Some Finished Things

I am winding up 4 weeks of recovering from a bike tumble in which I sprained some ribs.  All else is good. No hitting of the noggin, no scrapes, and the bike is fine as well. But as I went west when the bike went north, I twisted more than my old-ish body forgave. I have been back on the bike (that felt great), and back doing yoga (albeit slowly). All's well that ends well.

I was able to finish up a few things though, while not vacuuming. I have used some single skeins of handspun to knit up some small triangle scarves, and one big toasty shawl.

The Age of Brass and Steam (Orange Flower Yarn)

In the beginning, a novice spinner is often taken in by the lure of the colors of these lovely braid of dyed fiber sold by retailers or indie dyers. They mostly weigh around 4-5 oz. and often can cost between $22.50-$35.00. One usually thinks to afford one, but not two...or one is buying a souvenir while traveling, and only one will do...

Consider 4 oz of yarn.  Unless it is lace wgt or fingering, generally speaking, one has less than 200 yards. What does one make with 200 yards?

198 Yards of Heaven (Verity Knits)

These little triangle scarves, or "shawlettes", fit the bill. at least for the merino and silk (ABS) and the merino/shetland (198 yds). The one below is used up 4 skeins.  Those were of smaller yardage, and I actually broke some rules, using a skein of superwash, 2 of an alpaca/silk/merino blend, and one of a merino and silk. I am sure the knitting police will come arrest me anytime.

Boneyard (Stephen West)

It really is wonderful, though.  I used it when I demonstrated spinning at the Estes Park Scottish Highlands festival this past weekend.  It was perfect to have on my shoulders when there was a breeze, and to shrug off when the sun warmed us up.

Devil's Backbone (Nicole Tavares)

I liked the name of this (We have a defining geographical formation with the same moniker). It was suitable to use some yarn that I wanted to get out of the stash. And it worked. I even added some extra repeats to use up more yarn. Unfortunately the yarn seems to be never-ending. I have knitted a poncho/cowl thingie.

Playing Yarn Chicken

The first sheep's fleece I bought at the wool market was a huge 5+ lbs of corriedale/CVM.  I question whether it was a covered fleece, but it wasn't the worst I have seen since.

I cleaned it, and carded it. I knitted a big infinity scarf, hat and mittens from it. I knitted a cabled vest from it...

and determined to finish it up with a simple oversized sweater. I still had plenty of yarn.

DSis came for a visit which was finished with us taking a roadtrip to visit our elderly aunt.  This was the perfect travel knitting - nothing but stockinette in the round except for some waist shaping. I figured to get through the body on the trip with the yarn I had, and maybe a sleeve. I would finish the other sleeve and the neckline when I got home with the last of the yarn.  On the flight home, I reached the length of the body, which is tunic long, with most of the rest of that ball and one more left.  Ribbing, and two sleeves, and the neck ribbing left.

Well. Guess what? No more yarn. Well.  No more of THAT yarn.

No sweat really.  I put the body on a stitch holder. I picked up the first sleeve, which is now finished.

I think I will get the 2nd mostly done with the yarn left.  I will unravel from the bottom to finish sleeve #2 and the inch of ribbing around the neck.

So it won't be a booty covering sweater to wear with leggings.  Maybe I am too old for that anyway. And there won't be anymore of this yarn in the stash!

Especially Proud

The idea and purpose of this project came to me one night before sleep. One skein of silk, bought on sale (40% off, no less!). One dress, for Eldest’s wedding in Cancun. The need for simple handmade accessory, for the shoulders of a sleeveless dress, without adding heaviness or warmth.

The colors of yarn and dress were verified the next day as working well together. Next issue was finding a shawlette pattern that was suitable for yarn, yardage, and purpose. (Ravelry, I worship thee and thy advanced search capabilities.) Not just Annis, but Mini-Annis! seemed to fit the bill.

Knitting up in just a few days (seriously, about 4, and not plane knitting), the lace pattern is nicely written, and works up very well. The short rows make a wonderfully shaped shawl. I think I will look for others.

I used only about 2/3's of the skein of yarn, and was wondering about the size of the completed shawl at first.  Perhaps it was too diminuitive?  But, and perhaps there are those who don't know this, blocking lace is absolute magic.  Majick! I tell you.  My shawl-ette is a perfectly sized shawl-ette.

After blocking, the shawl works perfectly for the wedding purposes. And after the wedding, I will have a silk scarf to tuck around the collar of a coat this winter.

I am especially proud.
(click for biggy to view details up close)

Things Finished

Pretty Thing (The Yarn Harlot) out of Aarlen (a gift from Martha, the Quilter).

Linux, the Penguin, for Professor Niece, out of Brown Sheep Lambspride, Red Heart Wintuk, LionBrand MicroSpun.

Just A Little Under-Shirt, for Grandbebe The Fourth, by Robin Orm Hansen, out of Tahki Cotton Classic.  #2 is underway.

A closer shot of the crazy-making crochet...(clicky to biggy)

Calorimetry, by Kathryn Schoendorf (knitty, 2006), finishing up the last of Aarlen (the very last, with absolutely NONE leftover.) (None. Zero, Zip, Not. One. Inch...) (It was 40% cashmere after all.).

A close up of the button I used, from my 'tin of old buttons found in an old cellar', most of which are off of flannel workshirts, I think, but this one was not, and perfect for the job.

The little projects just keep coming, while the quilting and spinning progresses.

Show and Tell

At the Guild this morning, I think I will participate in Show and Tell. For the first time.

I am very pleased with this, and I want to show it to like minded folk.

Narrow Brim Style Hat, by Bev Galeskas (Felted Knits)

Flowers and Leaves from Paton’s Felted Posy Bag (both rav linkies)

I might…might….also include the yarn I was spinning at the Fun Fiber Fest, as those who saw it being spun seemed quite taken by it.  I had collected, quite ignorantly, lots of small quantities of merino. Seven different colors, between 2 and 6 ounces each, and not really enough to do anything with any of it.  I started spinning the colors together, randomly, and when I had two bobbins full, I plied those together, again, randomly.  Then, I started all over again, filling up two bobbins.  It’s made for some very colorful, yarn, and it’s all spun worsted, too.  Actually there’s quite a bit of worsted-spun, colorful yarn, enough to knit something quite….unique…and soft…

Any ideas?

Hooters

I knitted on these fellows during the trip to Utah, and finished them up on New Years Eve.  They were a special request from Precious Niece who texted me, after seeing a display of knitted owls in an LYS window in NYC, saying, 'knit me an owl!'

So, of course, that became my mission.

I looked throughout Ravelry for a pattern, and ended up BUYING one.  (Marie Mayhew, Woolly Something) I know!  But I didn't want to go hokey and slipshod on these, and often, free toy patterns end up with a toy that looks less like what was intended, and more like...a blob with flaps.

I even bought yarn specially for the project, albeit on sale.  Most of the other supplies I had on hand, but purchased a total of around $8 of goods, most of which I have leftovers in varying amounts.  To make more owls if need be, perhaps.

The knitting part went pretty fast, as did the felting, which I did by hand.  The finishing?  Now that took time and considerable attention to detail, but Marie Mayhew writes a good pattern, and the instructions were very well done and easily followed.

I was a bit too excited to get them off to my niece, however, and after snapping a quick, off kilter shot with my camera phone to show Eldest Daughter, I packaged and taped them up before realizing I had not even taken a decent photo.

Upon their arrival, Precious Niece let me know how pleased she is with them, and chronicled their first evening in the Big Apple.

The Wooly Hooters visit the Empire State Building in it's holiday glory.

Waiting for the subway.

Sticking together in the big city.

Meeting other owl-ish friends at their new digs.

Close-ups!

Bottoms up...for New Years!

Finished!

So what have I shown and what haven’t I?  I don’t know, and will have to check, but in any case, I have been knitting a mess ‘o Christmas gifts.  I have been torn about showing the FOs, however, and have decided of late, what the heck!

So here they are…

Hand knit socks…

Neckwarmers…

Sweaters to keep little girls warm (one from Grandmama’s handspun.  Do you think she will notice?)

There is yet one more still on the needles as of this writing...

Also, some spun up fiber…

Many colored merino, all spun up randomly (worsted 2-ply)

BFL (fluffy singles)

My most recent navajo plying practice efforts

I recently found and acquired through Ravelry four wool batts (cheviot/suffolk).  The flock’s owner had the fleece processed to be used as quilt batts, but the seller was offering them on Ravelry to spinners, for which they could be used, and quite nicely.  I bought the lot of 4 (2 regular, and 2 crib) thinking I would use some for quilting at least, and maybe some for spinning, not having spun cheviot or suffolk.  Well, I think, after having seen, touched, and experienced them?  These babies will make some yummy quilts and throws.  They are very nice wool, indeed.

I am looking towards some sewing and quilting in the New Year.  2 grandbebes need their quilts finished, and these batts are crying out for some attention, as well.

Santa’s Coming!

And he will have some more FO’s to give out.

Only Step-Son’s hat (my own basic hat recipe) I thought to follow the London Beanie pattern, and knew I would have to make it bigger. I measured head circumference against Wonderful Guy, and swatched, and measured as I went. I truly wanted this to be wearable. He may not like it, but not because it is too small! Right off the mark, I ribbed it differently, and I was going to make it all one color, and pretty soon, it was all my own recipe. I was almost finished with the decreases and realized it needed to be longer. So back I frogged. I am very pleased with my efforts to make this one work.

Only Step-Son’s Sweet One’s scarf. Eunny’s Spectrum Scarf, but without the spectrum. Lion Brand Prints makes it colorful, and a simple but interesting knit.

Sister’s Mister doesn’t want baked goods this year, so instead I knitted/felted some can cozies. Using this pattern, and 2 skeins of Lion Brand Prints, I cranked out 4 in no time at all. Or, rather, in about one day’s time. I used a smaller needle, so adapted the pattern a bit with another row of increases, increasing every other stitch. Also, recently having purchased my First. Ever. Brand New. Washer/Dryer, and the washer being a front loader, I lost that sure fire felting method. So I hand felted these puppies. Agitation in hot hot sudsy water in a soup pot for five minutes, then into icey water in other sink, and back again, warming up the water as needed. Took about 30-40 minutes and some good arm action, but all stitch definition is gone, and they all sized down very nicely. After rinsing and squeezing out excess water, I tossed in the dryer for 20 minutes, then let air dry, shaping on water bottles…since I didn’t have one soda can in my entire house! I am very pleased with the results. I hope he is, too, and doesn’t think the gift lame.

I found the new dryer handy when I was blocking the BSJ’s, too. The dryer has a nifty rack that allows for drying without tumbling. When the blocked out baby sweaters were just almost completely dry, I unpinned them, and put them on the rack, and let the dryer finish the job. Suh-weet! In 15 minutes. All done!

Lots of Garter Stitch

My length-estimating impaired hairdresser is going to be grandmother in August, and because of the long relationship she and I share, and because I have known the mother-to-be (her daughter) since she was in grade school, I determined to knit the boy baby a gift.

Here's what they are going to get, whether they like it or not.

Not to difficult, but sort of snazzy lookin'.

The 'Heartbreakingly Cute Baby Kimono' and the 'Baby Bib O' Love' is from Mason-Dixon Knitting.

The booties are from 'Ruth's "Perfect" Baby Booties'. (Short row magic!)

The hat is from the 'Oh Natural' from Lionbrand website. (Super, super easy!)

In other news...

I have swatched for gauge! Yes, it's true. I am becoming a real life knitter, instead of an extraordinarily lucky one. In preparing for knitting while traveling next week, during which I hope to visit both the Yarn Barn in Lawrence (with Wisest Sister) and Wildflowers in Manhattan (by myself...must...practice...self-control...), I reviewed a couple of patterns. I am going to start Miss Muffet (by Marjorie Brigham), for Grandbebe Girl Who Walks (and who I get to watch tonight while Youngest Daughter and Bebe Daddy are partying). This pattern will be an investment in time and of resources even if the most wonderful Egyptian cotton yarn was on sale.

I thought to myself that perhaps I should test the swatching waters on this occasion. I did, and am going down a needle size, to sz 5. I am one loosey-goosey knitter. And the swatching whetted my appetite. The yarn knits beautifully, and is not going to feel anything like knitting with dishcloth cotton.

Another pattern I am going to be working on is Calorimetry (for stocking stuffers) out of handspun. This pattern highly suggested a swatch, too. In remembering what I have discovered about knitting hats, I decided this would be wise, not so much to knit exactly the size they think I need, but so that I can knit for the genetically big noggins that run in this family.

See how smart! Using her big noggin and smaller quantities of handspun! Oh, and knitting for Christmas in July! Very smart, indeed. (Now we will watch what actually gets knitted....)