How The West Was Spun

WIP Wednesday: May 16, 2012

Spinning Project:

I finished up the singles BFL I was working on (with pics of that to come on Friday) and moved on to more BFL.  (I have a lot of it.  A LOTTA lot.)

This is "Burly" on BFL from Funky Carolina eons ago.

I am spinning this up as a combo spin with another braid of BFL (toldja I had a lot) from 2IBH, which I'll show you when we get there.  For right now, I'm planning on spinning this as a fingering-weight 2-ply, one ply of each colorway.  Possibly for a short-sleeved sweater if I've got enough yardage.  I have started this, but probably won't get much accomplished as D and I are going to Denver for a few days in the next week.

Designing/Knitting Projects:

 I finished up the sock club socks!  Woot!  The pattern is off to be test knit, but the samples in the smaller size are done.  I just need to put the final tweaks on the pattern when it's done being test knit in the second size.

I also finished up my Cider Mill Pullover.  It needs ends darned in and a good blocking, but the sample is done.  After we are back from Denver, hopefully next week, I'll crunch some more numbers for the multiple sizes and then that can go to the tech editor and be put to bed until the collection is published.  I was really happy with how the sample came out - I knit it my size so I'd have the opportunity to wear it this fall and it fits me perfectly.

Would you like a preview of the colorwork pattern?  I love how nicely the Rowan Tweed colors work together.

With those 2 projects done, I'm still waiting on confirmation about yarn for the next Sekret Deadline Knitting project, so I'm going to focus on the handspun socks that I'm working on.  (Which I have had to frog back to mid-foot after the heel turn due to a martini on Saturday evening.  I can apparently knit with wine but not vodka on board.  Who knew?)

And I'm going to put the hat for the fall collection on the needles and get going on the sample for that.  That's an easy project I can pick up and put down pretty easily, if the yarn gets fast-tracked for the other Sekret project.

All for now......

 

FO: Kinsale Sweater

I finished up the Kinsale baby sweater this weekend, and it's ready to go off to the new wee one.

PROJECT SPECS:

Pattern:  Kinsale Sweater by Terri Kruse.  I used the numbers for the size 18-mos, but knit it with a bouncy sportweight, so it wound up being almost spot-on for the size 12-mos when it was finished, due to the gauge difference.  (Which is perfect - it'll fit the little one this fall and into the holidays most likely).
Yarn:  Wooly Wonka Fibers Belissama Sportweight (SW merino) in the "Waters' Edge" colorway.  I used about 300 yards for this size.
Needles:  Size 5 US circs and DPNs.
Buttons:  Blue ducks - can you believe I had them in a stash box?

Mods:  None, really, other than to manipulate the size/gauge.

This really is a nice basic, quick-to-knit project.  Definitely do-able in a weekend if you can devote it to knitting, and even more so as a worsted-weight project.  I think if I had even half my brain to devote to reworking the pattern tho, I would do a couple of things differently.  I'd like the raglan increases to be more similar - right now, they look a little different and I'd do the M1 so that they were more similar.  I think I'd also maybe add a few rounds of garter stitch, or do something different where the henley placket gets picked up.  It's a little distorted, and despite my picking up about a third more than the recommended placket stitches, I'd like it to lay flatter.

At any rate, knowing it will go off to be happily drooled (and other things) upon, it's an easy-care project and hopefully the new boy's folks will get a lot of wear out of it in the cooler season later this year.

All for now......

WIP Wednesday: February 1, 2012

SPINNING PROJECTS:

Finished up the Funky Carolina batts, and I'm moving on to the February 12 lbs in 2012 challenge.  The goal for the February challenge is to spin up at least 8 oz of something - enough for a garment.  I'm tackling what I think will wind up being an ongoing project this year to spin up enough 3-ply worsted weight of a pretty charcoal-gray CVM fleece I purchased at Taos S&W in 2010 and was processed for me by Stonehedge Fiber Mill.

No specific goal for this, although I have started the first 2 ounces, and would love to get those singles spun.

KNITTING PROJECTS

I have gotten the Vitamin D cardi to the point I'm ready to put the sleeve stitches on holders and start the body.  I'm hoping to at least get a few rows done of that this week, chipping away at this bit by bit.

I also finished up another foot for the froggie.  I'm going to try to get the final foot finished up this week.

DESIGN PROJECTS

I finished up the SIL sample socks.  Those are ready to go and the pattern is off at the test knitter.

I am still waiting on yarn for the project I've got a deadline of February 21st for.  If... no WHEN.... that yarn arrives this week, that project is going on the needles as top priority to get finished ASAP, so it may be quiet regarding every other project, when I can get going on that.

But until that yarn arrives, I started a pair of slightly slouchy gansey-patterned mitts out of Terry's Snowshow Farm sock yarn.

I'm thinking some other accompanying accessory to go with these.  What do y'all think? A coordinating hat? A cowl?  A scarf?  Something else?

All for now......

WIP Wednesday: January 18, 2012

SPINNING PROJECTS

I finished up the batts I posted a picture of last Wednesday - those will be unveiled on Friday.  I dove back into the batts bin and selected 4 oz of BFL wool with sparkles blended in from Funky Carolina, in the "Pinko" colorway.

These two batts, while sold as a set, aren't actually matchy-matchy.  One has a lot more dark pink in it (the batt on the left) and one has more gray in it (the batt on the right).  Since each of the batts is 2 oz, I'm going to spin them individually and then ply them together, which I think will work nicely to blend the slightly differing colors.

KNITTING PROJECTS

• Still plugging along with the Vitamin D Cardi.  I did finish the fourth of the 5 increase sections to be done.  I will pick away at this more this week but I have another knitting project that I need to concentrate on, assuming the yarn arrives for it this week.
• Froggie:  Another set of foot/leg done and attached.  Might switch it up a bit and tackle the eyeballs this week.  :)

DESIGN PROJECTS

• I focused a lot this week on my Shakespeare socks and actually got these knitted up to the heel turn.  I'm going to forge along on these this week.
• A new Sekret Knitting Project that's on a bit of a deadline (actually due before the Shakespeare project, which is for April 1st).  Whenever my yarn arrives for that, I need to get cracking on it, but I'm going to try to alternate between these two projects so I can get both samples knit up.

All for now...

Taos Sheep & Wool - 2011

Lori and I have been having quite the fun visit - we did a Santa Fe tour this week, drank some vino, and headed north to Taos for the sheep and wool festival on Saturday.  Super super nice weather this year (I could deal with colder temps tho - hello! - it's fall!).  Sunny and a bright blue sky with just a light breeze.  We spent several hours at the festival, walking around, had lunch, did a bit of shopping.

I had decided before we arrived that my main goal this year to look for was some sweater yarn.  I wound up getting two batches - one worsted, one sportweight.

The first is from Elsawool, which carries only natural-colored Cormo wool, and has been a longstanding favorite of mine.  (I still have a batch of pale gray fingering weight that MUST GET KNIT UP.) I got 6 skeins (1422 yards total) of the darkest gray they carry in the worsted weight.

 

I am leaning towards the Sweet Oak Hooded Cardigan (after a ton of fussing about looking at patterns on Ravelry.)  I do plan to make it a full-length sleeve tho, and I have enough yarn to do that with no problem.

I also visited with Grayce of Plain and Fancy yarn.  She's cutting way back on her show schedule, as she lost a large portion of her flock last year.  A complete and utter shame, as she has beautiful yarns and colorways.  I got 4 skeins (1600 yards) of her singles sportweight wool in the Sea Foam colorway.

 

My plans for this are for the Elemental Pullover from Veronik Avery's Knitting 24/7 books.  It's such a nice, soft yarn, I think I will enjoy wearing this as an easygoing layer in the cooler months with that nice cozy stand-up neckline.

My only real issue at this point is which to start first. 

All for now.......

FO: Root Cellar Vest

I finished up my Root Cellar vest and I love how it came out!  I can see myself getting a lot of wear out of this during the fall and spring seasons over a turtleneck.

 

PROJECT SPECS:
Pattern:  The Root Cellar vest from Becky Herrick. I really liked this pattern.  Well-written with a lot of thoughtful details in it.
Yarn:  The main color is a combo handspun of 1 ply of FatCatKnits Falkland in "Betsy" and 1 ply of Funky Carolina Shetland in "Cobble".  This is a worsted weight.  I had 440 yards of it (which was exactly what the pattern called for in my size) and used maybe 400-425 yards.  The contrast color is some Peruvian Highland Wool in a dark dark purple that's been without a life's purpose for a looonngg time in stash.  It was nice to be able to use it up too.
Needles:  US size 8 circulars and DPNs.
Mods:  I shortened the torso a little bit (like I usually need to).  I didn't knit the contrast color panels on the shoulders - I kept all of the body in the handspun.  I did a 3-needle bind off at the shoulders, rather than grafting stitches, and I used sewn button loops rather than button holes.
Notes:  I wound up going with a set of ceramic/painted buttons I had in my button drawer. 

 

And one final detail shot of the pretty slip-stitch pattern at the waist that helps give it some extra shaping.

 

All for now......

A Bit of Knitting

Despite the fact that I did not take any knitting projects with me to base camp (I assumed - correctly - I would be too busy to do anything, even easy project knitting), I have been chipping away at my Root Cellar vest.  It's an easy project.  I like the little details Becky's added to it.  Slip stitch detailing at the waist in the contrast color and some feminine shaping.

Currently, I have finished up the body and it looks a little wonky as I picked up for the front/neck bands last night so it's pushed tightly together on the needles.

 

My plan for this weekend (after I make up some hours at work, finish cleaning out the trailer, wash the truck and clean the inside, and pack up some kits that need to go out next week), since D is gone for his annual guys' trip, is to have a little knit time on this.  There may be a few other things thrown in there, but I'd like to see if I can get the front bands knit and tackle the arm bands next.

I am leaning towards a set of button loops and not true buttonholes on this one.  I think I'd like the option of picking buttons after I'm done, and not having to worry about the size right now.  I have a couple of rows to decide.

All for now......

Making Progress

I finished up the knitting for my pattern that'll be in Ennea in September, and got the pattern written up, so it is ready to roll.  Look for some details on a SAL/KAL with Two If By Hand coming up later this week for that!

D and I also got the back part of the Twin Hills loop marked on Saturday, and our friends, Deirdre and Susan got the back part of the Montoso Peak loop marked on Sunday, so we have some fill-in spots to finish up and one long run from the 1100 well back into camp to do, but all of that can be done from the truck or an SUV, so I think we are in pretty good shape for that next weekend.  We'll have signs to put up too, but those can go out with the water truck to set out tanks, and we'll hit those at the same time.

This weekend, I decided that I needed to start a semi-mindless project to cart around with me in the vehicle, and NOT something to design myself, which takes more brain power than I currently have, so I started Becky Herrick's Root Cellar vest. 

I'm using the 8-oz skein of the Funky Carolina/FatCatKnits handspun I spun during the TdF, and a skein of dark eggplant highland wool I had in the stash from Elann from a billion and a half years ago, for the contrast.

 

This encompasses the bottom bands, and the body of the vest up through the waist decreases, and I've started the nifty 2-color/slip stitch patterning at the waistband already.  A nice quick knit, nicely written pattern and handspun - I'm a happy kinda gal.

All for now......

FO: Lupine Cardigan

The Summer edition of the Ennea Collective magazine is live!  I've got two patterns in it for this issue, but I'll preview these for you on two different posts.

First up, is a pretty feminine summer cardi.  The original yarn is handspun Funky Carolina merino/tencel (50/50) yarn which I spun into a light fingering-weight 2-ply.  The colors are soft herb greens and lavenders and a tiny bit of pink.

 

The construction is a bottom-up raglan.  The lace portion is worked up from the hem to just before you begin the raglan shaping, which is then knit in simple stockinette.  The same waving leaves border the sleeves as well.

 

This could be knit up in any light fingering-weight yarn that has a nice drape to it. I used just about 750 yards for the sample (which is the size 36").   I left mine as an open-front, but you could certainly add a pretty pin to hold it closed, or even make an I-cord loop at the point where the stockinette starts to add a single button from your collection.

 

I should note these photos were NOT taken in drought-stricken NM, but were shot along the San Juan river in southern Colorado outside of Pagosa Springs, where D and I took a long weekend holiday just before the fire started here.  What a difference!

All for now......

FO: Fylindales Cardigan

I finished up the Fylingdales Cardi last week and it's had a bath.  I'm really happy with how it turned out.  Not high fashion, but a great knock-around sweater for cooler days and it's loose fitting enough I can put it on over another layer.

 

PROJECT SPECS:
Pattern:  Fylingdales from A Fine Fleece by Lisa Lloyd.  Yet another great pattern from this book.  I knit the 38" (the smallest size given).  The sweater is knit back and forth from the bottom hem (fronts and back), and then divided at the armholes to work the fronts/back separately.  Three-needle bind-off at the shoulder seams, and you pick up the sleeves from the sleeve openings and knit them down to the cuffs. 
Yarn:  Carodan Farm worsted wool.  I have used this wool before in other projects, so I know it's a nice, basic workhorse.  The colorway is "Oatmeal", one of their natural, undyed colors.  It has a nice sheepy feel to it, with just a touch of lanolin left.  It's a woolen-spun yarn so it's nice and lofty and warm for it's weight.
Needles:  Size 8 US.  I actually didn't change to the smaller size 6s for any of the ribbings.  The 2x2 rib drew in just enough on the 8s that I was happy with it as-is.
Mods:  I had noted on several Ravelry pages that the arms were a little sloppy/too big, so I picked up 72 sts at the top of each arm rather than 78 and I knit the first 8 rounds without decreasing.  It made for a slightly more fitted sleeve, which I like.

 

Wish I could remember where I bought the buttons, as I like them a lot and I'd use the same shape in another color on another project, I think.

 
 

All for now.....