Progress

The Motif Pullover is coming along. I enjoy the simple ribbing after the fussiness of the central cables. The first panel is blocking on my daughter's messy top bunk. The second panel is flying by. The slice-o-pie chart is easy to follow and I barely need to look at it now. I have great hopes for a slouchy comfort-sweater.

Jump start on Socktoberfest

Here are my first handspun, hand dyed, hand knit socks. I made them for my mother. The colors aren't really my cup of tea, but I think she'll like them. It was hard enough for me to knit my precious handspun, let alone chop all of those strands to made a pompon, but I did it. Perhaps I'll outgrow the hoarding goblin phase I've been going through for the last 33 years. I actually used something I loved rather than kept it locked away until it was ruined from hoarding it for too long. This feels like progress. (Now if I could wear expensive perfume before it turns to vinegar in the bottle.)

I pulled the pattern for these anklets out of the air. Nothing challenging. I had a nice stretchy bind off on the first sock, but it didn't stay on the heel well when I tried them on. The super squishy handspun yarn kind of walked off the foot when I was wearing it, so I reknit the last two rows really tight and did my usual bind off. They stay up now.

Yarn Dresser

It's hard to take a good picture of my yarn dresser because of the angles in my bedrooms, but here it is. My husband painted an old garage sale find and put new hardware on it for me. My hand spun is spilling out of the top.

I don't have a huge stash like a lot of people. We have three kids. I can't justify that kind of fiber gluttony. I would love to. If I were single and childless, I would. Even if I were just single, I would.

Still, I have enough. I don't go without. It's just hard to pass up the candy-like colors in yarn stores, especially online. I used to be able to buy whatever I wanted before I married David. I wouldn't trade him for all the yarn in Peru. There are times when I would consider it, but I would never do it. The man made me a yarn dresser! You gotta love that!

IcaruZZZZ....

Icarus is the leading over the counter wool sleep aid with no risk of dependency. I can only handle a few rows of the increases before drooling on myself. (In a bad way.)

I planned to knit this for the Air Force Ball. I am only 283 stitches into over 500. The ball was a few weeks ago. (I didn't go anyway. I just didn't feel like it. I don't know why. Maybe it was the thought of attending without a hand knit doodad.)

The project has been a mess from the start. I bought the yarn on a trip to Bozeman. It was boiling hot outside and the streets were torn up. My husband and 4 year old were tolerant of my shopping, but wilted. When the clerk offered to wind the skein for me, I declined. I started winding in car on the way home. Three and a half hours later, I had started the fourth tiny ball and had wasted about 100 yards to hideous knots. It took me eight hours to finish winding due to the mess I made in the car.

I got to put the flannel sheets on the bed this morning. My husband is a sweaty sleeper, but these babies are 100% cotton. They are snugglish for the crispy, cool weather. Nice.

Maybe I'll finish Icarus for Christmas. Maybe next year, or the next.

Apricot Scrub

I'm working on the Center Motif Pullover from the 25th Anniversary Issue of Vogue Knitting. This is the first panel, about 75% complete. The yarn is Cascade Quattro in an apricot color. I bought it to crochet the Prepster Jacket from The Happy Hooker, but I couldn't keep the gauge right. (I guess I'm as loose of a crocheter as I am a knitter.) I managed to get gauge for this pullover and it's plenty of fun. I usually don't use this type of color, but I'm enjoying it. It reminds me of my St. Ives Apricot Scrub that I can't live without. I like the lighted color I chose better than the bright blue in the magazine. My husband couldn't tell that the blue sweater had cables at all.

I Bawl, You Bawl, We All Bawl For Eye Ball

Here is a little something I made this weekend, inspired by Insubordinknit's creepy eyeball yarn. http://www.insubordiknit.com/yarn/archives/000861.php My eyeball is nothing like the master's, but it's the first fiber-related item my husband has really complimented.

Jaywalkers take their first bath

I finished my first pair of Jaywalkers. I resisted the pattern for a long time, but I caved because I had a skein of Magic Stripes and every interesting stitch pattern looked horrible with the stripes. The zigs and zags were perfect. I'm even loving the Lion Brand yarn now. I was a few yards short of finishing the second toe and subbed some pink scraps from my stash. I think it works. They fit like a dream. I used two size one circulars, even though the yarn called for threes. The fabric is dense and soft and warm. These are perfect for Montana.

My pet yarn

I love my alpalca yarns. I could pet them all day. They are a dream to spin. I literally grabbed a handful of the dusty fleece and started spinning. It practically drafts itself. The only problem is that the soft, kitten-like feel on my hands feels like fiberglass on my neck and torso. This purple two ply was spun on a drop spindle over a year ago and I think I'll just keep it for a pet.

I'm in the process of ripping out a beautiful lace neck warmer I spun and knit from snow-white alpalca a few weeks ago. I'm going to make something to be worn further away from the skin. I got out an old hairpin lace loom and I'm experimenting with a shawl. Alpalca is warm enough to stand up to the enormous holes of the hairpin lace. I hope it turns out.

Fuzzy Goodness

Here are some pictures of some recent spinning. The colorful yarn was made by plying a softly spun wool with multiple layers of fly tying thread. It's very scribblish. The black and white yarn was a pain in the rump. I made it as a tribute to a dog we no longer have. I strung pompons on quilting thread and made a boucle out of a thick-n-thin single. I intend to make a headband/earwarmer for my snowboarding stepdaughter, but I'm waiting a bit for the shock of losing Hydro (the dog) to wear off a little. I have a Louet S17 wheel. It's great for bulky and novelty yarns, not so great for pretty, technically proficient yarns. I'm looking into getting a faster flyer.

Enjoy.

Rural Montana

I moved to Montana for my husband in January and I don't know a soul in this town.

I've got a chance to stay home for a while until my four year old girl goes off to kindergarten next year. I have a 14 year old stepdaughter and a 11 year old stepson and they are pretty great kids.

Knitting, spinning, and sewing have become my friends while I deal with isolation and antidepressants.

I've been knitting for 25 years now. It's like breathing to me. I can't wait to document some of my work.