Team All Spun Up

ok, ok, because I saw Needlefingers on Team All Spun Up I just joined that one too. Silly me, I set different goals for that one instead of just restating my Team Hopelessly Overcommitted goal. Truly overcominting myself. But those goals had no finish just a start and I felt like it was important that the Team All Spun Up goal need to be, well all spun up at the end.

Goals for Team Hopelessly Overcommitted:
silk for a handwoven scarf
cotton for a bath towel
silk for a knitted lace shawl

Team All Spun Up
I have 5 bobbins and right now on each bobbin is a different fiber/project. My goal is get as many of the 5 all spun up so I can have my bobbins back. It’s making plying impossible.

An unstated goal is to spin a sweaters worth of yarn too. But that falls under such an extreme level of warping space and time that I am embarrassed to say in a public thread that I am thinking of doing that too. So instead I will say it here on my public blog.

Tour De Fleece

I just joined Team Hopelessly Overcommitted on ravelry as an excuse to get the projects done that I have spinning around in my head since coming back from Midwest. I'll post more when the photos are ready.

I am also walking to Rivendell this summer. I am already at 32 miles and I am 4 miles passed Black Rider Stopping Place.

The other two ran quickly to the left and down into a little hollow not far from the road. There they lay flat. Frodo hesitated for a second: curiosity or some other feeling was struggling with his desire to hide. The sound of hoofs drew nearer. Just in time he threw himself down in a patch of long grass behind a tree that overshadowed the road. Then he lifted his head and peered cautiously above one of the great roots.

A Little Note to Myself

Whenever I go to the weaving conference I always forget three things.

1. Bathrobe: it's because I don't own one, but I need one to walk to the dorm showers. Getting back into denim while damp is very distressing. Points if it's handwoven. Extra points if the yarn is hand spun.

2. Clock: the stress of over sleeping and missing my class has me at the mess hall at 5:45am. It doesn't open until 7:15.

4. Fan: luckily I didn't need it this time although there was a scare. Then it occurred to me that every fan I own was bought around midnight at a drugstore while at the weaving convention. Next time just bring the fan.

About the AC scare, when we moved into the dorms it wasn't working. It was fixed but it was much too much. My locked thermostat was set to 50F and my room was 65F the whole 5 days. I don't believe that cold makes people sick but a constantly running AC unit might. I am not doing so great today.

It appears that I am not too bright. After suffering for 2 days the woman across the hall told me she had stuffed her dirty laundry and all her shopping into the vents. That helped a whole bunch when I did it too.

My bed had real wool blankets. I seem to be the only person that thinks real wool blankets provided by a dorm is cool, even at a weaving and spinning convention.

#14 Pure Cardigan

I've been putting off this post because I want to give this baby sweater the description it deserves. However, I am on my way to Midwest this week and it's now-or-never so this is the short and dirty version.

This is the Pure Cardigan from Weekend Knitting. I used Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy in two colors from the 75% sale bin since there wasn't enough of any one color to do anything.

The color blocks are my own but they are strongly influenced by the same sweater on display at The Studio where that knitter had run out of yarn too. Or just wanted to spice it up a bit, I am unclear about that.

The rustic wood buttons are just right for the hemp/cotton yarn. I also enjoyed the big and intentionally messy whip stitch I used to sew it together. I think it adds to the ragamuffin charm of the piece.

While I know several women that want this sweater, and some of them are even expecting, this one falls under the too sweet to give away. It will now have to marinate in the baby sweater stash for a few years before I can gift it.

Elizabeth Came to Tea

I was at the library and there on the shelf right with the knitting books was this DVD set. Yes, that is Elizabeth Zimmermann herself. In celebration of finally getting to invite her into my living room for tea I abandoned the cabled baby sweater and started an EPS sweater. I cast on thinking it would be a ski sweater but waffle and it maybe a Cousin Nalgar. I won't have to choose until I reach the chest. I have it listed as a Nalgar on Ravelry so we will see.

It's being knit out of Briggs and Little wool. I love that wool. So crunchy and rustic and it knits up fast. Because it's a strong wool and not baby soft I am knitting an oversized sweater to keep me warn next winter over many layers of clothes. I am taken with the way the heathered yarn in sage green moves from silver to black and back to silver again. I also enjoy how this yarn wears a grove in my finger after only a few hours of knitting.

Project #13 is finished. A nice set of plain ribbed socks. More yarn I dyed at KAWS. I am very pleased with how they came out. Everything from the bright mottled colors to the way the thick yarn (Henry's Attic Kona) holds a strong rib and so fast to knit.

Project #12

Rain, rain, and more rain, but between the showers I have been walking 3 to 4 miles a day for a few days now.

It's crazy how much my hip hurts after the second mile but I walk anyway. Joey likes it, I like it too. We see fields of wildflowers, grazing deer, and exotic birds, well woodpeckers at least.

The trail is along a creek so there are waterfalls and rapids and with each rain it tries to jump the bank.

Hand spun yarn dyed at the KAWS dye day. Knit up in a few hours of chatting with friends at Knitting. Pattern made up as I went along. I am pleased with how they turned out.

Fast Cars and Slow Knits

So on Saturday (last Saturday, not yesterday) I went to a Corvette Rally and watched some autocross racing.

The starting line.

I just love the skyline in the background. What a great place to live. The drive out to the event was fantastic with rolling hills, light green fields, dark green trees, and a sky so big it takes one breath away.

Someone can't wait to grow up and drive fast like his uncle.

And my knitting; Cast onto the size 3 needles I freeded up. Anybody surprised? I'm not. A child’s cabled sweater knit out of Cotton Fleece. The pattern is Nanna from Best of Lopi. This is not a simple knit and requires concentration. Oh, it's easy enough but it is not simple.

Mopping up the knitting mess

Last semester was a little rough and the week built in intensity until it cumulated Thursday night at 10pm when I was released for my weekend. When I got home late Thursday night I had a problem unwinding enough to sleep. As in I did not sleep on Thursday nights. Instead I turned on the TV and while Scrubs played in the background I cast on a new project. With Joey beside me in the chair I knitted until I was calm enough to sleep. Some days that was as the sun came up. Those projects got a little more knitting time Saturday night when I watched Legend of the Seeker and then CSI Miami, and again Sunday morning while I listened to This American Life. After that my week was in full force again and the project got tossed into a basket.

This basket.

Yes, these are the projects all started on a Thursday night with little thought of gauge, needles, wear ability, or anything. I just needed to knit to calm my mind and to make me tired. Or rather to make me sleepy since I was always exhausted.

I decided it was time to tackle the basket when I found I couldn't start any new projects from the lack of free needles.

This pile is just fine and the ones that are almost done. I can get these needles back with just some concentrated effort. Also they are the needles I want most. So this is the pile I need to be picking my summer knitting from.

This pile has problems. I ran out of yarn, I no longer like the project, or something is horibly wrong.Better. I now have some #3 neeldes again and my sock needles too. And some unhappy projects are once again happy yarn.

The problem pile now looks like this. 3 knits are worth saving and just need mistakes ripped out and fixed. Much better and the basket is now 5 projects lighter. I forgot to count how many are in there. It's better not to know.

Project 11

The zina's are growing well.

Bella Mittens inspired by the Twilight movie. I have neither read the book or seen the movie but when I saw the pattern I had to make them.

I pulled out 8oz of yarn spun from Spinderella fiber. I love her fiber for spinning tweed yarns. That is yarn I spun back when I was new to spinning bulky. This yarn has sat for years since it is not the lofty bulky knitting yarn we are used to. No, this yarn is so dense that it is really only suitable for knitting a yurt. I wanted to knit a vest from it but mittens seemed a better choice.

Joey's paw for size.

I think I have enough yarn left to knit a matching hat.

Senior Show

I've been quiet lately. It's been extra rough, with more than the average amount of unpleasantness this spring but I don't want to talk about it and you for sure don't want to hear about it. However, writing posts that are all sugar and cream feels false so I have kept away.

But many fantastic things have happened too and they need their time.

My Senior Show* was well attended and I had many friends come to wish me well. That means so much to me. My knitting friends brought me flowers. Aren't they spectacular?

While the flowers were already so much more than I was expecting I also received cards and a gift card to my LYS. With it I bought my first Noro. I love it. While showcasing gifts lets move back in time to my Birthday. I got a coat worth of yarn and a wheat free baking cookbook. All much appreciated. Thank You all. You mean so much to me.

*Senior Show should mean that I am all graduated with a degree and everything. But the school computer blocked me so I can't log on and check my grades and my degree still hasn't come in the mail...hmmmm.....

Taking a break

Taking a break from schoolwork for a show.

It's My Birthday

I'm turning 35 tomorrow. I've had friends say turning 28 or 30 hurt and made them feel old. I never felt like that. I still don't feel old. But turning 35 does hurt. It breaks my heart. So much is lost and gone. So much that will never be.

2 more weeks and I graduate to start a new chapter of my life. I hope it's a good one. Everyone is invited to the party, the senior show. It's on the 7th. See you there.

Happy Birthday Joey

Today Joey is 12.

#10 finished. Sock with Dutch heel and French toe knitted out of OnLine striping yarn with contrasting stash yarn for heels and toes.
pretty
Joey toes snuck in the photo with my toes. He is sneaky like that.

Spring Snow

This is all the yarn that is left from the 2 balls. A closeup of the fabric.

#6 finished. Ribbed socks knit on size #1 needles holding 2 yarns together. To be a gift.

This morning the rain, ice, and snow storm was over and I woke up to this.

Pear trees covered in ice and snow. The white snow on the white blossoms is very pretty.

It never got very cold in here so we didn't get the snow amount forecasted. But because of that my apartment didn't fall below 59F and I was able to keep the heat off. The sun is out today and my place is toasty again.

#7 and 8. Ok, so I forgot to take photos of finished #7. It's the top down raglan that I showed last time. It's finished and sent on to it's new home. Size 12 months. This, #8, I knitted out of the leftovers. Top down circle yoke sized newborn. Yarn Lorna's Laces worsted weight yarn knit on #3 for a dense fabric. It's machine washable merino but I think the dense fabric helps it wear and wash better.

#9 mittens. I'm running out of yarn and will have to make choices. Anyway, it's hand spun yarn from fiber I dyed. Leftovers from knitting a hat, now lost. I'm thinking that all the joy I'm going to get from this yarn has been gathered and it's time to just let it go.

3,4,5

#3 the green Perri Klass socks are finished.

The brown socks are going well. I love the pebbled texture in the color. Too bad it doesn't photograph well. These are the cushiest socks ever.
#4 a newborn sized vest made out of recycled Sari Silk and a button from the button jar. Pattern made up as I went. I knit it one night I couldn't sleep. It's already been through the washing machine once and I love how it held it.
#5 Legwarmers. One strand of aran weight black wool held together with one strand of lace weight purple mohair. Knit in a day while teaching a friend to knit.

Swap Yarn

I did a little yarn swap at knitting. This opportunity came up the day that I was going to post that I only had 20 more projects to go until my goal of half of my stash was knit. The offer was fantastic and at no cost to me so I just changed the number from 20 to 25 when I wrote the post. Then after posting a very nice email hit my inbox about a big sale and didn't I want to buy a few dozen sweaters worth of yarn?

I have spent a week trying to find ways to buy that yarn. I think it a bit much when knitters hide their yarn purchases from their partners. There is no need to rub their faces into it but strait out lying doesn't seem good either. So I can't buy it and just not say. But could I send a very big box to a friends house and not pick it up until my goal was met? Or could I knit like crazy, flunking out of my classes, and be finished before the yarn I wanted was sold out? With this thought I realized that the universe was having a big laugh at my expense and I had hit a new level of crazy. So as sad as it is no sale yarn for me.

Back to the swap. I am swapping knitting for yarn. This is the yarn I am to knit. A pair of socks and a baby sweater. The swap was suposed to be just for the socks. But since I was going to be turning the other yarn into a baby sweater anyway and I had no babys to give it too and she had just had a grand baby that week. Well it seemed right.

This is the yarn I knit.

This is the yarn I get to keep. I love the glitter in the Fortissima Disco. OnLine sock yarn in bright colors. And a DK weight yarn that maybe superwash. The lable is missing but it is a fancy hand dyed.
Baby sweater on it's way.

Fixing My Knitting

Laundry day was not a happy day this week. Look what I pulled out of the washer. Koigu socks only 3 years old. They must have had a run in with a zipper. When I first see the hole I think they aren't worth saving but I look the sock over and see that the foot of the sock is still in good shape with little wear on the heel and toe.

I go get my bag with the leftovers of every sock I have ever knit.I find the yarn. Wow, was the sock that bright when I knit it? Shame on me for using stain lifting detergent on hand dyed sock yarn. Still, I'm not going to stop.Picking up the stitches was easier than I thought it would be. It turns out that the yarn broke cleanly at one stitch.
The repair is invisible except that one purl bump I made. And the color match is good too, maybe the socks weren't that bright when knit after all. Grafting a damp sock wasn't a nice time. Still ,I wasn't sure I would have gotten back to it if I had left it long enough to dry. And done is done. I'm expecting several more years out of this sock now.

Christmas Sweaters

First, I turned my heat off two days ago. Someone at knitting asked if I was going to and I was unconvinced. This semester has been tough and I didn't really feel like being cold too. But it was a short walk over to the heater so I did it. It's off until the first day of summer or until my apartment reaches 93F. 93 is when it turns from warm to hot.

So I promised Christmas sweaters photos. 2008's theme was Native American in remembrance of a trip to the Grand Canyon. Also 4 of the 5 kids claim native American bloodlines. Never mind that they all look more Irish than Indian. Since I only knit for the 5 and under crowd this was the last year for 2 of the kids and I wanted to make it good.

For the one girl of the bunch.

She loves horses so I duplicated stitched an Indian Pony onto a doeskin tunic inspired sweater. Perfect for any Indian Princess.


Her brother received this little sweater.

The zig zag arrows are a Native American symbol for lightning I think suited for a toddlers energy.


The hand is a common theme in all primitive art. It represents the hand of the maker and I think ownership too. The hand covered all the rock art rocks I saw on my trip.

This sweater also has rock art embroidered on it. But more than that, this sweater represents the painted desert. The Thunder Bird is taken right from the photos I took of newspaper rock. The colors and stripes are for the brightly colored stripped hills of the badlands and the painted desert we saw that day.
front
back


This Indian Brave is the same age at the Indian Princess and he too got clothing inspired sweater.

The shape is reminiscent of a buckskin tunic. The triangle designs taken from the beading.

All of the sweaters are knit out of Berroco Comfort. The yarn is very soft and gets softer with washing. However it was very splity to knit so I don't think I will use it again.