A Little Spinning Break

A break from knitting for, like, a whole 2 hours!
Anyway, this is that lovely merino/silk again from Crown Mountain Farms, this time in Copperslate. I use my lightest drop spindle for the initial spinning and then use a heavier spindle for the plying.

A bit of a fashion aside here. I used to LOVE 3/4 length sleeves. That is, before that's all you could buy! Well, perhaps I'm exaggerating here, but give me some sleeve length, please! It's like the cropped pants syndrome. In this case, I really have a reason for my frustration. You see, I have tatoos on both my arms, about 3 inches from my wrist. I am doing job interviews and would really rather break the tattoos in slowly once I get the job. At my age, they're not expected and further up the arm to the shoulders there are another set. I used to be able to wear almost anything and they'd be hidden from view. Now it actually takes wardrobe planning.
Again, this is one of those "venting" posts that wishes no solutions posted. I can deal, I'm just complaining... 

Self Striping Test Two

Okay, so even though I have a million projects going on, I became obsessed yesterday and came up with two versions of what I was playing with: Making a heavier double stranded self patterning sock.
One the first try, I used a solid and a striping that were two similar in color. No good.Second try, I used a complimentary duo and I really like the tweedy look.Third try I used two self striping yarns that were the same, just different colorway and then I synched up the designs to work together.

Self Striping Test One

 

Computer Next to Ever Growing Stash

How can I expect to get any work done with this configuration? If I absolutely can't get down to work, off to Starbucks I go... 

Au Natural Tweed with Angora

I'm sure you've all noticed by now that I'm big on pictures on not so big on text. This is course is unlike my personality where I talk an awful lot and you rarely see me with a camera! 

Noro Kochoron

This is my tweed stitch automatically felting vest in progress. Really, I think it's just the angora content and the stitch pattern I've chose to work with. Kinda fun, even if it is kind of a suprise. 

Baby Hoodie Finished

This is one of those baby sweaters that got designed as I started casting on. I figure the 2x2 ribs will stretch enough to fit him for a while. The sleeves could be baggier. You can't really see it, but the button is a vintage shell button in these exact colors. The yarn is Portofino, a cotton/synthetic blend that's kind of a chenille. Washable.
I just needed to start and finish something in a few days as a break from all my bigger projects. Something with no chart to follow! 

My Vest so Far

Of course, as I take a picture of this WIP, I see a wrongly crossed cable. UGGHHH! 

Many Buttoned Vest

This pattern appears in Folk Vests by Cheryl Oberle. 

Re-colored Mittens

So, here a I am, past the thumb point and they're way too big. But, let me start with the first points about this recoloring thing. I realized I wanted to get the light blue in there, but I knew that I would have to introduce it before it melds with the orange. I added the blue band of course without thinking about how much longer it would make the mitten. It's already supposed to be 10 inches in length.

My tension starting out is way too tight, but then by the time I got to the top of the leaves, it evened out. These may end up not actually being worn, but that may be okay. It's been a while since I just played like this and considering the other projects I'm working on right now, it's kinda fun.

The part I am happy about is the retro look that I was going for. Doing the peasant thumb where the pattern matches up should be interesting. I've never done patterned hand-ware at all. 

Swedish Folks Mittens

This is a phot0 from Folk Mittens byMarcia Lewandowski. I thought that I wanted to start out with a simple pattern like this, but I'm not really into the Christmas colors. So, I recolored the pattern and ended up with something quite different. 

Fir Cone Swatch

Well, at least it's a little one. I used aran weight yarn but I think it would be really pretty in lots of different weights. 

Fir Cone Chart

Now the only thing about this chart is that the purl rows are put in as what is commonly know as a wrong side knit stitch. I didn't catch it until the chart was printed, but I actually found it easier to follow, even if it's technically incorrect. 

Starting Point

This is the pattern I chose to try my new charting software with. 

Last Day of August

This is the same grass that's so green and shiney in the rain on the other three seasons, here in Oregon. I love the color and the flowing patterns. Kind of like a dry beach of grass with the sea replaced with the wind, swirling round and round. 

Hot Berries

The scent of these berries is so intense, it seems almost artifical in it's intensity. 

Danish Blouse Progress

Today I finally put the blouse on two needles after binding of the gussets. From the last picture to now, I have been knitting like a mad woman. This project is taking a lot of time, but I'm on a roll. The stitch numbers are a little off at this point as I have fudged here and there to keep myself on track. I'll just center the square neckline and made due. This is a case where the tight gauge is a benefit. Doesn't show too much. 

Magazine Rant

Friends, I've been fairly annoyed for some time now on the limited sizing of Vogue knitwear patterns. Sometimes I don't even know why I buy the magazine and give them my money. Oh, I know i could fuss with the sizing myself, and I have. But really! So, today I bought the new fall 2006 issue and found myself reading that they are introducing a "great new feature: VK Plus, a selection of patterns especially chose by our editors, that can be made in extended sizes. The few patterns that they offered were the most bulky, shapeless styles, I nearly died! Not only would these styles make any "plus sized" woman look like the HULK, but they were clearly the patterns that they had to do very little work to re-size. I am PISSED. I am infuriated, and you can be sure that I'm going to let them know. Funny, Interweave knits seems to have no problems sizing ALL their patterns for "extended sizes." It's insulting, Vogue.

Knitting in Sky Blue

The chart is driving me insane, but I suppose it doesn't help that I'm sick as a dog with the flu or something equally miserable. Size one needles, cashmere and 356 stitches. Goddess help me. At least it will be large and soft. 

Danish Blouse

This is from Interweave Knits Winter 2004