good weekend

i've accomplished a few things, and neglected others.

on the crafty-side, i have this!


that's the progress i've made since yesterday's yarn purchase. this is the backside of my route 1 summer pullover.

right now, i'm on the boring bits. the back is just 2" of ribbing, then all stockinette, some raglan decreases, and bind-off. boring. or, to be positive, "mindless".

it's great for watching netflix.


this is the yarn i'm using. it's berroco's remix. my lys only has a few color ways. i almost went with a red, but then decided on something more neutral --- this off white, called "birch".

the sweater has a deep v, and is not very  long in the body, so i can wear any other color underneath.


and with my new project, i wanted a new project bag. i picked up this fabric today. i only got a 3/8 yard  cut to make my bag. i cut and sew crosswise.

i didn't take my yarn with me. i thought my yarn was more white than it is. the yarn is quite creamy compared to the white flowers on this print. regardless, i like my new bag!

another new thing pictured are the needles.

f
i had some holiday money burning a hole in my wallet.

i've wanted a complete set of interchangeable needles for awhile now. i guess i have the notion that if i have a set like this, i will suddenly be "organized". ( i know, it takes more than a set of needles ….. )

the needles are made by knitter's pride. this kit is for the 16" needles. this means the needles themselves are shorter, and the cables with the kit make the needles (once joined) 16" in length.

i sometimes use 16" circular needles for hats and other small things. but i can make these needles longer with various cables. and the needles are nice. they join nicely. they came with 2 cables to make them 16", and i bought an extra cable to make a set of 24" (which i'm using on my sweater now) … i need to get at least one other 24" cable connector.

other stuff …


i was so pleased to find yesterday at admit ewe knit, euroflax lace yarn on a cone! she had lots of colors to choose from, and this pattern. there wasn't a sample (unless i missed it) … but, i've worked with this yarn before, in lace weight, and the finished shawl is one of my favorites.

so, i picked up the pattern and wee cone (630 yards) of "orchid" and will cast on tonight.

(i got a short set of 4mm straight bamboo needles by clover with a coupon today … i want to knit this on straights.)

i have other things to share, but the sun is so low on the horizon, and i want to settle in with one of my knit projects. THOUGH, I SHOULD BE CROCHETING A JAWA RIGHT NOW!

kissed a few frogs

as my marigold pullover has come closer to being finished, i have been trying to find myself a new pattern.

i have started quite a few summer sweaters in the last week or so. and they have all failed. that's what happens when it's just "forced".

but today, i finally found my "prince".


the color is bad here. it's late. the lighting is awful.

the color is really more of a natural white. berroco calls it "birch". the yarn is remix. it's a recycled yarn, and a mix of nylon, cotton, acrylic, silk, and linen.

the fabric is incredibly soft and light for an aran weight yarn.

the sweater i'm knitting is called route 1. it's an oversized pullover.

and my marigold pullover? it's in the process of being blocked. all that's left is to sew up the side seams,  knit some ribbing around the armholes, and finish the neckline edge.

i spent the day with schmutzie. we blocked my sweater, and my clapotis. the clapotis dried in a few hours outside on the deck. i still need to weave in the ends however.

my sweater is still at schmutzies. she's going to finish it for me. i know. she volunteered. i accepted … and now i can start my new/next sweater =)

so, i did cast on sock(s).

i've not really knitted socks much lately.

sad confession … i have SO MANY pairs of socks. and now, i'm happy to knit or crochet anything else.

but, i'm going on a trip this summer, and i want to take a pair of socks to my friend.

i bought the yarn down in sanford a few weeks ago. i did a quick search on ravelry for a free sock pattern, for men, and decided on this one … aramis.

it's very simple, and very stretchy … but most importantly --- it's mindless !!!

easter weekend

it's still easter in my mind. i didn't work friday as my job was closed (because the NYSE was closed) … and i took monday as a vacation day. i've had a really nice 4 day weekend.

i feel like i've not accomplished much knitty-crochet.

for the first time in many many months, i'm finally getting into a routine. i think my next steps are to focus more on my knitting or crochet, to assure the progress i make is positive.

the red sweater from the last post? … ripped. well, not technically ripped … but it doesn't fit. the construction was very interesting, but it needs tweaking to fit me better.

what have i done?

i've finished crocheting the required elements for a test pattern of a blanket!


i have more pictures here.

okay … i am tired … i'm actually going to cast on for a pair of socks (GASP!) … more later …..

naughty

so many things i should be working on … but instead i cast on something new.

i am smitten with the cover sweater of the most recent vogue knitting magazine (vogue spring/summer 2014). the cover sweater is known as #02 cap-sleeve tee and cowl. i know, vogue is not very imaginative with their garment names, but it at least accurate not some esoteric statement.

here is the ravelry link.

and here is my progress …


i am using an old cotton from stash. the pattern calls for a dk wt. yarn and i'm using an aran, but knitted at the same generous gauge of 4 stitches to the inch.


the put up is 50 grams / 70 yards -- that means lots of ends to weave in.

i don't know yet if this is a "keeper". but, it has been fun and challenging thus far.

Carolina Fiber'fest

i had a very good afternoon! i drove down to the carolina fiber fest, in sanford. for me, it was about 80 miles round trip --- very "do-able". i did go by myself. i had asked a couple of friends, but neither was able to come with.


"the money shot"

the above photo is of the haul. i bought more than i had imagined. there's SO MUCH YARDAGE there. i must have the illusion that i have time to make everything i want to.

but, here we'll look at each yarn.

first, this is classic merino lace in colorway "blueberry jam". it's made by knitting notions. it was in a 50% bin. i found 2 of the same dye lot. altogether, i have 770 yards.


this will eventually become a shawl. i've yet to knit a circular shawl … perhaps i should?

next, i got this cotton …


Manju, who manufactures and dyes this yarn was so much fun to talk to! she is based out of wake forest, nc. she has an etsy shop here. this ball is 4.2 ounces, which she says will be enough for a summer shell/pullover.

after that … it's a blur …..

so, at some point, i picked up this wee hank of superfine alpaca. this little itty bitty hank is 620 yards of a pumpkin colored lace weight.


it is made by tailored fibers of maryland. i always "need" more shawls.

next, more cotton!


this cotton is 100% american -- grown & spun, and hand dyed. i got these two shades to knit a shawl --- likely this one (partly sunny). the company that makes this yarn is stony hill fiber arts. i will knit the green as the body color, and the funky sand as the border.


i did not capture the beauty of this yarn. it is a gradient silk lace weight yarn, by apple tree knits.

be biggest challenge with this yarn will be for me to find a shawl pattern i love that uses every yard.


and lastly, sock yarn. sock yarn to actually knit socks.

i have not been knitting socks much lately, but i do want to knit a pair as a gift to a very dear friend. his favorite color is green, and this yarn is not green. it's like a mix of cool steel and rust.

but it's such a nice mix. and the yarn is wandering wool's helvellyn sock (colorway: midnight sun). this hank is about 464 yards --- plenty of yardage for "man socks".

next … i need to find a good sock pattern with a lot of forgiveness/flexibility … as i'm knitting for a person i cannot measure.

a little bit of progress

i had a full day … went to an 8am meeting, got some food afterwards and then headed over to a friend's house. from there, we went to our local lys.

there, i had some "unproduction" --- made some knitting mistakes, and haven't yet "recovered" from the ripping out of my crochet.

then i went to my eye appointment --- YAY! new glasses! --- well, after the lenses are made.

i stopped at the grocery store to pick up some eggs & avocados, then finally headed home.

here's the progress part …..


i am working on the sweater front --- but in order to figure out where to start the neck shaping, i have to first block the back and consider my row gauge.

so, sweater back was soaked for a bit, and then spread out to dry (otherwise known as "blocking", or in ready-to-wear, "hand wash, dry flat").

♥ i love seeing the lace pattern all spread out !!! ♥

when it's dry, i will measure and calculate backwards. my yarn is not the same weight, and my gauge is different.

also, i picked up an eagerly awaited magazine today !


… the latest issue of knitscene.

it has some terrific summertime pullovers. and it will be my bedtime reading.

a bit of sewing

for weeks now, i've wanted to try out any of the online sewing tutorials i've bookmarked for various project bags. most of the tutorials i've bookmarked have been for some type of drawstring bag.

but there was one i bookmarked for a zippered notions bag … or for their version, a zipped pencil case.

my little bag is done. at first, i thought it looked shabby. but, the more i look at it, the more i like it.


first of all … a disclaimer --- most of these photos have been altered with a photo filter. that said, the colors are not accurate. BUT, i really love seeing how this print changes with the alterations.


(picture of the other side of my zipped bag) … with a different photo filter.


… and the inside view!

the colors are all "off" … but it doesn't matter. it's a beautiful bag.

i found an old photo in my flickr of the fabric that was mailed to me in 2007, from cauchy09.


… see it in the bottom right corner?

the fabric is from kaffe fassett! wow … his color sense and composition are amazing! i have several of his early knitting books. they are timeless. and now, i have a new notions bag sewn from one of his fabrics, mailed to me 7 years ago from a fellow flickr friend =)

bouncing ...

… between a couple of projects.


on my marigold pullover, i am working on the front. at some point, i will have to pause, measure gauge, and figure out at which point i will start the neckline shaping. for now, the knitting on it is mindless … kinda like my clapotis …


tonight, i'm only 48 stitches away from finishing (i decrease 1 stitch each row). my favorite part is getting to where i drop stitches. i'm anxious to see how this will block. i am on my 3rd ball of yarn, though i won't use that much of it.

i will have a few extra ends to weave in because there have been a couple of knots along the way. it is HEAVY. it won't be the wrap i stash in my purse for an evening out.