it's hot, but I like Afghans

so here's another little project that I just mailed out to Afghans for Afghans.

I had about 150 yds of leftover Shibui Sock yarn, which I figured would make a nice sturdy little pair of socks for someone with cold feet. It's the "Father and Sons" pattern- Rav it until I remember how to add the link. It's been so long since I posted here.....

I do have other projects to show, but another time. If you've got leftover yarn, make some fun little socks for Afghans- or anyone that could have cold feet this winter!

Mary Scott Huff class project

Finally adding my little report to the class mentioned below-

It was a great time, the room was packed with people, many whom had been in the morning class on hats. As I imagined, Mary was thoroughly entertaining, and yet was able to get in lots of teaching. We dove into making this very cool picot/hemmed edge for the mitten; it's pretty much the same thing I did on Constance's cardi, but the process was just a little bit different. Same result: a clean, cute hem, but not for heavier weight yarns, in MHO.

I brought 4 colors of Nature's Palette Fingering Weight, and this is all I've managed to do so far, since I'm preoccupied with my "big project".





I suppose I should turn the image but I'm too lazy. It's called "Queen of Hearts", and I've still got an inch or so to go before I launch into the thumb.





"The Big Project" is what I'm obsessing over. I'm knitting it on #3s and 2s, using Toots LeBlanc Blue Face Leicester/Pygora lace weight. Yup, it's taking a while. It will be the "Footlights Cardigan" from Popknits. I cannot say how much I adore the yarn; but I will say it knits into a very very very soft fabric, and the pygora provides just a teeny little halo, especially once it's been rubbed a little. Believe me, I'm rubbin' it!

I'm currently on the second sleeve, waiting for what should be my last skein. Of course, I didn't have enough. I purchased the yarn at least 3, probably 4 years ago, and lucky girl that I am, my buddy KC also purchased ONE SKEIN at the same time! And, she hasn't used it! And, she's sending it to me for my Bday! I'll use it to finish the sleeves, add a bit more length and then pick up a bizzillion stitches for the little ribbed edging.

No current photos today, but here is what it looked like a while back:



Apparently, this is going to need some heavy vertical blocking, so I'm kind of unsure about the length. I have to decide before I can pick up all the edging stitches- once I do that there's no going back. I may add one more lace repeat then call it good.

I've got some sweet little antique buttons KC gave me for an earlier BDay gift, and I think this will be the perfect project for them.

Mary Scott Huff class coming up!

I'm quite excited; I rarely spend the money to take classes, so this is treat!

Next week, Mary Scott Huff is coming to Wild Purls, our great little LYS, to teach some classes and sign her new book, "The New Stranded Colorwork". I signed up for a "Sassy Selbuvotter" class, which should be a true challenge since I haven't knit colorwork for eternity. We'll be doing a mitten pattern called "Queen of Hearts", and are supposed to bring a DK weight yarn in 3-5 colors with needles to result in a gauge of 6 st/in. Well, I want to use some of my Nature's Palette fingering weight stash- so that works out to size 1 needles. Now fingering isn't exactly DK weight, is it? Maybe I should ask..... oh rock the boat a bit, right?

Rather than posting a photo of my box of NP stash, I'll just leave a link to her website- and make sure to read her blog- it's a hoot!

http://www.maryscotthuff.com/

okay, I'm adding this a few hours later- I read an old review of NP fingering on Knitter's Review, and a gauge of 6/in resulted from #5s! SO, I've knitted a little swatch to see if I can get that, and if I like the fabric. More later.

Cute new accessory!

I've been meaning to post about this, so here it is- from an Etsy shop, Moonteaartwork. Very sweet and handy little zippered pouch that will hold my dp needles. It's hand printed on linen, and lined, and cute to boot. Affordable, and should solve my constant problem of losing/misplacing those damn little needles. I'm sure you could think of many other practical fiber related uses for a pouch such as this. Check out her shop!

catching up, not

possible. But, I'll give it a shot.

There's been a lot of fiber activity the past couple months, just no bloggin.
November was heavily punctuated with fiber, mostly due to a visit from my spinning/knitting bud, KC. Since I've got two wheels, she left hers behind and I spun on the old handmedown Ashford, and I let her use the LittleGem since she's got one too. We had a grand time, playing with samples she brought with her- we played with the drum carder, combs, and left pieces of fluff all over the house driving T crazy. Didn't take too many photos, unfortunately.

After she left, we decided to spin one of our Tactile club fibers and compare long distance. The winner was the July Targhee logwood- I needed a break from laceweight, so I spun this up.

I split off a few sections of red, and spun the purple and red up separately, at 12 wpi. I enjoy spinning targhee, but after spinning it laceweight, and now this, I prefer the finer weight. My cousin A asked for mittens, so I thought this targhee would be nice.

The pattern is from the Summer 08 issue of Spin-Off, by Mavis Adam. I didn't line them- she lives in California, for pete's sake!

Bramblewooding along

I love vests. I love to wear vests. Usually, they're cardigan style, but I'm trying something new. Perhaps knitting one that will actually fit could be in my cards.

I selected Bramblewood from the Fall 2009 issue of Knotions(knotions.com).

I love knitting cables, but since the cable pattern is only 26 stitches, and only worked once on the front, once on the back, its a pretty quick knit. I'm using yarn from the stash, Butternut Woolens Sock Yarn in Dusty Grape. This sock yarn is much heavier than most sock yarns I've used- it really feels like knitting with a worsted. I'm using 7s to get gauge, and my hands hurt after an hour or so. I like the yarn, solid, practical, and it sure as hell won't pill! I'm actually close to my six inches below the armhole, where I start a bit of shaping- but this photo was taken not long after I joined everybody together.

I only have one problem. My neckline doesn't look anything like it's supposed to. I have feeling I know what I did, but quite honestly, I'm not sure I mind the way it is shaped. We'll see. At least it fits so far!

asleep at the wheel?

I cannot believe it's been so long since I've posted here. It's not like I haven't been doing the fiber thing, I have. I suppose I've been distracted by great weather, house projects, work, and life. I'll try to catch up by recording some of my fiber activities. Probably most current first, easier to remember.

I've just sent off a package to afghans for Afghans(I should get a link on the sidebar, remember that). They requested garments for kids, so I tried to crank out a few. A little pullover vest, made from a bright yellow/orange singles, naturally dyed in Mexico, given to me by a good friend who was there. The free pattern wasn't really my first or second or third choice, but it was a quick knit, no seaming really, and that's what I needed. Hmm, I can't seem to find it, I'll add later. remember! The teal colored vest is one of my earlier handspuns, Rambouillet/mohair blend, very soft, but hairy. Also a free pattern, "Tryst" from Classic Elite. It's supposed to be a cropped vest, and I think it will be cute on someone who needs to be warm this winter. Finally, I have a larger vest I made for someone, it turned out WAAAY too small, and I decided to donate it as well. It will be put to much better use in Afghanistan than by someone here who really doesn't need another warm garment. Pattern is from Cheryl Oberle's "Folk Vests", and is called "Stone Walls". Yarn used is Black Water Abbey Worsted. Very nice to work with, but not as soft as I would have liked.