Fair Isle closure

I have been keeping my Fair Isle cardigan closed with a lovely cameo my sister gave me--but it wasn't quite right. I have been looking for some type of closure for this cardigan since September. My friend Mary posted a cardigan with some lovely buttons. When I commented on the buttons she told me she got them at Black Water Abbey. I went over to take a look and I found they had some lovely buttons. They also had some clasps that I think will work well with the sweater.

I found the customer service to be great (soon after placing the order I received an e-mail letting me know that the owner was at a trade show, and she would process the order when she returned, she then let me know when the order was shipped). And I really like the clasps. Here is what it will look like when I get around to sewing them on.

New stitch markers

The mail brought me some lovely goodies yesterday. A new book, my Piecework magazine, and some lovely stitch markers from a swap.

My partner's goodies, my interpretation of her favorite colors, will be posted today. I will be sending the Kool Aid dyed yarn in sunset colors, as well as a little mini watercolor.

I have ordered more goodies for myself. It is a little dangerous to go on Etsy. I will post more as they arrive.

Lace

When working with laceweight yarn don't knit:

1. in public

2. when someone is talking to you

3. when the TV is even mildly interesting

Here is the current state of the lace--after having to cast on 3 times.

Channelling my inner Spring

I'm looking forward to seeing these in the wild.

Circles Yoke Complete

I finally wrapped up the Circles Yoke Pullover over the weekend. Plenty of ends to weave it, but I did them while watching a movie. I am happy with the sweater, but if I make it again, I will make it a bit smaller. It is a nice comfy sweater, but I think I would like it better if I had made it more fitted. Also, in my fear of making the arms too short (every store bought sweater I have is too short for my arms) I ended up making them too long. I need to remember that for the next sweater.

I have been scared of using my front loader to spin out wet handknits, but I thought in this case, if the 12 minute spin shrunk the sweater a bit, I would not be upset. So I hand washed it in the sink with Eucalan, then spun it on high in the washer. It came out practically dry. I set it out to dry flat--it didn't really need blocking, just some patting into place--and I found that it was dry within 12 hours.

Needles US 6 / 4.0 mm and US 8 / 5.0 mm
Yarn Valley Yarns Northampton

I am pleased with the yarn and will definitely use it again (assuming it holds up well). The color did come out a bit in the water when I washed it, but it did not bleed into the other colors and it didn't change the color of the sweater.


Finished just in time for this latest round of snow and ice.


Meanwhile, I finally started the Seascape shawl. I'm only a few rows into it, but I did use the same beaded cast on that I used with the Hanami shawl. I had the perfect beads for the yarn and I just couldn't resist.

Soft and Fluffy

My niece turned two this past weekend. Some time last week I decided that I really should knit her something. Nothing like waiting until the last minute. I thought about a baby surprise jacket, but worried about the sizing.

I have been helping a coworker with a top down raglan and I thought I could work out a sweater/dress with some soft and fluffy bulky yarn I've had waiting for me to make a sweater. I finally decided the sweater for me, with this yarn, would not be happening.

So I made the little sweater--and I think it is too big. I tried it on my 5 year old. It fits him around, but it is too short. So, if the bulky, slouchy, pseudo 80s styles I've seen around are really going to happen, she just might be the trendiest 2 year old around.

I finally got around to weaving in the ends and washing it. Now I just need to get myself to the post office.

Size 26 inch chest

Yarn Patons Divine

Needle US 10½ / 6.5 mm

Malabrigo and Kool Aid

I bought a bit of Malabrigo the other day. Butterfly Yarns got some in and I managed to get over there before the worsted weight even hit the shelves.

I found a nice manly color for that pair of Dashing that I am planning (Black Forest) and I picked up some sock yarn too (Archangel).

Meanwhile, I had been thinking about dyeing some yarn for a color swap I am in. My partner has stated that she likes fall colors as well as pink and blue. Well to me that says sunset. So I dyed up some yarn for her. When all was said and done I took a look at it and realized, hmm, I guess I like those colors too.

On the left in my Kool Aid yarn, on the right the Malabrigo. The color are a little richer in real life (as my son would say).

Time to defend

Today I scheduled the date and time for my doctoral thesis defense. It is in less than 3 months and afterwards I expect to have a lot more time to knit.


In the meanwhile, I'd like to knit thank you gifts for my committee members. I've got some ideas (lace shawl for my advisor, fetching and dashing for the others), but I haven't started any of it yet.


Instead I have 4 WIPs--that is actually a lot for me. I usually try to keep it to 3 or less. One is a gift for my niece's 2nd birthday and so really needs to get finished (it will be late anyway, but I'd like to get it in the mail this week). Another is a nearly completed monkey sock--I will need to work on the other sock--it is dangerous to leave only one sock completed. The moderne blanket can wait--it was meant to be a long term project. My cirlces yoke sweater is one I would like to finish. I just joined the body and the arms last night. Maybe tonight I will do the short rows and then temporarily put it aside. I would like to wear it this season.


I leave you with a view of that nearly completed sock. This is yarn that was Kool Aid dyed for me last summer by my swap partner in Sweden.

Silent Poetry Reading

the great advantage of being alive
(instead of undying)is not so much
that mind no more can disprove than prove
what heart may feel and soul may touch
--the great (my darling) happens to be
that love are in we, that love are in we

and here is a secret they never will share
for whom create is less than have
or one times one than when times where—
that we are in love,that we are in love:
with us they’ve nothing times nothing to do
(for love are in we am in i are in you)

this world (as timorous itsters all
to call their cowardice quite agree)
shall never discover our touch and feel
--for love are in we are in love are in we;
for you are and i am and we are (above
and under all possible worlds) in love

a billion brains may coax undeath
from fancied fact and spaceful time—
no heart can leap,no soul can breathe
but by the sizeless truth of a dream
whose sleep is the sky and the earth and the sea
For love are in you am in i are in we

e.e. cummings