Finishing is good for the soul

Last week s*cked. Like major lemons. Like, I wasn't sure I could make it to Saturday when I would be off. So what did I do, some furious knitting to keep myself from killing someone--student or me, the jury was out.

I finally got to the next interesting bit on my Bluebell cardigan at the crazy gauge; this is a picture right before I started the lace band. Once that is done, it's going back into hybernation until the next chapter of my life. I feel ready to pull Hitofude out again!

I took a potholder loom home this weekend and found weaving squares with dishcloth cotton theraputic. Here are a few of my results:

Not a huge fan of the single crochet to put them together; maybe if I used two strands of yarn? I'm going to try again and just whip stitch the edges to see if I like that more.

I also sewed together all the squares I have finished of my twill weaving project--getting close!

On Sunday I finished my Tintern Abbey socks--love them! They are now blocked and just need ends woven in before being put in the 'home' box.

I also finished my first project with my own handspun; a lovely squishy cowl in all the fall colors I adore and miss so much right now.

So, since I finished to projects, today I cast on a new pair of socks and a blanket, 'cause that's what you do! Here's hoping this is a better week, and that the holiday this week won't throw my kids for too much of a loop.

Parting shot: Frankinbooties because I need me some Halloween whimsey about now.

Very few pictures to document not enough (for my sanity) knitting

So, since my life has been insane/frustrating for the last few weeks, a whole lot of interesting knitting has not been done. I’m going to be lazy and you’ll just have to take my word for it, but I am almost done with the first sleeve of the baby vertebra, and I started the cuff patterning on the second Tintern Abbey sock. I got through the second ‘swish’ on the second sock of another pair of Mystik Spirals, and I put down a few rows on my handspun cowl.

The big thing I’ve been working on is getting my long hibernating Bluebells past the lace detail at the waist, so I can take it and the yarn home with me (hopefully) in December. Miles and miles and MILES of stockinette in a plain yarn is not rivetingly exciting, but I am just about to decrease for the bust and at long last start that lace band. I haven’t decided if I’m going to make it wider; we’ll have to see what it looks like as written. I guess I aught to re-check my row gauge… I’m not thrilled with the yarn; Loops and Threads Wool-like. The problem with this second ball is the yarn is plied funny and a strand stretches and bunches as you go. I ended up ripping back quite a bit on Friday where it was actually affecting the garment, but now things seem to be at least knitting in well even if they are awkward in the hand. So, yes, it was super cheap, but I don’t think I’ll rush out to buy it again.

Oh—I was weak and snagged some yarn I’ve been wanting for over a year—Nomadic Fiber’s “Sirius.” Not all her dyed to order colors are available at all times, and I just happened to see this one was up again. I personally wish the name of this colorway was Lupin as he is my favorite character in Harry Potter, so maybe I’ll knit Lupin socks with the Sirius yarn. So pretty!

I just finished First Lord’s Fury, the last of the Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher. I’m glad I finished the series; there were some interesting elements of world building, and I like the protagonist, Tavi. I almost abandoned the series after reading book 2, then book 1, but a friend said she had enjoyed it, so I decided to give it a proper go. I find it slightly hard to believe that no major characters died in the cataclysmic battle at the end, but I like this series well enough to finish purchasing them for my Kindle eventually. Now to indulge in a mystery!

The one piece of knitting I actually have a picture for, is this cat hat for Java (yes, she deserves it!). Yes, there will be a picture of my little punk rocker soon, but for right now here it is in all it’s improvised glory. Some short rows on the top of the head might be good for next time… That’s what you get for tearing up my things!

Parting shot: Trying my hand at some paper flowers for a sister--not half bad, but much harder when your floral tape is dead!

Some soaking, weaving, and dying

Once again, my life kind of exploded. Go figure--I'm a teacher! Over the very busy, stressful, and draining last two weeks, I have managed to get a bit of crafting in. I'm still sane enough to type, aren't I?

I citric acid soaked some cotton because I have a project that I don't want to bleed at the end; we shall see how that goes. Oddly enough it was the blue that gave off a little color, not the green...

After early experiments with cotton yarn, I switched to some Red Heart (Gasp! I know!) and some gray that I had just got on the container, and started weaving chevrons following the modern directions on the old loom. I have only had to rip back once--so far, and I am really happy with the results. I now have 5.6 squares finished--still enjoying the process! 6 more of the two color twill, then 3 solid I think?

I finally got the heel turned on my second Tinturn Abbey sock; we won't talk about how I bungled it royally... In the home stretch!

I also am just about ready to cast off the bottom ribbing of my Baby Vertebra that I'm working on; I love how these colors are knitting up!

Half-term is coming up, so I'm hoping to have a few minutes to call my own in which to do something other than marking. We shall see!