Category: sweaters

  • spencer, and haul

    Sideways Spencer
    Pattern: by Annie Modesitt, Interweave Knits Fall 2004
    Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, “Olivette”, 5 skeins
    Needles: Denise US 7 (4.5 mm)
    Started: May 27, 2005
    Finished: July 19, 2005 (that took a while!)

    Notes:
    I love the way this turned out! The stitch patterns are fabulous and the chart was easy to memorize. Modifications: added length by adding a pattern repeat, 4×2 ribbing on the sleeves and bottom of the body, more ribbing to add length. As you can see, I changed my mind about the buttons from the last post and went and bought new ones today. The sweater took so long because I put it down for a long time – but the knitting was fast and easy! Now I just need some cooler weather…

    Onto stash enhancement. Yesterday I went to the sale at Romni, with the intention of getting this:

    Madil Eden, 100% bamboo, in a mocha colour. This bamboo is soft, silky and shiny.

    I also just couldn’t resist.

    Four skeins of Coffee Bean Calmer. Oy. And I went and picked up some Lorna’s from the store, too. Two skeins of “peach” for the waving lace socks from last spring’s interweave.

    I also got the Addi for the Sapphire tank, and another 2.5 mm circ to replace the one I broke. It was an expensive day.

  • the post that grew

    I thought I didn’t have much to blog about, but then I started taking pictures!

    I started a pair of Broadripples, using the 72-stitch version. I’m using my Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock in Bittersweet and they are SO beautiful. I was worried it was going to be too big, so I did the socks on 2.0 mm needles – it just fits. I only started on Saturday but the leg went soooo quickly. The foot, not so much, but I still love it.

    I started spinning up that rust roving, and this is what I came up with – it looks ok in the picture, and in real life as well, but that’s because I was at the section that was dyed a nice red. The majority of the yarn is orange, which I’m not huge on. Still waiting to pass judgement, though.

    I also wound off the white corriedale singles I’ve been working on, and it’s a pretty honkin’ skein of 275 yards! I’m going to dye this up, sometime.

    A finished colourway in merino! This stuff is soooooo soft, and I didn’t eff up the colour! It came out well and I’m happy. I’ve got another merino lot drying, and two soaking to be dyed today. I think one of them shall be a try at red, with some black…should be interesting.

    Also, this pile just needs to be blocked, and there’ll be a finished object!

    Keep cool!

  • dyeing? also addictive

    So I finally got everything to set myself up for dyeing, and went for it!

    Here’s my set-up. On the left in the white bin are my jars of stock solution, and on the right is my corriedale which had been soaking overnight – 2 4 oz sections.

    The dye in plastic squeeze bottles (which were surprisingly difficult to find, for some reason). For this experiment I left them all as 1% solutions.

    I followed the directions at the Dye Pot, but I added vinegar to each layer rather than pouring it over the top. I used red, yellow and blue Cushings dyes, and I only did 4 oz because I didn’t want to screw up! Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion…all I can say is, the rest of my fibre better show up soon, because I am ADDICTED.

    In the meanwhile, I’ve been working on finishing up Spencer! So close!

    I’ve finished the bottom ribbing now, and am working on the button bands.

    Here’s hoping all are safe and sound.