cosmicpluto knits!

a sunny Saturday evening

I’m so behind on here! I’m sort of spinning my wheels here (not literally, sadly) with all the various knitting and designing projects in various stages of completion. I think it’s high time I clear out some WIPs, because I’m feeling buried.

As promised (finally), here’s my finished giant granny square!

More photos?

And just because I got myself a new lens (A Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 Macro):

Oooooh, love that macro action. This lens rocks.

Giant Granny Square
Hook: 6.5 mm
Pattern: Granny Square from the Purl Bee

Yarn: 7 balls of Noro Taiyo in colourway 1 (otherwise known as “neapolitan ice cream”!) plus 1 skein of Coldharbour Mill organic merino DK for the border, held double.

As an aside, this is the smoothest, sexiest merino ever. And I don’t think you can even buy it anywhere – I got it at IKnit Day in London last year. Does someone want to pick me up some more this year?!

For the border I just did 2 rounds of single crochet around the whole thing. Really finishes it off, I think! The final measurement is about 48″ square – plenty big for a couch blanket. I think I’ve given up my idea of sewing on a cotton backing, because, well, I don’t think it’ll ever happen! The blanket’s plenty warm enough as is.

I even have a new crochet project on the go – a ripple blanket!

(Have I mentioned how much I love my new macro?)

I’m using a 5mm hook and many, many random leftovers and single skeins. Unfortunately it turns out that crochet isn’t particularly nice to my left wrist – so I’m going to have to take it easy on this for awhile. I’m thinking it’ll just be one of those random projects around the house that I can pick up and put down whenever!

MDSW: the haul

So what did I get at MDSW?

Two skeins of the most delicious, squooshy merino/silk from Solitude. The wool is from local Virginia sheep! The two skeins are slightly different shades, but very close. I’ll probably stripe ‘em together.

A whole whack of Petite Silk from Tess Designer Yarns. Love this stuff. What I’ll do with it, I don’t know! Maybe incorporate it into some weaving.

Plus three skeins of Tess superwash merino laceweight. I was really into the laceweight this year!

I also picked up two skeins of Wullenstudio sock yarn from the Cloverhill booth, and a Sheep 2 Shoe kit from the Fold. Oh, and some Got Soap – love their stuff! So all in all I was pretty restrained for me. I find once I get to fibre festivals the wool fumes just get into my wallet! I’m sure there are others who can relate.

But now I’m feeling the weight of my stash. Time to get back to working. I felt like for awhile there I wasn’t being particularly productive in the knitting department, but I think I’m getting back on track. And not just with the knitting either!

The giant granny square is done, so here’s a sneak peek! Crochet uses up yarn at a good clip, so I’ve now started another crocheted blanket project – a ripple blanket out of all sorts of different leftovers and random handspuns. But I really need to get going on a few sweater ideas. Anyone have suggestions on how to get more working hours into the day?

frolicking

Saturday was the Downtown Knit Collective’s Knitters Frolic – an annual event that always has me clutching my wallet! This year I drove down (which is an accomplishment if you know me! I hardly ever drive) and worked with megan at our lettuce knit booth.

We actually had a double-booth space because the people next to us cancelled. We had a great time! We had lots of Dream in Color Classy on display along with a great February Lady that Kate knit for us.

We also had lots of Socks that Rock, Malabrigo (and my Ruffles pattern), Dream in Color Smooshy, and the hit of the day – these awesome baskets from Reisenthal!

Once a couple people bought them, they told us that everyone was asking where they came from! We ended up selling out completely – awesome. I didn’t even get one; I’ll have to wait for the next shipment.

Part of what’s so fun about the Frolic for me is seeing so many people I know all in one place! It was super busy first thing in the morning – I guess everyone wanted to get there bright and early. For atmosphere, the view in one direction from our booth. If you’ve never been, this is just one small area – there’s quite a few vendors.

Of course, I did get a bit of a chance to shop once it quieted down a bit. I’m saving my fibre-buying for MDSW (which is next weekend! how did that happen so fast?) but I had a bit of a falling down at the Tanis Fiber Arts booth. I bought a sweater’s worth of the aran weight in “midnight”.

I also picked up a couple skeins of DK weight in “plum” and “sand”.

Aren’t they gorgeous?!

A copy of “Hands-On Rigid Heddle Weaving” and a couple balls of Taiyo rounded things out. Okay, so these push the giant granny square slightly out of stashbusting territory, but in my defense, the Purple Purl had these on special! Should be enough for a couple more rounds of the granny square.

Very last thing was a couple of bobbins – Majacraft bobbins.

…I may have ended up with a new (to me) Majacraft wheel this weekend!

more and bigger

I’m extremely busy this week but I thought I’d pop by with some more photos of my giant granny square!

This is all five balls of yarn that I had, and it’s about 42 inches square.

I still need to find something to crochet a row of border, and to do that whole fabric-backing thing. I love it though! Just in case anyone missed it, I used the Purl Bee granny square tutorial.

Knitting? Yeppers, although just now I’m feeling a little stuck in terms of actually getting started on projects. I’ve got lots of ideas, I just need the time to sit down and work them out so I can get knitting!

This is some Koigu that I really love – but this attempt got ripped. Working on something shawl-y.

Spinning down the stash is going…okay. I’ve been working on some merino/silk – it’s probably Ashland Bay, and I got it at Rhinebeck last year.

I’m almost done the second half, so then I can ply and be done with it! But I’m spinning it a touch finer, so of course it’s taking longer. Next bit I pull out of the fibre stash is getting the fast and furious treatment!

and it was going so well

So there I was, cruising along on the last round of my giant granny square. That’s right, I’ve crocheted up five 100g balls of Taiyo right quick! I was trying to outrun the yarn on the last, rather long go around – the blanket’s going to be about 40″ square – and then when I go to turn the last corner?

I neglected to go a proper corner on the previous round. Had to rip back two rounds.

Argh.

On the plus side, I do think there’ll be enough yarn. And I’m getting the urge to knit something to back it with, rather than using fabric – maybe just mitred stockinette or diagonal garter stitch, but I don’t know. It might be nice to back it with fabric, and I do have some really nice organic cotton jersey.

Oh, the possibilities.

(If I ever get to finish this thing.)

fits and starts

Whew, that flu really knocked me out – I didn’t even want to knit for a couple days, so you *know* I was really ill! But after that the crafting kicked right back in – and hard.

I finally blocked the slip-stitch ridged cardigan I posted about before – now it’s just waiting for some buttons. I’m going to be working on the pattern for this one for the next little while, but the yoke shaping might be a bit tricky to write up!

Although I haven’t had much time with my spinning wheel at all lately, I’m finally getting back into the groove. I’ve got this goal to spin down my stash as much as possible before MDSW (will I see you there?).

So far I wound off some gorgeous teal yarn that’s been sitting on a bobbin for a long while – this was mixed batts that I got last Rhinebeck.

Then I spun and plied up all the grey roving behind the teal there – it was a big fluffy cloud of fibre, also from last Rhinebeck.

I spun it really fast and furiously to a couple episodes in a row of Six Feet Under (which is awesome, but kinda depressing tv-watching) and came up with 460 yards of 2ply, worstedish weight. It goes really nicely with the teal, so they might end up together in something!

All this desire to work through some stash has also resulted in me picking up a hook!

This is my very first granny square – inspired by Joelle’s Giant Granny Square, I’m working up a giant granny square of my own. This is nearly one ball of Noro Taiyo, a little bigger than a foot square, and I’ve got five balls. This goes so quickly! I love the colour changes. Might back it with some fabric afterwards, but we’ll see.

Happy Easter, Passover…or just Sunday!