Stash Toss!

Ever have the urge to go through your stash and just see what's IN there? I do!

And along the way, I decided to photograph some things that have hitherto escaped my lens. My stash page, it is enhanced.

A few years ago, I succumbed to a couple of KnitPicks lace samplers. I've knit with a few skeins and traded at least one away, but I still have quite a few kicking around. From the top: Shadow in Vineyard, Shimmer in Galaxy, Alpaca Cloud in Tide Pool. And this is far from all I have. I should get to knitting some more lace . . .




Also a few years ago, I was part of the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin' Sock Club. The yarns are lovely, I just never got around to knitting with (most of) them! Clubs just aren't for me; I work on too long and inflexible a timetable. They do, however, make for excellent eye candy. (Pictured: STR Lightweight Pepe Le Plume and Garden Daze.)


Then of course, there are the odds and ends of the stash--these next two were both gifts! Domy Heather and Diamond Yarn Lima:



Believe it or not, this isn't even everything I took pictures of today, but this post is long enough as it is. Perhaps I'll show off some more next time.

Progress Is Made, Albeit Slowly

When last we spoke, I was knitting an Aeolian and some Fir Cone socks. I am STILL knitting an Aeolian and some Fir Cone socks, but progress has been made:


I'm past the heel and well up the leg on the first of the socks. (Stupid Irishman and his giant feet.)

And I'm working the first transitional chart on the Aeolian:


Of course, lace just looks blobby before blocking, but the recipient assures me that she likes it so far . . .

The reason I haven't gotten further on either socks or shawls is that I was working on a sweater pattern to submit to Knitty. I missed the deadline, so that project is going into hibernation for awhile. Don't worry, it will be back someday.

Big, Purple, and DONE

I finally blocked the Birthday Pi, and then finally got around to taking some pictures!

Here's a detail shot of the final motif and edging:


The center of the shawl:


And the full monty:


This thing is big--for perspective, that's a queen-size sheet it's blocked on.

And here are a few outside shots of the finished piece:

If I may confess, I've never seen much point in modeled lace photography. After all, what makes lace cool is the interplay between positive and negative space, the juxtaposition of light and dark:


Designers and magazines, of course, need clear shots of the finished product so that knitters know what they're getting. But those photos just aren't as interesting.



Granted, I'm no photographer, and the Irishman is terrible. (Why do you think I only have him take pictures when it's absolutely necessary?) But so often in modeled shots I find myself dwelling on the model rather than the knitting.


Not to mention that the best glimpse of the patterning and architecture of a lace piece comes from blocking photos--and magazines never print those!

This may be sour grapes, but nevertheless--aren't these pictures cool?

P.S. Anyone need a tablecloth?

New projects ahoy

Having finished knitting my alpaca sweater, my Maplewing, and even the latest pair of Mindless Socks, I have brand new knitting!

First is a pair of socks for the Irishman, in lovely Cherry Tree Hill yarn:


The pattern is Fir Cone lace; I thought it looked very nice with the greens and browns of the yarn. But you'll have to take my word for it until it's blocked.

Two of my dear friends are getting married in July. Jen said to me the other day, "you know, all the wedding dresses came with stoles and I kind of sneered at them . . . but it's going to be cold, isn't it?" (Idaho is not humid. Even in July it will be cold after dark.) And so I volunteered to knit her a shawl.

This is the first swatch for an Aeolian:


I'll be knitting another on slightly bigger needles to see if I like the fabric better.

The shawl is obviously the most pressing at this point--I don't want to be blocking the night before the wedding--so I'll be fairly monogamous for awhile. That doesn't keep me from dreaming, though . . .

Tofutsies Socks

Here's another pair of Mindless Socks:

Yarn is Tofutsies on a 0/2.0mm needle. As always, very happy with this yarn, especially at a nice tight gauge. These are off to a family friend to keep her toes warm.

Sweater!

Here is my finished alpaca sweater:

Yarn: Henry's Attic Prime Alpaca , 665 yd/227 g, 2 skeins, colorway Charcoal. It was a bit of a pain to work with--splitty and with no give in that alpaca way--but the resulting fabric is divine and the sweater is soft, warm, and lightweight.


Pattern: Of my own devising, based on measurements from the The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns. (It's a set-in sleeve, adapted V-neck cardigan. If that helps.) I added some details like the slight bell sleeve and the cross-over front. I'm particularly fond of the absolutely luscious buttons:


They're a modern rework of a 1930s vintage design. *loves*

And here it is on:


The fit is better than that pattern would have you believe. The shoulders are perfect, which is a big improvement from the Boyfriend Sweater debacle.

Here is me being silly, but you can really see how the buttons extend around the side:


And this one is pure silliness.

All in all, I'm really happy with how this turned out. I barely took it off for a week after I'd finished it. (I'd still be wearing it if it weren't, like, 60 degrees here. Stupid Maryland.)

Zig Zag Socks

Finally, I got a picture of the Irishman wearing his Zig Zag socks. Yarn is the wonderful Sweet Georgia Tough Love Sock, which I'm confident will hold up to his prolonged abuses.


I completed a total of six pairs of socks in 2011--not as many as the 11 I'd hoped for, but half a loaf is better than none, eh? And maybe this year I'll set my goal at 12 . . .

Flotsam and Jetsam

I have been knitting much, contrary to the evidence of the blog. I started a Maplewing in my beautiful Silk Shimmer Lace. (Which she doesn't seem to be dying anymore? A pity. She HAS, however, greatly improved the photography on her website. Kudos!)


And as always, there are Mindless Socks in the works. Here is number one:



And I finished the Irishman's big zig-zag socks, but need to sew elastic in the tops and get some modeled shots before I hand them over:


And of course I have not yet blocked the big purple thing. There will still be entertainment to come.

Finally, a Finished Object

These have been done for MONTHS . . . I just now got around to taking pictures:


Pattern: Bougainvillea, by Anne Hanson.


Yarn: Malabrigo Sock, colorway "Velvet Grapes."



Needles: US 00/1.75mm. (Malabrigo is so soft and I knit so loosely that I usually use a very small needle to prevent wear.)


I am very pleased with these--the pattern is harder to see on camera than in real life, and I love how the little vines twine around everything.



P.S. This makes number five for Year of the Sock. I may not make it to twelve, but I'll definitely get to seven. That's not so bad, right?

Things on my Rav page

Things on my Rav page listed as WIPs despite being complete and just needing washing/blocking/photography: 2

Things on my Rav page listed as WIPs that, despite being active projects that I've worked on within the past week, have no photograph: 2

Things on my Rav page with pictures that reflect the status of the project approximately one year ago: 2

Things on my Rav page that are actually 100% complete except for a wash and yet have never had a photograph taken of them: 1

Conclusion: I would look like a much more productive knitter if I ever took a freakin' picture.

(Incidentally, I chose the sweater for TV knitting, and have finished a sleeve, the back, and one front. The other front is nearly done, which means that I have only to knit a sleeve and then I can start putting it together. Yay.)