Oh dear…
…it’s been a month again since I last posted, and I’m sorry to say that sporadic updates are going to be the norm for a while (if they ever weren’t the norm). Mostly because the distinct lack of free time since I got back to school has meant that knitting time has been scarce and time to even think about blogging has been even scarcer. Anyway, lets jump into the knitting update.
Some of my swatches and yarn from the last post have moved onto WIPs in varying states of completeness.
First up the mittens, first one’s almost one. While I really loved the first green & blue pair (FO post about those coming soon, I finally washed them), I’m absolutely in love with this pair. I think the blue & black really make the pattern pop, they fit better into my everyday wardrobe, and I’m much happier with my fair isle. The knitting on the last pair was much too sloppy for my taste.
Fire breathing shawl anyone? I’m completely in love with this pattern, the yarn, the color, everything about it. Even though I don’t get much of a chance to work on it, it sits on my desk and I look at it longingly. Hopefully I’ll get some time to work on it soon.
The pile of Cascade Greenland is quickly turning into a sweater. Maybe a Rheinbeck sweater. Rheinbeck sweater? Rheinbeck sweater, yep, I’ll be at Rheinbeck on the Saturday. I don’t know if I’ll have time to finish the sweater, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I’m almost done with the decreases to the waist (about 7 more rows) at which point I’ll start increasing for the hips and introducing white stripes in a to be determined pattern. At this point I’m planning a turned hem, cap sleeves, with i-cord around the neck and arms, and a substantial metal zipper to top it all off. We’ll see what happens.
The black eyelet shawl is off the needles, but still very much unblocked. I’m planning on blocking this week, photos and pattern finished up and put together next week, then to the tech editor, and published by the end of October. I know there’s a lot of space in that time line, but with the way knitting/designing things have been going the past month, I’m trying not to push it.
And finally…
I got a new bag. It’s the Namaste Hermosa (scroll down), and it’s become my everyday bag, replacing my beloved but falling apart owl covered Strand bag. I’m planning on writing up an in-depth review eventually because most of the reviews I could find were kind of pathetic, but over all I like it, and most importantly it can carry everything.
That’s all I’ve got for now. I’m going to try to post more frequently, but at this point I’ve learned not to promise when it comes to blogging.
Zodiac le Plume
July 12, 2012 update: “Zodiac le Plume” was originally part of The Sanguine Gryphon’s Spring 2011 pattern collection, and is now available directly from the designer (me!).
The pattern is now available for purchase as a download for $8.00, either on Ravelry, or directly through the blog … buy now
I mentioned Zodiac le Plume in my last post a couple of days ago, but I’ve got a handful of free minutes again today, so I figured I’d better do a proper post now before something else comes along and eats up all of my time.
I’m also trying something knew, so all of the pattern details (yarn, needles, gauge, etc) are listed at the bottom of this post instead of on the Original Designs page.
Swirls and curls created by little pin pricks of light floating across a solid field, flit and flutter, combining and intertwining to give the impression of uncontrollable chaos. Only by prolonged and careful observation will order eventually emerge and the secrets of the stars unveil themselves.
Knit out of two skeins of the Sanguine Gryphon ‘Little Traveller,’ Zodiac le Plume is a crescent shaped shawl begun at the back of the neck and knit through to the hem. Just before the bind off, an increase row is worked, to ensure that a thorough blocking is possible.
Yarn: The Sanguine Gryphon ‘Little Traveller’, 4 oz/560 yds, 100% superwash merino, 2 skeins, shown in ‘Tintagel’ (Standard colourway)
Needles: US 3/3.25mm 40”/101 cm circular, or size needed to obtain gauge
Notions: 4 stitch markers, tapestry needle
Gauge: 22 sts and 38 rows = 4”/10 cm in washed and blocked St st
Blocked Dimensions: 23.5”/59.5 cm down the center back
Skills Used: cable cast on, knitting and purling, k2tog, k2togtbl, k3tog, k3togtbl, sk2p, ssk, yo, decrease bind off, weaving in ends, and blocking lace
Both charts and written instructions are included in this pattern.
Playing Catch Up… Again
I’ve been wading my way through to-do list after to-do list, and I’m not sure when it’s going to end, so this is just a quick check in.
First off, there’s been a pattern release, (actually two, but I already posted about Gothic Spires).
Zodiac le Plume was published as part of the Sanguine Gryphon’s Spring 2011 line.
Inspired by the curves and twists that characterize the Art Nouveau movement, Zodiac le Plume is a crescent shaped shawl worked all in one piece from neck to hem.
The pattern is both written and charted, and can be purchased for download through the Sanguine Gryphon.
Image copyright The Sanguine Gryphon.
Now, what’s on my needles?
(that isn’t a secret….)
I posted about this on twitter a while ago while I spent an evening fighting with the chart, and ripping, reknitting, ripping, reknitting, ripping, reknitting. But once I got the chart straightened out, it’s been smooth sailing. The shawl out of Madelinetosh lace weight in the colorway flashdance (it’s brighter in real life), knit up on US size 2s (2.75mm).
I’ve resurrected the handspun memory blanket that I started about a year ago. I think I first mentioned it in this post. Since I don’t have any more of this particular handspun left I’m continuing with Cascade’s Eco wool and Eco+. The blue is Eco+ colorway 4009 (which doesn’t seem to be listed on their website), and I’ll pick up another skein or two in one of their creams/natural colorways, to make up the rest. This is just a garter stitch log cabin blanket knit on US size 10s (6mm) for when I can’t do anything more complicated than garter.
I started a pair of colorwork mittens in the brightest colors I could find, sometime around the middle of March when the grey was sucking out my soul. But these are sort of stalled while I waffle between ripping and rethinking the design, or just continuing and seeing what happens. These are out of Spud & Chole fine sock (80% superwash wool, 20% silk) colorways 7812, green and 7806, blue, knit on 3.00mm needles.
Recent Stash Enhancement
I realized I didn’t have any really large project bags a couple of weeks (months?) ago. So I played around and ended up with two usable bags.
And as it turns out, one skein of Madelinetosh really isn’t enough. So I got,
Tosh Lace (100% superwash merino, 950 yards, lace weight), colorway nebula
Tosh Lace (100% superwash merino, 950 yards, lace weight), colorway curiosity
and Tosh Sock (100% superwash merino, 395 yards, fingering weight), colorway terre verte
For this bag, I’m just going with “it followed me home.”
And last but certainly not least, the blog will be one year old, in about one week (the 13th). To be fair it has been a rather sporadic year of blogging, but it’s still been a year. So I’ll come up with some sort of contest to celebrate, (if you’ve got any ideas let me know), and announce it in a couple of days.
But, that’s all for now.
