was a little off on my gauge for round #1 and wound up with something that stood up better than a cardboard box.  Frogging ensued and I went up a size on my needles - MUCH better.

I had recently picked up the new Veronick Avery book and there are several things in there I have on "the list".  For this little hat, tho, I picked the Basque Beret pattern and it is working up quite nicely.  It has a reverse stockinette band at the hem and then is worked in a checkerboard pattern, aka double seed stitch.  I'm about two-thirds of the way up the body of the hat and liking how it is working up in this yarn quite a bit.

Honestly, I STILL think it is a deeper burgundy than this, but it was showing up pinker in yesterday (post-blizzard) sun.   Since there is such great yardage in this yarn per skein, I'll have enough leftover for another hat  and/or a pair of mitts, I think.

Goals for next week:  Finish up this hat.

That's it.  I just want to get this off the needles and on its way to the east coast.   IF I can meet that goal, I will concentrate on my 2 pairs of socks for the remainder of the week.  That seems do-able.

As a little treat to myself this week, I also visited Keri's (aka Knitty Gritty blog) Etsy shop and scored myself a very cute little travel/sock bag for my current small WIP.  It is a lovely blue and brown damask-type print in heavy cotton, with a brown ribbon drawstring.  The inside is lined with a complementary fabric and has several small pockets (perfect size for things like a square tapemeasure or stitch markers or a small container of cuticle cream).  It fits a large (in this case 525 yards of sportweight) ball of yarn, and then there is still space for my current project.  It has a nice squared bottom (bet I get some porn Google hits from that one) so it will sit on the floor next to my chair and not be easily knocked over.

Cute, isn't it?

All for now......

Horsin' Around

Saturday was all horses, all the time! I had missed riding with my boys.

Saturday a.m., MJ picked Bhen and me (and D), and Nicole up in her big trailer and we went down to the indoor arena just south of us for a lesson with her friend, Jerry, who trains Arabians.  I had been along for the ride, so to speak, on a couple of MJ's lessons with Jerry.  She's fine tuning/rehabbing her husband's race horse.  His real name is something majestic-sounding that has to do with fire or flames, but she thinks he's kind of a dork and calls him (among names I can share here) just plain ol' "Sparky".  She says until he gets his head screwed on straight, he doesn't warrant any high-faluting names.  Fair enough.   

D was kind enough to drag along his camera to get some pictures.  Here's Bhen and me (and MJ with her back to the camera) watching Jerry work some kinks out of Sparky, who was being a dork for a while.  (click photos for bigger)

You can see were were all bundled up, even though were inside.  I had on long underwear, plus heavy leggings, plus a turtleneck and a fleece pullover and a vest, AND my angora scarf.  Jerry helped me get some little things tweaked on Bhen's tack and headstall, and then we did some trotting.

Jerry helped me with some pointers on collection and then we trotted some more.  And then a bit more. (We overstayed our hour by half again as much, but we had the place to ourselves.)

My nose ran almost the entire time, and Bhen didn't like the snow that was melting and sliding off the roof (we had a couple of minor rodeos with that, but that's okay - he's used to be outside and I'm sure he'll get used to it), but we had a blast.  We are going back again next Saturday for another go with Jerry.  I enjoyed working with him immensely.

Later on Saturday afternoon, after a quick lunch, D and I and our friend John took the trotters out for a ride in the snow at the park.  We didn't do much but a nice fast trail walk and a little bit of gaiting.  The footing wasn't great (everything is still snow-covered), and we didn't want to get the crew too sweaty before they had to go stand outside at home in the wind all night.  Both Diggs and Hap did great.  D and John rode along behind me and Diggs, and they had a chance to catch up and chat.  We had beautiful bright blue skies and sunshine, and I think the horses (although they probably wouldn't admit it) enjoyed going out for a bit as much as we did.

All for now......

A late-game substitution

After an email from my mum this week about a mutual friend of ours who just treated treatment for breast cancer, I think I may have to put aside most of my WIP Wednesday projects and get something on the needles for a cap for this lady.  She's already started to lose her hair, so sooner would be better than later, I think.

Anyone who has to go through treatment for breast cancer deserves to have something nice and warm for their newly bald scalp, IMHO.

I'm thinking of using this:

Which is some hand-dyed sportweight Cormo wool.  (I have about 20 skeins of this, BTW, with approximately 525 yards per skein, which I am happy to dye in any current colorway I've got in the shop, or can do a custom colorway for you.  Just email me and we'll talk.)  It is very soft and squooshy.  I think it has more burgundy tones to it than the purpley-er ones above, but since Becky likes deep purples and reds, I think it will suit to a T.  I have to do a swatch, but I think I'm going to try it with the Beret pattern in the new Veronik Avery book. 

So y'all will know what I'm working on this weekend.  In case you worried I didn't have enough projects on the needles and all.

All for now......

Some Other WIPs

I've been pretty focused on my WIPs, but since variety is the spice of life, I've got a few other things going on when I've finished my "WIP homework" every week.  In a weird way, I'm finding it is easier to keep on track with my WIP Wednesday projects because I know if I DO get my goals for the week done, I'm free to work on anything else that strikes my fancy.

So, as mentioned in a previous post, I started a pair of socks for charity knitting.  These socks are slated for a March departure to a children's orphanage that has a large group of older kids in an extremely cold climate.  I decided to hit the stash and have come up with what might be a new favorite in the sock yarn world: Meilenweit's Mega Boots Stretch.  Subtle color gradiations, knits up quickly and feels wooly and not plastic-y, even with nylon in it.  One of the socks is completely done, just a basic 2x2 rib and the other one is knit down to just about an inch before I need to start the heel. 

Then, I also scored on some end-of-the-year-sale yarn from Three Wishes here in SLC and bought enough Silky Wool to knit a shawl for my mum.  She wound up wrapping up in my leaping rabbit stole that Cathy crocheted for me about 2 years ago from handspun when they were visiting over the holidays, and she indicated that she would wear something around the house in the morning and on weekends, so I decided to go with a heavier, less lacier, everyday kinda shawl.  I think I've got a nice marriage going with the red Silky Wool and Mim's Seraphim Shawl (which is available for sale via her online store - although I think I'm the only knitter in the universe who hasn't knit it yet.)

Are you sensing a "red" theme?  Hm... yes, well, in the spirit of not joining anything, I also signed up for Project Spectrum Three, which kicks off in February with the element of fire and things red, pink, and orange.  I like to stay consistent to my personal mantra of not being a joiner that way.

All for now....

WIP Wednesday - 01/09/2008

It's that time of the week again!  I don't have pics this week, as I need to recharge a set of batteries for the camera.  I spent yesterday afternoon taking a bunch of short movies and pictures for a friend-of-a-friend who was looking at a horse down in my neck of the woods, and alas, seem to have run through all the power I've got.  It'll likely be okay, since most of this week looks like most of last week.

Goals this week are going to be light, since this weekend I start riding lessons with Bhen (mostly to keep him (and me!) in shape over the winter, but also to work on a few finesse things), and then we've got some actual social engagements that require me a) leaving the house, b) not wearing my PJs and c) not wearing my riding togs and a ripped, dirty sweatshirt.

Project #1:  Nevis Cardigan

Progress:  Zipping right along.  Finished sleeve #1 and actually have already cast on for sleeve #2.  I

Goals:  I'm going to try to get to the halfway point on the this sleeve (all the increases before the raglan decreases).

Project #2:  Rattlesnake Creek Socks

Progress:  I finished the cuff ribbing.

Goals:  I would like to spend as much time on these as I can to get the pattern finished up.  Realistically, I'm going to set a goal to get the leg down to the heel knit, and if I can get farther, I will.

Project #3:  Sea Mineral Mittens

Progress:  Finished another repeat.

Goals:  Try for 2 more repeats this week.

Hope everyone is having a great mid-week and lots of knitting!

All for now...