Honey Cowl

So I actually finished something! My Honey Cowl (knit to go with my Gretel hat in the same Malabrigo yarn) is finally done. Just in time for spring. ;)



I have also started a new project with some of my most beloved yarn - Sundara Ruby Port FSM.



I'm making an Asterope shawl, because I really do need to play with some lace right about now.

The Quilt Progresses (slowly)

I have been less than diligent in putting together my patchwork quilt. So I just lined up some of my rows, in the hopes that it would inspire me to work faster (and procrastinate less, even if procrastination leads to finished socks), and I think it just might work.



I like the colors and the way it all balances. Fingers crossed that I can finish this top soon!

Socks!

I have actually finished something! A pair of somethings actually. I finished some stripey socks (with heel/toe in order to disturb the striping as little as possible).

Yay socks!



Pattern: Hug Me Socks by Terry Morris
Yarn: Canon Hand Dyes Jane MCN Self-Striping (purchased at sock summit)

Monkey Elephant!

I made an elephant made of monkeys!



A friend of mine is having a baby boy - and I felt that the mere fact that I owned this monkey fabric required me to make an elephant out of it.



I ended up ripping out the right ear twice before I got the stitches sufficiently neat and the positioning even with the other ear. I'm happy I did - a bit of lopsided is cute and quirky - but too much just looks careless.



Pattern from Last Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts.

NOTE TO MYSELF - When the pattern says "sew belly pieces together" this does not mean sew all the way around those two pieces, it just means from the hash marks for the opening to the corners that are marked "front" and "back" - please remember this next time.

Shawls new and old

So, I've picked out the yarn for my Color Affection shawl. I'm going with Sundara Fingering Merino in Breaking Dawn, French Lavender, and Winter Solstice. (The Breaking Dawn and Winter Solstice didn't make it into the group photo, they were sitting neglected on my armchair during the photo shoot.) It'll be somewhat sweet, but I'm hoping the sophistication of Sundara's work will prevent it from lurching into twee-ville.



And in other, Sundara shawl news, I finally blocked the Haruni I made in Sundara Silk Lace that I cast off January 1, 2011. Yes, over a year ago.



It really is gorgeous. And the blocked fabric is so lovely and delicate.



I can't say that I can't believe it took me so long to block the shawl - procrastination may as well be my middle name. Hopefully next time I'll be a bit more on top of the whole blocking thing. Now if only I had somewhere to wear it.

Oh dear

So, remember that quilt I was going to make back in the summer of 2010? Well, I'm working on it. After I finished my last woven scarf I folded up my loom and set up my kitchen table as a quilting center.



I'd gotten through sewing many pairs of squares when I realized that I had ten too few squares in a few of the fabrics. So I'll cut those and be back on my way to an actual quilt!

Progress pic

I realize that I rarely post progress pics. I will try to remedy that.

In my attempt to complete another outerwear set, I have cast on a Honey Cowl in Malabrigo Worsted in Impressionist Sky. This will match my Mal Gretel Beret.

Color Affection

I adore the new Color Affection pattern from Veera Välimäki. I'm trying to cut down on my stashing (I didn't post a New Year's Resolution, but that's definitely one of them) so I chose not to buy a kit from Plucky Knitter. Instead, I'd like to use three skeins of my Sundara Fingering Merino, since I've accumulated so much during last year's club. The question is, which three?

Mushroom Scarf

As a thank you to my friend Gretchen, who lent me her loom to learn on, I wove her a scarf from two skeins of Sundara Fingering Merino in Portabello and Porcini.



I think it came out rather well.



Now if only we could schedule a time so I could give it to her!

I did it!

Guys, I did it. I actually did it. I finished my Flaming Flamingo Empire. I have yet to take any glamorous pictures of it, but it's done. From the top of the ruffle to the bottom of the hem, it is complete. This has been on the needles since...August of 2009 (Rav is so useful that way). It is now January of 2012.





Pardon the bathroom pics.

Complete Set (sort of)

I have finally completed a set of outerwear. Well, sort of. I did finish mitts in my favorite color, Jungle Boogie.





And they do match my previously completed Jungle Boogie Beret and Jungle Boogie Scarf. But...the hat just doesn't fit right. It's beautiful, but too small to really wear (I think I was struck down by my tight knitting). So I think I'm going to rip out the hat and reknit it bigger. At some point. Maybe.

Pooling Woven Scarf

Seeing as my friend Gladys is a pioneer of planned pooling projects, and Wollmeise kept sending me skeins of Grapes for Sheri in my grab bags, I simply had to make a Grapes for Sheri pooling scarf. It was so much fun to make, and it came out beautifully.

I warped the yarn to pool.



And I used MadelineTosh Merino Lace for weft in Duchess, a really dark, almost black purple.

The pooling came out beautifully.




Next time I may not choose to use such thin laceweight for the weft. It did create a warp-faced fabric, but it's so delicate that my scarf is already a bit damaged, from pretty gentle wear.

Mom's Birthday Scarf

My mom was rather taken with my Turning Leaves woven scarf. And so, for her birthday, I picked out a skein of FSM in a shade I thought she'd love, Antilles. My mom's a big fan of jewel tones. Since she was away for her birthday (in Hawaii) I gave this to her over Thanksgiving. I hope she wears it in good health.



Pattern: Standard weave.
Yarn: Sundara Fingering Silky Merino in Antilles

Rhinebeck Sweater

Once again I have made a Rhinebeck sweater. And once again, it did not have all its buttons upon its debut. Ah well, it wouldn't be a Rhinebeck sweater if it was actually complete, right?



This is a Vine Yoke Cardigan by Ysolde Teague. I knit it out of some delicious MCN Worsted custom-dyed by Gherkins Bucket. It is some of the softest, squishiest yarn I've even used. And it's amazing in garter stitch.



I found the pattern rather difficult to follow, which resulted in two sweater fronts twice their intended size. Since I was finishing it up the night before Rhinebeck I decided to rip back one side far enough to compensate for my mistake, resulting in an asymmetrical sweater. I rather like it that way. If I were to make this again (and I wouldn't be surprised if I did), I'd follow some of the mods suggested on Rav for the short rows in the yoke.

Turning Leaves Scarf

I am loving how quickly I can make a scarf on my (well, Gretchen's) loom. Today I finished a scarf I warped on Friday night!

It went from this:


to this:


in two days!

I had a little photo shoot in Central Park on my way to the gym this afternoon.





Yarn: Sundara Fingering Silky Merino in Turning Leaves

This is an under the wire entry to Celebrate Color.