simple yet effective shawl

This has been finished for quite some time, but for some reason I'm only just now getting around to blogging about it. The pattern is by Laura Chau, and is the "Simple yet Effective Shawl." An apt title, since it's ridiculously simple to knit; I'm a big fan of anything I can knit in movie theatres. I used one skein of Pigeonroof Studios Original sock, in the colourway "Comfort", which produced a perfect shawl/scarf. I won't wear it as a shawl, anyways; I'll wear it as a sort of larger neckerchief/scarf:


I'm starting to stress out big time over Sock Summit; I think that I won't be doing anymore shows after this. They're just too stressful, and the financial strain I'm always on before shows is really not fun. One of the upsides, though, is that because I"m dyeing so much, new colourways seem to be sprouting right and left. Two of my favourite ones are Cloudyfold and Bearded Iris; shown respectively, in superwash BFL and BFL:





I'm still updating my Etsy shop on a regular basis, so keep a lookout for lots of new colourways.

FO: Ene's Scarf

My first big lace project is done, and I'm pleased with it. Ene's Scarf from Scarf Style, by Nancy Bush, is not exactly easy, but it's not hard, either. There was a long hiatus between the start and finally picking it up and finishing it, for no reason other than it requires concentration, at least for me. There are quite a few mistakes, but since it's my first big lace project, I'm not complaining! I'll probably make it again, when I get the courage to tackle the massive cast on again.




The yarn is my Siren Two lace, and I love how it worked with this pattern. I plan on using this yarn again for more lace projects!




every so often I come up with a colourway that I fall head over heels in love with. Sometimes the colourway happens first on spinning fibre; sometimes it happens on yarn. The above colourway happened first on yarn, but I love it in spinning fibre too. The colourway is "Agave", shown on Siren Two sock and BFL. I don't know exactly what I like so much about this colourway; mabe it's the slight moodiness, the way the deep spruces and browns combine to look like varieties of rusted metal. I love rust; in fact, in college I did an entire print series based on rust.

another fo-- and a sneak peek!

Finished, blocked, and buttons sewed on...the Drapey neck cardi! I love this cardigan-- Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool is so soft and yummy, and the result makes me happy.






Lots of mods: I basically just used the cast on numbers and improvised, referring to the photograph a little bit. Straight sleeves, an asymmetrical front, and long front lapels made a cardigan that's unique and fun.

now, a sneak peek on my first big lace project, blocking happily and waiting for a semblance of sun to come out for a photoshoot. (what the hell is up with the weather here in the bay area? It's June, people!)



Ene's Scarf, knit in my Pigeonroof Studios Siren Two lace in the colourway "Saffron." It only took one skein, with leftovers!

all my own yarn, all the time.

As I write this, I must declare...I have the mother of all hangovers, due to a super shitty day at work yesterday and a couple strawberry margaritas to ease the pain. (actually, I almost never resort to alcohol when I have a bad day, and don't drink that much in general, so when I do...I know it's been a really, really bad day!) Let's just say that yesterday was one of those days when I was wondering why the hell don't I have a job with a regular--and a hefty-- paycheck? And yes, to those who ask...even when you work for yourself, you can have bad days at work! Only you can't just leave work!

Ah well. Today, disregarding the hangover, is much better. I also have a couple beautiful things on the needles. Soon, too, I'll have an FO-- the drapey neck tweed cardi is done, and just awaits the sewing on of buttons.

First on the needles: the ever popular and beautiful Liesl, by Ysolda Teague:



I'm knitting this in Pigeonroof Studios Siren Two Worsted in Indigo Ink. It's a bit darker in person. I gotta say, again...wow. I love this yarn. This yarn plus addi lace turbos equals a happy knitter.

How about another little closeup?



yum.

the other thing is Laura Chau's (cosmicpluto knits) Simple yet Effective Shawl, knit in Pigeonroof Studios Original Sock in a variation of the Comfort colourway. (it ended up a bit more orangey than the regular colourway, but I really like it!):



simple it really is. and it's turning out so pretty! I plan on wearing this tied kerchief style around my neck, maybe with a white shirt and khakis...

Tuesday Evening

The very easy, very beautiful Tuesday Evening(rav link) cowl, by Hannah Ingalls, knit in Pigeonroof Studios Siren Two Worsted in colourway "Lettuce." (p.s. there happen to be four skeins of this colourway and yarn in my shop right now)

This cowl was super quick and super fun; I cast on a few extra stitches since I was knitting at a smaller gauge, but the pattern and the yarn worked perfectly. I still have a lot of yarn left, maybe over half the skein? It's perfect for spring or even summer here in the Bay Area.

spinning through the stash

The other day, I was sorting and going through my spinning fibre stash, and realised, with a gulp, that I had, oh, approximately EIGHT bins of spinning fibre. Eight. Packed completely full. Some of it is my own, which also grows at an alarming rate; these consist of experiments, odds and ends, new colourways i want to spin, braids that fell apart when braiding, etc. But there's also a lot of other people's fibre that I've bought.

This gave me serious pause. So I've been spinning with more intent, trying to make a dent in my spinning fibre stash, and curbing my Etsy purchases. I'm not going cold turkey, because supporting other small fibre businesses is one thing that I feel very strongly about continuing, but I'm just buying a little less. The spinning has improved in speed, though, since at Stitches West I indulged in the smaller of the Schacht Reeves Saxony Wheels. An expensive wheel, but I swear, when I spin on it, I hear the angels sing. Plus, it spins at a high ratio, so it's perfect for spinning the thinner yarns I like to spin.

I've been putting up some of my yarns in my Etsy shop: here's a couple that I just put up (and sold):



"evergreen", two ply, fingering/light sportweight, from roving dyed by AllSpunUp, superwash merino.



"Horstia", DK/Worsted weight two ply extrafine merino, spun from roving dyed by FreckleFace Fibers.

I love spinning.

In progress

In progress: Drapey Neck cardigan, knit in wonderful Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool. It's loosely based on the same name cardi from Pipibird on Ravelry, but the instructions didn't quite match up with the photograph of the original (I'm not complaining; it was a free pattern), so I went by the cast on info and numbers and sort of made up the rest as I went along. Endless stockinette on size 3s is not exactly quick, but several movies, long car rides, and working on it in small bits has made it grow faster than I feared it would. I do love Elsebeth Lavold silky wool, and I'd had this bag of grey silky wool in my stash for a while, so I'm enjoying it. Only one sleeve left to go, then weaving in and blocking!



Yarn has been coming in at an alarming rate, so my solution? Knit faster!