Category: knitting

  • silk, silk, everywhere

    I finally, finally (after ripping and reknitting several times) finished the little shrug I was working on before TNNA, out of Sweetgeorgia Merino Silk DK. The yarn stood up surprisingly well to the ripping, not a pill anywhere!

    pretty but big

    Unfortunately it’s too big for me. I made a bit of a math error and although it’s proportional and everything, it’s just about a size too big. I’ve blocked it and woven in the ends already (denying to myself the fact that it was too big) and I don’t want to rip again. So it’ll go off to a friend and I’ll work up another one. At least this time it’ll be even faster since it’ll be smaller?

    In latest spinning news, I pulled out some tussah silk that I’d started spinning well over a year ago.

    tussah silk

    It’s Chasing Rainbows Dyeworks, definitely purchased at Rhinebeck – maybe the first time I went? I had spun up the first half of the fibre and it was just sitting on the bobbin all this time. I spun up the second half fairly quickly (not very evenly, really) and plied it together to get 430 yards of laceweight (2oz). Should be enough for a little shawlette! I love the colour.

    I think my last bit of Tour spinning will be this silk/camel. It spins like a dream, but the pink comes off on my fingertips a bit. Super soft though! I’m planning to spin up the whole 4oz and chain ply by the end of the week.

    silk/camel

    After the Tour is over, I’m definitely going to keep spinning – it’s really given me that kick to get back to the wheel. It’s meditative, doesn’t require math (like my knitting always does) and it’s a good break from working on my knitting like I always am!

    Have you achieved your Tour de Fleece goals? What are you planning to do with your spinning after it’s all over?

  • an important announcement

    Applicable only to my Canadian customers – as you all know, we pay a lot of tax. Unfortunately I’m going to have to start collecting it from you too! As of July 1 (okay, actually as of July 5), 2010, pattern sales will have sales tax added for Canadian customers only.

    The rates are: British Columbia 12%; Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador 13%; Nova Scotia 15%; and everywhere else in Canada 5% GST.

    These taxes should be added when you go through the Paypal checkout. For sales from all other places, no tax (the price you see is what you get). I’m currently going through all the pattern pages to add a note about this so you don’t get any surprises!

    Enough of the tax talk, how about some knitting?

    it grooows!

    My cashmere cabled scarf grows! It’s probably about halfway done (I’m in the second skein) and I still love knitting it. This month I have a deadline project looming, so I’m not sure how much love this scarf will get – but I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to release the pattern in August for a jump start on autumn knitting!

  • happy july!

    Almost, anyway! Can you believe how quickly this year has gone? I think the older I get, the faster the years go.

    I’ve got a bunch of stuff on the needles right now and I’m pretty in love with them all. This one hasn’t seen much attention the last couple of days, but I’m anxious to get back to it!

    shawling along

    That’s the Viola merino fingering weight, and I’m working it up into a shawl – I love triangle shawls, but this one’s a little different. Still from the top down, but it won’t be a triangle – more like wedge shaped. Sort of a cross between a top-down triangle and a top-down raglan. I’ve got an edging in mind, but we’ll see how that looks when I get to it (hopefully pretty soon).

    The stitch pattern is subtle but breaks up the colour a little bit, and it’s more interesting than stockinette too. I’ve got two skeins of this yarn to use so it’ll be nice and big!

    Oh, and I must say, thanks for your great response to Bellevue! I can’t wait to see some of your finished projects.