the prodigal’s return

I know it’s been a while and I have been knitting and spinning as much as i can (which is never enough I know) Life is still ass backwards busy, and I’m guessing the dive i took on the stairs last night won’t help me either (my neice put a bunch of rocks on moms stairs while I was babysitting last night I bruised my left wrist and my tailbone, seriously there’s a hideous bruise running up my back).
But since I have much to show I’m going to just do a few posts over the next few days with stuff thats going on.
I am still working on the birthday weekend sweater, I haven’t forgotten about it. I’ve just been working on other things.

Useing bits and bobs of leftover handspun I made one of the scrappy lenght-wise scarves, it never hurts to have extra scarves on hand, how many people ask about scarves I will never attempt to count but for the people I don’t dislike I like to have a few laying around.

While I was sick with what I can only determine was the worst strep-flu I’ve had in years I managed to finish my stockinette monstrosity. It’s been laying in wait in the stash for one of those times where I want to knit but pretty much anything over stockinette is too taxing on the system.
Here it is laying out ready to be seamed. I seamed it did the edging and added the tassles but haven’t photographed it yet.

Some things that will be popping up: my cosymakes autumn harvest hat, baby (blue) bell (who just needs to be blocked), some spinning thats been done, earth maiden (one more chart repeat and shes ready for blocking), possibly vilai but not much work has been done there.

February keeps rollin, and so do I… in ways.

The so goth it hurts handspun drying after being set. Since I had a bunch of woolies to wash and some stuff to block this also got thrown in. I’ve noticed that the roving I get from the willow tends to bleed a lot when I’m setting it, like crazy actually. I’ve made a note for other times I set things, Luckily enough it didn’t bleed onto anything just muddied the water like crazy.

This is the bonnet from cozymakes pattern, I have to wind the next ball that I’m useing to finish it because the first skein of handspun didn’t have enough yardage. It’ll look interesting when it’s done but I am okay with that. I started it while we were making our rounds yesterday to see the neicelings. Everytime I tell myself I have too many hats I go and make more… go figure.

The stephaine Japel Feminine Puff Sleeve cardigan. I’ve had issues galore with the math but having said that the fit is really rather good. I have to finish the second sleeve and the button bands and then it shall be ready for blocking and buttons. I don’t think I have the buttons I want for it yet, I’ll have to have a look around the apartment. Still it’ll be good to get something big for me done.

And of course what entry would be compleate without Andrew’s Chocolate sexy manly scarf. If Pam Greer was a scarf she would be this “my so called scarf” in a heathered brown, 100% wool. Quick easy and sure to please.

bouncing off of clouds

While the top secret project has demanded a fair amount of my time and minimal photography skills don’t assume I haven’t been busy.
As part of my 101 I wanted to knit six different Cookie A patterns, so here is number two, as I did two pair of pomas recently. It’s the red Herring pattern, I’m calling these my socialist socks, or the communistas. The first one is done, I haven’t weaved the ends in yet but you get the picture (literally). I may do the second one in opposing colors just for a change. It could be fun. Either way I may need to buy more black as it is running much lower than the red. Also a factor in the opposing color for the second sock.

This here is my new pen (a Lamy) and my Andre scarf thus far. I find all the colorwork very intense and really if it weren’t Andre I doubt I would have made it this far, but I want it, and that keeps me trudgeing along in a line. Once I get the the solid black circular knitting I’ll laugh but right now it hurts my brain.
It seems like my color pallet has become blindsided by black and red but I’m also working on a brown cardigan and the blue top secret project.
I also got a bag of stuff off to good will today, which made me feel better (better out than in my tiny apartment). Slowly I’m clawing my way out of the mess that is my life and apartment. slowly.
But now I have a gazillion pages to read for classes so I am going to go, and if i get half of it done you better believe I’ll be knitting.

Inbetween days.

The mystery beret after it’s second knitting. The first one didn’t have the slouchiness I wanted to I frogged it and reknit it with an extra repeat for the perfectness that it is. Now it’s blocking over a plate, but it totally rocks. It’s out of some Manos that Roxanne gave me in repsonce to the hat I gave her. It basically shows that knitting is a very reciprocical art. One can knit and give away something, and sometimes, not all the time, but sometimes, they are returned with yarn. And that’s what makes me really happy, when someone enjoys the things I give them so much that they voluntarily give me something in return. Especially something as swanky as Manos.
This is the quivet scarf, also blocking. It was a gift yarn from my mother who got it at a “sorry you had a shitty break up” gift. I finally knit it up and blocked it. The pattern that came with it is devine and works fabulously for the yarn. It’s 1/3 Quivet, 1/3 merino and 1/3 alpaca. It’s also very soft and warm dispite being very delicate looking.
It was a quick knit, I seem to be taking to those the most these days with papers and finals all swirling in my head. Hell even right now I’m taking a break from finals stuff to blog this. But I think if i didn’t I’d go insane.
While the amount of knitting/spinning I’ve gotten done lately has slowed to a trickle (which is why I have blocked so much) I can’t wait until I don’t have to worry about school for a few weeks and can just focus on work and knitting/spinning/dying.
The last thing I have to show you or blog about is the Cat Bordhi Mobious Cowl. I made it out of handspun, thicker than I usually spin but i wanted to try for a borderline bulky. This is being called the “starry night” skien because it reminds me of that famous painting.
And now I should probably get back to researching. This paper won’t write itself. Even if i Wish it could.