Wednesday, January 28, 2009

2009 Knits (so far)

I don't feel much like typing, so here:



Cashmere Cowl from The Purl Bee
1 skein naturally dyed cashmere from Habu, A-169
size 6 bamboo needles
Rav link

This thing is light as a feather, and not good for actual winter weather. It also stretches/sags a lot when wearing, but is easily pulled back into shape. But who cares - it feels amazing and is completely gorgeous (in a rustic sort of way).



Turn a Square from Brooklyn Tweed
less than 1 skein Noro Kureyon, less than 1 skein Plymouth Galway Highland Heather
size 4 & 6 bamboo needles
Rav

My 3rd TaS, this one for my brother. 'Nuff said.



Shedir by Jenna Wilson, from Knitty
less than 1 skein Sundara Sport Merino (discontinued) in Grass
size 1 Addi Turbos and DPNs
Rav

My favorite* of the bunch thus far - finally got to use my Sundara Sport Merino. Other than the color though, which is a brilliant green with touches of yellow, I wasn't terribly impressed with the yarn. (Maybe that's why it's discontinued?) All sorts of un-soft.. and I love wool. Guess the superwash is to blame.



With my husband's surgery** coming up, I was desperate for something to knit in the waiting room. I'd planned on knitting a Tempest, but for all the yarn I'd ordered, I couldn't figure out which 2 colors to use. So I needed a new project, and quick. I don't swatch for hats, and I had the yarn, pattern, and needles.. so Shedir was it. The project worked well - it was interesting enough to keep me occupied, but not anything near demanding. And since it's all cabley and knit on less-than-worsted yarn, it lasted. And lasted. All through the waiting room, all through the hospital stay. Perfect.

* So it fits, the pattern is gorgeous, the yarn is cheery for these winter days. Why don't I completely love it? It reminds me of the surgery, the waiting, the pain, the uncertainty. I suspect someday I'll adore it, and will wear it constantly, but.. not yet.

** The surgery was a colon resection. We found out about a month ago that Ryan has colon cancer. He starts chemotherapy in about a month, so I'm guessing I'm going to have lots of little knitting projects going on.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Happy 1 Year

Ryan and I celebrated our first anniversary last weekend. Our excitement about a last-minute stay at a gorgeous country B&B was dampened by upset tummies. Plans for hiking and eating thus squashed, we spent most of the time curled up on the love seat with this view:



The place was wonderful though - not froofy or flowery. Fireplaces galore. Lovely grounds. Helpful, not overbearing, owners. Someday we'll go back, when we can better appreciate the location and food.




Sunday, January 4, 2009

Well, that was fast.

I guess this is what happens when I get 5 unexpected days off with a sick husband:



All the pieces for a sweater, just not sewn up yet. I'm dreading that, a little. But I'm excited about it, a little, too. We'll see how I feel when it's done.

This is what it started as:


(Squirrel agreed to model to show scale.) Two 750 yd skeins of aran weight wool, hand dyed by Chris at Briar Rose Fibers. I only used one.

What next?

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Unfinished knits

One of my not-so-brilliant last minute Christmas gift ideas:

Thrummed mittens.



Really, I thought I was being smart. Worsted weight wool - should be a quick knit! Warm fibery goodness - perfect for long mornings waiting at the bus stop! ...Right?

UGH! Thrums are a pain in the butt to make. And a pain in the butt to include in the knitting every 3 stitches every other row. I wasn't helped by the fact that my thrums were a bit too large, and I could barely fit my pinky into the mitten.. let alone a whole hand. So half a day's work got frogged, and I spaced the thrums out more.




This is where I stopped, several days before Christmas. I just couldn't take it any more.

Too bad I purchased an entire braid (!!) planning to make a family of mittens....




Maybe I'll have to take up spinning. This fiber (handdyed here in B'more by Mama E) is far to pretty to waste!

I'm working on finishing up a second sock (to actually make a matched pair! Oh my!), as well as a sweater. The sweater has been flying along, and I hope to have it completed by the weekend. We'll see....