Round Up

My creative energies are quite scattered right now. I jump from project to project, swatching here and there for good measure. I thought it would be appropriate for this post to provide a "snapshot" of the various creative impulses cavorting in my head. Some are currently manifesting and some will never be more than a gleam in my eye. Others...I'm holding up a clove of garlic and a crucifix to...like weaving.

I belong to our local spinning guild or should I say "Handweavers and Spinners Guild". These spinners are really weavers in disguise - they spin to get stuff to weave. I'm "the knitter"...no, really - they actually point at me and whisper "That's the knitter" in hushed tones. At guild meetings they usually have an activity, one that involves weaving. I have no desire to weave. No time and no extra 800 square foot room to house the big honkin loom that comes with this hobby. When they try to get me to weave at meetings I usually hiss"I don't weave! I knit." It's somewhat ironic that last guild meeting I won these handwoven tea towels in the raffle they have every meeting. They were woven by the guild "weaving maven". No siree Bob..not for me. They are pretty though, aren't they? I think the raffle was rigged to suck me in.

Speaking of spinning, the Ontario Handspinning Seminar comes to our local university this weekend. I'll be taking a seminar with Harriet Boone with whom I had the pleasure of taking a seminar from last year. She rocks and the topic will be "tender toes - spinning sock yarn". I'll report in after the weekend.

Speaking of socks - I'm chugging away at my Monsoon sock from the Feb. Rockin Sock Club shipment. Those ribs up the foot don't go so fast but I'm very pleased that I'm getting some cool stripes. I can't wait to get to the cabled part. The new STR shipment arrived a few weeks ago with the new "Silkie" sock yarn. It's 81% superwash merino and 19% silk. The silk takes the dye a bit differently so, there's a cool Barber pole effect. This stuff is heaven and I can't wait to make the pattern that came with it which is a lace sock with a seam up the back. I ordered a second skein to do the knee high version.

My Bonsai Tunic had to be ripped back again. One of my "fan" sections had one too many stitches and the mistake wasn't caught until I'd knitted about 6 inches of incorrect stitch count. I was just about to give up but decided to keep at it. I'm at the waist ribbing and I'm loving this project.

Speaking of great Interweave Knits designs - my Summer 07 issue of IK arrived this week. I have them sent to me from Gemini Fibers and if you live in Ontario, I highly recommend this method. Cheryl just charges your card as the new issues come in and sends it to you. I get mine weeks before they show up in the stores. I really love this issue (as I did the Spring issue) and the designs that I'm attracted to include the Bella Blouse which I conveniently have the exact yarn in stash. Aqua shades of Berroco Cotton Twist and Touche.

I also really love the Origami Cardigan. What clever construction! Of course these are both Norah Gaughan designs. I think she'll be the new patron saint of this blog.

Oh, and the Oriel Blouse by Shirley Padon is wonderful! Has anyone knitted with Alchemy Silken Straw?

Speaking of the Spring Interweave Knits issue, I'm taking a second look at that lovely Indigo Ripples skirt by Kat Coyle. Eunny Jang and Eileen from Ei Knits have both made it in dark denim and lengthened it so it's less "flirty" and more elegant and tulip-like. They are stunning and I have the dark denim in stash to make this. I'm sketching my plan out for this one. I like the way Eunny used a smaller needle to get a tighter gauge which made it more fitted.

All of this jumping around calls for a wine that jumps too. If you're in the Ontario region or know someone who lives here - see if you can get a bottle of Ice Cuvee. It's a sparkling wine with a kiss of ice wine. Absolute heaven!