I am a sweater knitting fiend

The Ravelympics are finished, and I managed to knit an entire sweater! This year was my first time competing in the Ravelympics (such fun). I had intended to post about my sweater plans, and keep everyone in the loop, but I was just too excited about knitting....sorry!

Anyway, the sweater I chose to knit is Coraline by Ysolda Teague. SUCH an amazing pattern, and the prettiest sweater I have ever knit for sure! The yarn I used is Elsabeth Lavold Silky Wool, which we carry at the shop (all of us are a bit in love with it really!) This yarn lightweight, tweedy and silky; I'm doing really well with the adjectives, but hopefully you get the idea. Even though I had to knit the sweater body twice due to carelessness re: gauge, the entire thing was finished by Saturday evening! I've worn it ever since of course, it fits perfectly! I knit everything according to the pattern, excepting that I shortened the sleeves.





This taste of sweater success has spurred me on to loftier sweater goals...get ready to laugh in about 2 months...I'm going to attempt Intswemodo...or whatever its called...

I realize that I'm already behind, but I think I can knit 2 sweaters in 1 month to catch myself up...at the very least I'm really enjoying making lists of all the sweaters I want to knit and pairing them with yarn in my stash. Its all good fun, and I'm already more successful that I was last year when I attempted the same thing (disaster!)

For my next sweater I'm knitting Featherweight by Hannah Fettig. So far so good. I'm hoping to be to the armholes by the end of knit night tonight. In my rush to cast on I didn't check her tutorial, so my increases are pretty much the opposite of what she did

I decided to do this.... before the marker, scoop the bar between stitches from front to back and knit it through the back loop. After the marker, pick up the bar between stitches from back to front and knit it through the front loop. I'll take a picture of how its knitting up, but I'm pretty happy with it. I know that these are just standard M1R and M1L increases, but I will NEVER remember...I have a huge mental block there!







I've also decided to make the sweater a v-neck. I think I'm going to knit a little stocking stitch buttonband...but we'll see. I'm knitting this rather mixed up sweater in Viola Fancy Lace in my Blot colourway. So far it is verrrry pretty!

Finally Finished Fiddleheads

I have another finished object to show off!

At last I have finished my lovely Fiddlehead mittens. I joined the KAL we held at the Sheep months back (most people have long since finished their fiddleheads) and had a great time casting on and comparing liners with everyone. But for some reason this project was determined to linger, and it certainly did!






I knit the outer mitten out of Diamond Alpaca Peru (gray) and Classic Elite Inca Alpaca (orange...its not red, even though most people think it's red) and at the last minute decided to knit my liner out of Malabrigo Lace held double in the lettuce colourway. I knit the smallest size, and it fits me perfectly, but was worried about a thicker DK weight liner bunching like crazy inside my dainty mitts. Now that all is said and done I am sure that a thicker liner would have bunched, but my lace weight pick fits inside the outer mitten perfectly!

I had to make a few adjustments, however, and here they are...

• the liner was knit on 3mm needle (instead of 3.25 for the outer mitt)
• thumb gusset increases were every other row instead of whatever the chart wanted...I don't remember, but it was something funky. Same with the decreases for the top of the mitt.
• I also decided to shape the top of the mitt the same way as the outside....pointy instead of rounded. I think this fits better inside the outer mitten.

This was such a fun pattern to knit, and all the while I couldn't stop myself from dreaming up other colour combos to knit it in! But I am restraining myself and knitting the Squirrel Sampler Mittens instead (love, sigh...I hear there are people out there who don't like squirrels.......whats up with that?! They're so cute and fluffy!)

Oh, and I'm a bit concerned that I've lost all ability to read patterns. My Damson has gone horrible awry. I actually have no idea where I should be changing from the garter to stocking stitch sections. The stitch count and number of rows are not matching up, and I am terribly confused. I stopped trying to use math to solve the problem days ago and have been plopping in the stocking stitch section at random hoping that it will fit. I KNOW many of you out there have knit it with ease, so what the heck am I missing?

spinning!

The past four Saturday mornings I have spent happily spinning away in a class we offered at the shop. Tomorrow is Saturday again, and I am so sad that I don't get to spin! (I'm pouting, but you can't see that)
I know that I told you about my lovely new Suzie Pro, but now I get to show you my beloved wheel in action...



...there I am gleefully spinning away on I don't even know what! This photo was from the last day where we had the treat of spinning a variety of fun fibers...angora, seacell, silk , mohair...you name it!

It was such an inspirational month of spinning In between classes I managed to get so much spinning done, it was quite remarkable!
Anyway, here is a look at everything that I spun up over the course of the last month...





...the purple and orange yarns are both merino roving that I dyed myself. I'm particularly proud of my first singles (the purple stuff); I think I did an OK job setting the twist, but I'll let you know when I manage to start knitting with it! I also spun up some BEAUTIFUL hand carded merino/firestar fluff, that I made into a 2 ply. it is a super soft, light fluffy woolen yarn, that I'm thinking of knitting into a big cowl-y thing...keep you posted there too.




I've been working on some my Crown Mountain Farms superwash merino...which will now be finished before I die because I have a wheel and I'm not attempting to spin 8 oz of fingering weight yarn on a drop spindle! Phew! I am really excited to finish this one because I have promised myself I can order more fiber from the Crown Mountain folks when I do.



Finally, the last thing I've been spinning is some very pretty pure alpaca fiber in a natural brownish-gray colour. I have abot 7 oz of that and have just begun plying. I'm going to make this into a 2 ply, and it looks like it will be close to a fingering weight, and is another soft woolen yarn. I'm planning something lace, and I think I'll get enough yardage to make a reasonable size project! Yippee!



The topic of wheel naming came up in our classes, and got me thinking that my little wheel needs a name. One woman in our class has a vintage Louet (its lovely!) and she's named it Louis, perfect choice if you ask me. I've been thinking about names and like the idea of giving my wheel a masculine name as well...not enough of them out there if you ask me. But making a decision is never easy for me, even at the best of times. I've tried thinking of some of my favourite characters; Mr. Darcy...Omar from the Wire...neither seems right. Someday my wheel will have the perfect name, and until then I'll just call it spinny, or something like that!

a few yarny pics

Most of these colours have already found good homes, but I'm just so excited about them I have to share! The next big challenge will be replicating them (wish me luck)






















So I know that there are A LOT of pictures, but I just can't help myself. Still nothing up on my Etsy store, but I hope to get my act together very soon! I'll keep you posted.

I've just cast on Damson in a lovely gold-y/orange-y colour that I quite like...I've named it Marigold...

nothing's finished...

I did manage to finally take decent pictures of this lovely vest that I knit ages ago...





...the belt was a Christmas gift from a friend, and I think it works perfectly with my vest! It was a completely mindless knit (something I always love!), but I procrastinated like crazy on the seaming; mostly because that wacky little point thing was confusing me...so sad. Anyway, I now call this my elf sweater, and love it dearly. The pattern is from Norah Gaughan book 1 (from Berroco) and is called Kaino. If you want to knit for AGES and never have to think, this is the project for you! I used 5 skeins of Cascade 220 heathers; I'm slowly chipping away at the full bag that I bought on an insane impulse one day. Hooray!

I've been dyeing yarn like crazy, and have my little business up and running-for the most part. As soon as I get the first few skeins up on my Etsy store I'll post excitedly I am sure, but in the meanwhile you can only buy my yarn at the Naked Sheep. I have a lovely spread of yarn photos to post, but alas, left my camera at the shop this evening so I will leave you with these ADORABLE pics of my sweet pup Lucy...








...there was a little sofa type thing in the place of this table that she loved to sit under. When her little "cave" was moved she didn't know quite what to do, so she crammed herself under this tiny table instead! She had just cut her paw quite badly in this pic, so she is acting even more pathetic and hard-done-by.

OH! and I almost forgot! Thanks for the comment on my Tomten...I really love the way it came out, and feel that everyone should knit one! Serious!

a little bit of finishing and a lot more starting

Well, it appears that at moments in life where there is great transition, change or general upheaval the only coping method a crafter such as myself possesses is to buy yarn and cast on like crazy!!
Sorry for that crazy run-on sentence, but I think it was necessary.
I have been buying yarn like its going out of style, and the guilt is building slowly but surely. It hasn't stopped me from lurking on the Sundara site, however. So anyway, I won't show you everything that I've bought (because it's too embarrassing!) But I can't resist sharing a few highlights...

sooo, you know how much I love Pigonroof studios...check out this BFL in "Black Walnut"!






Sweet Georgia worsted merino...




...the colours are ginger and blackberry, I am in love with both! The yarn is super squishy, but was quite pricy too $11.50/50g skein...oh I don't know.

And finally, the most impulsive purchase of all...5 skeins of Classic Elite Fresco! I couldn't decide between 5 colours, so I just bought them all! Of course, the orange is my favourite...



I've been dyeing to cast on some new projects as well. Sorting through my stash to move it has really made me think about all the beautiful yarn I already have! There is really no more room to store it, and I hate that my pretty yarn is hidden away. So perhaps I am making some sort of new year's resolution (though I don't really like the idea of resolutions...too much pressure). Anyway, you heard it here first; am am going to knit all my most delectable stash yarn! Of course, I have to wait until I finish my mom's oh-so-late Christmas sweater...just 1 sleeve to go...

I did manage to finish the sweaters I was knitting for my little niece and nephew (they are my cousin's kids...does that make them cousin's x times removed? I can never keep it straight!)...and here they are







I could not be happier with the way this Tomten turned out! It was so quick to knit (and the pattern is genius, but we all knew that anyway) I found the perfect toggles at the tiny button place at Queen and Spadina (Torontonians, you know the spot I'm talking about). Making the afterthought pockets was a breeze too; I love that I didn't have to plan the pocket placement in advance. It was so much easier to get the pockets in the right spot!






And this adorable little short rows cardigan turned out great as well. I used vintage mother of pearl buttons that I picked of at the St. Lawrence antiques market.

I know that I titled this post with something about casting on...and I have been casting on like crazy, but at the moment I am pooped. I'll spare you the long list of WIP's and post projects as they are finished, or something...good night folks!

I did it AGAIN

I think I have to give up on posting regularly. I love to blog, but when it cuts into knitting time I suppose I choose to knit more often than not. There has been one other rather large distraction...the boyfriend and I split up about a month ago, so moving my stuff, etc. has taken quite a bit of time and energy.

I'm just starting to get my dyeing stuff set up again so that I can pick up where I left off with Viola. The first little batch of yarn sold quite quickly at the shop, and I'm really excited to dye more! I'm hoping to be able to put some yarn and roving up on Etsy soon too. My little store looks so sad with nothing for sale!

Since I have even more catching up to do that my last post, I'll just show you some recent FO's

this is easily the most exciting; on the weekend my AWESOME father bought be a Majacraft Suzie Pro from the Black Lamb (a lovely yarn shop in Port Hope)! And here is the first thing I spun with it...







...4.8 oz of corriedale roving from Pigeonroof Studios! You have listened to me go on about how much I love Krista already, so I will spare you this time (she's awesome!) But I will tell you how much I adore this little wheel...a lot! I have elaborate plans to sew a cute little bag for it, and have been dreaming of bringing my wheel with me everywhere I go and spinning non stop!

Too bad Christmas knitting is getting in the way of my ambitious spinning goals...



...a Drops short rows baby jacket knit in 2 different colours of Koigu, Indigo Moon fingering weight merino and Dale of Norway Baby Ull. A lot of yarn, but this turned out to be so cute. I have yet to sew on the buttons...horrid un-fun job! You can find the pattern here.



...a Tomten Jacket knit in Cascade 220. I'm doing applied I cord around all the edges a la Elizabeth Zimmermann, and afterthought pockets...perhaps this could be called a Tomten with "the works"

Oh, and take a look at this massive sweater that I recently finished for the shop....



its Wisteria by Kate Gilbert. I used i think 6 skeins of Malabrigo worsted in the saphire green colourway. This thing took me ages to knit, just because of all the goings on at the shop. Now that its done, I think I quite like it

That's all for now!