Still Shadow Knitting

I'm not very creative with the titles, am I? Here's an updated photo showing progress on the Shadow Knitting sweater.



I can tell that the finishing bug has left. I know I will run short of yarn for the arms, and thus am not inspired to finish the sweater. Even though all 3 of the kidlets love it, and will probably end up fighting over it. I just need to get to a LYS and get one more ball of yarn...I am not even worried about the dyelot since this is a stripey-goodness sweater.

Better picture

At Knit Night last night, Sam was able to snap a better picture of me in the Decade Aran.



The yarn has little silk slubs of light blue and purple, which distorts the image when photographed.

I can't tell you how much I love this sweater. I am wearing it (again) today.

UFO sightings

There have been a lot of UnFinished Objects sightings the past few days. I thought it was time to update the nightstand knitting list.

From December...
1) Angela's regia socks - DONE (I guess I never blogged about these)
2) Manos cable sweater - UFO-I didn't follow the 'knit from 2 balls' mantra with this handpainted yarn, and unfortunately, it shows. I need to RIP the back and reknit.
3) The Decade Aran - DONE
4) Koigu t-shirt - DONE
5) Gansey from Handknit Holidays - WIP (for youngest son who did not get a handknit for Christmas)
6) ChildHood - UFO - it's too small for my DD by now. Maybe I will just RIP this down to the armholes and add some length to it. But for now, I think I am all cotton-ed out.
7) Stained Glass Scarf from HandKnit Holidays - RIP'd
8) Short Row Rib - UFO - finish this thing! It is beautiful! (updated - I think it needs RIP'd and reknit on a smaller needle)
9) Shadow Knitting Square - current WIP (I should have remembered this before starting #5, except that it was so buried on the nightstand that I couldn't see it!)

Fear not, as the nightstand area is freed from unused patterns and leftover yarn, soft and fluffy things are moving in - look for a spinning frenzy when the weather starts to warm!

Shadow Knitting

The next resurrected UFO is a sweater I am making for DS out of Vivian Høxbro's book, Shadow Knitting. Can you see the square?

Bagel says, let me see, Mom!

This sweater is flying along now. I am using Rowan's wool cotton which has got to be one of my favorite yarns ever. My older DS wants one of these sweaters now, too. I'll have to look at the book again and hope there is another interesting shape, as I am not so keen on knitting another square.

Does anyone have a suggestion for a shadow knitting pattern suitable for a 7yo? (I am not sure his teacher would appreciate the skull and crossbones I have seen on the internet). Leave me a comment.

The Festival Continues

The Finishing Festival continues. May I present - the Decade Aran:

note from editor: The self-in-mirror images turned out so hideous, that you should not even consider forcing your few readers to waste valuable bandwidth downloading them.

Really interested readers can view the bad photos here and here. I'll try to get DH or D7yo to take better photos tonight. I still need to weave in the ends and block, but (if you dare to click) you will notice that I did sew on the gorgeous glass buttons from my friend Sheila, knitted the buttonhole band (twice), and even reknitted that huge wonking band on the right sleeve (Do you see it just hanging there? 12 - count em - 12 - stitches too many.) Here is a presentable close up of the buttons:


My Valentine package from SP7 arrived! She knows I am totally into knitting buying sock yarn, so she sent me some really cool Lang Jawoll in valentine colors. I've heard of this yarn, but do not have any in stash. (I know, the shock!) She also sent some yummy chocolates and mints which I have been sharing with my officemates all day. Thank you SP! You rock!


Vanessa asked in her comment yesterday for me to elaborate on the purl ridges on my koigu raglan. These are a one stitch purl aligned every 10th st for 19 rows, then every 5th st for 19 rows, to make this attractive detail. This feature was inspired by Karen Alfke's top-down raglan on display in Churchmouse(oh so many years ago).

FO Festival!

I'm having a little party here - a Finished Objects party. I haven't had one of these in quite some time.

First, who doesn't love handknit mittens?

Handspun Wensleydale in the Wild Things colorway from Lisa Souza. Yummy.

Next, a top-down raglan in koigu color P138. I've been working on this for a year and a half.

I ran out of yarn a few rows short of having full length sleeves, so I washed and dried it hanging, and the sleeves grew about 1" making them just perfect. Of course, now the v-neck is a little deeper than I usually wear, so I will have to find a camisole to wear under this, or be a little more daring. Ha Ha.

Here's an action shot. It's not the most flattering, but my 7yo photographer did the best he could.

Click here for a close up of the purl ridges.

What will she finish next?

Fibertraditions in Tacoma, part 1

(picture heavy post)
Yesterday afternoon, Sam, Barb and I left work early to try to catch the market at Madrona Fiber Arts retreat in Tacoma, WA, before it closed. Despite heavy traffic, we arrived in Tacoma in enough time to do significant damage to the Mastercard. But, readers, this post is not about the purchases. They haven't been photographed yet. This post is about the people.

I was surprised that the retreat was being held in such a large hotel, the Tacoma Sheraton boasts 26 stories, quite a change from the smaller, more quaint Gig Harbor that retreat alumnae are familiar with. I was wondering how we would be able to find our FT friends, when what should I see walking through the lobby, but Donegal, in all it's glory:

You may notice that Barb is making quite a bit of progress on her Port Orford in Lisa Souza's emerald city.
The Beast and Rogue were making their rounds:

Everyone else seemed to know Sandy already, but this was the first time I got to meet her in person:

Then we headed into the meeting room to wait for Yarn Harlot's talk. We're knitting and waiting...

Notice that by now we have joined up with Marti, modeling her lovely silk garden cardigan.
And Denise stops by to say hi:

There's lots of retreat talk ... thanks yous, you're great, no you're great, blahblahblah, and finally...
The Yarn Harlot.

I heard Steph speak some months ago at Third Place Books, and usually she takes a photo of the sock that she is currently knitting. This time, she photo'd her Olympic knitting.
Harlot's talk was very entertaining, she talked about the sport of knitting, and how the Olympic Knitting event was born. We all chuckled about how, at 2pm yesterday, at the start of the opening ceremonies, over 4000 knitters were casting on for the OK events. And we imagined all those non-knitters out there, noticing a very slight cosmic shift. Funny. (I am sure Steph will write about this more eloquently on her blog.

This knit report is interrupted because Mitten Man needs help with a Star Wars puzzle. To be continued...

We have roving!

Adventures in dyeing

It seems like everyone is trying their hand at dyeing fiber. Who am I not to jump on such an exciting bandwagon? Here's my first attempt in the bath:



I'll check on it in the morning and see how it turned out!

"C" is for...

Many knitbloggers, and other bloggers as well, I suppose (are there bloggers other than knitbloggers?) are participating in the ABC-along. Although I am not a participant, I do enjoy viewing the photos fellow bloggers are posting. This week is the letter "C", and the smatterings blog has got to have THE most adorable picture of a cat I have ever seen.