well, let’s do some updates of what fiber arts stuff have been happening while i was sick… (yes, i did get some done… but really it’s not like i was doing much of anything else for the last month… so it’s not as impressive as it seems all rolled together like this.)
after all the holiday knitting was done, new projects started up for the new year. (let’s just ignore that huge basket of WIPs, thank you!)
- Paul’s Inside Out Socks
i started these socks for Paul as my new project for the new year (cast on on new year’s day). the foot is knit with 00 dpns…. with Medium weight STR. very tight gauge. slooooow to work up. i need to keep putting it down for the sake of my hands.
- Bee Fields Shawl
cast this on as one of my new year’s day cast ons…
originally, the new project for the new year i planned to cast on was the socks for paul. i did cast those on first… but by the evening i was itching to cast this one on and got about 10 rows in before midnight, so it counts, right?
i’ve been excited and wanting to start this since October… but holiday knitting came first.
- new socks for me – Summer of Love Lace anklets from the BMFA RSC kit:
this is a shot of the lace cuff blocking before the rest of the sock is knit. since then, i’ve gotten past the heel and i’m working my way down the foot of the first sock. these are a fun quick knit… but they aren’t a priority, so they don’t get worked on as much. i need to take new pictures of the progress so far.
- Yarn Analysis Project
i’m just starting to get to the point where i can reliably make yarn the way i want it when i start out spinning. in an effort to progress with my spinning skill, i’m starting to analyze commercial yarns to see how they are made up and be able to reproduce a similar type finished yarn. i’ve started to collect small samples of all the yarns i have on index cards. i also take a sample of the un-plied (aka deconstructed) yarn so i can look at the single. then i write all the yarns vital info on the card.
- Baby Surprise Jacket
i wanted to try out making a BSJ with commercial yarn before trying with my handspun… but i’m only a little ways in and i’m thinking of frogging and just going for it with my handspun.
- White Booties
these are so cute! i don’t know if i’m going to be able to let them go to an actual baby, lol. MINE! handily, my antique toddler doll wears a newborn size…
- first experiment in handcarding
these you’ve seen already… i’ve continued to card that rope of roving… and now it is all carded and pulled into a few roving bundles. most of it all got blended to a nice consistent color… but the more extreme color sections of the roving i took and blended into a few bolder (but not pink) sections. i went and picked up some more roving in a solid burgundy and a white to practice some more carding with.
- Baby Hats for a friend’s daughter’s expected Twins
no pictures yet. these are just some simple umbilical cord hats as a start to putting a baby package together for her…
- Paul’s Fuzzy Feet
no pictures yet, but these are finally off the WIPs pile! one down! how many more added?
- Paul’s Watchcap for Work
nice, simple, quick… just a work hat for Paul for the cold rainy months. he always said he wasn’t interested in one before… but this Christmas, while i was knitting gifts, he started hinting about cold ears. of course he would get one soon after the holidays were over. and nicer ones for both work (which includes the freedom to trash them) and not work and already planned.
- felted bowl
another one i’ve neglected to photograph. this was just a quick little something for paul to throw his keys into. it was supposed to sit in his drawer in the secretary… but he keeps pulling it out onto the table so he can throw his keys into it on there. the whole point of the drawer is to keep the table clear!! ugh. but, he just likes it… he wants to see it… *facepalm*
- Headband
nope, no photos here either. i’ve missed placed it… and besides, it’s hard to take a good picture of the side/back of your own head. this was a simple quick knit. i liked it. i like wearing a nice knit headband. i don’t like the finished headband. too wide when done in the worsted weight the pattern calls for. i think i’m going to make another one of these using a sock yarn instead.
- Little sky practice socks
these are the first practice sock from Cat Bordhi’s new book. i think they should be just the right size for squishy house socks for my nephew… and they just started enforcing a shoes off in the house policy.
- Philospher’s House Socks for Paul
one of the patterns from that new book. no pictures of these yet. and no real description either, as these will fill a whole post in a few days. these have been an adventure! but they are going to be such luxury for my sweet Paul. (i’m tempted to try to claim they won’t fit him… should have thought of that before i had him do some fittings, lol!)
