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Fresh Start with Clean Bobbins

denisemor 2 January 15, 2018

I usually try to start the new year with clean bobbins- but I’m running a little late!

Thankfully, having MLK day off helped me to get back on track.
I managed to get two more skeins of Prefect Green plied and wound off,

and then plied the odds and ends left on my various bobbins to make another smallish mixed skein (not quite as random as some years, as I’ve been focusing mostly on the green of late).

But it’s nice to have all these bobbins standing by all primed for their next project!

Still not exactly sure what pattern I will be using for the Perfect Green project.
A while back, I think I had settled on Bronwyn, but now I’m not sure I want to do a full sweater.
I like the versatility of vests.

So I’m still officially looking around.

Tarte Tatin is lovely, but I think it might be more flattering to carry the cabling and traveling stitch patters all the way up the front rather than doing the chest area in stockinette.

But I really don’t want to have to redesign something. I just want to find a pattern I can cast on and get right into.
I really love Vika, but do I even have enough green to spin 1500 yds of this particular blend?

Geez. Perhaps there is such a thing as having too many options.

Anyway, I’m not ready to start knitting my greens yet. There is time to figure it all out.

And I have the argyle panels done for my socks, but haven’t been quite ready to settle in for a long session of weaving in ends, so they are “paused” right at the moment.

I am tempted to start an “in the meantime” project….

because I already have the pattern, and think that I have a suitable yarn hanging out in the stash.
Might be just the thing to satisfy these twitchy fingers.

We Interrupt this Wool Blog

denisemor 0 January 7, 2018January 9, 2018

for a short dalliance with some cotton fabric (and batting).
🙂

Some of my knitting friends kept singing the praises of these little “bowlie” things- to hold bowls full of hot soup, stew, etc.
And the pattern seemed pretty simple, so I thought I’d give it a go.
(I still have lots of cotton fabric on hand from my quilting phase- it’s hard to let go of that kind of stuff!)

So I went back to my fabric bin, and found some coordinating bits.

After cutting out the squares of fabric and batting, I got down to business with the sewing machine

They came together pretty quickly-

Sewing is so fast (compared to knitting)!

They should be really nice for the containers I take my lunch to work in

Yay! Let’s hear it for the long-dormant quilting fabric stash!

Ok, now back to our regular programming.

Argyle progress continues apace

And I’m getting a lot better at this right-handed knitting thing!
Kind of a nice tool to have in your back pocket when you aren’t in a purling kind of mood 🙂

As the Sun Sets on 2017

denisemor 2 December 31, 2017

I just finished up the last project of the year- a sweater for Gus.

I didn’t work from a pattern, and so had to figure out the shaping by trial and error, but I’m really happy with how it turned out.
The recipient, however, is feeling grumpy and refusing to model his new sportswear, so that will have to wait.

Anyway, because he has really broad shoulders and a deep chest (for a little guy), I decided to use some modified raglan shaping to get the right fit.

and incorporated about 2 inches of extra length in the chest before rejoining the front and back behind the front leg holes.

Also got sheep hooves trimmed this morning, so the flock is starting the new year on the right foot 🙂

Wishing you all a Happy New Year- see you back here in 2018!

White-ish Christmas

denisemor 2 December 25, 2017

We got a little snow last night

just in time for Christmas.

Now that I’ve got the photo, it is welcome to melt away and give me back my greenery!

Since it’s been mighty cold for the last week, and while the sheeps take it pretty much in stride, I’ve mostly been hanging inside with Tiny Gus, trying to stay toasty and doing some wool-work.

I’ve managed to work up two skeins of My Perfect Green 2-ply

And also finished the argyle panel for sock #1

So far so good, I think. I’m kind of enjoying doing the back and forth across the front of the work. It’s given me a chance to try and figure out what technique works best for me right-handed. I’ve done a little picking, and a little throwing, and even a little flicking. I think that flicking (kind of like throwing, but just with the index finger) might be the most natural for me, but picking seems more efficient, so I keep trying to practice it.

Anyway, one down and one more to go!

I’ve also started working on a little sweater for Tiny Gus.

I’m recycling some wool from a bought sweater that I remodeled a couple of years ago to make the little guy a stylish charcoal colored ribbed mock turtleneck.

And when the cold and snow starts to get to me, I dive into my 2018 David Austin catalog and think colorful, sweet-smelling Spring thoughts

Hope ewe all had a woolly and wonderful holiday!