cosmicpluto knits!

full o’ fibre

Now that term’s over (no school for five whole days! and then only 5 hours of lecture per week!) I’ve finally got time for a proper update…and time to start lots of new projects.

First up: a Chickami, out of Southwest Trading Company Bamboo in “Chocolate”, which is SO not chocolate. It’s working up a bit harsh, but I’ve hoping a wash will help with that.

I’ve also started a little ankle sock, out of Fortissima Cotton Colori, bought off Elann a while back.

I ended up having to rip back the first time because it was too big, but it’s coming along nicely now! Anyway, today I hope to a) knit a few swatches for the class I’m teaching Sunday (on fixing mistakes), b) weave in the ends on “no stripes go round” and maybe steam it a bit, and c) work on sideways spencer.

Next up, in spinning – I finished up the blue merino/silk and got a total of about 250 yards of bulky.

And what’s this?

Why, it’s a pile of Fleece Artist merino roving, to tide me over until my big fibre order comes in!

Stay cool!

p.s. I finished the skirt for my sister, but no pictures for a while because she took it on the family vacation (I get to stay home and knit!).

grumpy

With a grumpy look, to boot (grrrr, school).

Tivoli tee
Pattern: by Grumperina, with mods
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton-Ease, Strawberry Cream, 2 and a bit skeins
Needles: Denise US7
Started: June 1, 2005
Finished: June 21, 2005

After knitting the entire top as written, it was way too big. So, I ripped all the way back to the yoke and knit the body again, with some changes – ended up being about a 35″ bust, after washing, for my 36″ bust:

- I did a total of 11 yoke increases
- on the last yoke round before the armhole bindoffs, I purled across the sleeve stitches to combat curling
- I cast on 16 stitches for the underarm
- I did the shaping at the sides
- I purled 1 row before casting off the bottom knitwise.

Comfy and definitely wearable! Thanks for the inspiration Grumps!

too tired to think of a title

Thought I’d drop by with a tiny bit of knitting/spinning news…not much going on here what with the three exams on monday and tuesday.

First up, finally the end is on the horizon with no-stripes-go-round. The sleeves have been knit and attached, and I’ve done a whopping 2 rounds of the yoke – although with over 300 stitches per round, I suppose that’s still rather a lot. Hoping to get this one done soonish.

In spinning, I did up a bit of light blue merino/silk as singles, just to see what would happen. I did about 10-12 yards (i actually didn’t count), trying to be low-twist but not too low. Washed and wound, ready to be knit into a swatch. I know the fibre’s not really going to be happy in life as a single, so I’m doing the rest of the bag as 2ply.

And that’s really it. I’m at the start of some patterning on the raspberry skirt for my sister – I’m thinking eyelet rows alternating with dropped yarnover rows, and probably a picot edging.

My printer is begin stupid and crapping out on one side of the page, so I’ve got to get that fixed tonight (fresh toner cartridge) and print off some of my study notes so I can give my poor eyes a rest from the computer. Night!

wips

Oh, hello there. Sorry I haven’t been around as much with the updates – school is running me ragged. Less than 3 weeks to go, and I’ll be free (except for anthropology)!

I feel like I’ve just been spinning my wheels with my projects, because I’m working on so many different things that nothing is getting done. Evidence:

Cozy. Still a looooong way to go, and it’s getting too big to take to SnB (almost).

The Monk’s Travel Satchel – I’m almost done the strap! I’m at 62″, and to account for shrinkage I’m aiming for 80″. This one goes pretty quickly during lectures, but again, getting kind of freaking large.

No stripes go round. Boring, boring. I haven’t worked on it in ages. The body’s about half done.

Sideways spencer. I love knitting this one, and it goes so fast because of the patterning. Probably because of that, I haven’t been working on it very much – I’m at the point where you divide for the left front and back. I’ve loosened up my gauge a little while is helping with the wonky row gauge (but I’m making the 40″ size, so if it turns out a bit small it’ll still be ok).

The grey socks. One down, one to go! I did a star toe on the first sock. We’ll see if he thinks it’s comfortable. If not, well, I don’t know.

A toe-up sock for my toe-up socks class. I need to get to the heel this week so I can demonstrate the heel! I wish I was using smaller needles, but I don’t want to buy any. Oh well. Demo sock.

The newest WIP – grumperina’s tivoli tee, in pink cotton-ease. I’m just past the armholes, and it does look like it’s going to fit, more or less – I might need to do a crochet border or something around the neck.

And then there’s the secret gift project, which is coming along. Less than half done, but there’s still time. Plus when I work on it, it goes quickly.

So there you have it! Everything laid out. I haven’t really been spinning because I want my wheel – I’ve decided now that I want the Lendrum. I emailed Gemini Fibres to see if they had it in stock so I could go pick one up – they’re expecting a shipment “any day”. I hope that day is before Thursday, because I’ve got very limited time in which to go there, due to school, parents, etc.

I’ve really got to get some projects done before starting anything new. WIP challenge, if you will.

so close, so far

I’ve got lots of progress pics!

First of all, the purple socks are finally seeing some action – just an inch or so until the heel.

I started a new project for during lectures – “stripes go round” from Interweave Knits summer 2004, in Elann Esprit. Obviously, there are no stripes.

Some other projects are sooo very close to completion!

The licorice cardi just needs a zipper (I will try very hard to do that this weekend):

(Is it poor form to use the Rachael for a non-FO? I think it’s ok.)

And Ubernatural just needs some buttons, which I’ll hopefully pick up tomorrow – it’s a bit, er, tight, but I’m hoping it’ll stretch a bit.

I really need to finish some more stuff off (like the purple socks, these sweaters, the wavy skirt, maybe make some headway on Cozy) before I start any new projects. One of the priorities for the new projects – a skirt for my little sister; she wants to be able to wear it before school is out. I should get on that.

Thanks to Toni for sending me some Cotton-ease!

To a reader named Judi, who made my top-down cardi: I’m so sorry, I accidentally deleted your email and wasn’t able to reply! I’m so glad you enjoyed the pattern.

coucher du soleil*

Soleil
Pattern: Soleil from Knitty
Yarn: Madil “All Seasons”, 50% cotton 50% viscose, colour 206
Needles: Denise US 5 (3.75 mm)
Started: April 24, 2005
Finished: May 16, 2005

She’s beautiful, flattering and feels lovely (that’s a damn great yarn!). The pattern is well written and would have been fast, if I wasn’t so lazy. Thanks for the pattern, Alexandra!

*this should mean “sunset”. if it doesn’t, let me know!!