Monthly Archives: September 2009

so this rhinebeck sweater thing

I started a new sweater with the hopes of making it for Rhinebeck but I was clearly sabotaging myself – I mean, Koigu? That’s a lot of knitting! Plus, since I’m going to Boston the week beforehand where I am unlikely to finish and block a sweater. I still love my sweater idea, and it’s likely to be my Rhinebeck * knitting *. (Plus another wrappy project that I just started last night! Startitis abounds!)

So, instead I pulled out the sweater I’d started for MDSW in May – it’s Jo Sharp silkroad DK. I remember being a long way off from finishing it before the show, but I did work on it afterward and had only a little bit and a long bind off to finish!

rhinebeck sweater?

Still needs ends woven in and a good blocking – this yarn expands so much with blocking. I haven’t quite gotten into the swing of blocking things in this new apartment though – today I had to move the sofa out a bit since it was blocking the vent and I turned on the heat. So now there’s less space to block in…hmmmm. Floor of my office?

It seems to be the year of pink – between this one and the Honeybee I’ll have to coordinate my packing around the pink sweaters! And since I seem to be on a bit of a roll, I’m going to try and finish another sweater that’s been languishing. Although with the sudden weather change, it might actually not be warm enough!

ripping and reknitting

A new little shawl project!

new shawl

I had a customer the other day who was interested in finding a shawl pattern that was NOT a lace pattern. Tricky to find, it would seem! But since the days and nights are cooling off a bit, I thought a non-lace shawlette seemed like just the thing.

This pretty green yarn is Wullenstudio Sock Yarn that I got at Maryland Sheep&Wool, at the Cloverhill Yarn booth. What you can’t see is that it’s super, super soft, but nicely plied. The colour is great (and I have another skein in a raspberry colour too). This is a one-skein project – it uses 450 yards (maybe a few yards less).

I experienced a few setbacks with this project – I clearly wasn’t paying enough attention and ended up having to frog the daisy stitch portion a number of times! Eventually I worked it out, and knit an edging that in my mind was supposed to be a sort of bell ruffle.

late night rippage

(late night photography = incorrect colours!)

As ruffles go this wasn’t a huge one, less than double the stitches by the end – but right as I was binding off I changed my mind and ended up ripping the edging back. The ruffle was pretty, but it wasn’t exactly right.

I ended up with a sort of interrupted rib pattern that I think works great! And as I was finishing up, I realized what the patterns in the shawl remind me of – bamboo, more specifically bamboo forests like the ones I saw in Japan.

bamboo forest

This is a really easy little shawl and I hope to have the pattern up very shortly – before I leave for Rhinebeck! I’ll be hanging out in Boston for Columbus Day weekend (which is Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada) and the week leading up to Boston, so I’d better get motoring…is anyone else surprised at how soon it is?!

snippets

ysolda's snapdragon

I decided to knit up ysolda’s snapdragon tam while I was editing the pattern – fun! I finished it in about 24 hours, but still haven’t blocked it (which it really needs). When the cooler weather arrives I’m sure I’ll be a little more motivated!

the tinest hint

There’s a certain fibre event coming up next month, that starts with the letter “R”. People knit new things for it. I have blue Koigu on the needles. Now, I’m not saying that these three things are related, but you never know.

Thanks for all the well wishes; I’m feeling much better after a couple days hibernating and a LOT of sleep. And oatmeal raisin cookies!