Knit · Princess · Speaks

Okay, not really.  I'm still being too hard on myself for sucking at spinning, but I'm trying to relax and accept that my spinning is not perfect.  Late last week, I got over the freak out concerning plying and how badly I would screw that up and just Got On With It.  And I made something that quite looks like yarn:



I think it's about 330 yards of yarn, mostly between sport and dk weight, with some... heavier and lighter sections.  It was most of a pound of Blue Faced Leicester fiber that came with my wheel.  What wheel, you ask?  Meet Princess Gwenllian:



Yeah, she's purple.  Specifically a purple Kromski Minstrel.  No, she's not period, but she is AWESOME.  And yes, I have a matching purple stool.

Anyway, here's some close ups of the yarn:



And another:



It's not very even, but I think I'm improving.  Now I need to find a nice forgiving pattern that doesn't need a lot of stitch definition.  I have a little over 5 ounces left of the BFL that I'm spinning.  Most of it will be plied like this, but some I'm using to learn Navajo plying, because that seems awesome.  When I'm done, this is next on the queue:



I think I'm going to go knit now.

So, I've been teaching an Introduction to Knitting Class at the local community college.  So far, so good.  I'm in the 3rd week of four of the second session of class.  Everyone is knitting and most of them seem to enjoy it.  But they're all so tense!  They're obsessing about having every single stitch perfect.  I've never seen such tight knitting. 

I keep trying to get them to relax.  Don't sweat it so much.  Give yourself a break, you've only been knitting for three weeks.

It comes down to the fact that grown ups are TERRIBLE at being bad at things.  I wish I could say I was different, but I'm probably worse than any of my students.

See, I finally cracked and got myself a spinning wheel.  Long story, but it's purple and it was my birthday and I was high on wool fumes from the Stitches West Marketplace.  Anyway.  It's a Kromski Minstrel, which is a castle style wheel with a double treadle system.  (For non-fiber arts types, read: not even remotely SCA period and that was before the purple paint job.)

It's really a beautiful wheel, but I've been having trouble making myself use it.  First, I used the excuse of being  too busy with the packing and the moving and the suchlike.  Then it was the unpacking.  Then it was upstairs.  Then I had this or that project going.

It really comes down to hypocrisy.  I want to be able to spin perfectly, but I have no interest in actually learning to spin.  I know my first attempts (probably my first several attempts) will be well-nigh unusable.  But stalling gets me nowhere.  And the wheel, it taunts me.

So last weekend I did this:



That's about an hour's worth of spinning.  Is it knitable?  Probably not.  But at least it's not fleece anymore and that's the first step.  The important thing is that I'm actually spinning and I can only get better.  At least I hope I can't get worse...

Okay, so I started them on February 27 and finished them April 1, but they're still my March Socks.  They took FOREVER because of packing and cleaning and moving and setting up and tearing down and more cleaning and putting together and all that nonsense.  I swear, I'm going to die in this townhouse because I am NEVER moving again.  And I could not be more over Allen and his Inferior Wrenches.

Anyway.  The socks.  The pattern is called the Snow Queen Socks (so the snow on the last day of the socks may have been my fault) and they're a freebie from Ravelry.  The yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy.  It was the first time I used that yarn, but OMG it will not be the last because it was VERY nice.  And also I have another skein in stash somewhere.

Pictures!



And a close up shot of the lace:



The first picture is a bit more accurate as far as color goes.  They're lovely, but I'm glad they're done.  I've already cast on for April with some Cascade Handpaints and a socks called the Groovy Socks.  And they ARE groovy.

I finished my January personal sock club socks last night and luckily it's sunshiney out today, so I was able to get good pictures.  For example:

The pattern is called Topographical Socks and, as you can see from the above picture, they work really well with self-striping yarns.  The yarn in question is Knit One Crochet Too Ty-Dy Socks and I have a TON left over. 

The only pattern changes I made involved doing them on DPNs instead of by magic loop.  And I made the legs longer.  And I added a couple of rounds in the toes.

Whatever.  The point is, they're done and in plenty of time.  Now I guess I'll go back to some of my WIPs before February 1!

And then I said to myself, why not Knit a Better Bucket:

So I did.  Pattern is A Better Bucket and the Yarn is Malabrigo Worsted in Geranio.  Started on Wednesday evening.  Finished about 10 minutes ago.

Matching cowl to come.  Both will eventually be birthday gifts for a friend.  If you're reading this, it isn't for you.  Maybe next time.  :)

Good morning and Happy 2011!  I haven't posted for a while because I've been absolutely crazed with all the things associated with buying a house.  I've found a place and things are In Motion with a tentative date of closing around January 25.  Of course, there's a lot of cosmetic stuff that I'd like to do before we move in, so we're looking at moving at the end of March/beginning of April.

Anyway.

I have been knitting, but I've been utter bollocks about taking pictures, so this post is to remedy that.  :)  In order of completion, we have:

The Sockhead Hat:



Yes, it's made with sock yarn, in this case with Creatively Dyed Yarn Beaches in the First colorway.  And yes, it's Knit Princess colors.  Here's a close up:



Good heavens.  The time off has done absolutely nothing for my photography skills.

Well, what you can't see is that the hat itself is Tres Floppy.  It's four inches of ribbing, then nine inches of stockinette before the decreases.  Super Mindless Knitting, but I love the result.

Onward to the Silky Leaves Scarf:



That's my attempt at artistic draping.  Tim Gunn would be so disappointed.  Anyway, the yarn is Frog Tree Alpaca Sport in a lovely but difficult to photograph forest green.  The scarf is started with a provisional cast on at the center, then picked up after the first half is complete, so the leaves go down each side of the scarf.  I like the ends the best:



Another excellent picture.  Sigh...

And last, but assuredly not least, is the Lava Flow Cowl:



When I ordered the yarn, I thought it would be more crimson, but since it's the color of dried blood, I've been calling it the Blood Flow Cowl instead.  The yarn is Mirasol Yarn K'acha, a merino/alpaca/silk blend that is just delightful.  And these:



Reversible cables.  The pattern is a freebie on Ravelry.

I also knitted, but neglected to photograph, a black watchcap for my realtor.  I think he liked it.  So, um, just imagine a black ribbed cap in your head, mkay?

I'm back on the Personal Sock Club bandwagon for 2011, so I'm off to cast on the Topographical Socks.  I hope everyone has a lovely and yarny New Year.  :)

In a matter of hours, I'll be at Stitches East with somewhat sketchy internet access, but before I go, here are some pictures of my most recent Finished Object.  It's the Emma's Star hat from Sock Yarn One Skein Wonders.  The yarn is a little over a skein (I know) of Knit Picks Swish DK in Natural.  Pictures!



And a close up of the lace pattern:



And the reverse:



I'm not sure I can work a beret, but I'm certainly going to try.  I think it'll go well with my new charcoal grey wool winter coat.  And yes, I did block it over a dinner plate.

Off to get ready for Stitches!

Last night I finished up a hat for The Artist on Knit Princess.  Her grandmother passed late last week and her dad is in the hospital.  Since I'm too far away to send food (you know, like you do), I offered to send wool instead.  She said that was the nicest thing anyone had ever asked, so after dragging her favorite color out of her (black, white and grey are not colors, people, I made her this:

It's the button tab hat I've made before, although this one is in a slightly more subdued color.  The yarn was more burgundy on the web site, but I suppose I always do tend to skew a bit purple.  The yarn is Dream in Color Classy I ordered from Webs.  I hope it makes her feel a little better anyway.

Finally had decent light this morning to take pictures of my latest Finished Knitted Object.  I gave Jess a pattern for her birthday, had her pick out the yarn and then made her a pair of mittens.  Here they are:



The original pattern said Hest Lykke, which is Lucky Horse in Norwegian.  Jess asked me to change the chart a bit to add in her horse's name, Mya.  Since Mya wasn't quite long enough, I added a heart to make the spacing work properly.  Here's the palm side:



The cuff charts are the same, it's just upside down on the inside of the wrists.  I'm really pleased with how they came out and Jess seems to like them.  The pattern is called Lucky Horse and the yarn is Knit Picks Palette in Forest Heather and Oyster Heather.  Link to the pattern on my Ravelry project page.  Not a free pattern.

I have another Top Secret Project on the needles, plus a sock in my purse and a hat, sweater and scarf for myself OTN.  And don't even get me started on the Stash Enhancement that happened yesterday at Rhinebeck.  I need to rein it in at Stitches East...  Today is rest and knitting.

 I finally knitted a pattern that I designed for Knit Princess Collection Book 1.  Kristina, thankfully, test knit it for me because I just didn't have time to get it done.  Here's my own version of the Better Than Glass Slippers Socks:

Pattern by Yours Truly.  Yarn is Knit Picks Stroll Tonal in the Blue Yonder colorway.  Details on my Ravelry page.