Dog Days

Hullo there, Rudy here. Just checking in for my momma, since she's still got her hind paw up on top of a bunch of pillows with cold stuff on it. She's been getting around okay, for a two-footer minus-one-foot anyway. I've been a big help, snuggling and snoring on the couch, and I even creep under the covers at night. Just to keep her warm, you know?

Actually, I've got a really, really important J-O-B, that spells Job, and I get lots of pets and treats when I do it. Momma put on my hiking backpack and first I got really excited cause we were going on a Long Walk! But then she started hopping around on her new metal-paws (she calls them "crutches," and she pokes me with them when I'm in the way!) Anyway, she started hopping around fetching stuff that should never ever ever go on a Long Walk. Stuff like bags of ice, and a towel, and a book, and snacks (well, snacks should go everywhere, but this was strange.) She put that stuff in my backpack and then she went up the stairs in her new, weird way, on her leg-elbows, and she wanted me to come with her so she could give me treats when we got to the top! It was great!

She said something about "payment for delivery" and told me I was a Good Good Boy and Very Useful and Very Very Good Boy. I'm wondering what's up, since all I did was run up the stairs with my backpack on (a very Short Walk indeed!) but I'm not going to argue. She has more treats in her pocket, I know.

She wanted to tell you guys about her string projects. She's finished one of the hind paw covers, it's a really pretty string she made it out of.
She's got another one she's working on then she says she'll be done. I don't know why she only ever makes two. Come to think of it, she wouldn't be in this mess if she'd just walk around with all four paws on the ground like any sensible dog. Ah well, not gonna argue with her on that point either. Like I said, she's got the treats.

She's also almost done with the front-paw covers, the ones with the little pocket for each claw? She calls them "gloves," I think. But she got mad when she tried to get a picture, something about bad light on this side of the room and being too tired to get to a better spot. I offered to help, but I can't work that camera so well. No thumbs, you know.

Anyway, I think this is the best vacation ever. I get my belly scritched a hundred dozen times a day, and I get to lay in my favorite patch of sunlight in the Wool Room. Plus when dad makes momma food, he always makes enough for her to share with me! Yup, this is the life!

Bark at ya later!

Spinner Down!

Well, I had a second entry for the Ravelympics Handspun Heptathlon; it was to be a two-ply yarn from some BFL fiber dyed by Spunky Eclectic, a lovely color called "Burning Bush."


I finished one bobbin of singles before I did this:

It's sprained, though very badly, or so they say at the local rural hospital. They didn't see any major breaks on the x-ray, so they bandaged me up, told me to take 3 ibuprofen every 4-6 hours, and sent me home with crutches.

Since someone will likely want to know (hi dad!) we were about to go hiking on Sunday, and I ran indoors to get the map. On the way out, I was being cool and took a little running arabesque-leap from the last step-down off the porch. It usually works fine. I usually miss that hole in the lawn. I heard a crunch, I was sure it was broken; it hurts like a *^*#&%$! and I'll likely be laid up for the next few weeks.

By the way, using crutches is proving to be a lesson in patience, balance, and grace. Apparently I need some of each.

So wheel-spinning is not in my immediate future, what with elevating the ol' left leg. I may have to do some practice with the drop spindle. I've been (jokingly) accused of doing this to myself to gain more knitting time. Not true, but I have been using my time to knit.

The Knotty Gloves are almost finished, just need a few more fingers.

I've started my second pair of socks for Ravelympics.

These will be the "Child's First Sock in Shell Pattern" from Nancy Bush's book, Knitting Vintage Socks. I'm knitting them with some Sock Hop handspun superwash merino from Crown Mountain Farms. I believe the colorway is "Beat Goes On."

So that's the goings-on here. Hope your weekend was (ahem) less eventful.

All for now.

Ravelympics highlights, live from the Wool Room

Event: Handspun Heptathlon

Tia Dalma, superwash merino batts by Enchanted Knoll Farms (Happy Hooves club)
5.15 oz (146g) 3-ply sock yarn, heavy-fingering weight
480 yards of scruptiousness

Event: Sock Put

Cable Cuff socks, my own un-vented pattern
2.25 mm/US1 dpns
Enchanted Knoll Farms sock yarn (superwash wool and nylon blend)
"Seal Cove" colorway

Event: Glove Decathalon (currently underway)

Knotty Gloves
2.25mm/US1 dpns
Araucania Ranco Multy yarn, color 310

Waiting on the sidelines...

All for now.

Ravelympics and other projects

The wool room has been quite busy this week.

I got my hands on some Faulkland wool dyed by Pigeonroof Studios, and I had to spin it up right away.

"Artichoke" Faulkland wool, by Pigeonroof Studios
330 yards 2-ply (sportweight)

I'm finished with the body of my Apres Surf Hoodie, I even sewed the shoulder seams.

Now all it needs is one more sleeve and the hood. Should be done just in time for cooler weather...

I've also finished the yoke of my experimental Equinox Yoke sweater.

At this point the yoke seems kind of deep, and I'm not sure it will work well; I'll have to see how it fits once the sleeves are started. I'm also not certain about the wide neckline - I'm considering a deep, loose turtle neck, nearly a cowl. What do you think?

However, both those projects are on hold for the moment, as I'm participating in the Ravelympics! For those who don't know, the Ravelympics are a knitting/spinning challenge taking place during the duration of the 2008 summer Olympic games. The "competitors" have signed up for various "events" over on Ravelry, choosing to represent different teams in each event. The individual competitors set personal goals to accomplish between the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing games.

Here is my first entry for the "Sock Put."

"Cable Cuff socks," my own pattern
Enchanted Knoll sock yarn, "Seal Cove"

I'm also doing the "Handspun Heptathlon," spinning this set of Enchanted Knoll superwash merino batts:

... into a three-ply sock yarn. I'm finished with the first bobbin already. (I know, I know; 3-ply is ambitious, but I swear it's what the fiber wanted to be...)

I'll be doing another pair of socks for the Sock Put event, and another Handspun Heptathlon entry, as well as a pair of gloves for the Glove Decathalon.

What's that, you think I'm a overachiever? Would you expect anything else?

Possessed

Hi there; just popping in again for a moment to show you that I have indeed been busy this past week.

Handspun superwash merino sock yarn; unnamed roving was a swap gift 550 yards light fingering weight (4 oz, 2 ply)

Apres-Surf Hoodie, just past the division at the armscythe

However, I find myself possessed by a newer project; it literally came to me sometime around 11pm Saturday night, as I was finishing organizing wool on the shelves in my room.

Equinox Yoke Pullover, from Interweave Fall 2006 Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted
various colors - mc is Aubergine

I "saw" all the colors together for the first time (not to be confused with "looking" at them for the past year and a half, as I have almost daily) and the palette clicked with the Equinox Yoke pattern, which I'd recently seen again while browsing Ravelry. I sat down with a needle, intending just to cast on the stitches for the neckline and read the pattern to see if a top-down version was possible. Three hours later I was over halfway finished with the yoke and quite enamored with the sweater to be.

My gauge is not the same as the pattern calls for, so it's an experiment to see if I can make it work; so far, so good.

Surfacing

I'm surfacing for a moment from the business that has consumed my days.

First off, I want to wish my dear friend Marian happy birthday today; hop on over and send a happy thought her way.

Between the long, late dinners with friends and humid, lazy days that seem to speed by in a blink, there has been some spinning....

8 oz of 60/40 merino/bamboo blend, dyed in "Hidden" colorway by Spunky Eclectic
Spun to 1400 yards of two-ply with Laminaria in mind.

There has been some knitting too...

Apres Surf Hoodie, making good progress
Brown Sheep Cotton Fine, "Silver Plum" (a very difficult hue to photograph)

There has also been a lot of wood splitting, preparing for the winter despite the heat of summer.

I'm learning how, and getting better with the ax. Very proud.
I

I've found a good wild patch and done a whole lot of berry picking.

I've probably picked about 5 pounds total so far, and the season isn't even in full swing yet.

With so much fresh, wild fruit, there has, of course, been jam making.

7 of the 10 jars I have left after gifting; pies were also made and summarily consumed.

Can you blame me for not blogging?

I'll be around again soon - the rest of our week is predicted to be rainy.

Zigging right along

Thank you so much for the wonderful words about my Autumn Rose sweater. It is probably the biggest accomplishment of my knitting so far, though the execution of it was more lengthy than actually difficult. I don't say that from a place of modesty or to diminish the time and effort I put into it, but rather as encouragement. While it took a lot of concentration to follow the charts and keep the stranding (sort of) even, I wouldn't say it was so advanced a project that it couldn't be done by most of you knitters who read my blog. I think we so often assume that the making of beautiful and complex things is beyond our skills, when in reality it is easily within reach if we add a dash of ambition and confidence. After all, isn't it, in the end, just pulling one loop through another?

That said, don't kill me, but I finished my socks. I know, I know; I seem like a speed demon. Remember, I'm on summer vacation.

Seusian Socks; pattern is Ziggy from Knitty Summer 2008
JL Yarn "Vinca" (color 551) is the mutating color; 200 yards

Rellana "Flotte Socke" (color 812) is the purple; 300 yards
2.5 (US 1.5) dpns

I knit them cuff-down, and didn't really follow the pattern for anything but the colorwork. They are the first stranded socks I've made that fit a human foot, and I'm thrilled with how whimsical they are. They will definitely brighten up some gray winter day.

I also got the first sleeve done for my Apres Surf Hoodie.

I've started the body, which I'm knitting in the round, though I will spare you a photo showing only two inches of dusty-purple stockinette stitch on a 29" circular needle. Not very exciting yet, but it makes for good mindless knitting. The sweater is definitely "product knitting" at this point.

With only one project on the needles, I felt a void. I wound up some of this, just for fun.

Kauni Effektgarn 8/2, color EK

And I've been eying this on my shelf for some time now. I even have some ideas on how I'll use it, though I need a similar weight natural-colored yarn to go with...

Kauni Effektgarn 8/2, color EP

I even got out the basket of worsted-weight yarns and played a little.

But in the end I steered away from more stranded knitting and dug out a pattern I'd nearly forgotten about.

This is the Luna Moth Shawl, a free pattern from Elann. I bought the yarn for it,

Bollicine Sissi (a mohair bound with nylon), some time ago. I think the color couldn't be better, considering the shawl's inspiration.

Lace knitting, especially in larger-scale projects, is something I admire but rarely take the time to do. So I'm taking a pinch of my own advice and jumping in with abandon. Lookout, here I come, needles flashing and yarn flying...

All for now.

Autumn Rose, My Precious

Nine months in the making, a love affair the entire time. Result: totally wearable.

Autumn Rose, from Simply Shetland 4: At Tomales Bay (Ravelry links)
Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift, yarn ordered as a kit here
2.75 mm (US 2) circular needles, used 2.25 (US 1) for the last 5 rounds of the neckband

Modifications: I knit between the two smallest sizes for the lower torso (I drew the new shape onto the graph in the book) and increased to the second size for the shoulders. The sleeves are knit using the second size entirely. I also raised the neckline a bit, binding off for the steek on the same row as I bound off for the underarms. I'm glad I did, because it's still pretty low on me.

I have partial balls of yarn left over in every color, though not significant yardage in any of them. I am completely and utterly hooked on fair isle knitting, and I lovelovelove steeking. So amazing to be able to knit in the round and then open up such a lovely neckline with a few scissor-snips!

Now the question remains: what to knit next?

I'm a big kid now

There comes a time in a knitter's life when she is both excited and nervous...

... some strange and solitary rite of knitterly passage sends the heart thumping, turns the mouth dry...

It really wasn't that bad after all. That Shetland stuff really sticks together.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a few rounds of corrugated ribbing to knit onto a neckline...

Have you any wool?

If anyone is interested, I've put up some newly dyed wool tops (alpaca/silk/merino and targhee) in my Etsy shop... Enjoy!

Can't stop

We're having a blissfully cool day here in my corner of Maine - it hasn't reached 80 and looks like it won't today, a relief after yesterday topped out at 98. I know our summers are mild compared to many parts of the country, even compared to where I grew up, but I'm acclimated to Alaska still, and I begin to melt around 85...

I can't stop spinning on my newest project, the laceweight merino-bamboo. I worked on it yesterday afternoon, last night, and again this morning, on and off: a few moments here, ten minutes there...

I made the mistake, however, of reading a thread in the forums over on Ravelry about how long it takes other spinners to fill a bobbin. 15 to 30 minutes per ounce seems to be an average, though they're not discussing laceweight singles. Even so, apparently I'm a turtle. Or perhaps I'm just very exact. I've done about 3 ounces of the 8 so far, I'm guessing it's taken at least an hour per ounce, probably closer to an hour and a half.

Only 7 more hours 5 more ounces to go until I can ply.... good thing I love the colors.

Tell me, fellow spinners: how slow is slow, and how fast is fast, or does it matter at all if you're enjoying the process?

Yarns were spun, knitting was done

My mom left today after a nice week-long visit. She got to enjoy some of the best weather we've had this summer (well, she didn't mind the heat, though I found it a bit oppressive) and we did some of the touristy things one doesn't often take the time to do in one's hometown.

Of course there was lots of sitting around gabbing, and I am incapable of doing such without fiddling my fingers around. So, this being a fiber-blog, I'll share what I accomplished.

I finished spinning and plying the "Pumpkin Juice" batts from Enchanted Knoll's Happy Hooves club.

It's superwash merino with recycled sari silk and glitz blended in. I spun just over 700 yards from 6 ounces, so it's a nice fingering weight two-ply yarn.

I also finished the sleeves of the Gathered Pullover and sewed them in.

I had a little mishap while sewing in the second sleeve; it went in wonky (translate: apparently I need more practice!) and I decided to rip it out and start again. I snipped a yarn, believing it to be the seaming-yarn. Indeed, it was not. There was about an hour of "Knit Triage" wherein I caught unraveling stitches, kitchnered my little heart out, and generally tried to stay calm. There was lots of deep breathing and tongue-biting.

Luckily, the damage was repaired and is practically unnoticeable. If any fellow knitter notices and asks, I'll have a heck of a story to tell.

Gathered Pullover, from Interweave Knits Winter 2007
Garnstudio Silke-Tweed, approx. 1080 yards (just under 5 balls) color 05, "Indigo"
4.5 mm (US 7) needles, circular and dpns

I made the 36.25" size with some modifications: longer body and sleeves, and I added some waist shaping (inc. 6 st. each side about 7" up, then dec. the same before beginning cable.) I also knit the neckline trim in the round. I really love how it turned out, it's a very wearable sweater and I expect it will see a ton of use once the temperatures dip below the 80s and 90s here in Maine.

Since I'm not one to deal well without an abundance of knitting in progress, I cast on for another pair of socks, this time a stranded pattern.

This is "Ziggy" from the Summer 2008 issue of Knitty. I'm using yarn from the stash, some J.L. Julia "Vinca" and some Rellana "Flotte Socke" yarns.

Both yarns change tone and color, the "Vinca" more boldly than the "Flotte Socke," so it mimics the color shifts of the Noro sock yarn in the original pattern.

I've also got a new project on the spinning wheel. This is some merino bamboo (60/40%) dyed in the colorway "Hidden" by Amy of Spunky Eclectic. I've got 8 ounces to spin up, and I'm spinning the thinnest single I ever have, in hopes of a two-ply laceweight yarn in the end.

I'm hoping to knit "Laminaria" (from Knitty Spring 2008) with it when I'm done, which should be awhile at the rate I'm going. Fortuitous the summer days are so long, isn't it?

All for now.

One sock, two sock, three sock, four.

Sorry for the absence! My mother is visiting us here in Maine, so I haven't been spending much time online.

I do want to say, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" to everyone who made my birthday (July 4) so special. My email inbox, my Ravelry messages, Plurk, and even the real-life mailbox had so many greetings and birthday wishes (and even gifts!) that I got the warm fuzzies over and over all day. I'm amazed at the warmth generated by the circle of friends I've made over the internet, so many people I've never met in person who I honestly consider Friends. You guys make my day. (Of course the folks I do know in real life are not to be left out - love you all!)

As usual, time away from the internet is (in my world) time spent with the needles and yarn. I knit up some boot socks from the superwash Corriedale wool I spun up last winter.

The fiber was dyed by Hello Yarn (she called it "Toxic") and I ended up with about 250 yards of light-worsted weight yarn from it. I was dubious that would be enough to make a pair of socks, but it worked out perfectly, with perhaps 10 yards of yarn left at the end.

The went very quickly; 48 stitches around on 2.5mm needles. Superwash Corriedale is nowhere near as soft as superwash merino, but it feels like it will wear very well. I almost can't wait to wear them next winter with my purple snow boots!

I also finished up the socks I was knitting from the Cat Bordhi book, "New Pathways for Sock Knitters (Book I,)" and I'm quite pleased with the result.

Bartholomew's Tantalizing Socks, by Cat Bordhi
2.0mm (US 0) dpns
Yarn Pirate merino/tencel sock yarn, colorway "Icicle"

And yes, the cuff (done in linen stitch) is split up the back. It doesn't seem to affect the staying-power of the cuff, but makes for a nice fit above the ankle.

But the most unique part of the construction of these socks? Look ma, no gussets!

I'll definitely be knitting more patterns from this book, though they do take a good deal more concentration than I'm used to using for a pair of socks. It was like knitting my first pair all over again: instructions never out of arm's reach, following line-by-line wondering whether it will fit a human appendage in the end...

I'll check in again soon, but all for now and I hope you're having a good week too!

Addicted.

I've had a very productive week! The girls attended a 4-H summer day camp in the mornings; they had a fantastic time and I got a bit of relaxing and knitting done.

I finished the body of the Gathered Pullover.

I did make a few modifications. I added a smidge of waist-shaping, afraid that otherwise I'd end up with a very baggy sweater. I also had to knit a few extra rows (about 3/4 of an inch) above the cable to make the armhole/neckline placement work with my row gauge, which is off from the pattern.

I sewed up the shoulders and am very, very pleased with the fit (modeled by the patient and headless Zoe.)

I'm about halfway through the first sleeve..

My big accomplishment for the week is the completion of my most ambitious spinning project to date. This is what one pound of targhee wool looks like when it's been spun into 1890 yards of fingering weight yarn:

Again, it's the "Blueberry Patch" colorway by Susan's Spinning Bunny.

I'm planning to knit a sweater, something simple to showcase the handspun stripes.

Getting through the end of such a large (for me) spinning project was a bit difficult. Having the "Ten Minutes a Day" pledge and unofficial "group" on Plurk helped a lot! But with it finished, I needed something new to work on.

This is the "Pumpkin Juice" batt from Enchanted Knoll's sock batts club. It's one of the easiest-drafting fibers I've ever spun. I'm in love; no, I'm addicted. Josette definitely puts something more than plain wool-fumes into her batts...

All for now.

Promises, promises

Um, yeah. You know how it works when I say I'll be doing something tomorrow? That's pretty much permission to not check in for a couple days. Apparently.

Anyway, today turned into a beautiful, sunny day, the first since I finished the Honeymoon Cami, so I took some photos for you.

Honeymoon Cami, from Knitty's Spring 2004 issue

3.5 mm (US 4) needles (Hooray for Knit Picks interchangeables!)
Elsebeth Lavold's Hempathy (cotton/hemp/modal), color 09 (purple-y blue)

For giggles, I'm also including what I used as a camera stand (lacking a tripod or a human to take the photos for me.)

Yes, that would be a tackle box, leveled with a package of weed-eater cords, sitting atop an ATV. Hooray for innovation!

I've finally resurrected my Autumn Rose sweater, and am on the home stretch. I finished the second sleeve and am working my way up the shoulders/yoke. So far it's looking great.

I was relieved to find that it should fit, as it's the same size as the Honeymoon Cami (I laid them out together.) The Autumn Rose should grow a bit when blocked (unless the swatch lies!) so I'm excited about it again.

However, I've made the most progress on the Gathered Pullover. I'm into the cabling portion!

I like that the majority of this sweater is plain stockinette - it makes for great knitting while doing other things. Like watching tv. Or making dinner. Or Plurking.

So yup, "Plurk" rhymes with "murk," and I've found myself spending an inordinate amount of time on the site. It's like Twitter; they both work like a multi-person instant-messaging. I believe I first heard about it from Wendy, though it was Opal who convinced me to join. I've met a whole slew of "PlurKnitters," and been able to keep up with some real-life friends who live at far corners of the world from Maine. It's a fun way to pass the time at home without feeling alone.
Opal and I have started taking 10-minute "spin breaks" to help her keep up with her 10-Minute a Day pledge. (I suppose I should join too, at that...)
So feel free to come on over and Plurk with us! It's the Plurkiest plurk you'll find... :)

All for now.