Rainy Days

This latest project is quite reflective of our weather lately. Rain, rain, cloudy skies and more rain. I am overjoyed at the cooler temperatures, but a little sun here and there would be nice.

I decided to dig out a crochet hook and try my hand at a larger crochet project. Eva's Shawl seemed like the perfect pattern to start with since there are no fancy stitches and I had yarn on hand that I could use. The yarn I picked is a hand-dyed lightweight sock yarn that I purchased in my early days of knitting. It is beautiful, but a bit splitty and definitely on the thinner side of what I like to use for socks, so I was happy to be able to use it up on this little shawl. While I did have almost a full skein, it wasn't enough to make a full-sized shawl, so what you see here is more of a shawlette. I think I like it better as a scarf, though.

For Baby

When Natalie and Ethan were born, I wasn't knitting yet so I made them quilts. Now that knitting has taken over my crafty pursuits, I decided to knit something special for the new baby. Obviously, this isn't the type of thing that will be used every day like a quilt would, but it is something we can use as a special wrap when she is tiny and then it can be put away and saved until she grows up.

So here it is - the Queen Anne's Lace Shawl - started in May and finished yesterday. The next time you see it, it will be wrapped around a sweet baby girl!

Bee Fields

Good yarn + pointy needles + a great pattern = a big finished lace project. It is also my reason for not blogging much this week. Bee Fields is now finished. Thanks yet again to Anne Hanson for another glorious pattern! The yarn is Wooly Wonka Fibers merino laceweight in the colorway "The Silk Road."

Proof

I have proof today that there has been some creativity going on this week. Not a lot...but some.

Last night I finished up the bee hive portion of the Bee Fields shawl. I'd show you the whole thing so far, but lace-in-progress just looks like a blob...so here's a close-up. For those who are not knitters, you need to know that when this is finished, it will be washed and blocked (stretched tight and pinned out) - and that is when the magic happens and you can finally see the lace patterns.
This morning I decided to knit up a tiny little swatch with the little bit of yarn I plied a week or so ago. This is on sz 1.5 or 2 needles - I can't remember which:
I did get a little crazy and actually got some scrapbooking stuff out. The page is...meh. I'm rusty. It's fine.
The picture is of me, Christmas 1976 - so I was 3. Clearly, I was all about the Hot Cycle and fuzzy slippers.
Natalie has been a 6-year-old drawing machine lately. We're going through paper like crazy, but she loves it and it keeps her entertained for hours, so who am I to complain? I came in to my desk to find that she had taped this up by my computer yesterday:
It's Pal - Arthur's dog in the Marc Brown "Arthur" stories and show.

I can't wait for tomorrow's entry! I'm doing something new and it's gonna be good...

Back in the swing of things

I think I've been in a knitting slump lately. I know I was in a spinning slump. I'm not sure what has changed, but I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things again. I even have proof.

After much deliberation, I decided to start Anne's Bee Fields shawl. I've loved the pattern since she designed it, but I was waiting for a lull in the knitting to start it. I currently have 2 of the 4 chart repeats of the first section finished. There's no rush on this, but I do want to finish it in a more timely manner than my last two big lace projects. Here's where things stand right now:
I decided to go with the Wooly Wonka laceweight merino (just as Anne did in the original shawl), but I went with "The Silk Road" colorway. The yarn is incredibly nice to knit with and I will absolutely consider it again for future lace projects.

After months of sitting on my desk, casting forlorn looks my way, I got my drop spindle out this weekend. I have 4.6 oz of 100% merino fiber from Copper Pot Woolies in the "Hot Rocks" colorway and I had spun just a bit of it right when it arrived. Then as I said, my poor lonely spindle has had to wait until now for me to get with the program. Here is the progress so far:
I have not done any plying yet with these singles, so I am eager to see how the actual yarn turns out. I'm loving the color though. And I have to say...as much as I would love to have a spinning wheel, I really do enjoy spinning on a drop spindle! A wheel would just be so much faster.

Maybe I'll have another progress report later in the week.

Gust

Pattern: Gust by Anne Hanson
Yarn: Filatura di Crosa Superior, cashmere/silk
Needles: US sz 4

Yet another fantastic pattern by Anne...easy enough to memorize but not at all boring! This scarf will live at The Neighborhood Knit Shop and I'll be teaching a class on it in April.

Wing o' the Moth

Finally.

Pattern: Wing o' the Moth Shawl by Anne Hanson
Yarn: Sunshine Yarns alpaca laceweight, "It's Cold Outside"
Needles: US sz 5 KnitPicks Options

A Preview

More to come tomorrow...

Hanami

Orchid

Pattern: Orchid Scarf by Anne Hanson
Yarn: Handmaiden SeaSilk in Straw
Needles: US sz 6

I had the chance to test knit this pattern for Anne and I'll say now what I said before...it's a great pattern! I think it would be a very nice pattern for a new lace knitter, but is still pleasurable for an experienced lace knitter, too. The yarn was luscious and it blocks beautifully. This was my first time grafting lace - it wasn't hard, just slow.

Thank you, Anne, for another really lovely knit!

This is a test

Test knitting, that is. I just had the privilege of test-knitting Anne's new Orchid Scarf and I must say, it is a very lovely knit. Simple, yet still interesting. An easy lace pattern, but not so easy that you're bored to tears. And oh yeah, I'm using Sea Silk. *swoon* As you can see, I'm not terribly far into the scarf, but this was all that was required to confirm that the pattern is good to go. Now I can finish it at my leisure. I don't think Anne has officially put the pattern up for sale yet, but watch her blog for details.
In other news, I am about to finish the last three rounds of ribbing on my second Sockapalooza socks and then I will be finished!! I can smell new sock knitting on the horizon...

Slow and Steady

Progress continues on the 2nd Sockapalooza sock - just not as quickly as the first sock went. Seeing as how the deadline isn't until August, I don't think I have anything to worry about. I am, however, very eager to get the sock finished so I can delve into my sock yarn stash again.

Several of you requested that I make the Sockapalooza sock pattern available, so I am working on that! Thanks for your interest! I've got it written up, but need to tweak the format and see if I can add a picture or two - so look for it in the next day or so.

Before I started the Sockapalooza knitting, though, I did dabble a bit with some lace design swatching and since I don't really have any other knitting progress to show you, I'll give you pics of that instead. Once I get a few other things finished, I plan to knit this and write up the pattern. The question will be, do I leave it as I've swatched it here, with a basic garter stitch border? or do I branch out and attempt a lace border? Thoughts?

Pardon the scary pin job - I didn't want to steam block it.

Socks, Soxie and Not Socks At All

I started my Sockapalooza pal's socks this week. Panda Wool plus a pattern of my own design equals hours of entertainment. I consorted with dear Barbara Walker to find a stitch pattern combo and am very pleased with how the sock is turning out! Toe-up, short-row heel, magic loop...perfect.
I also got some new yarn this week...really had no intention of buying new yarn, but I think we all know how that usually turns out. Here is Great Adirondack Soxie in the color Nightshades. It's very hard to get an accurate picture of this - I think it looks brighter in this pic than it really is:
I also started some new lace this week...the Hanami shawl, which will be for my sister. Since she has wool issues, I'm using Conjoined Creations Pastimes laceweight soy silk, which is just absolutely heavenly!! I can't even express how much I am loving this yarn. I don't know if it is just because of the fiber content or what, but it doesn't even really need to be blocked! I will anyway, of course, but you can see in these pictures...it just lays flat and does exactly what it's supposed to do. I have not steamed this and it is not stretched or held taut. It is laying in it's relaxed state.

Crazy, huh?