Taking stock of projects

On the needles:
a sweater for me (Hyena In Petticoats)
a sweater for Fintan (Yates Farm)
socks for a Raveler (Twisted Sister Voodoo)
a scarf for me (Mushishi)
two Jeanie's (shawls for two Ravelers--in Koigu and Little Traveller)
a lace scarf for the LYS (Jojoland Consonance? silk and cashmere)
Forgot one: a lace stole that I'm designing for Gaia's Colours
that last one is a secret, colorwise, so I can't really share it. I'll be needing a test knitter for the chart though--anyone interested? Just a swatch size will help, as it will determine if the instructions are clear and give an opportunity to check gauge in someone else's knitting.

On deck (swatching):
a sweater for me (Midnight Sheep)
Fiddlehead mittens for me (Midnight Sheep)--but I am considering using a different chart. Maybe once is enough for the fiddleheads?
a sweater for my friend Helena (Malabrigo worsted--how have I not knit with this yarn before?)

Next in line:
2 shawls for a certain Raveler--Rambling Leaves and Coin Lace stole
a hat and mitt set for a Raveler--to be determined

I've done a lot of swapping this year, and several of these projects are swap projects. I get to knit lovely things with lovely yarns and receive more lovely yarns in exchange. Some of those lovelies are already sitting on my shelf waiting for me to finish up some projects so we can have fun together. Until I'm done they're not really mine. . .

What I learned:

How to work a lateral braid

Cabling without needles

Thinking through swatching

Long-tail cast-on

Trust the feeling that there is an error. There is one. Fix it now. This really speeds up knitting.

I love working with handdyed yarns. The colors going by. . .it's a lovely thing.

I don't love Wollmeise sock yarn. Love some of the colors to be sure, but really don't enjoy knitting the yarn. Have done, and will do for others, but I'm not looking to acquire any for myself these days, and have depleted that ridiculous supply I had a couple of months back.

Knitting for others is a blast.

My kids love what I knit for them.

Single malt and knitting go very well together.

Surely there's more?

Ah yes, I learned that there are still friends for me to meet. I have been so lucky this year to meet a couple of new ones! Unexpected and lovely surprise.


No pictures today. Just wishes for a happy new year to all!

Christmas Project

A year ago I bought a nifty tumbling block loom from Hazel Rose Looms (see the link over there on the sidebar? Click it. Please.). I wove several diamonds, but never really got around to doing anything with them. Well the other day I had four kids at home with me and needed a project. So I got out some fleece, a few felting needles and my diamonds, and some cookie cutters, and they went to work. Here are a few examples:




Here's the loom, which I love! (and it's sitting on the project that I used to learn to crochet 20 years ago).
My daughter (9) crocheted an edge around most of them. I think we have about four more to finish edging and decorating. She and my two older sons (8 and 5) did the felting.

We plan to sew them together, crochet an edging, and give a small lap blanket to Grandma on Christmas. What a fun project!

Danish Earflap Cap, fiddlehead mittens

Sophia's fiddlehead mittens, all finished and blocked, and it turns out they may fit her for this year! She's very proud of her work! Oh, and that's Bristol from A Piece of Vermont, in September and Romantic, a lovely combination.
Here's the hat she made for Dad's birthday--Lamb's Pride bulky, to match the sweater I made for him. This was her first colorwork pattern, and she did it in about 2 days in September.
And Here's the Danish Earflap Cap from Hats On! by Charlene Schurch (I'm quite sure that's not the spelling. I used Brownsheep Naturespun superwash worsted. It was a fun knit and I especially love the top of the pattern, which it turns out, looks just like the white space in the snowflakes. So cool!
Here's the top. I learned to make a lanyard braid for this project, which was fun.

For the last day or so I've been working up charts for a lace piece that I'm designing, and I think that got Sophia going. She decided to make one of these hats, but using her own charts. I'll show you what she comes up with. she's already done the lining and earflaps and has attached the lining to the outside of the hat. She's really coming along.

Isis, again

I went to knit night last night and was able to photograph Isis, pattern from BadCatDesigns, along with the lovely shawl pin I won as a prize in the Seasons Of Lace KAL. The Shawl Pin is from Kathy at the Shawl Pin Store. It is just lovely, and looks very nice with this shawl. The shawl is going to live in London, but the pin is staying with me!

Veil of Isis, blocking

Here she is, all 1675 yards of her, in Lisa Souza, fingering wool, in Mother of Pearl. If you click on the images to enlarge them, you might be able to see the incredibly subtle colors in this yarn. When you look at it, it's almost as though you are seeing after images. This lady measures 56" straight across, and 70" diagonally. the most important skill needed for knitting this is sticktoitiveness.








And the second sock is finished!

Here's my sweater, all finished. I took a cable pattern from a sock I knit recently, changed it a bit, and worked it up in a raglan with a 3/1 rib. I love the color, I loved knitting every stitch. I messed around with the upper body quite a bit as I worked, so it has its flaws, but that's okay with me. I'm going to knit another, hopefully soon, in yarn from the Midnight Sheep. And I'll fix all the flaws in that version. You can click on the images to see more detail. I am very happy with this one. The yarn is Traveller in Abu Dhabi, from the Sanguine Gryphon.

Fiddleheads and other things

Sophia's unblocked first mitten ever.
A scarf, on and off the loom yesterday, in CTH Alpine Lace, 13x72"

Our fiddleheads. You can see the difference gauge makes. My mitts are right on for the large size in the pattern, hers are much smaller than the smallest size. Too small to bother with a lining, thank goodness, since I had agreed to knit those..
Nice puffy blocked mitts with liners inside.
Clearly, I fiddled around with the lining, too.
Prelining.
I love the wrong side of stranded knitting.

Queen Silvia Shawl, finished.

Before blocking:


Blocking:

After blocking:

Another project finished. The cute one is still in the works, but coming along nicely, thank you. He's the divine comedian, if you happen to know my boys' names.

Since finishing this project I have cast on for another version of The Clovers, and a pair of socks in Eidos--Paraphernalia again. A really fun pattern. I'm hoping to get through these projects quickly and get on to my own newer designs again. I also really need to be knitting sweaters for the kids and myself. I have to stop getting into these swaps, fun and motivating as they are. . .

Lilac Leaf Shawl

This is the Lilac Leaf Stole pattern from Knitted Lace of Estonia. I have worked it as a scarf. Not too bad. The yarn is Fino from Alpaca with a twist. Alpaca silk blend. I am relieved with how it turned out, even though I know that to my eyes alpaca always looks yucky when you're knitting it!

Photos at last; some lovely yarns

Crochet hook beading stands, made by Dave Paul at the Merlin Tree.
Cashmere silk laceweight from the Midnight Sheep, in Verdigris (custom dyed).
Alpaca, silk, cashmere laceweight from The Yarn Side, in Sligo. (custom dyed)
Merino Laceweight from The Midnight Sheep, in Sligo's Dream (custom dyed)
Cherry Tree Hill Orenburg lace mill ends, one in a ball, the other stretched out to its full unswiftable length.
Pomatomus socks in Sheepaints silkbamboo , in Weizen
Pomatomus socks in Sanguine Gryphon Kypria, A Fateful Plan
The Norwegian Boatneck sweater, a test knit for Donna Druchanas's Ethnic Knitting Discovery.

I love how the inside mirrors the outside, and I love how the facings hide the steeks. this is going to be one super warm sweater!And the Lamb's Pride Bulky, while really too heavy for me to work with now, is just so soft. My hands are not happy with me for all the bulky weight knitting. Now I am full time on my friend Helena's Queen Silvia Shawl, a pattern from Knitted Lace of Estonia, which I am knitting in that Orenburg Lace shown above. I've completed the first pattern repeat. Only 20 more. Helena is the dyer behind the Midnight Sheep yarns pictured above. Aren't they gorgeous?

Sorry for the lack of links, I'll get there, but I have just accepted another huge work project for this month, so I'm back up to three at a time. I'll try to add them later. In the meantime, look up the Midnight Sheep at etsy.com. You'll see some lovely things there!