Update: my green sweater WIP

You're looking at the stitch markers

I'm pushing along on my sweater and have the back and front done above the armpits, but I've also gone ahead and connected under the arms and I'm now going down the front completely in the round!

Exciting things that have happened include:

1. Adding stitch markers under the arms, which I sort of find adorable. I have some very utilitarian ones, but also a pretty pearlish one that I got when I purchased my shawl pin. Cute and pretty!
2. I connected and am now knitting in the round! This might seem straight forward to some of you, but to me this is a new and exciting thing. I now have an infinite tube of sweater that I'm making. I don't have to turn needles or move my sweater around. I don't have to purl. I just knit knit knit and around and around I go.
3. I have well over 3 inches of fabric (under the armpits) done! Whoa! So fast! I won't start any more decreases or shaping, though, until I hit 5 inches.
4. I've switched needles down a size! I was using a pair of size 7 circs that I bought at joanns, but now that I'm down to size 6 I pulled out the Knit Picks nickle-plated tips and cord that Polycrafty let me borrow, and I freaking love it. They are pointy, they are easy, they are fast. Zoom!

But... some disappointments as well:

1. Remember how I'm just knitting forever in an infinite tube? Well, as it turns out, that gets a bit boring after a while. *yawn*  I don't wish I was smaller all too often, since I'm generally happy with myself, but I wish I was several inches smaller circumference and then I wouldn't have to many stitches around to do.
2. Also, this yarn is obviously too thick for this top. I think it will come out an OK size, but just be too bulky for the sweet little look that it has in the picture. I wanted to save money on something I might not finish and I went with mid-grade yarn cost. In retrospect, I wish that I had picked up what was recommended.  Maybe I'll pull all of this work out and make something new?  No way. I'll at least finish and wear it once.  After that? We'll see if I end up falling in love with it, after all.

FO: Swirl Shawl for Work

The whole shebang

It's finished!!   The last time I wrote about my Swirl Shawl,I was concerned about it being too small since I didn't have the required yardage, I changed up the needles that were called for, and I guess I was worried that it was going to be a disaster.

Guess what? I think it's absolutely fabulous!

Here it is looking a bit like a croissant with the curly ends.

Dangle! Twisty

And here it is as worn - with wispy little tendrils that dangle down on one side since it's tied up with a pin (they dangle on both sides if I even it out and let it hang). 

I've worn it to work twice already and I think it looks nice, though calls to mind a question:

Close up and personal, Silk Mohair Lace

Should I be worried that I'm so soon an old lady, at the young age of 29?

This was easy and fun...

Though once I learned how to do a yarn-over it got a bit boring.

Swirl Shawl in Mohair

Fluffiest shawl ever.

Since I had a few questions about the sweater I was working on, I decided to cast on and try my hand at a quick n' easy shawl, the Swirl Shawl. I was a little concerned because I was planning to use the skein of Rowan's Kidsilk Haze that I picked up in Medina at a cute little shop, Studio Knit (warning, music), but the pattern called for a much heavier weight yarn.

The pattern also called for more yardage than I have... I only picked up one skein and to fit the pattern I'd need about 1.5. The shawl is constructed starting with the neck area, and then it's knit in a semi-circular rows back and forth, increasing stitch count each time. Due to the construction, it's pretty easy to change the size and length of the shawl by using more or less yardage, so I decided to just go until I run out.

Another change: I started the first few inches with the needle size called for, but then I switched to a much larger gauge so that the whole thing would move along a little more quickly, and also so that the shawl won't be as warm (due to less of the fluffy, insulating fiber). 

The tricky part is that I'm not a very good judge of how much yarn I need to do each row and how much I have left total. Mohair is a pain in the neck to frog/undo, so I want to be careful that I have enough to do my final finishing rows ... but still trying to use all of the yarn since my little shawlette might be on the small side. My yarn is a dark-ish slate grey and super fluffy, and it's been tickly to work with.

The good news is that I think it would be relatively easy to pick up stitches along the outer edge, if needed, if once I finish and cast off and block I decide that the whole thing is too small. It would require finding some extra of this yarn... but even purchasing an extra fresh ball won't be too bad....

I just want to finish and block so that I can wear this to work, already!! I'm about 90%....

A neck for my sweater

My sweater has a neck hole!

I've started down the front of my sweater, so now I have a neckhole where my head can go!  As you can see in the pic, I picked up the stitches at the top of the shoulders and started knitting down the front. The little holes at the shoulder are intentional - when I'm done knitting I'll fold these over and sew them down and it will create decorative folds/gathers to make the top look drape-y. I was a little concerned that the neck wasn't big enough, but it fits over my head fine and I can't wait to get a little bit more done so that I can try it on more easily.

Progress is progress!

Add caption

But, at the same time, I found that I've made an error. Somehow, I've knitted a hole into my fabric. I don't know how on earth it happened, but it's on the front right side (as worn) directly under the neck. Since the pattern is written for the stockinette to curl down to create the neckline the hole is actually hidden, so I am trying to debate if I should pull out all my work and go back and fix it, or if I'll just let it slide. 

I did some reading on the internet, and apparently it's common for beginners to introduce YO (yarn-overs - it's an increase) into their knitting and that leaves a hole... but it also adds a stitch. I counted and have the same and correct number of total stitches, so I sort of have no idea what I did.

Thoughts?

My first increase!

The top back of my sweater! From neck to armpit.

So, you may remember that I worked on swatching with the yarn and needles I bought to make a sweater and I learned how to purl correctly and fixed the wrap direction for my knit so that my stitches weren't twisted.

This weekend my progress has continued, and I spent several hours working on the first section of the pattern. This sweater is worked from the top down (so you can try it on in process) and once I get under the armpit I'll connect in the round and go down the midsection.  On the pic here, you can see the back of the sweater, and the top droopy portion is the neck. The next step is to pick up the stitches at each shoulder with the needles and to start knitting down the *front* of the sweater.

Increases! KFB!

I also learned something new: how to increase stitches! You might notice that along the armpit area the piece flares out. You might suspect that it's due to wonky technique, but it's actually on purpose. I was increasing the number of stitches by doing to kfb that adds an extra stitch to the needle.  Here's a close up, so you can see where I'm adding the extra columns.

While it feels awesome to learn this new stitch and to kfb - they are sort of fun - with each added stitch is just a bit more work I have to work going forward.

This sort of makes me think I'd like lace since there are all sorts of stitches that aren't just knits and purls.

A proper swatch

Blocking with pins! Like a proper swatch.

After my last post, I decided to do a proper swatch. I used garter to make a 'frame' that would keep the stockinette swatch portion from curling and twisting. When I was finished, I washed it gently and blocked it to let it dry overnight.

Dried swatch.

Good news! My stitches per inch is as the pattern calls for.

Bad news! Looking at my swatch it looks like my knitting is twisted a bit (or maybe my purling is?) Instead of the "V's" lining up next to each other, on every other row the row is very short and one side of the V is tucked under the other side.

I think that it might make sense for me to wait to cast on until I get some input on this. Though usually I'm all "this seems close enough let's go!", I sort of what to do this -right- so that I wear it when I'm finished.

Thoughts?

Swatching and a Moscow Mule

Ok, so let's get the most important out of the way first. Inspired by a boardgaming friend of mine, Nathan and I selected the Moscow Mule as our Cocktail of the Week and decided to mix them up for friends as we played games tonight.  First, this drink is delicious. Second, this drink is refreshing and perfect for a hot night. Third, it's easy (well, provided you can find ginger beer.)

Shake together vodka and lime juice (2:1) over a bunch-a ice and serve on light rocks in a highball glass. Top with Ginger Beer - not ginger ale soda! - (2-4 parts, or whatever tops up your glass).  Drink the crap out of it. Be refreshed.

Now that everyone is a little fizzy, I've started swatching for the Magnolia sweater that I'd like to make for myself. I ordered some wool + silk blend yarn from KnitPicks in a grassy green color and it showed up today, so I couldn't help but start swatching.

Look at this! 10 stitches across 2 inches.

The purpose of a gauge swatch is to make sure that using your particular yarn with your particular tension on your particular equipment (needles!), you can create the same sizes. If you do this and adjust at the beginning, you can make a sweater that fits -you- rather than your favorite stuffed animal or Great Aunt Mildred. Despite the benefits, I've never actually swatched before because, boring, and also because I've been making dishcloths and who cares?

But I did it!! The number of stitches per inch across a row is perfectly on target for the pattern, 20 over 4 inches (5 spi)... but my stitches appear to be squat and shorter... either 6 or 7 stitches make up a vertical inch.  Before I go any further and cast on I think that I'll wait for input from more more experienced knitters, but in the meantime I'm really proud of myself.

I've also starting knitting the correct way - knitting into the front of the loop rather than the back of the loop. Ta da!

My first FO (Finished Object): Easy Crochet Headband

So, it has finally happened! I have started and finished a craft project.  Apparently, coasting on the high of live animals and fluffies has pushed me to continue to create.  I found a great pattern on ravelry, the Easy Crochet Headband by creativeyarn, (Alternate link on her site) that looked perfect for someone with a small amount of lumpy yarn who only knows the very super basics.

I wanted to use some of the new yarn that I spun this weekend, so I gave it a shot, and 30 minutes later I had the finished headband!

My head, sporting the latest in crochet fashion

!

I can imagine that it would be nice to whip out a few of these in a variety of colors to match different outfits. They are quick and easy and might make nice gifts, and I imagine they are super-easy to embellish with beads or notions or other little things to make it more interesting. The author has an amended pattern to include a crocheted flower, but my skills aren't quite up to that, yet.

Anyway, I made this thing, from fluff to finish.  Yay!

Dyed roving: Quick Update!

On Sunday night, Polycrafty and I started a few batches of acid-dyed roving. I had to leave before the dye baths cooled and were ready for rinsing, so she drained and rinsed the fibers for us both the following morning.

In each pot we had my roving, some curly tendril-y cutesies that Polycrafty picked up at the fiber show, as well as some Alpaca roving (right?) that she had in her stash.  

My fluff is on the left, with twisty-curlies in the middle and the Alpaca on the right.  As you can see, the dye was picked up much more on my wool - this is because my fiber was on top and we poured dye from the top and sort of pushed it down with a spoon.

Blue-purple-green, my roving on the left. This is the 'top'.

Another interesting detail is that the purple color actually separated out into the blue and red components. The picture above shows a dark blue splotch at 6 o'clock on my wool, but when the whole thing is turned over (below), you can see that this is dyed red in the same place. Something to do with improper mixing at the beginning and densities and maybe having an over-full pot.

Blue-purple-green, my roving on the left. This is the 'bottom.'

And here is the red-yellow-orange.  Again, mine is on the left.  I love it!! It turned out so bright and sunshiny and happy.  I sort of wish there was more orange, but I suspect that as I feel less timid about working with all of this material that I'll be happier to push things around and mix more.

Red-yellow-orange, my roving on the left.

Ok, that's it.  Thanks to Polycrafty for the pics (taken by her and shared with me this morning).

Now, what to do with it.....?

Great Lakes Fiber Show 2012 - and a day of fiber processing

My finished ball of center-wound yarn! Shown with drop spindle and card from the vendor.

Yesterday, I joined my friend Polycrafty and her mother for a trip to the Great Lakes Fiber Show in Wooster, OH. My friend has been working with fiber for years now, and I've always admired her hats, hand warmers, and scarfy shawl things, so I was excited to be able to join in.  Spoiler alert: I made this yarn!!

We spent the day visiting booth after booth of fleeces, roving, yarn, and tools and it made my head spin to see all of the craftsmanship at each step of the processes. Fiber was lovingly carded and dyed and skein-ed and I stuck my hands into nearly every bag of fluff that I found. There was nothing like being immersed in the geek-y underbelly to both (1) really appreciate all of the skill and detail and beauty that I doubt I'd have the patience to ever achieve and (2) be convinced that I could do a half-a$$ed job of it and come up with something sort of decent and lovely that I made myself.

I left the show with a drop spindle kit from Aboundingful Farm that included some pretty grey Icelandic roving from Vanessa the Longhaired Sheep and also 4 oz of white blend roving from Homespun Acres that is a Targhee/Mohair blend.  For those not in the know, Targhee is a type of sheep and Mohair comes from the Angora goat. Polycrafty's mother also gave me some bags of roving that she had at home for me to experiment with, so by the end of the day I had arms full of fluffies.

My handspun, pre wash-and-beat in the shower

I started spinning in the car on the way back to Cleveland and spun about half of the Vanessa roving into tight, overspun, lumpy thready yarn.  It was a little tricky to learn how much to pull the roving to control the thickness of the yarn (and, indeed, I still need to learn!) and I think that ultimately the whole bunch was completely overspun, but it was easy to learn and it went quickly and it was forgiving.

Bottles of powdered acid dye and premixed liquid dye

Polycrafty and I decided to do a quick dye batch or two on some of the treasures that she had picked up, so I split the gifts from her mother into two piles and picked out colors.  There are many methods to dye fiber, but we used an Acid dye (for animal fiber) and used a method where concentrated dye liquid is poured over the top of fiber that's already in a pot of hot water with some vinegar, and let the dye color soak down through the fiber. With this method, we were able to use a few colors per batch and end up with variegated, multi-color fiber at the end.  We chose a red/orange/yellow scheme for one pot and then a blue, purple, green for the second.

Blue, purple, green dye bath

Red, yellow, orange dye bat

Once we were finished playing with color, we sat down to watch a movie on Netflix and go back to the hand spinning. She was working on a pretty silk yarn and I was back to Vanessa the Grey Sheep.  It wasn't long before I finished up the whole batch of roving and then Polycrafty showed me how to wind it into a skein, wash it in warm water and beat it against the wall of the shower (to help it keep its twist) and hang it to dry. By this morning I had a buncha yarn that I wound into the center-wind ball above. I'm not sure what I'll do with it... but hey, now I have some grey yarn.  It's sort of knobbly and rough and fray-y looking, but it's mine.