No Olympic golds for me. I didn’t even come close to finishing the gift knitting I had planned for the Ravelympics. However, today, I found a better yarn for dad’s Christmas socks that will be much better suited to the project.
I’ve also gotten over 2 feet of my Tudor Grace knit up. It’s not what I had planned, but I’m enjoying the knit, and it turns out that I’ll be seeing my Grandma this spring, so I’d love to finish this one in order to give it to her as a gift.
Wow. So much for a daily update. To be frank, though, it’s probably better this way. A photo of a scarf with an extra repeat or two each day is… let’s say less than impressive. Despite great expectations of tons of knitting over the Olympics, I haven’t really been in a knitting mood lately. Yesterday, however, I did finish the first ball of yarn in my new Tudor Grace scarf from my last posts. I love this pattern. Have I mentioned that? I think I’ll probably dye up some of my yarn and use this as a shop sample; it seems to show off semi-solids very nicely.
On the dyeing front, things have been pretty quiet since the accident (couldn’t lift the pots, etc). However, I’m planning on another batch of yarns for local shops, and possibly some extra for my Etsy shop or for a booth at some markets over the summer. I’m also very excited to be starting a new sweater dyeing project in the next few days – a deep red semi-solid/varigated colourway in our Faking Sanity Hope yarn (a squishy, soft, superwash aran weight yarn with high twist). We’re hopefuly having a colour consult this weekend, and then the dyeing will commence!
I watched no Olympics today (I’m about to watch a bit now before bed). However, I did a fair bit of knitting this morning before work, as well as a bit tonight while watching some Aussie hilarity.. I’ve now got 20 repeats done on my Tudor Grace – nearly a skein of yarn, so just over a third complete, unless I decide to lengthen the scarf and use all of this yarn. It’s so lovely! I’m thinking of giving it to my grandma, since the clapotis I had knit for her last year was too large and unwieldy for her now (and apparently, I have switched from sock mood, to scarf and/or lace mood; those socks were just not happening). Pics tomorrow, as this colour is just too tough to capture acurately with artificial light.
After three separate attempts at a new way to reinforce my dad’s socks, I finally decided to put themt aside. As a racer many years ago, I gave up downhill to focus on the gs and super g skiing competitions. I see this in the same light. I will continue them on, but I think I will go looking for a different type of reinforcing nylon for them.
In the interim, my new plans for the Ravelympics will be to work on some dyeing and to try and the 2nd edition of Tudor Grace I started a few weeks ago (the one to replace that which was lost in the great car crash of 2010). It really is a great pattern. Easy to memorize, and really lovely. Here it is in Alchemy Bamboo (the colour is Scarlett’s Dark Secret):
No FO’s and no pictures today, but another medal from Kristina Groves in speed skating, and Canada’s first Gold from Alexandre Bilodeau. How inspiring, too, to hear him talk about his brother. Now, we have a set – one of each!
On the knitting front, I had planned to knit my dad’s socks with reinforcing nylon just before the heel, and through the whole heel. I hated the way it looked, though, and I wasn’t convinced it would add any additional durability. So, after a few hours break, and a few hours of detangling the nylon (it was stretchy and kinky, and a pain to rip out), I started over at 6″ on the foot, and found a toe-up slip stitch heel with gusset, which I am about 6 rows into. I’ll finish the heel and start the leg tomorrow.
Today, I watched ski jumping, several men’s and women’s speed skating events, women’s hockey, some men’s luge runs, and some ladies moguls.
Canada’s own Jenn Heil won our first medal of these games in Ladies’ Freestyle Moguls tonight, and the Canadian ladies hockey team won its first game as well.
My own accomplishments were meager: 6 1/4 ” of the foot of a sock. I also suffered my first injury of these games – a blister on the finger I carry/wrap my yarn with – but I soldiered on!
I had grand plans to go to a big cast on party last night at Make One, and get a bunch of knitting done over the course of the opening ceremonies.
I ended up not feeling great, so we decided to stay home, and I watched the ceremonies online (if you don’t have cable, check out www.ctvolympics.ca – streaming the Olympics free anywhere in Canada). I got distracted a bit… ok a lot. I ended up doing knitting only a toe!
I’ve decided though, that I’ll be documenting my progress through these Ravelympics, so here is the toe of my father’s next sock:
I came across a thread on Ravelry about the Ravelympics today. I really had no plans on getting involved, but I think I will. I’m joining Team Calgary, captained by our very own Annarose.
I’m still debating events/projects… See, I have this problem where I start tons of things, but I get bored, and move on, or stop knitting altogether for a while. And I want a challenge, but also something I have some hope of accomplishing, given that it’s a two week deadline, and my neck still gets sore if I look down too much.
Many of the ones I’ve considered could fit into multiple events, such as gift or charity hats or socks, colourwork mittens, single-skein or stash buster lace projects, etc.
“Holiday jump start skiing” sounds wise. I have a couple of gift ideas that I should start, but one is a little small to really consider a challenge (although the time frame would make it a bit tight), and the other is a bit daunting to say the least (also I need the project for this particular yarn to be perfect, and two weeks is not a lot of time to frog and reknit). It would truly be a challenge, though, and one I’ve thought about lots over the past year or so.
Another option is “Nordic Colourwork Combined”. I took a colourwork class a few years ago, and started Endpaper Mitts in the yarn provided (which I never finished), but I bought some yarn to make a pair for myself, and never got around to starting the project.
There’s also the “Free Dance” event for personal challenges that don’t fit anywhere else. I love dyeing. I HATE skeining yarn from cones. Probably the biggest challenge for me would be to skein up all my dyeing yarn; heck, even half of it would be a massive challenge (I have a LOT).
I know I can’t tackle them all, or even all of the ones listed here, but I’m torn since they all appeal in some way or another (some to my selfish desire for pretty knits, some to my desire to “do unto others”, and some to my guilt at not having completed them yet).
Decision time!
To find out more about the Ravelympics, check out the group here. Also, check out the graphic created by zzwhitejd from Ravelry (note the colours are 5 new Louet colours inspired by Ravelry and its logos):
It’s here! I was a good girl this year, and Santa brought me something so big it took over an extra month to get here!
No, no. That’s not the big thing… that’s just my pretty new lazy kate and some extra bobbins… This is the big thing:
I just need to find some plyers to get the e-clip off so I can attach the flyer assembly, then throw the washers and eclip back on, and we’re ready to roll! Err… spin!
I got a package today. This was part of the contents. Can you guess what it was?
Stay tuned for the big reveal!
I broke down a few weeks ago and purchased a new spinning wheel. Giselle will always be my first love, but I wanted something that was easier to get extra bobbins for, and such. That decision was one resignation letter and one accident ago. Given the change in circumstances, I’m not sure it was the best move, but it’s done now. And given the rough week (and the fact that it’s already paid for), I’m happy that my new toy just cleared Canadian customs! Wee!
well to make a bit of cash I am trying to sell a few of the toys that I have crocheted since I have been bored to death at home not working. I hope I can get pictures up this time
there’s a few more but they are too big for adding
Well, the project from the last post will forever remain a WIP. On a trip to see the Snowed in Comedy Tour, we rolled our car, and my knitting bag was found, but my knitting remained somewhere near Ponoka… Sad, I really liked the project. I may have to try it again out of my Handmaiden Sea Silk.
On the “upside”, we were incorporated into two separate comedians’ sets. The evening highlight was at the end of the evening, when we got to meet Ed Byrne, who asked again to make sure we were all ok. Sweet, and a funny, funny man. See?
Of course, the wine, painkillers and A535 when we got back to the hotel room were also welcome, and possibly, just as big of a highlight.
I had a skein of some Faking Sanity Compulsion that I had kept to knit a sample from, and this weekend, I finally pulled it out again. The yarn is a superwash 100% merino ranging from pink to deep red. I was browsing sock patterns, since that seems to be what I’m in the mood to knit these days, but on Saturday, I stumbled upon Anne Hanson’s Tudor Grace pattern again, and decided to give it a try.
I did a few gauge swatches and started on it this Sunday, so it’s not very far a long, but I think I’m liking the results so far:
Faking Sanity before Grace:
Faking Sanity Gracefully?
Last week, I ordered a few skeins of some new yarns. I’m thinking of carrying/dyeing a couple of new yarns for the Faking Sanity line. And today, the package arrived in all its glorious splendour. Do any of these bases sound interesting to you guys?
1. This first one is a superwash BFL/nylon blend:
2. The second one is a superwash merino/Seacell blend:
3. The third is a fairly popular base – a superwash merino/cashmere/nylon blend:
And this last one is just for me! I don’t even plan to dye it. I’m going to use it for a shawl, exactly as it is. It’s a 60% SeaCell/40% silk lace weight blend. The sheen and drape are amazing, and I love the warm, pale honey colour.
See?
I even wove in the end at the toe, which no one would see. And can you believe I left in a couple of errors (intentionally!) that I thought wouldn’t be too noticeable?! These aren’t blocked, and they’re fairly large socks sitting on small sock blockers, so the lace pattern isn’t really opened up or even and the heels look baggy. I do love them, though, and they fit my feet better than the blockers, so I’m already wearing them!
Of course, I had to change up the pattern a bit… I can’t imagine doing the full length of the heel flap called for in this pattern. I know I have a fairly low rise/arch and shallow heel, but these are still nearly too long in the heel and a little baggy in the midfoot, and I reduced the heel flap by 12 rows (36 rather than the 48 called for). I also lengthened the ribbed cuff by a couple of rounds, and carried the twisted stitch between the lace repeats up into the toe for a subtle extension of the pattern.
I’m sure I’ll make these again someday. It was a really fast knit, given how little I was knitting this winter, and the pattern was easy and fun. The next time, I think I’ll reduce the heel flap by an additional 4 rows or use a short-row heel, and knit them toe-up, with the toe being much more rounded (my first socks had a very square toe like these, and it just doesn’t look as nice to me).
I pulled out my wheel again today. I thought of a way to resolve the issue I was having, so I wound off the BFL I had on the bobbin, then began spinning the loveliest Finn. Creamy in both colour and texture, if that makes sense. I’m a bit rusty, but it sure was fun. I only have about 2 oz; I just bought a sample amount to see if I liked it. I’ll definitely have to figure out a project for it though; it’s just so nice. I may even buy more of this fiber at some point.
For now, though, I have more than enough at home. There’s some natural/undyed Wensleydale, Merino/Seacell, BFL and Cotswold I picked up recently, along with some Bombyx silk, camel and yak down I got at the last Boxing Day sale at M1, and several pounds of dyed bamboo and Merino/Tencel, so I think I will be spinning lots in the coming weeks! Oh, and some Louet Northern Lights, and some Lorna’s Laces in the Blue Jeans colourway.. Wee!
Well it’s been a really long time since I have been on here and I have been crafting just not posting about it I made all of the Christmas prezzies this year. I made a slouchy hat and a scarlet for David’s sister Debbie and a pair of slipper socks for his sister Donna nothing knit for the mom though this year.
Now I am making little crocheted toys for my little girl a little late for Christmas but I didn’t have the time during that season to get them done they are now done and will be sent as soon as possible for her.
I want to post pictures but am having issues doing it once I figure it out again I will post pictures.
No troubles here, though (sorry, I couldn’t resist)!
Before my move this summer, I had traded a kilo bag of Malabrigo for some hand-prepped Cotswold fiber. A “bit” was what I thought. A “bit” looked a little different than I had imagined once it was prepared. I went to pick it up today; here is a quick view of of a few little Cotwold tribbles:
Like tribbles, though, they ended up taking over my favourite computer chair within moments:
In 2009, I started dyeing yarn, opened an Etsy shop, and made my first wholesale order to an LYS in town. I swore that since I could now buy yarn and dye it in colours I wanted as I needed it, I would drastically cut down, if not cut out, my other yarn purchases. Apparently, 2009 was a year of grand delusions! 
Dyeing yarn made me realize that I love the intrigue on one-skein-at-a-time, unique colourways. Despite the fact that I am normally all about process, formulas and spreadsheets, dyeing for me is an outlet for my creative side, and I prefer the surprise of a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants approach.
On the knitting side, it wasn’t really a stellar year. I started 10 projects and finished only 4: 2 pairs of socks, a scarf and a clapotis. I also finished 3 single socks that are waiting for mates, worked a bit on a few old projects that had been set aside, and started and abandoned a baby hat, 2 pair of socks and a blanket. I am happy with what I did finish, though, and in many ways, it was a year of firsts.
These represent my first test-knit and completed top-down sock, the first acrylic/nylon project that I love, my first project with a singles yarn, my first bamboo project, my first project wth corn yarn, my first attempt at designing my own heel, and my first bulky project, which also doubled as my first slam-dunk as far as gift giving is concerned.
Here’s to a 2010 filled with joy, peace and prosperity (that is dyeing, knitting, and yarn)!
