Things are busy my friends - general work insanity (to be expected at this time of year), and lots going on in real life too, which equals less wordiness from me as most of my energy and attention are drawn elsewhere. So, an update on the activities of the last week (two, actually) in list form:

A new T-shirt from Connie (which has already seen a good share of wear in the week since it arrived. Thanks Connie - I love it!) - her brother’s beautiful design:

Swatching for planned projects and new designs:

A greatly improved schematic for Summer Sky with a little preview for you all, this may not be the final version, but I’m MUCH happier with it than the orginal - Step by step the redux is moving along, I’ll give an update on the expected timeframe soon.

An excellent show last week (The Swell Season) and another amazing opener I’d never heard before (Dawn Landes - check her out with the link below). The music collection grows.

A completed logo for Purling Plans by a very talented friend, to be shared with you all soon.

The Golf came home after some much needed work - followed by some brakework too, and is now running like a top - not bad for 140k - Here’s hoping for another 50-100,000.

Time with Friends & Sheep last weekend - Ironically, more pictures of the sheep than of the friends!:

Lots of time in the Garden (which is coming along quite nicely!) - Pictures soon.

An especially fantastic mess has been documented, but I’ll save that for next Messy Tuesday.

Spinning, as you saw (and helped me along!).

Yarn winding - Newly arrived z-ply Mora Yarn for more Two-End Knitting and the upcoming second installment of the Two-End Knitting Exploration (Did you happen to see? My first installment was featured by Eve in Yarnival on Monday much to my surprise! I’d been wondering where Yarnival went off to, not having seen an edition in a couple months, and as always I enjoyed some new and existing favorite blogs and projects. Thank you to whoever recommended my post!):

So, lots going on here - what’s new with you?!

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Now playing: Dawn Landes - Dig Me a Hole
via FoxyTunes

I completed the final bobbin last week and then there were three!

I’m getting better at loading my bobbins more evenly. Ironically, bobbin #3 (center in left photo, front on the right photo) has the most yardage (bobbins 2 & 1 have a bit of residual practice singles from other fiber on them that I was too lazy to remove), and is the least consistent - I was getting anxious to finish!

Yardage: @ 313 of 3ply yarn
WPI: ranges from 11-14; averaging around 12.5 (Sport to DK)
Weight: Imprecisely weighed at 3 oz. (There is a bit of bobbin #2 and #3 left for me to play with)

I’m quite pleased with the result, given that I’m out of practice. I do wish that I’d been able to make the gorgeous colors stand out a bit more though. Bobbin #2 with it’s mix of green-copper-chestnut-chocolate in particular seems lost in the mix. I do love the way the brilliant blues come out though. As mentioned in the initial post, I separated the roving into equal segments by color, then spun 1 bobbin of each and plied them together. I wonder what would have happened if I alternated strips from each section and then navajo-plied?

Spinners - any suggestions? What would you have done differently?

I am quite happy with this though, it’s very soft, and more balanced than the fire-y yarn; I think it will make some cozy socks! And I’m so pleased that the spinning mojo has returned. Almost pleased enough to dive back into the Ocean roving and finish that up - Almost!

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Now playing: Rosie Thomas - Let Myself Fall
via FoxyTunes

I mark 2007 as the year that I became a Knitter. I think we all have our own definitions, for me, I became a knitter when I learned to knit. I became a Knitter when I began to care about and enjoy Knitting as much as a craft - the history, the cultural references & techniques, the possibilities - as I did the act of making stitches itself. My spinning has taken a backseat to my knitting ever since I picked up a spindle, and I think some of that has to do with the timing of it all - I learned to spin a little over a year ago but I am as yet a spinner, and a beginning one at that. I enjoy spinning every bit as much as I do Knitting, but I still often fumble through the act itself - my feet treadle like crazy, I’m aware that I’m overspinning but can’t seem to stop myself, and sometimes my hands can’t keep up. I haven’t yet reached the point where my brain and hands connect and I have more control - and am ready to absorb all the background technique, history, and art that are involved in making a beautiful and useful yarn. It will happen - those brief moments where it all comes together give me confidence - but I think that as with my knitting, it will take a certain amount of experience and experimenting until I’m able to get to that point.

Last fall, I stalled out with my Spun Stitches project (not with the concept, just with the spinning of this particular yarn), and felt incapable of setting it aside to work on something else. As a result, it has been on my wheel now for months, literally. I’m a bit embarrassed to admit exactly HOW long. Except for one brief hiatus to spin the local blend yarn (a very small amount of roving meant that it would be a momentary distraction and would not really divert my attention from the Ocean/Allison yarn). I’m in love with the Blues and Greens, the fiber and the colors and the concept of spinning for a shawl. But the merino-tencel, which I enjoyed spinning so much for the fire-y Kayley socks, was not playing as nicely this time around and required such extensive & obsessive pre-drafting to be able to keep a fairly consistent laceweight single going, that I simply lost my enthusiasm I guess, I can’t find a better explanation for it. I have missed my wheel though and I have been wanting to get back to my spinning for what seems like ages now. And so, finally, due to the wiles of the spinning of some very talented people, and the urging of a Twisted Threads member, who said, “Oh it’s no big deal! Just write down your settings and put it all aside for a bit! Spin something small and fun to get yourself going again! You can come back to your big project again when you’re ready.” I guess I just needed to hear it.

The antidote to my spinning ennui. 4 oz. (small & manageable!) of handpainted merino purchased at SAFF from The Sanguine Gryphon. I picked this roving because I fell in love with the colors, and it has all the depth and complexity of her yarns. Gorgeous. I realized when I began to spin it up why I loved the colors so much - they coordinate perfectly with many other colors around our home - my walls, chairs and table, pottery and pictures.

I folded the roving in half and split it apart roughly in thirds where the colors seemed to change - I’m loosely planning on a 3-ply for socks, one bobbin from each color section of the roving. The first section is primarily chocolate brown, cinnamon and blue, but also contains tiny glimpses of plum, and green which are repeated in larger segments in the third section (all the way to the right on the chair, and coiled in the picture on the lower right). The 2nd section is primarily cinnamon brown with traces of burnt orange and chocolate.

I think that my knitting will continue to come first most of the time - but for the moment, this is holding my attention quite nicely - and is drafting like a dream! One bobbin down, two to go - I think the spinning love is back, hurray!

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Now playing: These United States - First Sight
via FoxyTunes

This is rather belated, but I have been wanting to take a time out to say thank you all so much for your positive feedback and comments on Chrysalis. I appreciate it more than I can say - it’s one thing to come up with a design that you yourself are happy with, but it’s quite another to hear positive feedback from other knitters! I understand that a few folks have purchased the pattern (and I’m so thrilled at the thought of seeing other Chrysalises - Chysali? - out there!) and this post is in an effort to offer some support to you as you knit or simply to provide a little technique study for those who might be interested.

But first, a little sidebar - If you have considered making this pattern, or if you just love Gryphon’s gorgeous yarns, this is a great time to purchase. Through February 20th, she is generously donating 50% of all yarn sales to help a family who desperately needs it. She has some gorgeous new colorways of Gaia, the fabulous cashmere/silk yarn used in the Chrysalis pattern. This one’s all mine - Moss on Bark. I love it every bit as much as the original and perhaps more!

So here goes - Two videos. Increasing and decreasing in Brioche Stitch as used in the wrap is not difficult, but is challenging to describe with the written word. I have done as clear a job as I can in the pattern, but it’s hard to tell how another knitter will interpret these instructions and you may read it differently. I am a visual learner myself - so for any others of you out there, here are guides to decreasing and increasing in Brioche Stitch. The videos do assume a basic knowledge of Brioche Stitch itself as described in the pattern, which will be discussed here in greater detail at a later date. (These are up on my YouTube page as well if you should have trouble viewing them here, however the picture quality is not as nice.) *

The first video below walks through decreasing in Brioche Stitch, and the second walks through increasing.

 

 Decreasing in Brioche Stitch: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Increasing in Brioche Stitch: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

(*)Although I’d like to just throw these clips out there and pretend it was no big thing - it actually was! The videos themselves weren’t hard, but figuring out conversions from my camera format so you can see them here without degrading the picture to the point that it was not at all helpful was something - if I told you how much time I (and, let’s face it, TAD - my in house tech support, what a guy!) have spent on it, you’d probably shake your head and tell me exactly where I could have found the easy answer! Anyway, I’m so glad we figured it out because I enjoyed the video-making process itself, Midnight enjoyed doing some voice-overs, and though there are things I would change or do over now that I see them here, I hope that they are clear enough to be helpful. I also think it might be a nice study for the PS Mitts when the pattern is ready or for future projects. So, this is a long way of asking - What do you think? Helpful? Not? Did you have any trouble loading or viewing them?

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Now playing: Garden State - Such Great Heights - Iron And Wine
via FoxyTunes

My favorite thing about my first year in blogging has been all the wonderful blog-friends that I have found. One day last summer, I got a comment on one of my garden posts from another fellow knit-blogger named Mel, who had also just posted about her own backyard garden, complete with pictures of her little cucumber plant, which I had just featured in my own blog. Serendipity, no? We also have an uncanny knack for seeing movies at nearly the same time!

We’ve stayed in touch through our blogs and email and after seeing my post about recycling a cashmere hat, she offered (!) to send me a cashmere tank that she had no use for, to do the same. After a brief discussion of the afflictions of gift-receiving guilt, I accepted, and a little before the holidays, a lovely package arrived at my door with these wonderful contents:

The tea is amazing (I’ve never had such wonderful loose leaf tea!), and the tank is butter-soft. In fact - I think it may make a good match with the oatmeal cashmere from Tessa’s hat:

Or this periwinkle cashmere sweater that I no longer wear and have also been intending to frog:

Either way, or on it’s own, it is destined to have a new life as something lovely and comforting.

I’m overwhelmed! And so thankful to have made such a wonderful friend through this blog (the gift is purely a side benefit - though a lovely one, no doubt!)
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Now playing: Joe Purdy - Wash Away
via FoxyTunes

Confession my friends - This one is a blatant rip-off from another wonderful blog friend, Rachel, who featured another song from the same album on her blog recently. The album was promptly downloaded on her recommendation and has been on repeat all weekend! Thanks Rachel!

Woo-hoo! I finished a spinning project - the Local Blend Yarn! And you know what that means - finished one thing, start another right?

No, I’m just kidding! The Pinky Swear mitts will be finished next & the pattern sent along to our friend the intrepid dyer Gryphon! (I love love them! The second mitt is nearly done - thank goodness, because just as we were warned, it was about 25 degrees when we left the house this morning - that’s a 40 degree drop from last week). But once the mitts are complete with pictures taken, pattern ready to be shared, and hands are covered, warm and at the ready, then I’m giving in to the urge and casting on for TWO new projects that have been calling me (and yes, I will still provide the promised WIP update! Soon - my poor neglected WIPs!).

I started spinning this yarn a day after bringing it home from my spinning guild’s annual swap, and loved the tweedy colors - chocolate brown with a bit of acid green and purple (hmm - somehow that doesn’t sound as nice as it looks - it looks lovely!). The fiber was easy and fun to spin, requiring no predrafting at all - just pure spinning enjoyment. I spun up the whole bit of it at once onto a single bobbin. A couple of nights later, I wound it off onto my hand to andean ply (next time, I will divide the fiber and spin it onto two bobbins - a bit easier, I think!). I had a few breakage issues where the singles were too loosely twisted, but as a result I did get much better at overlapping the broken ends and plying them in. I can barely tell where the breaks occurred now that the twist is set. All in all it was a (nearly) instant spinning gratification project - very enjoyable!

Source: Twisted Threads Spinning Guild Swap

Content: Romney, Alpaca & Angora (I think!)

Ounces: 2

Yardage: @ 146 yds.

WPI: 11

Weight: worsted/light worsted

Gauge: 20 sts/4 inches on US6 needles

Although this is not my most consistent or skilled spinning effort, I do believe it is my most balanced yarn so far! I can spy some spots where it is under-twisted or under-plied just a bit- but this is the first skein I’ve spun that has ever hung so beautifully straight for me. I wish you could feel this swatch - It knit up very nice & sqooshy- very soft, though probably a bit scratchy for neckwear. I believe it would felt readily, as evidence by the fact that it wanted to stick together in the skein and I had to gently tug the yarn to free it while winding it into a ball.

Now, what is it this little bit of local yarn destined to be do you think? A Zeebee or some garter mitts? Soft & cozy foot socks? Thrummed mittens?

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Now playing: Roddy Woomble - Every Line of a Long Moment
via FoxyTunes

My dear Sis gave me an old store-bought hat that she no long wears for my frogging pleasure:

That in and of itself was a very kind and thoughtful thing to do (Thanks Sis!). But… It’s cashmere. It’s so soft. What a wonderful surprise for a knitter! I suspected when examining the hat that the yarn might be doubled. But look closely my friends:

It’s tripled. I don’t think Tess could possible imagine my excitement upon this discovery (which included a fair bit of squealing. And some bouncing around. As if I weren’t already excited enough!) That means the 190 yards of worsted that I unraveled is actually 570 yards of cashmere laceweight. Hmmm…. the wheels are turning… Hands, Shoulders or Feet? Oh the possibilities! Doubled at 380 yards would make a lovely cozy pair of bed socks, leaving 190 yard of laceweight, perfect for a petite lace scarf (like the airy scarf from LMKG?). Or all of it at laceweight would make such a decadent shawl! What would you do with it? And… To dye or not to dye? My inclination is not to dye, mostly because I’ve never done it before and I’m scared of ruining this lovely yarn with an unfortunate color rendered by inexperienced hands. Tell me your ideas!

A couple more photos, as I tried in vain to capture the cloud-like softness (and the color - which by the way, is most fairly represented in the hat pictures above - a slightly tweedy oatmeal):

P.P.S I suffered from ADD on the title for this one, because I can’t even tell you which part makes me the happiest - some of the softest yarn I can imagine? The fact that I’m re-using & repurposing it? Or the fun of deciding what to do with it?!

P.S. I made Tess a felted keychain from the remaining Foliage leaves to say thank you. Even though on it’s own it’s quite sweet, somehow it doesn’t seem like a fair exchange, now does it? I’m not quite sure what would be an appropriate reciprocation for this, although I know that’s not what she’s looking for. Sis, you are the greatest, and I’ll take any used knits off your hands anytime

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Now playing: Elbow - Scattered Black And Whites
via FoxyTunes

Habu Cotton Gima, for Florence, from Ruth. I love the structural, almost architectural quality of it in the skein; it’s difficult to capture the crisp texture - and the color too, palest lavender. It’s lovely.

I’m going to enjoy knitting with this yarn - Thank you so very much Ruth!

I tend to be a fairly focussed knitter. This doesn’t mean that I always complete every project, or that I work on only one project until I consider it done. There is a bit of ebb and flow and some projects that surface multiple times, some that get placed on hold indefinitely and others that are worked in tandem, but I often do dedicate the bulk of my energy to one project at a time. Lately, however, my knitting life is more full than it has ever been - and I am loving it!

IN KNITTING/BLOG NEWS:

I had a contest and sent out some nice prizes… And meanwhile, one of my winners, Ruth, drew MY name for her very own blog contest. I can’t say it any better than she did, “life is strange and wonderful sometimes” - that it is! Ruth’s contest dealt with sizing concerns, and since I have several (small frame but generous bust, very shortwaisted, monkey arms), I jumped in to give my measurements and feedback. The prize was a gift certificate to kpixie and a custom written pattern for my size of her lovely design Florence - what an excellent gift. I couldn’t be more thrilled as I think this is such a classy and flattering knit, and I’m so excited to make it! I placed the order for my Habu Cotton Gima in purple. Thank you Ruth!

Chuck’s Cabled Socks have officially re-surfaced on the WIP list, and the sizing issue is solved - yes, I tried it on! Can you tell what’s changed?

Hege signed me up to participate in the Poetry in Stitches Project KAL, even though the Solveig Hisdal kit I’ll be working on isn’t from the book! I’ve been following this KAL and the work of the talented participants since last winter, and am so looking forward to participating along with them.

IN DESIGN NEWS:

My next design in process is for The Sanguine Gryphon, and I could not be more excited to be working with Gryphon and her lovely yarns.

I’ve been swatching for a couple other design projects that I’ve had on the brain for awhile - both colorwork, and having a lot of fun. I have no set timeframe for these two and no exact plans for how to distribute them, I’m just enjoying the process.

Two great friends of Tad’s and mine are working with me to develop a graphic for Purling Plans. They are very talented (here’s one of them) and gave me a list of thoughtful and thought-provoking questions to answer to get them started. Some of the questions were so good that they caused me to give a serious look at the values that are important to me as an aspiring designer and gave me some great material for further discussions and blog posts.

There has been quite a bit of recent activity on the design blog that I participate in, and that has been really inspiring and fun to watch. Speaking of the design blog, two of our talented members, Ruth and Nicole, were recently featured in Yarnival! Check it out!

IN SPINNING NEWS:

The laceweight blue/green merino tencel (Deep Sea from Bonkers!) is still on the wheel - It will be slow going with everything else, but I will keep working on it in chunks.

Usually when I get so much going on in real life, I tend to get overwhelmed and stressed out, but honestly, with all this going on in my knitting life, I’m just really excited - thrilled to be a part of some pretty cool things, and enjoying every minute. Thanks for reading.

Our vacation in review will be brought to you in installments. It was just the break that we needed and we squeezed an awful lot into a week and a half (not the least of which - 60 miles!). We made so many happy memories along the way and there is just too much good stuff and great photos to squeeze into one post. I will save the 3Day write up and the contest results for tomorrow (we did the drawing this afternoon - I’m so excited!!), that whole experience is still sinking in and I need some more time to format pictures etc.

So, the first knitterly thing, on the very first day of our vacation, was my birthday gift (my birthday isn’t for a couple weeks, but since we’re restricting our buying, we’re using special occasions for those indulgent purchases that are difficult to justify otherwise.) Since we were going to be in New Hampshire, we dispensed with the surprise and mystery, and Tad and I made the trip over to Durham to visit Debbie of Nordic Fiber Arts. I cannot say enough about this fine lady, folks. If you have any interest in Norwegian colorwork, she supplies some amazing yarns and kits from Norsk Strikkedesign and Solveig Hisdal’s Poetry in Stitches (which are both in their last printing, two absolutely amazing books!) among others. She was very kind and accommodating and I really enjoyed talking with her about the patterns.

I had a couple of kits in mind, in keeping with my goals for 2007 and my admiration of the incredible designs in these books - I was specifically looking at the cover sweater from Norsk Strikkedesign, and the Wedding Sweater from Poetry in Stitches. I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to see the kits though; the colors were a little different than I remember them in the books. Debbie actually has a couple different kits made for the cover sweater from Norsk Strikkedesign, one with the actual colors called for and another that more closely matches the colors in the book. I was pretty certain that I would leave with one of those, but then she pulled out a sample sweater of another Solveig Hisdal design, in bright Fuschia with purple and blue accents - absolutely incredible, I wish that I had had the camera, the workmanship was stunning. I liked the colors, but not enough to knit a whole sweater in them. Then she pulled out the pattern and showed me the yarn for the cream and blue version, and I was sold! Click here to see a picture of the sweater in both color schemes, Debbie said that it was new and she hadn’t had a chance to add it to her website yet, so look for it there in the near future! The style is very similar to the Wedding Sweater, but what really drew me in was the band across the bottom, it’s so rich and the colors have so much depth.

I plan to wind a few of the skeins and do some swatching later in the month - Stay Tuned!