XRK Yarn-Along

It doesn't take a sharp-eyed reader to notice that the three XRK bloggers have very different aesthetics, and are inspired to knit for very different reasons. When the same pattern catches all of our fancies, then, it is the perfect occasion for an XRK KAL. So at MDSW when Ann and I both swooned over the same yarn in the same color, we knew it would be the perfect yarn for the first ever XRK Yarn-Along. The yarn, Green Mountain Spinnery's Sylvan Spirit is a 50/50 wool/tencel blend, in a beautiful silvery green colorway called Peridot.

The idea of our yarn-along is to see what the three of us create with this same yarn, to see how different knitters can take the same material and create something totally unique, as well as learn from each other how each of us treat the same material.

So as the first knitter with the Sylvan Spirit yarn, I have some impressions and observations:

- the yarn is even more beautiful knitted up than in the skein. There are beautiful yellow flecks throughout the yarn, and some darker green ones as well. The yellow surprised me, especially with the generally silvery cast of the yarn, creating a verdigris color that makes the fabric rich and interesting, even in plain stockinette. The stitches are beautifully defined, and the fabric it creates is an interesting blend of elegant (the silveriness) and rustic (the tweediness and hand).

- the wool is not like a soft merino, so it does not have that super-soft hand, but I imagine that will change some upon washing. An informative review of the yarn here confirms these suspicions. It has a crisp, almost crunchy hand, but the fabric feels a little smoother once knitted up, similar to hemp or linen, although it is not at all twine-like to knit with. I wouldn't call it itchy, but itch-tolerance is relative.

- I am getting about 5 spi on US7s.

- This yarn would make a beautiful clapotis or any other simple shawl. It isn't smoothly silky, but the drape would be divine, especially knit at a larger gauge.

I originally had the Rusted Root pattern in mind but discarded that idea when I realized that this yarn really is wool. Not in that really scratchy, Lopi-like way, but in that really warm way. This is not a summer-top yarn. So I started the Cropped Cardigan with Leaf Ties from Stefanie Japel's Fitted Knits (also available for free here). Although my gauge is different, I think this yarn is a good match for the pattern, and it is the right weight for a cropped cardigan, a perfect, "throw-it-on-over-something" layer. But through this process, I learned something else about this yarn that I am very, very sorry to report:

- I don't think we bought enough yarn to make a cropped cardigan. A shrug? Yes. Bolero? Maybe. Vest? Sure. But a cropped cardigan with sleeves? Probably not.

- You can buy more of the yarn here.

Enough with the Socks Already!

Alas, my membership in the SSLS was very, very short. I am too type-A to be leaving single socks laying around, waiting for their mate. So, another finished pair of socks to report, my first for the Summer of Socks KAL.



Pattern: Child's First Sock in Shell Pattern, from Knitting Vintage Socks, by Nancy Bush

Yarn & Needles: Tess Supersock & Baby, Twilight colorway, 2.75mm (US 2) KnitPicks circs
I love the twist and spring of this yarn, but I do not like two things: lots of pooling on the foot, and the dye the yarn left on my fingers. The pooling is somewhat masked by the shell pattern, but it pools nonetheless.

Pattern Mods: I had no intention of modifying this sock, and originally knit the first one with no modifications whatsoever. When I knit the second sock, I made the heel flap several rows too long because I wasn't paying attention to the pattern. I assume a heel flap has 30 rows, with 15 slipped chain stitches to pick up, and did this on the second sock, and proceeded to decrease for the gusset as usual, back down to 60 stitches.

The CFS calls for only 26 rows in the heel flap. I noticed my mistake when I tried on the second sock and it fit so much better across the instep with a longer flap. The foot of the first sock did some seriously ugly pooling as well, so I was happy to rip it out and lengthen the heel flap to match the better-fitting second sock.


Now, never would I question the genius that is Nancy Bush, but future CFS knitters might want to lengthen their heel flap too. I remembered Megan complaining that her CFS did not fit across her instep originally either. Megan and I have seriously different feet -- she is quite tall and has, um, substantial feet, while I am quite short, and my feet are decidedly small. Very different feet, same problem -- you do the math.

Despite this little issue, my torrid summer affair with Nancy Bush continues, with continued progress on the Gentleman's Fancy Sock, and perhaps Canal du Midi next in the queue.

I am not a Single Sock gal, but I did learn from my recent sock profligacy that I can knit multiple sock projects simultaneously and still not suffer from serious Second Sock Syndrome. Knitting only socks for weeks, though, has got me antsy for something a little meatier. For the last few months, I have knitted socks, accessories, stash-busting design projects for Rosebud and the like, but now I am hankering for some tops and sweaters for me, maybe some lace to get me through the dog days of summer.

I started one already. I'll blog about it more this week, but for now, a little preview, Fiberlicious-style!

I've Been Zimmermanned

On a whim about a month ago, I purchased "The Opinionated Knitter" from my LYS. Okay. Not really on a whim. Ever since Liz wowed me with her Baby Surprise Jacket and Spidey (has that baby arrived?) showed us her Tomten, I've been intrigued by Elizabeth Zimmermann and I vowed to buy one of her books. However, I always thought her patterns and writings were for knitters far more experienced and talented than I.

How wrong I was. Every knitter in the world should know and love Elizabeth Zimmermann. Her wit, talent, and, yes, opinion, is clear in every newsletter in this book. Here is my Tomten for an old friend's dear little baby. I enjoyed every minute of knitting this; I have deepened my knitting practice by allowing myself to design on the needles with the gentle guidance of EZ.

Pattern: Tomten by Elizabeth Zimmermann
Yarn: Maggi's Aran Tweed (color 03) and O-Wool Classic (I can't seem to find the color name or number)
Needles: US8s
Pattern Notes: I adjusted stitch counts for gauge and improvised to get the right vertical measurements since the vertical gauge was so different. I will spare you all the number crunching, but suffice it to say, it was not difficult. This size is about 12-18 months.

I had planned on doing an attached i-cord for the borders but didn't like the way it caused the jacket to pucker. I also really liked the way the garter stitch looked going different directions, so I just knit a garter stitch border. I'm afraid of zippers and button holes (I'll need to confront these fears one day soon), so I chose these clasps. I like the Scandinavian look.

I didn't think the sleeves were loose enough, so I didn't seam the sleeves all the way and crocheted a simple border around them. I love the look. They can be kept turned down or flipped up for a more gnomish or elfin look ...

I will gift this tomorrow and immediately start planning my next Zimmermann project. (Maybe an adult Tomten a la Brooklyn Tweed?)

XRK- Now With Fungus Protection!

My membership in the Single Sock Liberation Sisterhood has been short-lived, but I have a really good excuse. My sister needed new socks.

A student in an ecology masters program, she is about to go to Montana and Yellowstone, and she mentioned that needed to pack lots of extra socks to avoid foot funguses (fungi?) as she plotted geographical maps and collected samples with wet feet crammed inside her hiking boots. My sister cannot have fungal feet, and as a sock knitter, there is something I can do about it!

Only a sock knitter would consider trench foot a reason to buy new sock yarn, but I have been intrigued by TOFUtsies, the new-ish sock yarn from Southwest Trading Company, since its release, and thanks to my dear sister, my most fervent knitting enabler, who provided me with the perfect reason to buy it, I snapped up a skein at Rosie's and cast on right away.

Some longtime readers might remember that not only does my sister enthusiastically request the handknits, she is pleased to contribute posts to the blog to provide a muggle's perspective on the wearing of the handknitted item. This is one non-knitter totally willing to photograph her socks for my ongoing Tricot-in-Situ series, and is happy to provide fodder for Summer of Socks, too. My sister truly deserves a drawerful of handknit socks.

Pattern: Madder Ribbed Socks by Nancy Bush from Knitting Vintage Socks
Yarn& Needles: TOFUtsies, colorway 787, 2.25 mm KnitPicks Options needles

Notes: Because I am a total idiot, I knit this pattern totally incorrectly, but didn't even realize it until I began the second sock and thought the pattern seemed a lot easier that the first time. I went ahead and knit the second sock wrong too, but it looks fine.


I have heard lots of differing opinions about the yarn, but I have to say, I like it. I like it so much that I bought a second skein this week for myself. It is a touch splitty, but the super-pointy KnitPicks needles were the perfect tool for minimizing the split. It has a truly silky feel, and the short sections of color made for mostly pool-less sock knitting. I cannot speak to the wearability of these socks, but the nylon content should provide a hard-wearing pair of socks, and I anticipate that these socks will wear similarly to Regia or Opal.

My sister has promised to photograph her socks in Yellowstone this year. Now, if only we can get her to pick up the needles...

Center Pull Puke

It always seems to happen at some point. My nice center pull cake of yarn vomits up its guts. It's not a pretty sight. I know that Carol has blogged about this. And if she's not pulling from the center, I'm not pulling from the center either. Who's with me on this?

Old Yarn, New Skirt

What can I say? Rosebud, she is my muse, especially when it comes to stash busting.


Pattern: Simple Top-Down skirt using techniques from Barbara Walker's Knitting From the Top Down. I would highly recommend this book for any knitter's library. Basically, using very old leftover yarn from the stash, my gauge swatch and some simple instructions, I was able to improvise a simple round skirt with a cute ruffled edge. It would surprise you how many "designs" available on the web are almost straight from this book.

Yarn & Needles: Three skeins of Classic Elite Flash in the Lapis colorway, US 7

This project qualifies as some super-duper stash busting, as I bought a bag of this yarn over three years ago when I was still living in Richmond. I used some of it to knit a Soleil tank, and have had a few leftover hanks hanging around just waiting for the right project. Having a tiny daughter with an endless enthusiasm for her mother's handknits is my best stashbusting tip!

This yarn is a mercerized marled cotton yarn, with two plies of a sapphire blue and one turquoise ply. I have used it for several projects over the years, all of them before I began blogging (thus there are no pics for linking, sorry), and would recommend it for easy-care projects. The different colored plies creates an interesting effect, and some of the colorways are really unusual. I have managed to pick up vast quantities of this yarn twice on major sale, and nothing against the yarn, but after having knit at least five different projects with it, I am officially done with Classic Elite Flash.


The bad news is that I still have two hanks left. I wonder if Rosebud needs a halter top...

The Break-Up

Dear Widdershins,

It is not easy to write this letter, but after all we've been through, you deserve the truth. I think our love affair is over. It's almost summer, Widdie, and I think I need my freedom to knit other socks.

It's not you. It's me. No one likes to hear this, I know, but really this time it is true. You are a wonderful sock pattern, one of the best! Your magic cast-on is brilliant, so much better than those crochet-hook provisional thingies. And you know that your toe-up heel flap is clever, well-fitting, attractive and easy to execute. You are great for variegated yarns that don't want to settle prettily into a pattern, and there is nothing like Widdershins to help a knitter use up all of a skein of sock yarn.

You have meant so much to me this year as I endeavored to develop my perfect simple sock. You really were it. Oh, I tried others, and they were fine, but when I met you, it was an instant connection. You fit my small foot perfectly and I memorized you instantly. You were even simple to convert to smaller sizes for the kids.

But, summer has me looking at other socks longingly. There are so many pretty designs out there, and I think I have some perfect sock yarn for some of them. Have you seen the Sidewinder socks that Nona has designed? Don't you think my Opal yarn would be perfect for that?

Lately, a lot of my bigger, non-sock projects have involved a lot of simple stockinette, so I have been looking to socks to provide a little patterned-interest for me. And I said I owe you the truth, and the truth is, I have met someone else. Her name is Nancy, and well, she isn't just a pattern. She's a designer. An author. A sock guru. I didn't mean for this to happen, but well, there was wine, and I bought all these new KnitPicks needles, and the next thing I knew, Nancy Bush and I were having a full-blown sock affair.

(L to R, Madder Ribbed Socks in TOFUtsies, Gentleman's Fancy Sock in Brooks Farm Acero, Child's First Sock in Tess Supersock & Baby, from Knitting Vintage Socks)

Yes. Most of her socks are cuff-down. I know, I know, toe-up is superior for finishing up sock yarn, but let's be honest! We both know I have really short legs and I don't like really long cuffs anyway! I always end up with lots of yarn left over. And I know that her patterns usually work best with solid yarns, but you know what, I am thinking about branching out into solids and semi-solids.

Don't look at me disapprovingly for having so many socks on the needles. I know you counted on me to be a monogamous sock knitter, but lately, I am just too excited to stick to just one pattern. Nancy just does that to me. And lots of other knitters do it. Some even celebrate it! And I had lunch with a couple of them who really encouraged me to move in this direction, and you know what, Megan and Ashley are right. It is time for me to spread my sock wings and fly in all directions.

You taught me so much about how to knit socks to fit my feet, but I think Nancy can move me to the next level, to teach me to tweak existing patterns for fit. You should see all the different heel flaps and toes she has to teach me! You don't want me to stagnate as a sock knitter, do you?

Look, it isn't forever. You are the perfect pattern for self-patterning yarns, and I always have room in my stash for self-patterning yarns. And whenever I need a simple sock, you know I will always, always reach for you.

We had a great run, and I think we are going out with a bang with these Vesper socks we made for me and Rosebud. That juicy bright Sweetwater colorway is perfect for your simple lines, and the stripes settled perfectly into your heel flap.

Twin Widdershins for Rosebud and me

Vesper Superwash Merino & Nylon, Sweetwater colorway

I need my freedom, Widdershins, but I'll be back. I promise.

Love,
Liz

Digging the Lace

I've been working on a lace scarf with my Sea Silk. I had to knit and frog a few times before I got the hang of the pattern and of correcting my mistakes. Now, after 10 repeats of the border I feel good. Real good. I love it. It is currently sharing knitting time with some other projects, but I hope to be done with this in about 3 weeks or so (I am not a fast knitter!).

The pattern is from Victorian Lace Today: Scarf with the No. 20 edging. Or as I have been referring to it: The Diamond Border Scarf.

I cannot impress upon you all enough how much I love this Sea Silk. I have been unable to capture the beauty of the colors and certainly if you have felt it, you know that one would have to be a poet to fully describe the texture. And the smell is ... well, vacation. Knitting this project is just a feast for the senses (I guess the hearing thing is lacking. But I've been listening to lots of good music while knitting as well ...)

I leave you with today's colors in the garden.

It's A Dress After All

It seems I had enough yarn to make a dress after all.

Drunic Sundress

Size: finished item has a 24" chest measurement. Rosebud measures about 22" around.

Pattern: Improvised on the needles by me

Yarn & Needles: Katia Jamaica, US7 I used all of two skeins and dipped a bit into the third.

I loved using the Jamaica yarn, and Rosebud loves the feel of the smooth fabric. It has a little stretch to it, despite being 100% cotton. I wouldn't use the yarn for a top for myself though because I personally don't like the color blips in the stripes. While I think it is provides that whimsical, not-mass-produced look in the dress, I prefer something more sophisticated for myself. It could also be the hot, juicy colors, which again, are perfect for a little girl, but for me, not so much.

I did discover that a great solution to the blip problem is garter stitch. This yarn looks absolutely gorgeous in garter stitch. I briefly considered making Rosebud a long jacket in garter stitch with this yarn, but I wanted something she could wear more immediately, and she does have a pretty cool knitted jacket already. Expect to see some Baby Surprise Jackets in Jamaica in the future!

Pattern Notes: You remember my genius solution for making this dress was using an invisible cast-on to start knitting at the armpits. I mentioned that Barbara Walker led me to my solution, which is true, but I also want to give credit to Marnie for inspiring this idea. I remembered her posting on the CAL that she often uses a provisional cast-on when knitting sweaters from the hem-up, so that she can change the border details or add length once the main body of the sweater is finished without having to cut the knitting. It must have lodged into my subconscious, because I immediately connected her idea when reading Walker's work.

This technique is definitely has its advantages. Obviously, for knitters unable to commit to a plan or unsure about yarn amounts, it is a great idea. You can knit most of the body of the garment, and figure out details like border treatments and necklines as you go. This way also allowed me to try the dress on Rosebud as I knitted for length and fit, much like a top-down garment.

However, there are some drawbacks. First, I could not figure out how to execute this cast-on in the round. I just couldn't do it. I tried multiple times and besides making a moebius every damn time, the first and last few stitches always looked terrible. I eventually cast-on straight and knit back and forth for a couple of rounds. While this allowed me to move on with my project, it created a gaping hole under the arm was a bitch to close. I was forced to abandon my usually persnickety standards for finishing in favor of the "galloping horse" standard. Finally, I ended up with a very visible line of elongated stitches that were caused by unevenness in the cast-on stitches.


The only thing I would change about this project is that I should have planned for more ease, and maybe done more increases to make it wider at the bottom. Rosebud is a slip of a thing, and it fits well, but I was picturing a looser garment with a more pronounced a-line. Luckily, it does not appear to impede her movement or her play, especially in her current favorite activity.

Up next on the needles is yet another Rosebud project -- Bounce, of course!

Teacher Appreciation

Last Thursday was Teacher Appreciation Day at N's school. I love our special day honoring our faculty. Each child brings a flower for the teacher which is then placed in a vase for a special arrangement for the day. The parents bring food for a special luncheon for the teachers and this year, one parent even serenaded the faculty with a song. It is very simple and sweet and N just loves picking the flowers from the garden for her dear Miss Lisa.

In Waldorf Education, the first grade teacher follows with the student until grade eight. A deep, important, trusting relationship is forged between the student and the teacher that, I believe, allows the student the stability to take the risks needed for true learning.

N is finishing up her first grade year and we are so thrilled that Miss Lisa will be her guide, mentor, and teacher for the next seven years. She is compassionate and kind. Structured and firm yet light-hearted and playful. She challenges the children while providing for them comfort and security. I am so grateful to have such a balanced, gifted teacher in my daughter's life.

I wanted to give N's teacher a flower that would last for more than a few days. So I picked up the Felted Iris kit that was sitting in the back of the stash.


Pattern and Yarn: Iris, Iris Germanica Pickupsticksicus, Felted by Pick Up Sticks
Needles: US 10s dpn
Notes: This is quite easy knitting. The only tricky part for me was that the yarn was not strong enough to retain the gathering during felting and I had to do some emergency sewing during the felting process. You have to shape (by sewing with the yarn) before the felting and after (using a wire for structure). It had more steps than I initially realized, but was fun! I bought the kit at Ben Franklin.

Thanks for all the wonderful comments about the Spartan! I'm sorry that I have been way too busy to respond, I appreciated all the kind words (and the BackBou loved the compliments too!).

Clapotis by the Sea

The Jersey Shore is no substitute for a Parisian cafe, but when I wear my Clapotis, I still can say, "Je suis belle et ça ne demande aucun effort!"

Pattern: Clapotis by Kate Gilbert, Knitty Fall 2004

Yarn: Black Bunny Fibers Merino/Silk, a custom-dye job by the talented (and wonderfully snarky) Carol. This yarn was dyed with Clapotis in mind, and I knew I wanted one in my favorite shades of blue. I surfed Carol's Etsy shop and selected colorways that appealed to me, and she came up with a beautiful tonal colorway of turquoise, robin's egg and a silvery sky blue that is rich and saturated, and with the silk content in the yarn, it also has a gorgeous sheen. Carol understood and translated my colors so well that not only is almost the identical color of my living room walls, but when I showed the yarn to my (blogless) friend Aileen, she took one look at it and said, simply, "Of course!"

It's the color of the Caribbean, the Mediterrean.

Mods: Amy at Needles and Hooks has compiled a great site with information for all-things Clapotis. I found this site to be of immense help when planning this project, and on her advice, I twisted the stitches on either side of the ladder rows on both the wrong and right sides. I also did one less increase section, as the wrap was getting pretty gargantuan.

It has proven to be the perfect wrap to keep me warm in the ocean breeze in the still-cool evenings down the shore. No, it's not Paris, but the shore is our place for the summer, and now that I am properly swathed in ocean-blue silken handknits, Summer has officially arrived!

The Zero Commitment Plan

While it is not officially the start of summer, I have gotten a jump on my Summer Knitting Queue, starting with the 3 juicy skeins of Katia Jamaica.

This yarn has spent its year in the stash because I have had trouble committing to a project. I'd been dreaming of a tank-style sun dress for my Rosebud who lives in dresses in summer. I found a couple of patterns but none that really suited what I wanted, since most of them were knit flat, then seamed. With a stripy yarn like Jamaica, I think knitting in the round is the way to go. I'm also not sure if I have enough yarn to make a dress, so I'm thinking I may end up with a tunic. Rosebud loves to rock the tunic, too. But if I make a tunic, I think she'd get more wear out of a tunic with sleeves.

Tank sun dress? Short sleeved tunic? I just couldn't decide. I asked Rosebud for some guidance. She said, "I'd like a short sleeved shirt without a turtleneck. But if you have enough yarn, you can make a dress." Not real helpful.

I had a knitting conundrum. Knitting from the hem up wouldn't work because the proportions of the garment would be wrong. A dress is wider at the bottom edge than a tunic, and decreases would be spaced differently, so if cast on for a dress and ran out of yarn, the tunic would likely be too wide at the bottom and at the armholes. But if I knit from the top down, I would have to commit to some sort of a sleeve, even a small cap sleeve, at the beginning of the project. What if I had enough yarn left over for a dress?

Leave it to Barbara Walker to lead me to a solution. I read the chapter in Knitting from the Top on making sleeveless garments from the top-down, and she introduced me to the invisible cast-on. Her technique has a knitter cast-on provisionally at the mid-back, knit the back piece (and shaping the shoulders using short rows beautifully, but that's for another post) and then knitting over the shoulders and down to knit the bodice. You then join the piece at the armholes by picking up the stitches made in your cast on, and continue to knit from the top-down in the round.

So I learned the invisible cast-on (Fastest. Cast-on. Ever.) and tried her technique, knitting a back and shoulder piece as a gauge swatch.

It was clever and beautifully rendered, but it still wasn't right. It would be great for a solid yarn, but the irregular striping of the Jamaica would never ever match up. And using this technique was committing to a tank, thus a dress.

So how do you knit something that might be a sleeveless dress but might be a sleeved tunic? How do you knit a...drunic?

Cast on in the middle! Zero committment on the bodice until you have knitted the body of the garment, thus having either a properly proportioned tunic, or if I seem to have a enough yarn, a dress. Then, I'll knit up from the provisional stitches and make whatever bodice is called for.

A Spartan, Some Socks, and a Pleasant Surprise

A Spartan
So the Spartan was finished about a week ago -- only 3 months late for Valentine's Day! Well, we can't all be timely now, can we?

Pattern: Spartan Pullover, Interweave Knits, Fall 2006
Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool (colorway 14), 13 skeins; O-Wool Classic (crap. I lost the ball band. I used one skein and it's the off-white kind ... here it is, Oatmeal)
Needles: US 7s and 9s
Modifications and Notes: I did a lot of messing with the numbers in order to use this yarn (I got 5st/in instead of 3.5st/in). Some things worked, some didn't.

What worked: I knit for the smaller size (41 3/4") but altered where needed for the BackBou. I used Anne Budd's sleeve formula from her sweater book instead of the pattern's sleeves, just because it seemed easier to work the increases properly. I used O-Wool for the contrast yarn and although it wasn't a perfect pairing, I think it looks good.

What didn't work: My increasing for the colorwork was not enough and the sweater sustained some puckering.

Here is a detail of the puckering. Now, I think it's not that noticeable when the BackBou is wearing it, so I didn't stress about it. Blocking really made a tremendous difference.

Another snag in the sweater process was the yarn supply. I have no idea where my head was when I began knitting this sweater thinking that I had enough yarn. I was 4 skeins short. And then I tried to order more. I thought I failed (due to some dubious customer service), so I ordered yet again from a different place. But then all the yarn came in and now, after the sweater and 2 Dulaan hats, I still have 2 more skeins to knit up somehow. Err. Let's just say, if I could have ordered through my LYS, this would not have happened.

This project took so long because of three things: 1) I ran out of yarn, 2) I was knitting the Anemoi vest for the RWS Auction, and 3) I wanted to finish my CPH (selfish little knitter that I am!). Aside from these factors, this was an incredibly easy and fun knit and would be a great project for someone wanting to play with a little colorwork. Knitting in the round is just so easy and great for knitting during movies or drinking and knitting -- a bit boring, but low risk!

Some Socks
I was desperate back in March while in Vermont. I ran out of yarn (I have a yarn packing disorder, I need serious mentoring) and rushed off to find some sock yarn at the LYS (which is really just a sewing store). So I'm standing in front of some great Trekking and I say to myself: "Well, I have some Trekking at home, but I don't have any of this Swizzle stuff, why don't I just try this?" I didn't really feel it. I didn't think, "Too much Trekking? HAHAHA! What a ridiculous concept!" I just grabbed the Swizzle and left, practically trembling from being on a ski vacation, not skiing, and not having ANY YARN.

I hate this yarn. It doesn't knit up nicely. It splits. It feels rough. But the BackBou doesn't mind the socks, he says he really likes them. He's a keeper. He is going to get some really nice socks after this.

A Pleasant Surprise!
I reached into the back of my closet today to find the Sea Silk that I bought last year in Victoria, BC. I had finally narrowed down my choices of patterns, feeling a bit bummed that I only had one 400m skein. I found the Sea Silk, untwisted it to place it on the swift and, not unlike the Biblical division of the loaves and fishes, there were two skeins of Sea Silk!! I had bought two! I'm not as daft as I thought I was! I am a knitting genius!

No one else in the household seems to understand, but they smile indulgently as I walk around muttering, "Two skeins! 800 meters! Brilliant!"

The Queue

Breaking SoS KAL news: The 2007 SoSKAL has morphed into the Summer Stash-Out. Contact Leigh if you are interested. Thanks for hosting, Leigh.

As promised, here's the planned queue, with details:

Row 1, L-R:
1. Reynolds Mandalay for Simple Knitted Bodice. This yarn started its life as Cozy at some point in 2005. The pattern, while lovely, bored me to tears, so I frogged it. Thus, over 2 years in stash.
2. Classic Elite Flash for a skirt for Rosebud. This yarn was purchased at a sale at Lettuce Knit (no website) in Richmond and was knit into Soleil. These 4 skeins are the leftovers. This yarn has been in stash for 3 years, at least.
3. Mission Falls 1824 Cotton for a Baby Surprise Jacket. This is actually kind of sentimental. This is a bunch of odds and ends leftover from various baby sweaters, but a lot of it is from the very first sweater I ever knit, since frogged, a baby sweater for Rosebud. Stewart recommended I make "the Hand." I have since made it two other times, and because of it, I have sworn off intarsia. Forever. Anyway, the BSJ is intended for the recently born son of a certain knit blogger that I have known for over 20 years. Marnie, if you are reading, surely you won't mind a long stashed, recycled yarn BSJ for your darling boy, will you?

Row 2, L-R:
1. Tess SuperSock and Baby: This yarn really just represents the socks I plan to knit this summer. My goal is to knit 5 pairs this summer. Some patterns on the horizon include Leyburns, Wildflower socks, and of course, Nancy Bush, as well as some man socks -- see below. Newly acquired.
2. Green Mountain Spinnery Sylvan Spirit for the next XRK KAL -- our first Yarn-along! I am planning a Rusted Root. I can't wait to see what y'all decide to make with this stuff. I'm not sure Rusted Root is the right pattern, but I'm going to try. Newly acquired.
3. Katia Jamaica for a dress/tunic for Rosebud. This is my current WIP, and my latest design. More details to come. This yarn has been in stash for about a year.

Row 3, L-R:
1. Brooks Farm Primero for Shetland Triangle. I am a little concerned that I do not have enough yarn to make it large enough...I am willing to take some suggestions for this one. Newly acquired.
2. Brooks Farm Acero for Man Socks. There are certain men in my life who seem to be desiring the handknit socks: my father-in-law, my brother, and as always, my beloved. I hope to knit a pair of socks for at least my FIL and my brother, and maybe my hubby, but he has gotten a lot of the knitterly love this year. Newly acquired.
3. Touch of Twist Alpacas for shawls. My SIL has requested a shawl. I am itching for lace. There just might be a Spring Things shawl in the works, and maybe an Ene's shawl too. Newly acquired.

So, it works out to:
2 tops for me
2 projects for Rosebud
bunches of socks
3 lace shawls
1 baby jacket

Ambitious, perhaps, but inspirational, all the same. Don't forget to leave suggestions for the Primero in the comments.

What's Your Queue?

It has taken me some time to decide what to do about the Summer of Stash. After my yarn binge at MDSW, I considered participating again, but I have decided against it.

Last summer was a great process for me. I focused on knitting and creating, and not on buying more yarn. I curbed my desire for the new while rediscovering the yarns I had. I made some great pieces. I edited the stash by releasing loser yarns, finishing UFOs and got rid of yarns with negative associations. I found a balance between inspiration and acquisition, and know how long the queue can reasonably get before I begin to feel uncomfortable.

I made peace with my stash.

I am not naturally a hoarder, nor am I much of an impulse shopper. I've never blown the grocery budget for a great deal. I do not haunt local yarn shops. I have enough self control to keep the stash at a manageable size, and have a real sense of when I want to buy, and when I just want to knit with what I have. I love the yarn in my stash, and when the stash gets too big, I feel like it takes me further away from yarn I really want to knit and projects I really want to make.

I finally figured out that I will eventually use most of the yarns in my stash. I buy a lot of sock yarn, but I knit a lot of socks. I'll knit those oddballs into something. I'll find the perfect project for the sweater yarn. I'll be inspired to knit a lace shawl or a cotton top. Someday, I'll want to knit a linen handtowel, and I have just the yarn for it. If I know I'll never use it, I'll give it away or relegate it to crafts for the kids.

Other uses for yarn: party games for kids!

I just have to give it time.

Thus I have no guilt or pressure about my stash, and do not need a Summer of Stash to control or organize it anymore. I am feel blessed with an abundance of yarn and inspired by the yarns I have, and though I will likely be taking the summer off from major stash enhancement, I am planning on buying yarn within the constraints of my budget and that's about it.

Instead, I have planned a Killer Queue of (Mostly) Stashed Knitting to organize my summer knitting. A lot of it is new yarn, purchased at MDSW. Some of it is long-stashed. Some are oddball knits. Some will have to be newly acquired. Next post will be the details on the Summer Queue, but here are the yarns I'll be knitting this summer.



It looks like it is going to be a great summer. Tell me, what's in your queue for the summer?

I in no way feel like the SoSKAL is the personal domain of XRK, although we did co-host last year. I am in the process of passing the mantle onto another knitblogger for hosting the SoSKAL 2007, but if anyone wants to help out, please let me know.

Blues and Greens

I have been meaning to post some photos of the Anemoi Head, Heart, and Hands Ensemble. I actually took these pictures of Mary Kay, the winning bidder, about a month ago; I just have been distracted and haven't posted them! Here they are!



I have also finished the BackBou's Spartan (I even blocked it!). I should have some pix soon ... but meanwhile, I am using all the extra Spartan yarn for Dulaan hats. Here's dear R modeling one (Coronet) for us. I should call this picture a study in greens ...

Pisces Camisole

Around this time last year, I was struggling with designing a child's tank dress, and when I encountered struggle with shaping the bodice, I gave up on the design, and morphed that piece into something else. In the past year of knitting, I have done some pattern modification, and eventually some designing, and have gained confidence in my ability to knit beyond the pattern. I took a giant leap as a knitter, and I credit blogging. Besides reading other blogs as an endless source of inspiration and information, this blog has forced me to be more thoughtful, more purposeful in my knitting, and my brain is engaged in my knitting more than ever.

I joined the CAL as a way of committing myself to successfully executing a design, and finishing the project, no matter the frustration or lack of initial success. I wanted to knit through the problems, and frog until I got it right. I wanted to further challenge myself and write up a sized pattern when it was done.

So it is with a little pride that can say that although it took several tries to get the bodice right, but I am finally satisfied with the denim tank.




Pattern: Pisces Camisole, designed by me
Yarn & Needles: Rowan Denim/Elann Den-im-nit - I noticed no discernible difference in the yarns, US 8 needle.

This camisole was conceived as a way to use up some oddballs in the stash. I have tons of leftover lightweight cotton yarns in the 250-350 yd range, perfect for summery tops for my little girl, including denim, one of the Create Along yarns.

My original intent was to come up with a basic tank recipe which I could easily modify in gauge or details, but I got inspired by the fishtail lace pattern and created with this lacy-but-rugged layering piece. It's no standard tank top recipe, but after knitting the bodice multiple times, I have a real sense of how to shape armholes and necklines without a pattern as a guide. I also know to consider edging details and bulk under the arms. So, I am satisfied that I have learned enough about tank construction to begin cranking out more little tops for Rosebud.

The neckline went through several iterations, including the blogged-about applied i-cord which I can only now call wishful thinking. It was a good idea, but in reality, it was way too bulky for the top, and it had no relation to the rest of the piece. I needed something simple, something that would mirror the scoop neck of most of her cotton tanks. The desired rounded look for the neckline of the tank was finally achieved through short-rows. The finish around the neckline was achieved with a simple, decorative bind off, and the armholes have a row of single crochet to flatten them a bit.

I did keep a lot of detailed notes as I made this camisole, hoping to further challenge myself and write up a sized pattern. However, I began to run out of steam (hence the wishful post about the i-cord) and the notetaking suffered at the end. The decreases around the straps are, um, improvised; those beads are not just for decoration.

I also made the i-cord straps extra long so it can be adjusted for growth...

Of course, I could swatch a bit or reknit just a bodice piece and carefully perfect the line of the tank. Sizing would be a piece of cake -- just add or subtract a lace repeat.

I think I'll just be satisfied with the tank as it is. An original design by me.

And the name? First, I used the Fishtail Lace pattern. And my Rosebud? She loves the water, and a Pisces, too.

x-post to CAL

Swim lesson sweater

Instead of waiting on the side of the pool like the other families, we kicked off swim lessons this year with me jumping in the pool with my clothes on and a life guard rescue. Apparently, my little guy lost all his skills since last summer, but not his confidence.

Luckily, he was fine and my knitting stayed dry. I was too shaken up to knit at that lesson, but this little number followed me to all the lessons that followed.

This was my first top down sweater, and of course, I'm hooked. I like the end product so much, I think I'll wear it on my first day of work next week.

Pattern: Bad Penny by Stefanie Japel

Yarn: Louisa Harding Nautical Cotton Color No. 7.

Knit Flix: Casino Royale, Yojimbo, Downfall, The Last King of Scotland, The Good Shepherd. (I think I'm ready for a romantic comedy.)