WIPs – Ink, Yarn & Beer

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!

Hmmmm

It’s been a bit of time since my last post. I’ve been caught up in launching my students into the clinical world – like kids off to college or moving out – there is a bit of the empty nest. Simultaneously, there is room now to organize things and do things which have been put off. And to apply for jobs as who knows what will happen on the 15th. I’ve also passed the CBEST, with 204 out of 240 total points possible – about an 85% average, I guess. So, things can be added to the old credential. Back up plan taking shape.

Meanwhile, I have been looking at all my projects, and the fact is, I’m in a very scattered mood. Inventory of WIPs and UFOs shows the following:

- - Gloves, unfinished
  - Top-down beret, in revision and slow progress
  - Simple Cardigan, 1/2 sleeve remaining
  - Socks – too many to mention
  - A few other hats
  - Gansey – just started for the Esposo

And this Saturday, I finally get to go to the first Chinese painting class in probably five months. As this is the Year of the Tiger, Teacher will demonstrate this painting.

And I still have some palm trees to consider.

WIPs and Chains

Like every knitter – or nearly every knitter – I have more on the needles in progress than off. I thought it might be fun to take pictures of WIPs and WIPs-to-Be out of handspun.

Fountain Pen Shawl

I hate to say it, but I just couldn’t get into the pattern. So, it is now ripped out and waiting for something else. The yarn is Malabrigo, about 800 yards of lace-weight. Unskeining it was not fun – the ties for dyeing were not well done, and on the swift I had to weave in and out of the skein to get it onto the ballwinder. Worth the work though, as the colors are wonderful. I expect it will become a different shawl in the future.

Handspun / Hand-Dyed

Most likely for berets.

These yarns are two and three plies, some in tweeds. Tweed, at least the way I created it, was fun. All the little neps in other handspun, already dyed, get pulled out as spun, set aside, and then carded into another color. Another way to do this is to not clean the carder of the little neps, but work them into another color.

Another Meret (now finished since the photo was taken – just needing the tidying-up!)

This one is for a friend from childhood. Her birthday was in February. She’ll get an early b-day present I guess! (Hi, Claudia!)

And socks, socks, socks…

This is some commercial yarn. I think I dyed it, not sure.

Below, is some bare KnitPicks merino/nylon sock yarn. My mother-in-law, Judy, and I got together to do some for her birthday last year. I don’t believe she had ever dyed before. It was a great afternoon birthday project. Her yarn was much prettier than mine, but for all its gaudiness, this one I rather liked. You can see it on the ball, and how it is pooling – I like the yellow spiraling through the purples. Sunshine through the storm clouds.

And another sock, far too long on the needles. Great yarn!

Future Socks (of course!)

My first purchase from Sundara. The color was not quite what I anticipated, but I still like it a lot. Photos are not the same as real life (as I can tell you from the ones above, as well.) This is sock yarn, and I think a girly lace would be great. Her packaging is just wonderful, and her label makes you smile.

And in the meantime, I have some patterns I want to post, for free and for sale, and some in the design process. Once the next week is over, I think I should be able to get to them (at last). You will be able to find them on Ravelry under my moniker of Matataki. You can download this fellow from the “Patterns” tab at the top of this page, or using the link under “Matataki Design” on the right. Enjoy!

Time Flies!

On New Year’s Day I vowed I would not let life get in the way of writing on this blog. But, like all things, something else seems to get in there, no matter what the good intentions. Work, life, knitting, classes, whatever. Mostly it seems that I have been knitting, and reading all about radiation protection and digital radiography. Writing takes some time – to do it well requires something to write about, and some thoughts about it all.

Here, we are emerging from a short spell of colder weather. Lows in the 40s with some rain – not enough, but some! There are clouds in the sky, there is a breeze, and altogether it is lovely weather. Out in the flower beds, the freesias are coming out – no flowers yet, but the leaves are perky and green. The roses have been pruned. The calla lilies are unfurling the first of their blooms. The windows are open and the songs of the first mockingbirds are to be heard. Spring in January! Welcome to California!

From late October of 2008 I really got on a knitting binge. I finally took the time to explore Ravelry and look through Knitty, both sites which I really enjoy. I also decided to make something for everyone, mostly little things, but also designed a sweater-sweatshirt for our nephew who is 16 months or so now. Some items I designed, others I found and used patterns. I made hats and mitts and a pair of socks or two. So, to keep it brief, I am including some snaps of things made . . . .

Rose Red in White

This was a pattern I really enjoyed knitting up. The designer is a young woman from Scotland, Ysolda Teague, and you can purchase the pattern through Ravelry or her website. There are links to her on the sidebar. Above are my pictures of the finished hat.

Another pattern which I enjoyed I also bought from Ravelry. This is the Tretta hat by Grumperina – great design, and I learned a few new things, such as the fact that there are right-slanting and left-slanting make-one increases! Just goes to show there are new things under the sun!

Tretta in Pink

Like a lot of knitters, I have piles of stash . . . boxes of stash . . . this is made out of Lamb’s Pride by Brown Sheep, in a bright, warm pink.

The beauty of this hat is its design. The pattern is very closed up when it is not on a head – but once on, it is stretchy and elastic, and fits very nicely!

Dashing Mitts

Moving on to another present, I made the Dashing mitts by Cheryl Niamath. This pattern can be found on Knitty. They are really easy to make and a lot of fun!

And finally, another hat.

Meret

Woolley Wormhead designs hat. This one is a free pattern which can be found on Ravelry as well. As with Tretta, this one was made with stash, a deep teal (the photo does not do justice to the color) in Lamb’s Pride as well.

Another time, some pictures of my own designs, and a pattern perhaps!