Category: knitting

  • some colour and some black

    I dyed up the last pound of corriedale roving that I’d bought from eBay a while back (seller winderwood farm) and it was finally dry tonight.

    I dyed in the crockpot, with Cushings dyes, in two 8 oz. batches. The roving’s in a couple balls because I accidentally pulled too hard in a few places while fluffing it up! I really like how the red/grey/purple one came out; it was totally not what I was expecting.

    I started a new sweater that’ll go fast, I hope – I’m cold! I don’t know if you noticed, but those last couple sweaters I knit were cotton, and I’m definitely feeling a chill. The sweater’s a top-down pulli in black wool. Not terribly exciting, and you probably won’t see it again for awhile, since it’s pretty boring blog fodder.

    I’m also going to start some scarves, since they’re the ultimate cold weather accessory – one in the black casmere I showed the other day, one in some yummy blue sky alpacas worsted. Yum.

  • FO alert!

    Katy!

    Katy
    Pattern: Debbie Bliss’ “Cotton Angora” book
    Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, off-lot Cavern (dark brown/purple instead of black) bought from eBay, 5 skeins
    Needles: Denise US7
    Started: September 18, 2005
    Finished: October16, 2005

    Just under a month later (and among many other projects), Katy is finally done! She’s a beaut, and no flashdance neckline either!

    Notes:
    – The knitting was super-easy. Mostly just straight, with cable crosses every other right side row.
    – I cabled without a needle.
    – I sort of followed Alison’s adjustments on how to make the neckline smaller. I did one additional decrease in the armscye to set the sleeves in further; I lengthened the body a bit; I left fewer stitches across the back neck for the collar, effectively making the shoulders wider; in the front, I stopped the decreases when the shoulders matched the back.
    – Three-needle bindoff for the shoulders, mattress stitch everywhere else (even setting in the sleeves was painless!)
    – Although the pattern is a big chunky due to all the cables, since I used thinner yarn it’s not too bulky.

    On a competely different note, check out these awesome colour cards I got from AmiAmi (and they were FREE):

    My favourite is “Faith”, it’s soooo soft. I’ll definitely be buying some..sometime.

  • now and future knits

    Since I don’t have much else to say, how about a rundown of current WIPs (shouldn’t that be WsIP?) and planned future projects.

    WIP
    Silky Raglan – I finished one sleeve tonight, with less than two balls of the grey! I’ve just started the front (or back), so I’ll see how it goes with the yarn amount. I can always unravel my swatch…
    Vera Knee Socks – I put the first, incomplete sock on waste yarn so I can start the second one, but have I? Nahhh.
    Star Gazer Lily socks – I’m past the heel turn on the first sock. Meh.
    Modular skirt (aka Koigu Skirt) – I’m done the first tier, and am done 6 of 9 hexagons from the third tier. It’s really good subway knitting, as I can do about one and a bit sections of the hexagon per ride. I’m going to use the brown Knitpicks Palette for my contrast colour; although it’s not merino, the colour is perfect.
    Katy – One more sleeve seam, a couple ends, and I’m done, done!

    Planned future projects
    – black cashmere mistake rib scarf
    – black pullover, possibly glampyre’s v-neck pullover
    – Patons Urban Aran, as a cardigan, out of Elann Highland Chunky from last year.

    – Nordic mittens from Interweave (here’s an awesome example)…I wanted to use the brown Palette for the main colour, but since I’m using the ball I have for the skirt, I’ll have to order more (darn!). I’ll do that when I order the yarn for the next project…
    – Nordic Memories pullover from Interweave.

    I think I’m going to use Knitpicks Merino style, in similar colours (Hollyberry and some kind of yellow…I’ll have to go look at the colour cards).

    Other projects I’m thinking of:
    – cabled riding jacket from loop-d-loop, in cascade ecowool (already have the yarn)
    – some kind of cabled sweater out of Shelridge Farm W4
    – socks, socks, lots of socks!
    – presents…maybe just a few this year.

    Whew, looks like I’ve got projects for the next couple months! There’ll surely be something shiny and new that I’ll just haaave to knit, but for now I’ll keep all this in mind!