One item came off the needles this week.  I hope to have more off next week

Pattern: Sockhead Hat by Kelly McClure
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock lightweight in Firebird

I’m loving this knit.  I cast it on Saturday at knit group and was able to get through the ribbing on the bottom of the sweater and about 1/2″ into the body.

The yarn is just a joy to knit with and I really do want more of it.   It may have restored my faith in knitting sweaters.

I have about nine more inches to go before the underarm shaping takes place.   I hope to be there by the weekend.  That said, I’m already eying other sweater patterns that I want to knit up.  This yarn may have created a monster, lol.

Is there a particular yarn that you love that makes your projects dream to knit?  Please share. 

Have a great night and Happy Knitting!!!!

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I actually started this knit back in mid-September.  That was it, just started, hadn’t done anything with it except look at it in the project bag.  So today, I picked it up.  I ripped it out.  I started over.

I could tell from the start that this was going to be one of those projects that I need to do when home alone and in silence.  The only sound I hear is that of my voice speaking the pattern as I knit each stitch as they turn into rows.

The above represents one repeat of 24 rows.  Each side is patterned over 73 stitches per row.   I know it doesn’t seem like I accomplished a lot, but for me, I did.  At this rate though, if I did one repeat per weekend, it won’t be done until next year.  I’m going to attempt to do at least 2 per weekend so I’ll hopefully be done by Christmas.  I’d rather take my time with it so that it turns out right rather than get frustrated from rushing through.

So here are the details:

Pattern:  Almost Ovals by Anne Hanson
Yarn: Prissy Grrl Lace by Tempted in the Miss Scarlet’s Curtains colorway
Needles: US 3

I’m off to do some spinning.  Have a great evening!!!

I told myself after I knitted my last sweater that it would be the last.  It just wasn’t a good experience for me and I was unhappy with the result.  The sweater sits hanging in my closet, unworn.  Then came Rhinebeck 2011.

I was walking around on Sunday, minding my own business when I ran into Sairy, Hollyknitballs, JessaLu and Somebunnyslove.  While talking and visiting with them, Sairy showed me the fabulous wool she had purchased from Stonehedge Fiber Mill.  Shepherd’s Wool felt fabulous and with the prodding of DarthKnitter, we ran into barn C before our spinning class and made the impulse purchase.

As I showed in the last post, here is the Shepherd’s Wool that I purchased to make my sweater.

I wound up a skein today to swatch for Villane.   Since I want it to be perfect, I knew that swatching would be important.  I knit the swatch in both a US size 8 and US size 7 and I’m having a hard time deciding which one would work better.  Rather than second guess myself, I’m going to wait until I’m able to sit down with some other knitters and get their opinion.

I will say it makes and awesome fabric.  It is 100% wool, but is incredibly soft on the skin.  I’m looking forward to wearing this sweater when it is complete.

I also think I may have buttons for this, but am still deciding if they will work.  I picked up these buttons at Mood last year during a yarn crawl through NYC with DarthKnitter.  I think they may be a little too red, but have been told by DramticKnits that they are charged with energy.  What do you think?

So now that I’m waiting to proceed with the sweater, I put a scarf on the needles for a Christmas gift.  It’s made from Knit Picks Cadena in the Caribou colorway.  It’s a quick knit and will use up 4 skeins in stash.  The Pattern is The Irish Hiking Scarf.

I’m also going to put on the needles, a scarf that my daughter requested.  I’ll hopefully have a progress shot of that in the next post or two.

I’m off to do some spinning before calling it a night.  I hope you all are able to get some knitting and or spinning in as well.

Here’s the enhancement.   This post is photo intensive.  I’ll post my thoughts about Rhinebeck another time.

Miss Babs Yowza! Whatta Yarn in Crimson-Fronted Barbet

Miss Babs Yummy in Rhinebeck 2011

…into the whirled Ulundi in Vampires of Venice

Briar Rose Kindness

Miss Babs Merino/Bamboo/Tussah Silk Top in Scarlet Ibis

Three Bags Full Sweater Bag in Wooly Family

A sweater’s worth of Shepherd’s Wool in Violet

…into the whirled Falkland Wool Carded Batt in Intrepidity

Swhorl by Jesh

Lazy Kate from Robert Lee & Son

One of the four projects shown in the last post is complete.  I will take pictures of it next weekend while up in Rhinebeck.  You can also see it in person at The Yarn Company on Tuesday, October 18th as it will be part of a trunk show for Tempted Yarns.  I hope that those of you in the New York area are able to come and meet the fabulous Stacy!

My other three WIP’s, the mittens, socks and scarf, are all over 50% done.  I plane to have them done by the end of Rhinebeck.  Once they are, this lovely yarn needs to go on the needles.

My daughter picked this yarn out at Creative Yarns and has requested a scarf to be made from it.  The yarn reminds me of Noro, but softer.  I’m thinking it will be My So Called Scarf or a variation of it.  Any other ideas?  Let me know.

For those of you going to Rhinebeck, I hope to see you there!  It’s going to be a wonderful weekend

There is lots of knitting going on here .   There is also a lot that wants to be started, but I can’t until at least one big project is off the needles.

This is Between Pavement & Stars.  I’m knitting it out of Tempted’s  Glam Grrl in the Festival of Lights colorway.  I have 17 rows left to complete on it.  That said, there are close to 1,000 stitches in each row.  The knit side, no problem, the purl side feels like it takes forever!!!!  It will be done, soon.  I need to have it blocking no later than the second week of October.  Just where I’m going to block it is another story.

Next up are the Halcyon Socks by WendyKnits.  I’m knitting these out of String Theory Colorworks Resonance Self Striping in the Wormhole colorway.  I like to call it the socks you can see from space colorway.  I’m halfway through the foot of the second sock.

I’m also knitting up a Herbivore out of my own hand-spun.  The fiber was from JKnits and is in the Boston and Gloucester colorways.  I believe it was 100% Merino superwash.

Lastly, some mittens. These are being knit out of Madelinetosh Sport in the Oceana colorway.

I have one or two other things in the works, but no pictures to share just yet.   What are you working on?

It’s been a few weeks, but here’s a picture of my goodies from Stitches Midwest    Most of this haul came from Miss Babs – love love love.  Others came from Fiber Optic, Holiday Yarns (BACON!!!!!), Lisa Souza Dyeworks and Interlacements.  One other spot that I can’t recall the name of.  What you are not seeing is my fabulous Erin Lane bag that is currently in use.

I had a fabulous time in Chicago with Tammy, Adrienne, Christa and Ginger.  You can see some of our adventures at The Proverbial Knitter.  I also loved meeting a lot of people who I have only spoken to online.

I got stuck there for an extra four days due to Hurricane Irene.  My utmost thanks to Adrienne for her hospitality and getting me in and out of Chicago to get to my office there so I didn’t have to lose work time.

Now, to save for Rhinebeck