In case you didn't know...

~check out my mottled sweater trying to sneak in from the right~
...knitting linen drape on size us 1's and 2's in ribbing makes for very slow knitting (yeah, i know you already knew that). I'm the only one that didn't anticipate just how slow it would go, but it was quite fun wearing clapotis and my new favorite tee while knitting on it. “Sunny day, sweepin’ the clouds away, ...Can you tell me how to get, How to get to Sesame Street?” This was my present from mini on my last birthday. I just love it! Never realized how great it goes with clapotis (and yes i realize that is just my opinion, hee, hee)!

But a now a bit on linen drape. I don't know if I'm lacking on vitamins or what but for some reason I want to eat it. I remi nds me of Post shredded wheat biscuits that I used to munch on all the time (until i was actually just sick of them to be exact). I need to head to the grocer. I had forgotten all about them. And now after my shredded wheat comment you are not going to believe this, but it feels really great. It feels soft, but just looks crunchy. Okay, I think I'm making it worse, but its cool...really.

~very interesting texture, huh?~

I remember reading a lot of negatives surrounding this fiber though the specifics escape me at the moment. I, however really like it. It has such and organic (is that the right word) feel to. I had to drop pretty far down in needle size to get my desired look of the fabric from what the pattern suggested. I think I have it the way I want it so far though it turned out quite small. I'll have to knit a larger size if I want one of these for myself. Oh and by the way, this is moonbeam from Rowan 29.

how much energy does it have?

Can't tell you how many times I've been asked that question this week.

Mini has consistantly expressed an interest in spinning. Though I'm all for it, I'm a bit puzzled 'cause its not that we have been exposed to a lot of spinning. But I agreed to look into it if she exhibited a true interest that could stand the test of time and she followed that up with numerous requests a few times a week for quite a while now. So a spinning lesson was in order (not from me of course). We only went in to purchase a book and a spindle, but a wonderful woman took mini by the hand, showed her a bit of roving, picked out a spindle, got down on one knee and helped her get started. It was quite a treat to watch. Unfortunately the name of that lovely person escapes me at the moment, but I hope we are fortunate enough to run into her again.

I'm hoping this new spinning will replace the ol' spinning. Ever since mini was small she would sit on my foot and request a spin. How could I say no? She loves to get going and going...gone. If only I could spin my cares away like that.

I'm hoping I can come up with some roving projects for we hit snags like this one. Can anyone recommend and roving projects for wee ones until I can figure out how to get that bit connected again? For now she pretty content spinning until it breaks, but I'm not sure how long her patience will hold up. Does this mean I should try and learn to spin...oh boy?

Posted by froggy at 06:25 PM | Comments (36)

orange, orange and more orange

~ggh via mala...interesting stuff, huh~

no matter how often i use via mala, i'm still surprised by the loose strands that really have the potential to split on ya. can't tell you how i loved (yes, that 's sarcasm) to drop stitches just to go back and pick up a single (1/4th) strand. but i have to admit that i love the fabric that is created using two strands held together.

~you knew i couldn't resist another pic of aud (orange or not)~

can't thank you enough for all the kind words regarding aud. i thought she would never be finished. i got a chance to knit a bit last week during lunch. And this will be my third mottled sweater (yes this appears to be a problem cause i don't even see it as a problem, lol). but i should have knit it in these colors the first time as i wanted. i was trying too see other colors when looking at pattern pics at the time and obviously i saw and knit other colors, but still want it as pictured. but let me tell you, the third time is a charm (more on that later). anyway, i just love knitting in my office conference room at lunch. wish i had that wonderful natural lighting at home. i have also been working on rowan 27 strike. i have really found that rubber bands coupled with needles hold stitches much better than those point protectors especially when working on size us 2's. my favorite clover stitch holders (you know those blue ones) are needle size three. and that stretches out my stitches. and i just gotta get more bands for my needles like stacey.cool idea, huh. and thanks to nona and her helpful and encouraging posts on short rows, i now think i really get it. i have short rowed before hoping i was doing it right, but mostly just following the instructions and wishing for the best, but it makes a difference to really understand it and not have to even feel the need for my trusty vogue on the go reference book. i used the wrap method paired with my trusty double points, it made whipping out the perfect slant easy peasy. and having used the double points let it ready and prepped for a 3-needle bind off which leave the most perfect shoulder seam (in my opinion at the moment). i must have referred to that book every time i short-rowed before, but nona's great explanation cemented it for me. i gotta try the other methods she mentioned-the yarn-over short rowand the japanese short row. thanks again, nona.

~and now strike is blocking as she waits for her hood (that may be a while, lol)~

and more orangey goodness showed up in this weeks crafts...papier-mâché giraffes. what a transformation. it was so cool to let mini run the craft start to finish with minimal direction. she knows her waaaay with the papier-mâché (yes, i find that hilarious...i need sleep) i'm obviously tired as i'm still chuckling. oh and by the way, the tail (yeah, i know...not the best shot, but you can see it right?) was her idea totally. she used confetti from a birthday party. it started falling and she went straight for the floor asking the kids to stop stepping on it as it fell from the ceiling. she put it all (and i mean all) in bag and asked the "party mom" if she could take it home and use it for crafts "cause i'm not wasteful...am i mom". don't think it came out the way she meant it, huh, lol. maybe i stress the reuse, waste not, a bit too much. that's my girl though..love her to pieces.

~aren't they cute (the orange one is gerger and the purple is purperly...named by mini of course~

and to round out the orange, i started a little orange ribby tank for the linen drape-along i joined a loooong while back. this may be the summer of ribs, lol.

~i've used one ball so far...very interesting yarn that is very different from anything i have ever used~

I don't know about this though...its lookin' a bit small (wasn't i just here before). seeing it there on top of strike didn't help much. mini suggested I use it as a saddle for gerger. i really don't want to rip it though. i used us 1's and 2's so far and am not crazy about this particular orange on me, but i'm hoping she'll warm up to it (seeing that its not pink). she held it up to her and said she prefers the ruffle to be on bottom, not the top. "what ruffle", i asked. come to find out she meant the top which is currently held by a strand of yarn (producing what she sees as a ruffle, hmmm). i guess i may be picking up stitches at the bottom and ruffling it up when i'm done. hope that will work with a ribby sweater. what do you think?

I'm finished daaaaling...

~aud just loves sunny days...the calmer glows a bit dontcha think~
Project Specs:
Pattern: Rowan 35 Audrey
Suggested/Used Yarn: Rowan Calmer
Needle Size: Denise Interchangeable US 5's

~oh how i love this sweater, but i couldn't have knit through it without this wonderful along...thanks to you all!

Currently unable to verbalize how happy I am that this sweater has been finished. I'm way to busy enjoying it. Here she is below making her debut at the office on casual Friday. I'm bias, but I think she looks good even in poor indoor lighting too, hee, hee (though these pics show the yarn true to color...the sun was just beaming in those other shots and i think i may have caught glare off the window too). I'm making an effort to use natural light to indoor light sources, but natural light didn't do the job this time. Its funny how weaving in that last end can make you forgot all about the knitting woes. What was the holdup again...oh yeah, that.

~why yes its another view of the back~

Now for a few details...

I omitted the darts as I didn't feel I had enough up there at the time to really shape (though somehow i seem to have knitted some breasts into this sweater) I have to incorporate more ribbing in my knitting future, lol. Tempting here I come. And then I liked the wrong sides of the front and back better the right sides, but that led to the funky ribbing right at the underarm that its now difficult to see unless I'm trying to show it. That annoying detail must have carmalized like mushrooms in a saute pan while in my knitting basket 'cause now I don't e..v..e..n care. I love it. However after all the drama I'm bit embarrased to write Theresa for a label. If I get one, I may even sew it on the outside I'm so glad to be done with Aud. This was my first bit of lace knitting and first ribby number...first of many (hubba, hubba, lol)

Posted by froggy at 10:47 AM | Comments (117)