UFOs – Ink, Yarn & Beer

Some Yarn at Last, or, Asta Sollilja

Asta Sollilja

Beginning mid-December, I started this sweater, designed by Kate Davies, and available in her book Yokes. Asta Sollilja is a sweater derived from traditional Icelandic sweaters, but with waist-shaping (not that I have much of one!) and short rows to make a distinctive front and back. Traditional Icelandic sweaters have neither, but are wearable in any direction, although with regular wear, take on, perhaps, more of the owner’s body shape.

I used Cascade 220 and changed the colorway a bit, cutting down on one color and using navy blue for the dark brownish color as well as the navy.

I just finished this sweater and was soooo excited, I just had to take pictures of it! I used Jeny’s Stretchy Bind Off, which is fantastic in that it is tidy, and stretchy, and can be done quite nicely with 2×2 ribbing at the neckline. You can see the video here.

I still have ends to weave in and armholes to graft before the final wash and blocking – but this is the first Finished Object of the season – my New Year’s resolution – the BIG ONE – is to finish up my plethora of UFOs.

UFOs are Landing!

Yarn Balls Rolling!

What was supposed to be a two-week interim stay by my brother turned into five months. We moved the guest bed in my husband’s office into my studio so that Josh, who telecommutes, would not be kicking my brother out at 5:30 a.m. All the stuff in my studio, where the bed landed, migrated to the former bed space in my husband’s office.

Last night I dove into the knitting projects which had begun piling up there. Some people live out a suitcase quite tidily – I admit, I do not – and using borrowed space is sort of the same. The result was a treasure trove of lost needles (more than few, and lots more than several), projects, yarn. In the mix I found two sweaters which need finishing up, like weaving in ends, that I had neatly folded into a bag and promptly lost. Also, a beret or two or three or four in various stages of design and failure. The list grows.

Paint Brushes Ready to Escape!

The remaining items include the tansu which stores my suzuri and varied painting supplies, rolls of paper, and a box full of ink-painting supplies (mostly sumi and hake brushes) which I have been hoping to sell here on Ink, Yarn & Beer, to see if anyone might be interested in a few specialty items. My light table is also in there and who knows what else!

Photoscaping is Happening!

And while I am at it, a wonderful, easy-to-use, free program to edit digital images just released an upgrade. Photoscape is a fantastic product. I use it for quick editing of jpg files (it does not support raw files, as far as I know), especially those with color issues, such as being too red. For those red ones, I decolor the image to -3 or -4, depending.

Now it has frames! I used one of the gradated ones for these. Check it out – there is a bit of learning curve, but I have found it quite easy.

And?

It takes time to re-organize after such a disruption. Available space is different than it used to be as the bed is staying in the studio. The best part – hooray – is I can paint with far easier access to supplies.

Ciao!

Knitting Projects, a Video, and a Read

Admittedly, most of this past week I have not picked up my knitting. It’s been rather a busy week with both of us on vacation. There are also relatives in town, friends to visit, and calligraphy to do and novels to read. And exercise, and planning meals, and trying to have a life for a bit! However, I barricaded myself in what was / is my studio (my brother is sleeping in it for now), and closed the door. No one in the same room, but I do hear the clatter of dishes or whatever. It’s so nice to just be alone! Or, a lawn, in the words of Ms. Garbo.

The major projects at present are sweaters for a friend’s twin grandsons, born about 2 weeks ago. These sweaters are for 6-12 month olds in size, so a bit of a wait won’t harm them any.

This sweater is a kimono sweater. The design is not original. I’m not too sure I like it – I think the ribbing is a bit funky, but the yarn is a nice color combo, and it is wash-n-wear. (In other words, acrylic!)

Now this sweater is one of my own design, the pattern which I hope to publish once done. I liked doing this one much more than the kimono, but will admit I am getting tired of it. That long blue blob under the needles is a hood, which, if my neat side plays out, will be grafted – something I really, really hate!

Finally, the SO has another hat. This is the Xenocryst hat, by Linda Shelhamer, in the Fall 2010 issue of Knitscene.

I misread the pattern and put only one purl stitch between the patterns, but it worked out just fine. The cast on was perfect, too, as it really is stretchy. You can find out how to do it by watching this video with Nancy Bush.

In fact, I liked this cast on so much, I started a hat using it and cables and bobbles.

Finally, I am reading another book about Chinese calligraphy. This one is a bit different from many as it goes into some interesting details and makes interesting comparisons to Western art. I’m up to page 70 with a lot more to read.

The Chinese Art of Writing, by Jean Francois Billeter

Nadja van Ghelue has it on her recommended list of books about calligraphy. Just by happenstance I found it at our local library, before knowing of her recommendation. It is quite fascinating because of the way in which Chinese calligraphy is presented, and admittedly, it is holding my interest even though I often find books like this to be more than I can handle – I just look at the pictures! – as I am not especially scholarly in my preferred reading! (I like spy novels, to tell the truth.)

Spring Cleaning in the Land of UFOs

Last weekend’s enumeration of the many UFOs has been quite a bit of an eye-opener. It’s nice to hear that I am not the only one going to knitter’s hell for an overabundance of unfinished objects. CaffeineGir l has the same thing going on, and other people are ‘fessing to the same crime.

Certainly this has been a satisfying weekend. The plum tree was transplanted, madder seeds from 1802 found and planted (now let’s see if they sprout, and if I remember to water them), the very, very woolly dog shaved and bathed, several loads of laundry done – dishes, too! – and egg bread made and being eaten. And, in between, I really did accomplish a few things . . .

Victorian Shawl

All done! I didn’t have enough yarn to comfortably embark on the lace edgings, so decided that the simplest thing to do would be to crochet along the edges, and create a short fringe of 20-25 crocheted stitches before rejoining the chains to the shawl body. I like the way it turned out. All the edges are woven in, and it is light as a cloud, and comfortably warm for a cool evening. I cannot believe it has taken me two years to finish this.

Cardigan

I finished the last sleeve, threw it into the washer and dryer, and now can see that I need to tighten up the back neck a bit with some crocheted edging. other than that, all I will need to do is sew on the buttons. Once that is done, then some pictures.

Mittens

I knitted up the mittens I’ve designed using up some Cascade 220. The initial pattern was pretty accurate. A few changes need be made, but they will be easy enough. These are for a friend of mine up in Oregon, and I hope to get them to her in time for her birthday. What I like is that the pattern is the same on the palm, and on the back of the hand – and so they can be worn on either hand.

Somethin’ from the oven . . .

And finally, the other half heard my plea for another batch of the egg bread from a few weeks ago. This time, instead of rolls, two beautifully braided loaves to enjoy.

Now that I’ve become so annoyingly virtuous, I better finish up the rest of my stuff!

Project Inventory

Today is nearing the end of the spring break. The weather has been wonderful, with a day of rain to clear the air, and sunny days with wind and fair skies. The trees are budding into leaf, the birds are making love songs, and the squirrels, well, are going nuts.

And in the middle of all this, I have managed to get a grip on things, meet up with people for lunch, read a bit, knit, and think about (but not do) some gardening. I have a fig tree and plum tree which need attention, a vine to move, and so on. And a lot of knitting projects. When I have time to play, I like to begin things. But do they get done?

Owls

All I need to do is sew on the buttons – but I made a mistake in the darts so, rip it or not? This is a pattern by Kate Davies at Needled.

Buttoned Cardigan

Only a few inches left on the sleeve and I am done. What’s taking me so long? This is a cardigan by Eva Weichmann, owner of Eva’s Needlework in Thousand Oaks, CA, which I’ve mentioned before.

Top Down Beret from Hell

I’m beginning the decreasing toward the brim . . . not soon enough!

Hat in Design Mode

I found an issue here – bobble placement. Back to the drawing board.

Golden Autumn by Lucy Sweetland

Just a gorgeous hat, but I got sidetracked. Lucy is one of my favorite designers and photographers.

Gloves

One hand down, another to go.

Mittens in Design Mode

Out of my Cascade 220 stash.

The Relentless Scarf

So boring I can’t stand it.

Socks

Lots of socks. Too many. And this is not all the inventory, either.

Socks to be Ripped

The yarn is from Riihivilla in Finland, naturally dyed with cochineal and indigo. I’ve decided that the yarn is too pretty to hide on my feet, so now all this is sitting on my desk while I reconsider how to use the yarn to show it off.

Victorian Lace Shawl

Nearly done. It’s been sitting on a shelf for two years. I don’t know what is taking me so long, but I think it will get finished pretty soon. It is a beautiful yarn, perfect for the pattern, and the colors have a lovely iridescence.

What’s a girl to do?