Finished: Gemini

I am currently putting all that Fiber Christmas yarn to use!  This past weekend I finished my Gemini shirt made from the Brooks Farms Solo Silk of a few posts ago.  The pattern was easy to follow despite having a needle break mid project and having to perform major surgery on my garment.  The minor flaws aren't too bad, and the end result is very comfy and will likely be a go to top for spring and early fall. I certainly can't complain since the entire project cost about $40 and the pattern was free. 

I even managed to start another Pendulum shawl this weekend with Shibui sock and the Lost City Knits skein from FC.  This form of the project is making me much happier than my other two attempts.  After a day or two of knitting I am approaching being done with a lot of yarn to spare.  I have decided to go further than the called for 5 stripes, but the rows are starting to get incredibly long and the short rows have become a little tedious.  Either way, worked on a size 4 the wrap and turns are a lot less visible than I thought they would be so I am happy.  I still have yet to learn a truly invisible method, but to be honest, I haven't spent much time looking for an invisible garter one either. (Cocoknits has a great method on her website!)

Also on my cast on list is a Kit Camisole in Shibui linen in the velvet colorway.  Can't wait for this one!  Just finished reading the pattern over and I am sold.... linen and a tank top.  I have a feeling someone will have to pry the FO out of my cold, dead hands. 

Happy Knitting!

PS. Remember the arrow caplet I finished a month or two ago?  Courtney has released the pattern on Ravelry and my photo is even featured on the page.. Go buy it! 

Finished: Levenwick and Henslowe

I have had a productive few weeks of knitting but I am anxious about the arrival of fall and winter.  I feel like I have a queue full of too much and not enough hands to knit, knit, knit.  I have recently finished my Levenwick sweater and my Henslowe shawl (pattern gifted to me a while back by a generous Raveler).  

I was to a point with Levenwick when I really wanted to give up.  The pattern is well written and not nearly as complicated as the many pages would have you believe but I found myself bored and wishing I had picked something in the round to avoid all those rows of purling (which I actually don't mind!). Thanks to Orange is the New Black on Netflix and a few hours of gritting my teeth, I finished my new sweater.  And onto the bad news.. it is too big even after ripping out the sleeves.  I have a tendency to make everything too big because that seems so much better than too little... this sweater could have used a lot of inches of negative ease though.  I am not sure how much wear it will get but maybe under bunches of layers, I will not look as if I raided a giant's closet. (The second photo shows the severity.)

As for Henslowe, I couldn't have asked for an easier pattern.  It too looks much more complicated than it actually is.  The picot bind off was torture as I expected and much like Levenwick I wanted to run away but Beth Kling has made a pattern which looks really difficult without that much effort, and those are always my favorite! 

Upcoming projects are calling my name!  

Finished: Kirkja & Fiber Christmas in July!

I will try to limit my enthusiasm in this post, but no promises.  I have been boasting about my four day work weeks to anyone who will listen which this year allowed me to visit Fiber Christmas in July on its opening day.  It is a smaller fiber festival with lots of local dyers, spinners, weavers, etc. This is also proof that I can overspend in ten minutes flat, and be mesmerized by animal fibers--who knew? 

While there I picked up a lot of beautiful skeins including a huge 875 yard skein from Dawning Dreams, who is one of my favorites. This skein is begging to become a Simple Lines Shawl. 

 

Also acquired was a skein of "Wooly Shoots" by Two Windows Dye Co. The owner, Deb, whom I had a great conversation with was gracious and kind and this skein was too beautiful to pass up at 600 yards.  (She even gave me a cute hand made bag to take my goodies home in.)  I haven't made plans for this skein but you better believe I will be using Rav to see what will be best for this superwash merino/bamboo mix. 

 

In attendance was Brooks Farm Yarn, which had a huge booth with lots of different bases and colors.  I had a hard time picking which color would be just right but eventually settled on two large skeins of purple Solo Silk which are begging to be a Spring Garden Tee for a KAL with my awesome boss (who has taken to knitting quicker than anyone I've ever met). These skeins are some of the most beautiful I've ever seen.  They have a luxurious sheen and are so soft; I imagine the 50/50 blend will be amazing against my skin. 

 

And last but not least, I finally finally had the chance to visit a Lost City Knits booth!  I am sure I have not shared this story before, but I have been stalking their festival page for years and somehow always manage to miss them, even at local events.  One year I ran around in the rain for about 30 minutes and couldn't find their booth and was forced to return to work empty handed and mega upset.  I spotted their booth in record time and felt insane anxiety at which skeins would be mine.  Eventually I picked a skein of their High Country DK in a beautiful rusty color aka Baked Earth.  This skein says it should be a Pasha hat for myself.. 

 

I had to have their Pathways Sock (in Extra Virgin), which is a generous skein of superwash merino.  I am not much of a green person but this jade-y, rich color spoke to me.  It reminded me of a beautiful And so are you shawl by a Rav friend  which I have dreams about. 

 

After all of the million skeins I have added to my stash over the last few weeks (including an unblogged 9 skeins of brown linen from a knitting friend), I decided to dare myself to avoid yarn buying for a few months.. perhaps until the end of the year.  I don't find the "job" of picking to be an issue and lucky for me, all of these purchases have been made without a second thought financially but I am starting to get to a point where when I start searching the store that is my stash, I itch a little with the what ifs... What if this yarn would actually be better? What if I hate this? What if I should really save this for something else?  And worst of all, I can't get rid of that... I love it too much.  MINE MINE MINE. 

And because this blog is not just about yarn buying (though I wish), I have been working dutifully all week to finish a Kirkja Shawl out of madtosh 80/10/10.  This skein is beautiful.  If I didn't wonder who read this, I would use many curse words.  The yarn is beautiful, the pattern was free and I have not one bad thing to say about it.  The charts are easy enough but still produce an amazing lace pattern, which can fool knitters and especially non-knitters into amazement. 

 

I also ripped out the finished sleeve of my Levenwick, which was pitiful looking... I am afraid I am losing my mojo on it but I will force myself to work on it in the coming week. 

Happy Knitting! 

Finished: Edgewood & More

I have been a bad yarnie lately.  As usual, summer has taken its serious toll on my knitting.  Lucky for me, two coworkers were eager to learn which helped revive me.  In the last few days, I have finished an Edgewood shawl and made major strides on my Levenwick cardigan, which I am currently avoiding due to a sleeve issue (Dont ask, but do bell sleeves make you shutter, too?!). 

Though it is never a bad day when you come home to glorious yarn just waiting to be knit.  Just received are a few skeins of Quince and Co Chickadee in Chantrelle (Again! This time for a pair of Mirry Dancers), Silky Wool which is dying to be a cardigan, and a beautiful skein of madtosh merino light in Gossamer, which is even more beautiful in real life. 

 I am dancing inside..

Happy Knitting! 

Finished: On the Grass & Arrow Cape

I have been terrible at updating lately.  For one, I started a new job and am a little mesmerized by my new duties and my wonderful four day work week.  I wish I could say I have been knitting up a storm but thanks to Phillip, I have been trying my hand at riding my bike a lot more and trying to quit being such a lounge about.  Our apartment is beginning to get hot inside, so it is almost worth going out and getting a little breeze these days.  In the meantime though I have finished (maybe?) an On the Grass Sweater by Joji in Malabrigo Rios.  I finished the body and then became convinced that I wanted/needed another tank top.  A dear knitting friend, Vanessa politely questioned whether I would wear a wool tank top... well, that probably doesn't seem very practical to the average person but put me in Malabrigo and I will sweat in it until the death.  I still need to do a simple crochet edging around the arm holes (Phillip coyly told me they look raggedy for the time being), but I am still very happy with it.  The way I see it?  I could add those ribbing sleeves later in the year when I actually need them :) 

Also finished was a test knit for gorgeous knitter Courtney, and her Arrow Capelet.  This is everything I needed: quick, easy to carry and made in the softest alpaca.  Hopefully she will release the pattern soon so everyone can get in it on the cape thing.  I was hesitant at first thinking I would look  like a psych patient but I am actually quite happy with it. 

Happy Knitting!

Finished: Dovetail III & Toast III

What is with me repeating patterns so much lately? Normally I just can't wait to start something new and can't be bothered to remember the details of a particular pattern (unless it drove me crazy!).  This week (actually, today) I finished a pair of toast gloves for myself in Plymouth Boku and another Dovetail Cowl in Berroco Vintage to go with the State Street of my last post for my boss. 

Both were easy, both yarns dependable as always.

And as it is just now midday, onto another project.  I can't stop dreaming of wooly sweaters as the weather warms to summery temperatures :( Happy Knitting! 

Finished: Lots!!!

I have been terrible about updating lately.  I have been knitting--duh.  I just haven't been able to find the time to sit down and talk.  

Added to my 2013 roster: 

Romney Kerchief, in beautiful Sweet Fiber sock--Fossil colorway.  I acquired this on my birthday at Loops. Couldn't be happier with this; it is dreamy and soft and the pattern was a breeze.

Odile, an easy cabled cowl made from the Malabrigo Worsted I bought at Mockingbird Moon in Arkansas. This pattern was well written and Malabrigo worked at a loose gauge is always begging to be next to my skin.

And finally, a State Street Cowl for my the niece of my boss.  I don't feel quite in touch with what young girls would like, but hopefully she will appreciate it in some way.  

The niece is one in a set of twins, so I have another cowl to make, this one a Dovetail in Berroco Vintage. 

And in other news, still growing the stash thanks to Webs summer sale.  Just when I say I am done for a time, I receive an email with deals I absolutely I can't pass up. 

Soon to come, an On the Grass sweater of Malabrigo Rios, Barbara W in Cascade 220 straw colorway, and for Madmay (YAY!) a Henslowe shawl in merino light, striped fingerless gloves in pashmina, 

and many other wooly concoctions that I just can't stop dreaming of! 

Happy Knitting!