Monkey off my back



Yesterday was the Five Counties guild competition and as usual, I was finishing my entry at the last minute. Most years, I end up putting the last touches on during the car ride to the event. Since I was driving this year, I thought my passenger would appreciate an earlier push.












The pattern is the Sleepy Monkey Blanket from Twist Collective. It's really two blankets knitted in the round, steeked and then bound together wrong sides in and finished with two seperate borders (backing on each other). A final garter round seals both sides and makes the blanket totally reversible.






I spun the yarn on my Schacht Matchless and then Navajo plied it to a triple ply. The roving was superwash merino and the colours were dictated by the guild challenge. I had to use orange and green but could add other colours too. You can see the two sides here before I bound them together. The back side is quite colourful. I opted for a garter stitch border instead because it is reversible and I would have had to spin more yarn to do it as indicated in the pattern. Time didn't permit however, I'm pleased with the garter finish. The blanket is very cushy so if you make this, it's almost like a flat pillow.


The theme of the competition was "energy" so my very talented guild mate suggested we make felted balls and create an energy transfer machine ala physics class. You can see them here behind the mesh holding the display items. People did play with our machine which is what we wanted but alas - the judges didn't think it was the most "eye catching" so we're bridesmaids again. However, I loved seeing all of the entries and was so proud of the talent in our guild.

The Sleepy Monkey will be resting in my cedar chest. I can't bear to give it to anyone because there's so much of me in it. I think it will go to the first grandchild. NOT ANYTIME SOON!

A Good Bath

It sucks when you work on a project and the whole time you feel it's a disaster. Such was my experience weaving my second project - an undulating twill blanket. The yarn choice, pattern choice and sett were not "in sympatico" so I had lots of slippage. It was a rookie mistake. I powered through with some coaching from the amazing Jane Stafford who gave me some advice. The best advice she gave was to reserve judgement until the finished cloth hit the water. "A good bath often turns an ugly duckling into a swan," she counselled. She was right.

Here is the finished blanket. It was designed to act like a runner on a leather chair in our living room. Colours were chartreuse and taupe. The pattern I chose was an undulating twill which has long floats. The yarn was a silk-superwash merino blend which I thought would wear well. However, it makes it more slippery and less forgiving when it comes to fluffing up during washing to stabilize it.

When I found big gaps in my sample weaving because the yarn slipped around I panicked and e mailed Jane. She recommended a pick of plain weave 100% wool (very fine) between the picks of twill to stabilize it. Here on the close up you can see the wool picks and it certainly did the trick! The final blanket was more than 5 feet long so I was very glad to finish it off.

I washed it in warm water with Soak soap and spun it dry This was my first time using a floating selvedge and I love the way it makes everything so neat and tidy.

It looks great on the chair and I'm still amazed at how a little bath saved the day.

Summertime: Livin Easy, Fish Jumping and Cotton is on the Needles

In spite of the fact that I'm delving into other fibrey pursuits - knitting remains my fist love (rest assured). There are many projects in the queue and a couple that will make it to finished object status soon.

Here in wine country, we've been enjoying an amazing summer. Our winemakers are grinning ear to ear and they say it'll hopefully be the best vintage ever. We've been renovating here at chez veritas. The new roof was last November and now it's time for all new windows. What a difference it makes! Of course - it ain't cheap so thank goodness that most of the fall projects I'm lovin can come from stash (more on that later).

First up is a cardigan I started a few seasons ago - Maritime from Rowan 43 in Cotton Glace . I'm finally on the last sleeve so here's a sneak peek of the pieces tacked to Judy (she's such a trooper). The button band is done in a lovely lilac shade and I have funky lilac buttons with white trim to finish it off. This is very "Anthroplogie" to me. I got a navy ribbon for the waist trim.

Also chugging along is my submission for this year's spinning/weaving competition for September. It's Sleepy Monkey. Our colours are pumpkin and sage green so I'm doing the monkeys in the pumpkin and the edging will incorporate the green. I can add as many other colours as I want - just 50% of the item has to be a combo of pumpkin and green. It's a merino superwash that I've spun to worsted weight and Navajo plied.

I'm hoping to post a final review of my woven blanket once it's off the loom and washed - we'll see if a good bath can save it.

I'll leave you with a lovely glamour shot of Phoebe. She actually looks regal! You'd never know she was such a goof-ball.

Drive By Blogging

So you may be wondering how the heck the weaving is going?? It's been said that good judgement comes from experience and that experience comes from...bad judgement.

I'm getting lots of "experience".

Thanks so much to everyone who posted here and in the Handwoven study group forums to help me figure out how to save this project. It's a classic case of yarn and weave structure not being compatible. Undulating twills have long floats on top of the cloth. This is a bigger yarn and is super wash/silk blend (in other words slippery). Undulating twills it turns out are much nicer when woven in fine yarns that can grip a bit. Ah - go figure!

At any rate, the amazing Jane Stafford has suggested that I weave a pick of fine neutral 100% wool between the picks of twill to stabilize it. That's what I'm doing and it's definitely better but still a bit more "mobile" than I would like.

The true test will be when it takes a bath. Hopefully the wool picks will felt a wee bit and hold it all together.

Time will tell! I'm in the home stretch.

Feeling like a wet blanket:

I'm weaving a blanket for my husband out of City Silk in taupe and chartreuse. It's an undulating twill and I don't understand the weave structure as it's got some long floats.

I'm concerned about the end fabric though. The weave seems uniform and firm when I first do it but as it winds around the front of the loom, there are some gaping holes as the threads shift. Is this something I should be worried about or will it work itself out when I wet finish it?

This is the fabric on the top side which looks fine:

Here is the fabric underneath:

What say you oh weaving mavens?

Oh, Bugga


I manged to forgo the Koigu craze.

I even resisted stashing up on Socks that Rock


In fact, I'm quite proud of my ability to resist the "latest cool yarn" - that is, until I met Bugga.





Or should I say- Bugga met me? Oh sure, I'd heard whispers in chat rooms about its decadence and beauty. Merino, Cashmere, Nylon might be Kryptonite to some but not to me. Then Vanessa showed up at Madrona wearing her Swedish Heartwarmer shawl made in 100% Bugga. Here it is modeled by Steph at our weekend retreat in March. Vanessa kindly brought it to the Yellow House for all of us to ogle. My other knitting buddy Joy also made this out of the Mountain Bearfoot yarns originally prescribed. Both versions are stunning but I really wanted to knit with the Bugga to see what all of the fuss was about so I planned my colourway.



I want to stay close to the original colourway (done in Bearfoot Mountain Colours) but at the same time, I want to put my own stamp on things. I found inspiration in a wall calendar I have. This is the April image and I particularly love the way the red boat pops on the subdued grey/blue background. It's got a Ralph Lauren vibe that I especially like.
(The colours, not the image which is kind of goofy)





Over the month of March I acquired the necessary shades. Top left going clockwise they are: Tomato Frog, Blue Metalmark, Bog Fritillary and Sooty Dancer. I'm working on the plain section that starts the shawl done all in indigo. In this case it's Sooty Dancer.




I'm doing a huge, stranded colourwork shawl on 2.25mm needles.


I'm knitting it with the most amazing yarn ever made.



Kinda like drowning in a vat of liquid chocolate. I may not make it out the other side but I'll certainly die happy.

Spring Shell Games





Once upon a time, I was going to knit this





I purchased the Rowan Milk Cotton DK in the soft Apple Pips shade to make it. Then, I woke up and realized that I wasn't a supermodel and that the sizing just didn't work for me. So, the milk cotton has languished until now.








I LURVE this cardigan. Practical, classy. Kim has really knocked it out of the park this time with her new Summer book Misty.










Once upon a time, I was going to knit this.








I purchased the Rowan Fine Milk Cotton in the Barley shade to make it. I've seen a store sample (Julie had one in her booth at the Toronto Knitter's Frolic last year). It's stunning and I still love it BUT this lacy tank (right) is also in Kim's new book. How sweet! Wearable with skirts and jeans for summer. I think I'll repurpose the yarn for Arielle instead.




Oh yeah, and I also love this ice blue lacy cardigan (below) from the new book. It's made from Calmer and I have a half-knitted Audrey that I never finished way back in the day. I don't think I'll wear Audrey very much. I lost interest after the millionth knitter made it. I think I'll frog Audrey and use the teal Calmer for this design.




So, I'm frogging a Kim Hargreaves design to make another Kim Hargreaves design. I guess she gets the triple play here.

Two Minutes for Holding

We take our hockey very seriously here in Canada. I snapped this picture of a snowman created by some of the university students living down the street. He was built the day of the hockey game and quite frankly - I think it looks like the Michelin Man and Captain Jack Sparrow had a love child (notwithstanding the Canadian flag).

For knitters, the Olympics were definitely a reason to celebrate. I joined my knit night team (one talented team member designed a logo for our team) and decided to cast on for the Tanis Gray XOXO Raglan mauve cardigan. I did get one sleeve done which is an accomplishment for me. Madrona was great but being away and then catching up at work when I got back didn't lend itself to lots of knitting time.

Here's the first sleeve - the little garter triangles that decorate the raglan sleeve are a lovely detail.

There was lots of lovely knitwear on display too. The Canadian team sported bulky cardigans which are inspired by the Cowichan Sweaters. I did see them at the Bay and liked them quite a bit. I don't recall them being the $300 people are quoting now - more like $125 or so. They are sold out but there are options (we're knitters after all).

There is this free pattern on the Ram Wools site which isn't too far off of the mark.

There is a Raveler who is charting the design too.

Check out the Olympic style "look book" to see some of the designs worn by other Olympic volunteers.

I'm almost tempted to design something myself for next year as well. I do love the rustic feel of the sweaters but something a bit more fashion forward might be in order. This design from the cover of Knit Scene has always appealed to me but I'd want to put a bit more of the graphic elements on it.

So in the end, the Olympics were a success. The country did itself proud, discovered its voice and my queue got longer.

Not bad for 17 days work.

Hitting the Pause Button


This coming Tuesday I will board a plane and head to Washington State for the Madrona Fiber Retreat. Preparing for my absence requires several "to do" lists.

1. Clean towels, sheets and underwear for everyone...check


2. Board of Directors report complete and submitted....check


3. Two casseroles, 3 loaves of bread and 4 boxes of Kraft Dinner in the pantry...check


4. Purchased 12 large crickets to feed to carnivorous lizard...check


5. Packed, got US traveler's cheques and completed workshop homework...check

Now just the fact that my list includes both a Board report and a cricket purchase (and not the English sporting kind) makes me like most busy moms - a multi-tasker. We give and do for others so much that sometimes, we just need to recharge our batteries. This is what Madrona is all about for me.


I'll be taking my Wee Robin wheel and partaking in a seminar with Judith MacKenzie McCuin about fleeces and the long staple breeds. I've taken a several workshops with her before and I always learn so much. I'm also taking a day with Janine Bajus on designing a Fair Isle yoke sweater and choosing colours for the project. I've wanted to take a workshop with her for ages so I'm quite excited to finally be able to. There will be great friends, lovely food, stimulating workshops and lots of lovely fibre and yarn at the vendor market. I'm hoping to take my Christmas money (thanks dad!) and treat myself to a bulky plying head for my Matchless.


I've always loved this painting. I don't own it but I do own several of his pieces. It's called "The Responsible Woman". It is an homage to his wife who balances several roles in any given day. He's beautifully captured the essence of today's wife, mother and businesswoman.


No matter who you are or what your gender - make sure you set aside some time, money and head space to have an experience that recharges your batteries. Acquiring another "widget" just doesn't have the same therapeutic impact.


Catch you all on the flip side!

You had me at William Morris


I love the aesthetic created during the arts and crafts movement in the 1900's. They say that the movement was an expression of rebellion against the impending industrial onslaught. It advocated truth to materials, traditional craftsmanship and economic reform. It's also been noted that today's renewal in the arts and crafts is a similar means of protesting the electronic age.


I particularly love William Morris and have sourced (with all of the dtermination of Dog the Bounty Hunter) a few fabrics based on his designs to use in my home decorating projects.


When I saw Kelmscott in the Winter issue of Twist Collective and then noted its ties to the William Morris aesthetic - I was instantly in love. Now normally, I would source the prescribed yarn for such a beloved project (aren't they all?) as detailed exactly by the pattern. This time I had a yarn in stash that profiled perfectly for conscription. Said yarn was 10 skeins of Naturally Sensation in a pale lilac shade. It was a perfect substitute based on the following criterion:

1. It was made of the correct fibre content - in this case a 70/30 merino/angora blend.


2. It was of a colour and shade that worked for this project - a subdued whisper lilac.


3. I had in stash the perfect quantity - no more, no less (here's where I often come off the rails but not this time).


4. Most importantly - I had not emotionally connected this yarn to a specific project. Feral yarns that don't have "project homes" are best for deploying on the fly. If I have purchased a yarn with a project in mind - it's often impossible for me to admit defeat and direct the intended yarn to another purpose.

Here was a yarn that I'd bought when an LYS closed. It was a good popular weight and sensible colour so I stashed it without a project in mind.


Kelmscott and Sensations seem to be a match made in heaven! Gauge is perfect, the pattern is humming along and best of all, I'm not haunted with images of what "might have been".


Then - the latest issue of Knit Scene arrives with a smashing wrap cardi by one of my favourite designers in...you guessed it - Naturally Sensations, lilac. I love Connie's work, I love the design here and as luck would have it, the required number of skeins matches exactly what I had in stash.



I'm holding tough and forging on with Kelmscott but darn it all - does this mean I have to buy it again?

Double Play: Cobblestone Pullover

I've been in a rather indecisive state of mind of late. I don't like the notion of committing myself to anything and this is having some rather unexpected benefits for my knitting. Since choosing a new project seems to daunting, I've taken to pulling UFOs (Dad, UFO= unfinished object in knitter speak) out of the pile to forge ahead on them. What better way to avoid a new commitment than to simply reignite an old one? Case in point - meet a completed Cobblestone Pullover. It's my second finished object this month.

Specs are as follows:

Cobblestone Pullover by Jared Flood

Yarn: O Wool Balance in grey (50/50 organic wool and cotton)

Size: Smallest

Adaptations: Used a 4mm needle on the hem and cuffs. Made the sleeves slightly smaller.

Made for: Mr. Veritas

This is the first sweater I've ever made for my husband after 30 years of being together. I'm not worried about the sweater curse (don't believe in it) it's simply that he likes grey and black stockinette and I like challenge and colour. We both liked this design and the tweedy flecks of the O-Balance yarn made it more interesting. The fit is PERFECT. Unlike Roam for which size was a problem (due to my yarn choice) - this one is bang on. This is a delightful pattern to make - deceptively simple in style yet artful in design. I'm so impressed with Mr. Flood's pattern that I may just commit to casting on for Stillwell. I have the yarn all set to go from Julie at the Needle Emporium.

Here he is with Phoebe who has grown into quite a nice young lady at one year of age.

In the meantime, I'll be resurrecting Rhinegold to see if I can shepherd that one to the finish line.

It amazes me that my indecision has increased my productivity. Though I will cast on something new on New Year's Eve...What will it be????

A Flaming Red Head

I love the evening of boxing day. It generally marks the point in the holiday season where I can shake off the social obligations and break free. The last big meal has been served, the last office party attended, gifting done and the men folk can coast on the leftovers for the rest of the week. I can now turn my thoughts to the upcoming year.

I'm looking forward to 2010 - it's the start of a new decade and won't we all be glad to put a fork in this one? In spite of myself, I'm getting excited about the Vancouver Olympics. The torch passed through our region this past week. Our fearless leader was invited to be a toch-bearer. The torch was brought into the office the next day and we all lined up in the lobby to have our pictures taken with it. It's a heavy thing!

I guess I may just join in on the Knitting Olympics this year. I'm not sure if my Knit Night group is planning a team but hopefully I can find one to join. I'm thinking of making the Ysolda Teague Vine Yoke Cardigan. I have some Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted in the new colourway Cookie's Deep Dark Secret. It's a deep blueberry shade.

A whole cardigan within 3 weeks - I've never done it yet. Could be cool...or crazy.

Roam wasn't knit in a day

It's done. Finally, totally, blessedly done.

Roam is one of those sweaters that I wanted to wear more than I wanted to knit it. All of that seed stitch can make you mad. I did learn how to produce this stitch continental which was a god-send. However, with this sweater, I made a tragic, rookie mistake.

I used an alpaca and silk blend.

I made a size larger (made size 40") than I normally would.

Those two decisions have produced a garment that's bigger than I'd wanted. Note to self...alpaca = size "DOWN" not up. Instead of the sleek, sexy zippered hoodie described in the pattern, I have a longer, roomier sweater. It still fits fine - it's just different than I'd planned. These shots on the dress Judy show the stitch and the yarn fairly accurately. I used Lisa Souza's Baby Alpaca Silk in the shade mahogany. It was delicious to work with but I will use it for shawls in the future or I will knit a size smaller than I want the finished garment to be.

Thrown over a skirt, tights and boots with a turtle neck - a leather low-slung belt kind of makes it look ok. It's very toasty and I must admit, I've worn it a lot already.

Next up is hopefully a finished Cobblestone pullover for my husband for Christmas. I'm in good shape so far and that will make TWO FOs in one month. Outrageous!!

With all of this finishing, pretty soon I'll have to decide what new project to cast on for. The possibilities are mind-boggling.

Connections


When I started this blog, I had this notion that it could celebrate wine and yarn. There's been a lot more yarn than wine and it's been a while since I've done a yarn and wine pairing. I'll admit it, sometimes I feel it seems contrived to recommend a wine with a certain project but then something happened today that just seemed blog-worthy.



This is one of our top selling wines. It's called XOXO. It's about the passionate embrace of two perfect grapes. In this case it's a pinot grigio with a chardonnay. Our winemaker (a young woman who is so very talented) has got the balance down perfectly and the chard tempers the pinot grigio every so slightly. It's an unusual combination but it totally works.


So how does this relate to yarn you might ask? Well Vogue Knitting has been releasing some previews of some designs from their upcoming winter issue and lo and behold - this is featured...

Just the right colour and those x's and o's up the front band are awesome!

I think I'm in love. I would cast on this minute if I could.