Relaxation: Succeeded

Finally (finally!) the Fiasco and I had a weekend where we were both off from work and had nothing else pressing that needed doing. For what felt like the first time this summer, we got to spend time together and just relax. So yes, camping was glorious. I took exactly one picture because other than to sporadically check the weather, all technology was blissfully turned off.

But at least I snapped a picture of my knitting! :) This project shall now be referred to as Zombie Shawl since it has been hibernating and resurrected more times than I can count. I cast this thing on in August of 2011... yes, 2011. The pattern is Taygete by Rosemary Hill and it's a lovely design, I don't know why it's been so touch-and-go. I'm using a couple of old SG Bugga colorways: Fig Eater and Dog Days Cicada. It's a great greeny-purple and minty-pale-green combination. My goal is to finish it before we hit the 2 year mark... sigh. At least I'm excited about it again!

I do have a question for you: would you do the lace portion in darker color and the edging in the lighter color (option A), or the lace in the lighter color and the edging in the darker color (option B)? Here are examples I snagged from a couple of gorgeous projects on Ravelry:

Option A, copyright MnM on Ravelry

Option B, copyright paradisepal on Ravelry

They're both gorgeous but it does make quite a change to the look of the shawl and I flip back and forth constantly over which way I'd like to do it. Thoughts?

WIPWed #29: Treadling Along

I am happy to announce that while my spinning and knitting lately have not been very speedy, they have been fairly steady. I made a good bit of progress on my Tour de Fleece spinning, 4 oz of the BFL gradient kit I'm working up have been spun into singles and I'm ready to start the second half of the kit later tonight.

Ah, I love a full bobbin!

With all my home time taken up with spinning, my knitting has been fairly monogamous. I've only really been working on my travel knitting (sock) and meeting knitting (shawl).

CY Skinny Bugga

I'm still slowly striping my way through the Tour-de-Sock pattern from the last round. I was nearly finished with it last week but started the band of colorwork on the foot too late so it was all the way down near the toe and I hated it, so I frogged back. Nothing like making the sock foot slog last twice as long! It was worth it, though.

BMFA Socks That Rock Mediumweight

My sweet and spring-y Budding Lintilla shawl is nearing its end. That little ball on the left is the last of the original skein. I will continue through the end of it then use the additional leftovers that a couple of lovely Ravelers sent me to work the edging of the shawl. I'm excited to see how this will turn out!

Finally, I just wanted to say that I apologize for not being around to comment much lately. I'm working on transferring my blog from blogger to Wordpress as I dislike the changes blogger has been making and I want a fresh start. Much of my limited inside-time has been and will be spent on setting up the new blog for a little bit. I hope you'll come visit me at my new place when it's ready!

Also, check out more WIPs by clicking below. 

WIPWed #28: It Has Begun

Tour-de-Sock has officially begun... and as of this posting, 48 people have already finished their pair of socks. FORTY-EIGHT! Finished pairs! In less than 4 days! Insane. Absolutely insane.

BMFA Socks That Rock Lightweight, colorway Bleck

But hey, I'm on the third repeat of the leg of the first sock and I'm done with the beads for now! Not half bad, eh? The pattern is The Secret Fan by Adrienne Fong. I like the idea of the beads as an accent on just the one fan. I'm using slightly larger beads than called for, though, and think they look a little wonky (6's instead of 8's). Hopefully it'll look better on the leg!

BMFA Socks That Rock Mediumweight, colorway Budding Twig

I haven't shown off my Budding Lintilla shawl in a while, check out that progress! The pattern is intended to be knit with any amount of yarn, you just start the final ruffle when you have 25% left. However, my shawl didn't seem long enough at that point so I am knitting to the end of my ball and then will do the final ruffle with leftovers that some kindly Ravelers are sending to me. (I love Ravelry.)

I also got this, which isn't quite a WIP yet but will be someday:

My first fleece!

At the farmer's market over the weekend they were doing a sheep shearing demonstration on four Southdown sheep... and one of the fleeces came home with me. Woops! I've never washed a fleece before but the ladies in my spinner's guild made it sound so easy... we'll see. :) All that wool is currently residing in my shed stored in paper bags, after airing out some of the moisture from the heat of the day/being on the sheep, as pictured above.

I think it's neat that you can see where the dirt stopped penetrating into the wool in each lock.

The locks are relatively short-stapled and fine and have a springy feel. I think it's going to make great yarn (but what do I know, really) once all that dirt is washed out... I've ordered some mesh laundry bags and some drying racks and then will just need to wait for a free weekend at home (with good weather) to get this thing done. Honestly, the washing will be easy compared to the endless carding and spinning that will follow! Oh boy. Here we go.

WIPWed #26: So This Is Monogamy

Hello, friends! I am back from Tennessee with some stories and photos to share, but those will have to wait until a later date as right now I have a deadline. A knitting deadline (my favorite kind!) which has forced me to be monogamous in my WIPs. No cheating. All week long, all I knit was this:

Aren't you proud of me? That is a stockinette scarf with tapered ends, knit on the bias. A friend requested it and needed it quickly which worked out well because its simplicity made it excellent vacation knitting. However, a few hours ago it was a couple of feet longer. (Yes, you heard that right.) I had to rip back because I had missed the midpoint of the scarf, knitted right on past it, where I needed to change the direction of the bias so the ends would taper like I wanted them to. This was not a happy realization, especially since he needs this thing by Friday. Oy. Knit like the wind!

The yarn's really nice, though. I haven't used any with quite so much bamboo content before (77% bamboo, 23% Merino wool) but I'm loving the way the fabric feels. Loose, flowy, cool -- dare I say, exquisite. The yarn is currently on sale for half off at Webs, if you're interested.

That's all I have time for today, folks, I've gotta get through about 2 feet of scarf tonight. The Fiasco is highly amused by this project. He calls it my Dr. Seuss scarf. It does kind of remind me of a Thneed.