12.20.2007

Stockings are hung

Fini!

Knit for Baby Setsuko for her first holiday season.
Santa - Get busy cuz this bad boy needs fillin'.

Pattern: Classic Socks for the Family, supersized!
Yarn: My own handspun. Bulky CyberCandy and Sterling
Duration: Quick like lightening!
Note: The little i-cord bow sets it off nicely.


Detail.

Merry Merry.


In the midst of everything, Baby Joachim made an early appearance.
(No. He's a baby, not a cookie jar)
So, off to knit.

Pattern: Wee Hat (sorry, only available on Ravelry)
Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted
Duration: 2 hours
Note: Buddha looks really great in it

And another, which didn't look as good on Buddha.
A little too long in the noggin.

Pattern: Bamboozle Baby Hat - want to make those booties and sweater too.
Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted
Duration: 3 hours
Note: My first project knit continental style. Big plans for learning stranded knitting in 2008 and I think continental may be one of the keys. It does speed things up!

And because I can't seem to stop myself - hand-dyed rovings. A total blast.

"Finch"
2oz Cultivated Silk Top
Dyed with Landscapes Elements Dyes. by preparing the roving and dribbling on the water dilution dye. Then rolled in plastic clingwrap and steamed until set.


"Vineyard"
2 oz Brown cashmere 50/Tussah 50
Used the same dyes but sprinkled the powders directly on the prepared roving lain in the enamel pan of a small electric roasting oven.


This was a freaking disaster.

Yak. And it looks exactly like someone did.

"Matt"
1.9 oz Yak Top
Same dyes. Same process as above HOWEVER when placing the sliver into the initial hot water bath the whole thing went apeshit. Fiber separating and floating everywhere.

Never deterred by abject failure I continued on with the dyeing and luckily...


... was able to fluff the whole thing out again. We'll see how it spins.

Z enjoyed the creation of the Gingie House.


"Mama. Can we eat it now?...


Now?...


Now?..."


You know how it goes.

12.14.2007

Pinky, Low, and Frosty


Totally adore this pattern. Super quick and with less than one skein of Koigu KPPM. Had some left after the beret frenzy from earlier this year, which makes me remember how much I appreciate that pattern.

Need to check the Purl Bee blog again.
Never met a pattern of theirs I didn't like.

These are a giftie for my sister-in-law, lovely wife to 10%.
Knit pretty small (they're super snug on my hands) using US2 DPNs. I've tried the magic loop but the DPNs just help me organize myself better.



And more spinning.

Hello Yarn Fiber
"Low Country"
Shetland Wool

316 yards - a significant chunk o'yarn
as a reminder - those are Size 11 clogs.

DK Weight - getting thinner and thinner!!!

Split the roving down the middle to see if I could get the colors to line up. Sometimes yes and sometimes no.

Thinking about a top down raglan for Z. I've asked Santa for some Zimmerman books. That should do it.



Spunky Eclectic Fiber Club
November 2007
"Pie for Everyone"
4 oz Falkland Wool
plied with BlueBells from KnittyGritty in her Etsy shop
95% Cormo and 5% Icicle

Wanted to bust out and boldly try something new. Now that I can get pretty thin singles - took the fiber club offering spun as thickly as I could. No longer so easy! Plied with thinly spun sparkly singles.



Can you see the glimmers here?
Now the perpetual question: What to make?
Is it lame to knit up another Urchin?



'Tis the season.

Took Z and Moonpie to visit Santa.

"Sweet Mother of Red Velvet! The Bearded Dude has his hand on my stomach!" (photo left)
followed immediately by the classic "Deer in the Headlights". (photo right)

Z was just giggly.
Later, he was bummed that he forgot to ask Santa where the reindeer where.

12.02.2007

Fetching Hat


Dulaan Fetching Hat
As with all hats I knit this was orginally intended for 10%.
Don't think it'll fit him.
Added an extra inch to the overall length and it still barely covers my ears.
May try it again adding more length.


It's really hard to take pics of your own head.

More Cyber Candycane. Brings the grand total to 316 yards. Should get 2+ stockings out of it.


Here's the first WIP. The foot looks a little too dainty so I'm making another one. May frog this one and redo. Or may leave it be, add the ribbon, and re-evaluate.


Here's Sterling. Spun up for the aforementioned ribbon.

200 yards
Aran Weight
Corriedale
spun from fiber purchased from Hello Yarn


Speaking of Hello Yarn, here's "Toxic" the November club edition.

Also Corriedale but in a Superwash.
Glad I enrolled in the double club.
Recent dreams of top down raglans.


Spunky Club gave us "Pie for Everyone". 4 oz of Falkland Wool which I'm tempted to spin on the beefy side and ply with...


3 oz. Bluebells - 95% Cormo Top with 5% icicle.
Will the lovely icicles get buried or will my vision of frosty berries reign?


Frosty, too, it has become.

Woo Hoo is the sound you would be hearing if you were here.