Almost March

Somehow I managed to set the bar too high. The items I queued all have some design flaw or too many errata. I've started to swatch several projects and I guess I'll just have to claw back the idea that I would do "12 in 2011" and just try to knit what I can for myself this year. That was the intention of the group anyway, not to churn our small and easy projects to say you knit 12 projects. Last year, I made 18 I think and that was just from going from project to project.

The other thing is knitting time. I'm pretty much exhausted from work these days so I don't take as much time to knit as I used to. Gone are the days of knitting each night. I'm lucky if I manage to knit twice a week at knit nights, and then, my brain is so fried that I don't think I end up knitting much. Mostly, I've been just trying to knit swatches since my first "easy" project ended up with such a horrible row gauge. Usually this isn't a problem if the pattern knits to a certain length, but watershed did not, so now I have to do the math.

Also, it's been terribly cold here the last week or so, dropped down to 26F yesterday. 26! It's almost March- really, tuesday evening was hovering around 0 (32F) and I could see my breath, yet I forgot to salt my walk. Wednesday morning, there was about 4 or 5" of snow on my car. I've shovelled, and now, Saturday (actually, even yesterday) most of the major roads are clear, just my little side road and cul de sac, we didn't shovel, so there's a bit of ice on top - yay, my car gets to go skating!

Seems like the westcoast as a whole is getting a beating. so, it's not just us. sigh. global warming.

3 weeks in...

Jumped in with both feet to 12 in 2011 - so far, a bit of a bumpy ride. What do you think of my well-intended yarn diet, claim diet, and being on a budget? sound good ? Yes, so far, so good. I found a new WM friend and introduced her to knit night and we did a trade. so, I'm ok on that front. As for the knitting part, it's a bit challenging so far, since I can't seem to make "easy-looking" projects easily.

I started the Watershed Cardi in a lovely teal silk-merino from my stash. Gorgeous.
Can't knit the 8-line lace chart worth a darn. This after having done 60 rows of lace, on 2 fronts. unbelievable. I'm making my own pattern, and adjusting the one I have (ahem, pretty usual for me, most of the time).

I started looking at the rest of my 12 in 2011 - next up is Silk Garden T. Actually made of bamboo and designed with 0 to negative ease. Challenging to pick a size, as I don't want to knit and have to re-knit if it doesn't fit. Lots of people going down a size beyond their bust. The difference in sizes is 4". Beautiful graphics on the pattern - definitey inspiring and look easy, we'll see. I'm thinking bsa alpaca silk, so looks like I'll have to Swatch!

Also looked at a cardi set I've been eyeing for awhile - thinking of making the one in Sensual knits by Connie Chang Chinchio. Unfortunately, this book has a lot of errata, so I went to look at it again, and the pureknits link is dead. Luckily, one of the rav editors has re-posted the link, so I was able to compare the corrections with the chart, and I see (thankfully) that there are pieces of the lace which are obviously missing and just need to be drawn in. So, that project might be back on the plan.

Might just go back to kelmscott to finish that - have the back done, sleeves, done, and left and right fronts waiting to be zipped back 2" each to re-do the decrease at the neck while I bind off for the sleeve.

New Year's Resolutions - 12 in 2011

So my first new year's resolution is to be on a yarn and claim diet, and to this end, I have signed up for:



12 in 2011 is an online rav group focused on working through 12 projects in 2011 (one a month, more if you are so inspired)..wait for it (drum roll please)..From..my..stash.(gulp)

Needless to say, I reorganized my rav q, tagged at least 12 projects, put the patterns in a binder to inspire myself, and cast on a new project yesterday - Watershed a light-weight lace cardi, in sundara aran silky merino. Color is Caribbean - a mix of blue and green together. I have 3 skeins, but expect to use less than 2.



As for the old projects from yesteryear, they're game too.
My Kelmscott Cardi is slightly stalled; have the back and two arms done. Have knit the fronts to the bo, but knit 2" MORE than needed, so I need to rip back about 10-12 rows, and decrease at the neck edge while re-knitting the last 2"; hence starting something new.

Here's to the new year and new knitting projects.

Teapot Cozy Detour

I took a small 2 week detour from Kelmscott to knit a tea cozy. I'd signed up for a tea cozy swap, actually a tea cozy swap in which I'd submitted this picture with dimensions of my mom's teapot. The picture, taken with an iPhone, and added measurements using an iPhone App called "Measures". Unfortunately, the arrows can't be bent, so I couldn't really show the dimension being "around".



In addition, my mom was very specific. She wanted a chocolate brown colored cozy with a hint of red, like a chestnut brown. This being the perfect colour to hide tea if spilled. I figured, since the cozy exchange didn't require knitting specifically, she might get some kind of amazing cozy that I couldn't provide.

For my part, the person I was making the cozy for was indeed suitably vague. "I like all colors", and as for size - "I have a 6" teapot". This seems intuitive at the time of receipt of the e-mail. Only later as I started shaping my kInitted cozy did i realize I had no idea which dimension she was referring to.

Mountain Colors Bearfoot is what I settled on; the yarn, a deep blue with purple bits, superwash wool and nylon. Held double so that I could knit the "Tea Mitten" pattern.
As it turns out, after knitting the ribbed base and beginning to knit for the spout, I didn't understand what the pattern said, and forged on anyway by looking at the picture and improvising. As I knit, I had the sinking feeling that the lady's teapot was smaller than mine, and that sadly, it might be too big. With the deadline looming, and my double stitches snagging, I sped towards the finish line.

In a panic, I decided to purchase an extra sewn cozy at Mattick's Farm. I settled on a lovely flowered option; kicking myself that I'd just spotted the thermal quilting material not a few days before and had tucked away the bag someplace unaccessible, so that sewing one myself became just a small passing thought. Luckily, fortune stepped in an determined that I still had a week to finish. It tooks me only a couple more days to finish the cozy, sew on the buttons, and snap a few pics.

The front:


and I'd knit a tab that swung around back, and settled in place around 2 small turtle-shaped buttons with a blue-purple finish on black:-



The exchange was at the Victoria Handweaving and Sewing Guild Christmas Party. As each teapot was unveiled, I grew more uncomfortable with the tea cozy I'd made. Each one seemed bigger than the last. Large rectangles of padded joy for covering over any sized teapot. Due to a clerical e-mail error of some kind, my gifter turned out to not attend due to sickness, and there was in fact a single cozy left over without a recipient. Sarah, the kind organizer decided I should have one, and so, I opened the bag and behold, a handspun handwoven teapot with sewn cushy insides, suitable to hide the largest of hideous teapots and keep it warm and cozy underneath. Luckily or unluckily the colors chosen were pinks, purples, just my colors...but never could be further from the reddish-brown my mother longed for. In the end, Sarah said we'd work it out later.

My blue tea cozy was suitably homed; luckily, wendy, the recipient claimed to have many teapots, and tested the cozy-ness of mine against a sample pot that Sarah had brought. A hug of reassurance later, I left knowing that it at least fit two teapots, the sample one that Sarah had brought, and my own, suitably tested on.

60% and growing

60% done and growing - Back finished and waiting, one sleeve done, and started the second sleeve, right front is bound off at the armhole, and working on neck right now.



Looks a little rough I know, but it hasn't been blocked yet.
A very soft, and I'm loving doing the bobbles - esp. in such a soft flexible yarn.

Work has been busy busy the last month or more and finally coming to a successful end of my project. Still documents to write, but not the same crazy suck the brain out of your head busy I've been for the last few months. There's something to be said for planning.

Otherwise, keeping my hands busy and mind focused with this soft thing.
Turned out a teapot cozy for unknown 6" teapot and hope it'll be ok. If not, I will sneak it back and either use it on my pot, or on my mom's.

December Snow Kelmscott Cardi

Started a new cardi in Blue Sky Alpacas Suri Merino, color Snow.
Pattern is the Kelmscott Cardi, a lovely long-sleeve cardi with lace front panels, and a long lace collar. The pattern calls for reverse stockinette on the sleeves which I've replaced with stockinette. The yarn has a lovely hand, and I'm enjoying the knit.



The back has the same design detail in the middle bottom as the sleeves



Current status - Finished the back; at the cap shaping of Sleeve one; and knit the right front to the bo for the sleeve and doing the decrease for the neck.
Fascinating lace and very soft yarn.

Time change begins anew

Just past time change and it's November already. Back in the saddle after a low dip of life and doing a bunch of recycling of old papers and magazines. Finally went to my small storage unit and had the lock cut off (as I'd misplace the keys), and hauled through some boxes last weekend. Found my denise needle sets and some other treasures - a couple of woven scarves I'd bought at Art in the Pearl...way before I tried weaving myself. Still did not find my square wooden table. I guess I must have given that away at some point or the movers didn't unload it from their truck.

Work is letting up a bit - smoothing over. Still driving towards the end game in December but rolling along and manageable.

For knitting I decided I would try to knit up some of my lovelies. A skein of Swiss Mountain Sea Sock - Superwash Merino, Silk and Seacell, a luscious combination



became a Pogona Shawl - just waiting to be blocked.



After finishing, I decided to whip out a quick easy project just for the satisfaction of finishing something. These welted fingerless gloves from Churchmouse Designs were just the project - I call them my Ray of Sunshine Fingerless Gloves because of the way the golden yellow peeks through the blue of the Manos Silky Merino - these gloves are very soft. The patterns makes 3 gloves knit to the knuckle. I knit longer to clover my little pinky. It's quite amazing how many people in my group have larger hands than mine. Still musing about knitting a cap as we march towards christmas and predicted winter weather.



to





What do think - maybe my color tastes are changing a little ? blues and greens.

To top that, I've started a new project in mostly boring stockinette stitch but with a yarn with a lovely soft hand - Blue Sky Alpacas Suri Merino in Color Snow, an off-white. Not really my color but I think it will be able to wear it with a lot of different clothes. The pattern is the Kelmscott Cardi, which has an interesting lace front, and supposedly reverse stockinette on back and arms. Having knit with this cardi before I don't want to take the chance that the little loops of the reverse stockinette could be pulled so it's regular stockinette for me, and a small adaptation of the pattern - since when do I follow the pattern ?

Ahhhhh...the yarn -


Detail of the back (which I will adjust before the bind-off, as I want to round it a little



Notable ufos still on the needles -
-pink bamboo top - stalled for too few stitches at the neck - need to "try it on" to see if I can fudge it, as my count has probably been off awhile
-camelspin ishbel - ripped back to the stockinette section and waiting to be restarted
-Guinevere sheer top - finished the skein of the silk-mohair I was on; now, trying to figure out where I put the rest of the skeins.
-Seeking sunlight socks - still knitting on these. Tried on the sock (mal sock stonechat) and it's lovely just need to finish off the sock and start the second. I had re-knit the cuff about 4 times and just put it aside.

Warm yet Fall

October's come and it's Canadian Thanksgiving already. I don't know where the time flies to. I am so busy with work - I am in meeting after meeting, doing both project management and trying to handle the technical side, directing programmers and trying to minimize formal meetings. It's been crazy just trying to keep track of ever changing statuses, nevermind minutes.

In private life, I finally upgraded my pc. It was getting on, about 10 years. It had a mid-life rejuvenation about 5 years back when my hard drive crashed, and I put a new one in. It's just been so slow lately - always downloading updates. I gave up, and went to a mac. Weird learning curve, but I find I can do most things I want to do. Latest find is Dashboard widgets - almost as many iPhone Apps but free. Pretty cool. Too bad my dashboard is so small.

I am also getting startitis again on my projects. Trying to knit with some of my more luscious yarns as I would rather enjoy them now for knitting and wearing, than waiting.

Currently started a shawl in a yummy Handmaiden Swiss Mountain Sea Sock - this luxurious yarn is 51% silk, 29% Superwash Merino and 20% Seacell. Also trying to knit and finish up my Bamboo top in Hot Pink. Been a frustrating journey with the yarn - mid-way knots splitting that I don't discover until 4 or 5 rows later, and floppy yarn that tangles easily. Hopefully, just a few more rows til I'm done.

Weather is sunny but still in the 60s. Hard to believe November is just around the corner.

September

I think it finally happened...I've lost the enchantment with Ravelry. It's sad to say, really, but I was going great guns with swapping there from March through July..then, took a swap break (diet) for August, and now I find my mind turning to other things.

The warm weather's gone, and I'm missing the sun. I spent a week at the end of August at a conference in Disneyworld which was blissfully warm. Had my pic taken with Mickey, and rode the Harry Potter ride at Universal Studios. Very fun. I spent the week away from tv, half the week away from the pc, and did not amazingly bring any knitting with me. Instead, I bought a book "Secret Daughter" to read on the plane, and caught up on general reading.

Since Labour day, I find I'm just re-focused at work as I'm doing dual duty - project management and working with the tech guys on the same project. These days, my days fly by. I don't expect to get much of a break until next month, at least that's what I expect.

These days, I find myself picking up projects to finish them. Thought the sun is gone, I find myself picking up those summer projects left behind. I restarted the Guinevere Sheer Top - I'm on the top section of the bodice. This is an earlier pic of the material.



As per usual, I didn't swatch as I'm using different yarns than intended, so I'm just knitting it to fit me. Could be a challenge to adjust for the arm holes. I think I can find another sweater I worked on to work a cheat - we'll see.

Yarns are Lorna's Laces Lion & Lamb (50-50 silk-wool blend) in Gold Hill, and Loom in Essence silk-wool (70-30), and silk-mohair blend. It's wonderfully soft, and I'm getting a lot of compliments these days.

I'm also working on Socks- yep, a lacy eyelet pattern perfect for SUMMER...knit in soft malabrigo sock in color Stonechat. Ironically, the pattern is called "Seeking Sunlight". How's that for timing. I started knitting it in August when the weather was warm, and went to Orlando without knitting.



I've knit and frogged back the cuff about 3 or 4 times now as I find that my mind wanders to other things, and I end up making some weird boo-boo. After knitting an inch, I find I can't fudge any longer, and end up ripping back and re-knitting.
hopefully, soon I can finish this sock, and start sock 2. Have a feeling I'll be wearing these inside 'til summer time comes again.

Second Bundle of Joy

So, I was just trying to dip my toe into the water on this spinning thing. Venturing in with just a spindle and trying to spin as much as I can. It's very soothing and relaxing and very slow. I signed up for Tour de Fleece on a whim. It's like a knitting olympics on Ravelry except for Spinning. The thing is that a lot of spinner have way more leisure time than I do to spin, so I'm proudly saying as we near the end (sunday july 25th), that I've learned how to spin on a spindle, how to ply on a spindle, and learned how to spin on a spinning wheel. Yes, a spinning wheel.

Here is my second bundle of handspun joy - 77g - that's about 250yds of handspun singles plied into a skein of ~ 125yds. Same base as I'm still working through the lovely pencil roving - alpaca, wool, and silk. Still spinning single between lace and fingering, and plied, it's more like dk weight this skein, rather than worsted on the first skein.

This skein has more of the pink and purple, and less of the burgundy that the first skein showed.

Front view:


Side view:


I found that plying on a spinning wheel is much easier than on a spindle and quicker, but that unless you watch how you're laying the yarn onto the bobbin, it can ply not as tight as I want, and can fill up the bobbin too quickly.

Here's a close-up of the ply.



The spinning wheel I sprung for is the Ashford Joy. It's a small portable wheel, just 11 lbs. I still need a bag and am thinking of getting the one from the Woolery as it has some extra pockets.

Fell off the wagon - first handspun

Although I'd been resisting for years to pick up a spindle, I finally decided at the end of June at the Victoria Fiber Festival that I was going to buy a hand spindle and learn to spin. Instead I bought roving - pencil roving - about 300g of Wool-Alpaca-silk blend (40-40-20) in pink-purple-blue colorway, and 200g of a lovely teal green in Wool-Alpaca-silk blend (64-25-10). I figured what I didn't knit (bulky weight), I could learn to spin.

My first effort at handspun singles using a spindle (which I traded for)



and



Then, this week, I learned how to handply these singles with a spindle. After winding them onto a ball winder (while a friend used a yarn counter to measure the feet of yarn I had), she wound it on a partially opened swift, tied little ties on to hold the yarn, and swung the yarn into a skein - yay! (reverse ball winding!)



I'm in love -

My skein is 58g (just over 2 oz) and measures 170 ft or 56.67 yards.