WIP it good.

All my WIPs continue apace. I seem to be a little all over the place lately with my projects, but somehow, bit by bit, they're progressing.

This week I managed to get to the halfway point in the Hanami stole. I'm really happy with how it's coming along. I like that the beads have given it some heft (as hefty as seed beads can be on an alpaca/silk lace stole) and I think it's going to drape beautifully once it's finished. I hope I have some occasion to wear it. Maybe I'll get invited to a wedding. Or maybe we'll go to the ballet. Or something. Of course, I'm not sure I have anything to wear with it, so I'll have to get on that.

Knitting. Tasty, tasty, knitting.

I've also made progress on my Rafters cardigan. Just this morning I completed the front shaping and now I'm ready to get everything all joined up for some progress on the body. It looks a little small right now, but I think that's because so many of the sweaters I've made for myself have turned out too big. Even if it's a bit small now, I'm pretty sure that blocking will relax some of the tightness in the cables. So long as I get gauge on the sweater as a whole, I'll have about an inch of ease.

Since my last couple posts I've frogged the blue socks for my friend, Dan, and started a new pair for him. I'm doing the Scylla pattern again, this time with a skein of Mountain Colors Crazyfoot I've had in my stash for awhile. In the skein, the yarn looked a lot more brown than it's knitting up. In the socks, I'm seeing more jewel tones, but I think it's still masculine. I hope he'll be cool with it. This is my commuting-and-waiting-in-line knitting and it's moving right along. I've probably got another two weeks with it before it's finished.

Of course, with three projects on the needles (four, if you count my unfinished Halloween costume), it looks like I'm not going to be doing any Christmas knitting. There just won't be any time. I have a feeling I'm still going to be baking up a storm, but it's already too late to be in time for Christmas. I will, however, be scouring my house for just the right contribution to our family's Dirty Santa exchange.

On that note, I'll sign off for now. Until next time, Friends.

My first attempt at beaded laciness.

I've been home from the lake for about a week, and what a week it's been. More changes at work, but at least it was only 4 days long since it's Labor Day weekend here in the US.

I took the yarn, beads and pattern to make the Hanami Stole with me to Michigan. I've had the Silky Alpaca Lace in my stash for what feels like ages (I've had it for two and a half years), and it's been intended for this project the whole time. I bought the beads for it while I was in Indianapolis in April for the Carmel Sprint Triathlon, perfectly matched to the cherry blossom pink of the yarn. Once I'd had a little time in the water, and a few cocktails, I decided the time was right to finally cast on.

The pattern called for a beaded cast on, which is something I've never done before. It also said to make sure I had a crochet hook small enough to fit through the bead. Luckily, I have my mother's set of teeny, tiny steel hooks that she brought with her from Japan when she came to the United States in 1970. Before she married, she made lots of doilies with crochet thread. I think she still has them at her house. I had to use the size 8 needle, which I understand has a .90mm hook. It looks a lot like the torture devices my dental hygienist uses when I go for a cleaning. What's even scarier is that I have two hooks even smaller, with .75mm and .6mm hooks. I'm sure I don't want to see the thread appropriate for any of them.

Anyway, I got through the beaded cast on alright, but I realized that I'd bought way more beads than the pattern called for, and that I wasn't ever going to use them for anything else. After reading the pattern through at least twice, I decided that I'd use beads in the "basketweave" section of the stole, placing one for every place that I had a centered double decrease. Adding these beads every so often certainly slows down the knitting, but I think that the stole will be prettier for it in the end. I got through two chart repeats while I was on vacation, but since I've been home I've gotten through exactly 4 rows. This is going to take awhile, I think, especially since I'm not about to work on this on my way to work. I'm just glad I don't have a deadline!

So, that's it for now, Friends. Until next time.

In Memoriam

I've been thinking about this post for a couple weeks, since my knitting friend, Jan, died. Her death was unexpected, leaving our group stunned and saddened. Jan was kind and generous, with a quietly sardonic wit. She was devoted to her family, especially her niece. What I didn't know, at least until after she died, is that she was comparatively new to knitting. One of things I'll remember most about her was her willingness to untangle other people's yarn. She spent weeks undoing a pile of yarn barf that anyone else probably would have written off. She will be missed.

The day after we all found out about her passing was our usual Thursday night group get together. Jan's sisters sent over her yarn stash, insisting that Jan's friends have some of her yarn. As we were going through it, many of us noticed that there was a lot of Cascade 220 in there, and so we decided that we would make squares for a blanket to give to the niece that Jan loved so much. For myself, I took a skein of Kentucky Blue Fiber Co. Alpaca 2 ply sport weight. I imagine Jan might have chosen it for its rich color, thinking it would become a really luxurious little accessory.

With that in mind, I searched the Ravelry pattern database for projects that called for 200 yards of sport weight yarn. As soon as I saw the pattern for the Elis cowl, I knew it was just the right thing to make from Jan's yarn. It was a super quick knit: it took me about 2 evenings to finish the knitting and I was able to block it the next day. I love it. It has a soft, elegant drape that makes me wish I had something better than a bunch of printed t-shirts to wear with it.

It still feels strange thinking of Jan in the past tense, like she only missed a couple of knit nights, but she'll be at the next one, knowing that she won't, really. But we all feel that way when someone we care about dies.

Until next time, Friends.

It's not exactly Rhinebeck.

Every time I open up my blog reader lately, I get to see multiple posts describing people's Rhinebeck preparations: what sweaters they're making to wear there, what projects they're taking along, and all the yarn they're expecting to purchase. I'm not saying I'm jealous - oh, who am I kidding? I am jealous. I wish I were at Rhinebeck (aka the Dutchess County Sheep and Wool Festival). I wish I were making a fancy new sweater to show off. I wish I had a bunch of projects to work on alongside the knitterati. I wish I were buying a bunch yarn. Maybe next year.

But then I remembered that this weekend is the Southern Indiana Fiber Arts Festival, which would be almost like Rhinebeck, but smaller. Since I work on Saturdays and the Festival is a Friday/Saturday deal, I went after work this afternoon, ready to see some sheep, pet some bunnies, and fondle some yarn. I happened to be wearing my fancy new Zori sweater and I was secretly hoping that everyone would be amazed at my knitting prowess.

The Festival is in Corydon, Indiana, about 30 miles from Louisville. After an uneventful drive, I arrived at the town square, which is where Indiana's first Capitol was established. I wandered around the square, taking pictures of the old State Capitol building. It's a nice, old building and maybe if I think of it, I'll get to come back when it's open, so I can walk around the inside.

After I got my fill of the historic charm of Corydon's downtown, I went the few blocks down the street to the Fairgrounds, where the Festival was going on. As it was a little cold and intermittently rainy, I didn't expect there to be too many people there, but I did manage to run into one friend and her daughter, and one of the ladies from the Grinny Possum yarn shop.

I took a lap through all the booths in the first building, then went across the way to the other building to see those booths. Two buildings of vendors. Mostly roving and needle felting supplies, but there were also booths with hand-dyed yarns and some with really pretty undyed yarns. In the no-man's land between the two buildings, there was one farm's booth with two sheep outside in a pen. The poor things were wet and hanging out under a little umbrella in the corner, eating away. One was kind enough to look up when I took its picture, but the other was focused on dinner. I can't say I blame him, I could've gone for a snack.

The second building had an interesting booth with some really gorgeous wooden objects like niddy-noddies, spindles and yarn bowls. There were also angora rabbits, but there was such a crowd (such as there was) that I couldn't get a clear picture of them. After I finished my lap there, I took a walk around outside, just in case I hadn't seen everything. All I found was a horse. I took a picture of it and went on back to the yarn booths to buy some yarn, satisfied that I'd seen all there was to see.

The lone skein of yarn I bought was 8 ounces of undyed alpaca in a rich, gorgeous chocolate color. The lady told me it would knit up to a worsted weight, but it looks a little more like a dk- or sport weight yarn. Once I get past my Christmas knitting, I'll swatch it and see how it does. I remembered to photograph it before I left, while there was still a little light. Sadly, I probably need to think a little more about how I photograph brown yarn, because it looks a little like a fresh, well, you know, but that's the picture I have tonight, so that's the picture that I have to post. Maybe my friends who are good at photography can give me some tips?

Anyway, that's all I have for tonight. Until next time, Friends!

Llamas on Broadway

I don't know what is going on with my brain, but I had the weirdest dream last night: I dreamt that my mother and I went to see a Broadway musical version of Romeo and Juliet, but that instead of having seats, we were bouncing around on trampolines poised over the backs of llamas which were in place of actual seats. Part of our job as audience members was that we had to bounce in time to the musical numbers, as well as do somersaults when the songs built to crescendo. In the dream I was actually pretty good at this, and it seemed that the trampolines were high enough over the backs of the llamas that we didn't injure them as we bounced, and also narrow enough that when the actors were speaking dialogue we could sit on the llamas' backs. The only bummer about this dream was that when it was time to go, one of my sandals slipped off my foot onto the floor, which was covered in llama pee and poo, and one of the handlers just handed it back to me like it wasn't covered in filth. I was about to give the handler a piece of my mind when the alarm clock went off. That handler was lucky I woke up!

Anyway, I don't know why I had that dream, although one of my friends did post a photo of a mama and baby alpaca on her blog the other day. That must have been it, though I have no idea when I last saw a trampoline. Weird.

In knitting news, I have been making more progress on the Schmidt Vest. I'm getting pretty close to the point where I can divide for the front and back, which makes me very happy. I definitely like how the cable up the front is coming out, and if you don't look too hard you won't see where I missed a crossing or two about 6 inches ago. The yarn is knitting up beautifully and it's still one of my cat's favorites; he took a nap on it the other day.

The cable needle seems not to bother him in the least.

I've also picked up the Knit All the Strings! socks and turned the heels on both. I did a nice, simple short-row heel and they're only a smidge too long, but I think that will be alright. I had to cut the yarn for 3 colors and rejoin after the heel, which isn't the worst thing ever, but I don't really care to weave in ends. I'm sure I'll feel better about it when both socks are done and I'm no longer wrestling with all those strands. And after I complete my exam this weekend.

Well, I guess that's it for tonight. I've got one more workday before I leave for Indianapolis to take this exam. I sure hope I can feel good about it when it's over. Until next time, Friends.

Only one project on the needles

Last time, I think I said I'd talk a little about Damask, which I've recently started. I think I got it on the needles before I finished the Kristi socks, but I was also working on the Monkeybread scarf, so I didn't give it much attention. But Monkeybread is finished (more about that in a bit), so I've been making all kinds of progress on Damask.

It seems lots of people are making these little triangular shawlettes lately, and I had kind of been poo-pooing the whole idea, as I don't really consider myself a shawlette kind of girl. I'm just not big on accessorizing. But when I was in Atlanta this spring, Oliviaknits told me all about how she's made about a billion of these and how they're just great for throwing over your shoulders when it's a little chilly, but not quite cold enough for a sweater. She also told me about how they're good for getting a little warmth around your neck & chest if you're wearing a v-neck top. That planted the seed for this project.

You see, a couple years ago, I bought some incredibly soft sport-weight alpaca yarn at the Thistledown Shop while I was on vacation at my family's lake cottage. It was 650 yards of lovely charcoal grey 3-ply yarn. So soft & squishy I just couldn't help myself. At the time, I had no idea what I would make with it, I just knew that it had to be mine. It took me until a few weeks ago to make up my mind.

The project is going well - having done an Estonian lace scarf last year, I already have some experience with the dreaded nupps that can be tricky to complete. The chart repeats are pretty easily memorized (although the designer used non-standard symbols on them) and the wrong-side rows go quickly. I've just begun the fourth chart and it's already beginning to take on its triangular shape. Had I used a smoother yarn, the patterning might be a little more distinct, but I think, in the end, I'm going to like the absence of crispness I'm getting from this yarn.

In other news, the Monkeybread scarf is done, which means I have now completed all my projects for this year's State Fair. I completed the knitting on the scarf on Friday got it washed and on the blocking wires on Saturday evening. It came out beautifully - the cables are now lying flat and there's a nice rhythm to them that's harder to see on the hat. Both items together make a gorgeous set, which I'm sure my mother will love. She'll love them even more if they earn a ribbon at the Fair! (Last year I placed second in this category, so this year I'd really love a first!)

Well, that's all I have tonight. I leave for Sock Summit in a week, but I hope to get in a post or two before I head out of town. Until next time, then.

WIPs Wednesday? Alright, I'll play along.

I read a couple (read: many) craft blogs, and a good number of them do a WIPs (Work In Progress) Wednesday, so I've decided this would be a good time for me to do a WIP post. Since last time, I've cast on for a couple new projects.

First, I've cast on a new pair of socks! It's Stephanie van der Linden's On The Aran Isle pattern from her Around the World in Knitted Socks book. In a demonstration of learning from one's mistakes, I'm using a yarn with comparable yardage to what's recommended: Classic Elite's Alpaca Sox. I realize that even though it feels like summer here (90 degrees Fahrenheit today!) and that knitting with an alpaca yarn in this heat & humidity isn't exactly fun, the yarn was in my stash and it's the right weight & yardage. I also like the color and I think they'll be very pretty when they're done.

I'm really enjoying the traveling stitches - they're definitely keeping my interest up. I also like the picot hem at the top of the cuff, although it was very tedious working off the provisional cast on. If I were making these socks for myself, I'd probably add enough stitches for another pattern repeat  on the leg, as they're a little snug going around my heels. I think they'll be fine for Mom's delicate little feet.

For a more summery project, I've cast on Anna & Heidi Pickle's Lazy Daisy baby cardigan. I'm knitting it in Cascade Yarns Cotton Rich DK, which is a nice cotton in some very bright, vibrant, saturated colors. It's a free pattern on the Pickles blog (well, the 3-6 months size is free, you have to pay for bigger sizes). So far, it's been an easy knit. The stitch pattern is simple to memorize, and since it's such a tiny, little sweater, it should knit up pretty quickly. I have a couple friends who are expecting babies this fall, but I'm not sure this sweater will fit next Spring. I may have to hold on to it for someone who has a January or February baby. I'm sure someone I know will be having a baby then.

If I have enough yarn when I've finished the cardigan, I may just try to make the turban. It's almost a little too precious, but seriously, what's cuter than a baby in a turban?

I'm also still working on the Kusha Kusha scarf, but it's not as interesting as the other projects. It's just a whole lot of stockinette stitch on bamboo straights, so not a lot of fun. It's good to have during social knitting, so I might just take it with me to Stitch 'N' Bitch tomorrow night. If it ever looks like I've made any progress on it, I'll take a picture and post it here.

Looks like that's all I have for today. Until next time, friends.