Fiber Musings

Random thoughts of a fiber enthusiast - mostly fiber related, sometimes coherent

Month: May 2009 Page 2 of 6

Spring Cleaning #5

By

On 28 May, 2009

In Knit, Spin

squirrel-mittenProject #4: Squirrel Mittens

I started these in the fall of 2007 and abandoned it on November 21, 2007.  How do I know the exact date? It was the date that I IMed with my sister about this project.  I had intended this to be mittens for Iris.

Obviously, it won’t fit her now.  She’s been growing like a weed.  Thankfully, Martin’s family is providing me with lots of little ones that I can give these to.  I just need to figure out what “year” to put on it.  My original intent was to put the Iris’ birth year on this, but I think I’ll just put the year that it is finished, so it can be passed between the cousins.  I’m hoping it will say 2009.  (At least I’ll have a chance to finish it in the correct century.)

The yarn is hand spun merino.  I believe at least the dark brown is from Nebo Rock, processed by Morro Bay.  I was aiming to replicate Koigu. I’ve mostly succeeded.  The yarn is a bit thicker, but, oh-boy, I think it is much softer and springy-er than Koigu. Yes, it’s that yummy.

Decision: In the queue after the shrug.  And give it to one of the Woolsey/McDonough kids, just in time for high summer.  But because they live in the Pacific Northwest, they may need it to watch the fireworks on the Fourth of July!

Project Updates:

  • Circular Shrug: I have 3 more panels left on the edging before I can start the sleeves.  The project is getting too large for dragging around, so it has been relegated to TV watching project. I think this will be done just in time for the cool summer evenings!
  • Anarchist Sweater: Grace has offered to take the project off my hands.

Faroese Styled Shawl

By

On 27 May, 2009

In FO, Knit

faroese-shawl

Specs:

  • My own design: from the neck down; finished off with 3 st i-cord bound off/edging all the way around
  • Yarn: Noro Silk Garden Sock, 1+ skein each of White/Natural (S269, Lot A) and Reds (S84, Lot A)
  • Needles: 3.00 mm
  • Back Length: 15″

I had originally aimed for about 20″ depth, but I was so darned bored with this, that I opted to keep it short.  And it works.  At the arms, the shawl ends right at my elbows, which is perfect for wearing around the house — nothing to drag into whatever I’m working on.

Lessons learned?  My design was based on measurements right at the neck.  Instead, I should have allowed for the fact that shawls, like sweaters, generally sit about an inch or two (or three) off of the back of the neck.  So, the shoulder shaping is too far back, which compounded the problem of minor slippage.

In addition, I should have stopped the shoulder shaping about 1-2″ shorter.  As it is now, I have a bit of a David Byrne thing going on.

All in all, I’m happy with the results for a first attempt at a faroese shawl. I definitely would do this again. I don’t think it would have been quite so onerous if I didn’t have to drag 2 balls of yarn around all the time. As it was, I had limited mobility with this project.

Spring Cleaning #4

By

On 26 May, 2009

In Knit, Life

anarchyProject #3: Anarchy Sweater by Anna Zilboorg

I honestly don’t know what to do with this.  I seem to pick this sweater up about once a year. Work on it a little bit, and then abandon it.  My heart just isn’t into this sweater.

I had already woven in all the ends in the main body of the sweater. I experimented with a lightly ribbed roll collar, but I’m not thrilled with it.  The collar and bottom hem would have to come out.  Then there are the sleeves.

I think there is just too much guilt in the sweater.  I originally bought the yarn for a vest for my step-mother. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with leukemia and died from complications shortly after the diagnosis.  (From first feeling that something was off to diagnosis to death was less than 3 months.  It was quite  a shock to everyone.)  After decades of resentment, I finally got to know her as a person, and found that I really liked her.  I was hanging on to so much teenager angst that really had no bearing.  So, each time I work with this sweater, there is the guilt, of things that might have been.

Last week, I had decided that the best thing is for me to rip it all out.  The question of course is what to do with all the little tiny skeins of yarn.  I had thought of re-purposing the yarn for a color block blanket.

Then, when I took it out this morning for its photo shoot, I thought, hmm. This isn’t a bad sweater. It would be nice as a layer on those cold days when I am just hanging around in the office in front of the computer or on the couch knitting.  At one point, I thought of just plow through the sweater and donate the completed sweater to a homeless shelter.

But, as I write this post, I wonder if I would ever get past the guilt associated with the yarn to (a) complete it, or (b) work it into another project, or (c) even if I completed the project, if I could wear/use it without guilt.  But neither can I just throw it away.

So, I offer it up to anyone who might be interested in taking this over, along with all the remaining Jaeger Matchmaker DK that I have associated with this project.  I don’t care what you do with it. If you decide to take it off my hands and put it into a garbage can, I don’t care. I just don’t want to know about it.

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