WIP Wednesdays

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Wednesday WIPs

February 22, 2012 in February 2012 | No comments

Its Wednesday and time for a little mid-week update on the WIPs.  I spent the long weekend in Vermont with my family, which meant a good bit of knitting time.  I brought along my Smokehouse Cabled Vest.  I started the front ribbing before I left and ended up with this much more by the time I headed home on Monday:Not so shabby – nearly 3 repeats in and getting close to the dividing point for the deep v neck.

And then there’s the Baktus: I have finally reached the halfway point, after getting to 77 stitches (totally random number – I was weighing the skein in grams on my fiber scale – I started decreasing after using half the skein minus a couple of grams for insurance).  Decreasing is glorious.  I admit, the color and fiber is fun and its a great mindless project but unless I’m with friends or watching a movie, this is boring to knit.  I need to be otherwise engaged or the row upon row of garter stitch gets to me…

On another front, there’s a great book on the Nook – Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan.  I started it last week and am already 2/3 of the way through.  Its definitely one that I don’t want to put down.  Perhaps I need to read and work on the Baktus at the same time – that would keep my attention.

Happy Wednesday!

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WIP Wednesday – the One I Can’t Put Down

June 15, 2011 in June 2011 | No comments

My current knitting project/obsession – Anne Hanson’s Budding Apple shawlette, from Twist Collective.  The yarn is my spring share from Foxfire Fiber’s Sheep Shares CSA – Flock Sock in natural white.  Sheep Shares members are doing a knit along with the spring share on Ravelry.  In spite of way too many projects in the works, I jumped right in ;-)   I’m in love – with the bottom up design of the shawl, with the fabulous cormo/mohair blend yarn, with the fact that I’m now through the long and complicated part of the pattern and onto to the simple part with fewer stitches and pattern rows.  Its a wonderful combination and just right for this super busy time of life.  Just the escape I need, which might explain why I don’t want to put it down.

If only I could have a few more hours in the day…

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WIP Wednesday

April 27, 2011 in April 2011 | No comments

From top: Wisteria in Malabrigo Worsted, Kai-Mei Socks in Malabrigo Sock and Merino-Silk from Gale’s Art.

Notice a trend?

I seem to be in a purple haze.  And loving it!

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So close

October 13, 2010 in October 2010 | No comments

I’m this close to finishing Cecchetti.  So close I can taste it.

Since last week, I’ve done both sleeves and woven in the ends.  A couple of marathon knitting sessions helped.  The girls came over on Monday afternoon for dinner and knitting.  Having them around helped – otherwise I would have done something utterly foolish, like cleaning my apartment.  Priorities!  Rhinebeck is a couple of days away.  Dust bunnies can wait.  Last night, after phone banking for a local Congressional candidate for a few hours, I settled into the couch, turned on the coverage of the mine rescue in Chile and finished up the 2nd sleeve.  Timing being everything, I finished up that sleeve just before the first miner was pulled out.  This morning, weaving in ends over coffee and the start of the neckline edging.  Technically, I only have to finish a slip stitch crochet edging along the front neckline (the back is edge is done).  I may, as the pattern suggests, add a row or two of single crochet along the neckline to give it more structure.

Its packed up with my work stuff now.  I’m off to another long day/evening that includes teaching volunteer training tonight.  Once again, responsibility interferes with my play time.  I won’t let it interfere entirely though – I’m determined to take an actual lunch break today and finish up that neckline.

Blocking tonight?  FO pics here in the morning???  Fingers crossed, it will be!

(I feel I should note – I have so much other stuff to blog about, just no time to squeeze it in.  Wool Arts Tour was lovely.  Lots of pics to post, including some of the new yarn from Brooklyn Tweed yarn that I could not help but pick up in Harrisville.  Plus, the yarn fairy made a surprise visit while I was out last night – wait ’till you see what she left me.  More later this week.)

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WIP Wednesday – One Week and Counting

October 6, 2010 in 1, October 2010 | 2 comments

{imagine a picture of a red sweater here}

No time to take pictures… still knitting.

Rhinebeck is 10 days away.  Remember how I said I might try to get Cecchetti done for Rhinebeck?  “Might try” has turned into an all out obsession.  Don’t ask me why.   I just want to wear my new sweater to Rhinebeck, really, really bad.  So I’m trying like hell to finish it.

Problem is, I’ve got no time right about now.  Every evening is another work commitment, meeting, something.   I’ve even had to reschedule a hair appointment for work stuff.   I actually had to reason out just how much magic I could work with a round brush for the next 2 weeks in order to make it to the next open appointment.  Except Wednesday – this week – at least.  I kept Wednesday night for me.  Not missing my knit night, of all things.  Crazy time.  Good time, but crazy busy.  Of course, I sort of like it that way.  But then most of you knew that.

(as a total aside, I heard a great quote recently: “Bite off more than you can chew and then chew like hell.”  Words to live by.)

Back to the knitting.  I’ve got about a third of a sleeve done.  I’m hoping to finish the decreases by tonight and maybe finish it by Saturday.  Then its on to the second one.  Finishing is minimal – weaving in ends and a couple of rows of slip stitch crochet around neckline.   It all needs to be done by after knitting next Wednesday (which I’m currently scheduled to miss for training – trying to weasel my way out of that one without actually confessing that its to go to knitting).  I need time for wet blocking and drying.

Can I do it?  I think so.  It’ll be down to the wire, no doubt.  I’ll stress about it while at the same time letting the knitting be my stress relief.  It’ll all be worth it when I slip into a lovely new sweater and jeans on Saturday morning and hop in my car for my beautiful pre-dawn drive to Rhinebeck.  Breakfast at Pete’s Famous will be that much sweeter.

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WIP Wednesday

September 29, 2010 in September 2010 | 3 comments

Back and front done, shoulders joined last night – and best, a quick try on and it fits perfectly :-)   I’m in love with it.  On to the sleeves, which are knit in the round.  No seams to sew makes it that much sweeter.  Just a few ends to weave in when I’m done – as you can see from the lower left corner, Thumper is jumping right in to help with end wrangling.

Now, if only finding the perfect color cami to wear under it were as easy as the knitting… the hunt becomes more urgent -  Rhinebeck is only 2 1/2 weeks away.

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WIP Wednesday

September 22, 2010 in September 2010 | 1 comment

Vacation brought lots of knitting and spinning time.  Add to that, my elbow seems to be on the mend – so long as I’m careful and know my limits, I can manage a fair amount of knitting and spinning on both wheel and spindle (plying is the exception – ouch).  As a result, I made progress on a couple of big projects last week.

First up, I finished my Corgi Hill Farm merino/camel/silk handspun: 934 yards of light fingering weight yarn total.  Its soft and shimmery and is going to be heavenly when I knit up my Juno Regina wrap.

I’ve also come a long way on my Cecchetti sweater, having just separated front and back: I’m in love with this simple, mindless knit.  Its so light weight that its compact enough to toss in my bag.  Its been everywhere with me recently – Stitch n Pitch in Bridgeport, to Watch Hill and to NYC.  Now that I’m back to work, its my “sanity saver” project, in case an emergency of the two-minute-time-out variety arises.  Its going fast – so much so that I’m still hopeful that I’ll finish it in time for Rhinebeck.  It seems entirely possible.

Meanwhile, I have another spinning project to start – this lovely Cormo/alpaca/silk blend from Foxhill Farm.  It has been in my stash for years – 8 maybe?  I think I bought it at my first Rhinebeck.  I think its aged long enough – time to take it and out finally enjoy it.  There’s 12 heavenly ounces of it.  Its destined to be spun fine and knit into Selma Miriam’s Kousa Dogwood Shawl – eventually!   I have a date with my wheel this weekend to get started.

Happy Wednesday!

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WIP Wednesday

September 1, 2010 in September 2010 | No comments

New project edition:

Taking it slow knitting-wise doesn’t mean I can start something new and big.  That’s the very beginning of Cechetti – a lovely lightweight pullover from Summer 2010 Twist Collective (the pretty stitch markers are a gift from Jenni).  The yarn is Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine in a lovely shade of brick red.  Fingering weight yarn knit on size 7 needles is perfect for right now.  Even in 90+ degree heat all week, I’m happily knitting away.  Ultimately, the whole thing will be turned inside out for a reverse stockinette fabric.  Its super simple and will make a perfect layer for fall, in one of my favorite colors.

There’s a little voice in the back of my head saying “Rhinebeck… you’ll wear it to Rhinebeck.”

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WIP Wednesday

July 21, 2010 in July 2010 | No comments

Its been a while since I’ve done one of these.  About time, I think.  Knitting is pretty minimal still.  My elbow is healing slowly.  I limit myself to a few minutes at a time every few days so that I don’t irritate it.  Every little bit adds up, especially when you do what I’ve been prone to lately – go for quick projects on really big needles.  Using bigger needles is more comfortable right now and helps with the frustration from not being able to knit when I want – instant gratification is just what I need.

My most recent FO: a hat for my niece

with apologies for the crappy Blackberry picture and remains of birthday celebration in the background – I could only get her to put it down for a minute.

The yarn is one of the last 2 skeins of Brown Sheep Burly Spun that I had leftover from doing my Pea Coat.  If you remember way back to last summer, I had several skeins of this in the stash in a boring gray, meant to be a sweater for the ex.  I reclaimed and made it dyed it up into a bright pink for my Pea Coat.  I had 2 extra skeins, left prepped for dyeing but never actually dyed.  A day in the dye studio recently and I turned one into the shaded pink above for my niece and one into a shaded blue for my nephew.  There’s enough yardage in each for a hat and pair of mittens and possibly a little person sized scarf.  The hat is as simple as it gets – 48 stitches on size 10.5 needles, rolled brim, decrease after 5 inches.  Perfect.  Next up is one for my nephew, with 2×2 ribbing substituted for the rolled brim.

On Sunday, I cast on this: Look vaguely familiar?  I have 11 skeins of the yarn from my Blankie leftover, so I’m making a matching pillow cover.  I picked up a big, comfy 24×24 pillow form on sale at Joann’s and some big fake “wood” buttons.  Simple garter stitch rectangle, seamed at the sides, with a fold over top and a button closure.  Super simple and a good way to use up that leftover yarn.

You might notice a trend here.  All this time that I’m not able to knit has me poking through the stash, planning projects.  Unusual for me, I have no desire to buy yarn at all (fiber might be another story – I have a dyer’s crush on Corgi Hill Farm right now).  I have this vague notion of pulling it all out and putting every last bit of it in Ravelry, while I plan projects for most all of it.  At the very least, I making plans to use lots of it when I can finally knit for real again.  These two projects were a great start to using up some lingering leftovers in the stash.

Next after these?  Mittens and possibly scarves for the little people.

Happy Wednesday!

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Bootie-licious

April 21, 2010 in April 2010 | No comments

Itsy-bitsy baby booties!

Aren’t they precious? So teeny and so cute!!!  I knitted these up on Sunday and Monday evenings for a colleague who’s expecting.  The pattern is one I found on Raverly – Kate Atherley’s Quick and Easy Baby Booties.  The yarn is from my trip up to Webs – Debbie Bliss Prima – a DK weight 80/20 bamboo and merino blend.  Perfect for a soft, beautiful and quick gift for the mom-to-be.  I used size 3 needles and knitted them up in just a couple of hours.

Lest you think I’m delusional, these are also completely impractical – no way they’ll stay on wiggly little feet!  Perfect nonetheless…

and a side note, I promise this is the one and only time I’ll use the word “bootie-licious” – in any spelling or context ;)

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