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Long winters can lead to crazy notions. At some point in late winter, I had the bright idea it would be fun to bring a new yarn base on board. I had a few ideas in mind, so I did a bit of testing and settled on one. By that I mean, I settled on one for the time being. I rarely meet a yarn I don't like, so I'm sure one or two of the other candidates will make an appearance down the road.
I did some quick work and rolled out a new yarn at Knitting Lab, and just the other day I added it to the website. Crystal is a fingering weight blend of Superwash Merino, Yak and Silk. This yarn produces vibrant colors with all sorts of luster and shimmer. It really is a treat.
Since my spring schedule was crazy, I delegated the last-minute sample knitting to a friend. She was happy to oblige, and I owe her. In fact, I'm not sure what I owe her. We still haven't worked out the details.
Now that I've had time to catch my breath, I think it's my turn to knit something with Crystal.
I'm considering my color options. The problem is I want them all.
Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway last week. Anne F is the winner this time around. Be sure to check back as I'll be doing another giveaway later this month.
I've been stuck at my desk the last couple days, trying to make sense of all this paperwork. While I've made great progress, I've come to grips with the fact that this task is going to spill over into the weekend.
Usually I have a little knitting project at my desk. It takes the edge off when I'm making phone calls and get put on hold for the umpteenth time. While I didn't have a project handy at my desk, I did have a little swatch to knit up. OK. I didn't have to knit a swatch, but it's part of my new project ritual.
These are the two balls of yarn I had posted about recently. I finally decided on a pattern. All I needed to do was get the project up and running. I did the obligatory swatch and adjusted my needle size. You see. Sometimes swatching pays off.
Then I cast on. I told myself I shouldn't do it. There was more paperwork to sift and sort. But then I reasoned with myself that there will always be more paperwork . . . the way the laundry is never done because there are always more dirty clothes.
I'm proud of myself. I didn't knit that much. But there are stripes, and they are kind of addictive. As in, "I'm going to knit just one more stripe." Who am I kidding? I'm going to need some kind of reward system to allow myself to knit stripes. If not, this pile of paperwork will linger indefinitely.
My color inspiration for the week is this lovely orchid. I don't have the green thumb I used to, but my son has been diligent and has kept it alive. The petals remind me of batik fabric.
Soft, shifting pink.
Shop News. I've just opened sign-ups for another year of Yarn Knot. Four packages of yarn delivered right to your door over the course of a year.
There's an element of surprise because you don't know what you're getting until the package arrives. That's the fun part for you. I get to experiment with different fiber blends that I don't normally offer. That's the fun part for me. All colorways are exclusive. I'm really looking forward to it.
Knitting News. The cool, damp weather from Monday has lingered into today. In fact the temps today might be even lower than they were earlier in the week. All this means that I'm mighty tempted to haul out a couple of those freshly washed, just-packed-away woollens. I'm holding out . . . for the moment.
Instead I'm turning my attention to sock production. Since I mentioned it in my last blog post, I now feel committed to Summer of Socks, Round 2. To get this train rolling, I started to think of new pattern and color options. Then I remembered my sock already under construction.
This one needs just a few more rounds and then a toe. Yes, this is the first sock, but I rarely suffer from second sock syndrome. In fact for me the second one seems to knit up quicker than the first. This project is going to get me through this gray, wet day in May.
Since we're moving toward summer, I decided it was time for me to wash my handknits and pack them away.
I hesitate to do this too early in the season since then I end up digging out a pair of fingerless mitts - maybe even a pair of socks or a hat - to fend off the chill. This weekend I reasoned with myself that the time had come for the big wool wash.
It is, after all, the end of May. It should be safe to tuck things away for a few weeks. But as I sit here this morning in the cool damp, I'm wondering if I'm going to need some woolly warmth.
I also use this washing ritual as an opportunity to assess my handknits. What do I have plenty of? What am I lacking?
These aren't all my socks but most of them. Somehow I thought I had more - it seems like I'm always knitting socks. Then I remembered that a couple pairs that I knit this last year ended up as booth samples.
I did find one pair that missed the bath, so there will be a repeat of this wool washing exercise. A couple pairs are showing wear, so it looks like I'm in for the Summer of Socks, Round 2. I also noted a lack of yellow, red and orange in my current collection. I'll have to remedy that.
After everything was washed and accounted for, I was left with this.
Somewhere I must have a matching pair. This has turned into a game of hide-and-go-seek between me and my handknits. I'm off to find the last of them. I have another day of washing ahead of me.
It's a holiday weekend here in the States, and for many that means it's a long weekend. This weekend signals the start of summer, and it feels like many people around here have been in vacation mode since Wednesday. For me, the holiday means I'll try to squeeze in a little extra knitting time. I'll even move it outside and knit on the porch if the weather cooperates. I lead a very simple life.
To celebrate the holiday weekend and the end of May, I'm running the monthly giveaway. Simply leave a comment and let us know what you're working on this weekend - knitting or otherwise. The winner, chosen at random, will receive a skein of yarn from Dirty Water DyeWorks - winner's choice. The contest closes on Saturday, May 31, 2014.
Speaking of porches, I wish mine looked like this. All it needs is a couple Adirondack chairs. My color inspiration this week is all about wood.
Different shapes, forms and colors.
Was it the pattern? Or was it the yarn? I swing both ways on this, but I know some knitters who are on one side or the other. Either they won't buy yarn unless they have a specific pattern in mind, or they buy yarn with reckless abandon, with nary a thought for what it will become.
Today I'm faced with the situation that the yarn came first.
This combination crossed my path several months ago, but I shoved it aside. When these two landed together after a recent show, I decided it might be time to see what they will become. So today I'm off on a pattern search - a nice addition to my to-do list.
Which comes first for you? Is it the pattern or the yarn?
My 3-day gig at Knitting Lab was great fun. After four consecutive weekends on the road, I have a short break and time to catch my breath. A little extra sleep might come in handy too.
Knitting Lab draws people from all over the country, and it's a good opportunity to chat about new projects, fun colors and interesting techniques.
There was plenty to explore at the market, and I always manage to spot something new.
This time around I actually bought a couple things.
This selection of Norwegian wool is from Wall of Yarn (sorry, I can't find a link for them). Yes, they did have a wall filled with many colors of yarn. It was hard to pick and choose. I'm not sure what I'm going to make with these, but there are plenty of possibilities.
Because I have a thing for gray and black . . .
More buttons for the collection. Somewhere in my stash I know I have yarn that will match.
And since my hands always need a little extra help . . .
You can't go wrong with goat milk. Add some veggies? I'm all over it.
Knitting Lab was inspiring in many ways. With that, I'm off to tackle a new week and new challenges.
