FO: Shawl

 

 

 

I completed my second SYES shawl, knit up with my handpainted yarn, about a week ago.  Post-blocking it turned into a fantastic size - wide enough for a true shawl, and scrunchy enough to be wrapped as a scarf.  This FO is tucked deep into my knitting chest, waiting for the right recipient.  I have my own SYES that I use often and love.  This one will go to someone else to enjoy.

FO: Circle scarf vs. cowl

I came home from a meeting the other week wearing my most beloved FO in recent memory.  My husband said, "Oh!  You have a circle scarf!"  My reply?  "No, I knit my own cowl."  As the husband of an avid knitter, I would have expected him to incorporate the word cowl into his vocabulary.  Much the way that I throw around words like router or end grain.

So I ask you - it is really called a circle scarf?  Or is that what men call them, while us gals refer to them as cowls?  Or am I making a mountain out of a mole hill?

Either way, it is lovely.  The perfect color (it goes with red, brown, turquoise, black, gray...) and the perfect size.  I bound off at a narrower width then I first expected, but I am so happy with the sizing - and now I have extra yarn to keep for another future project.  Finished measurements are approximately 24 inches in diameter, and 7 inches wide.  The pattern can be found for free here.

FO: Four Hats

 

Awhile back I was bitten by the hat bug.  I had 100 yds. of clearance-priced bulky wool and wasn't sure what to do with it.  About that same time one of my nieces asked me to knit her something, as in, "Aunt Beth, could you please, please, please knit me something?" and I couldn't resist.  I found the close knit waffle hat pattern and went to town on the first hat.  Then I went to my LYS and purchased two more skeins of locally-dyed bulky super wash yarn and made two more of the same hat. 

About that same time I was re-committing myself to working from my stash and this lovely dark gray/brown tweed was screaming to become a hat.  And the foliage hat was born.  It is not quite as close fitting as I envisioned, and the wool didn't do the cables justice, but it still looks great and goes with about any piece of outerwear you pair with it.
Overall I am really happy with these four hats.  I know that two of them will go to my nieces, but I am not sure of the final destination for the other two yet.

And I love that hats can move so quickly for me now: I can cast-on and complete a hat in two days if I really commit myself.  I never envisioned moving so quickly as a knitter, but I seem to be picking up speed for small projects like these over time.  Hooray!

WIP Wednesday

After a string of too big garments for Daughter #4 (which is a good problem to have), I am determined to make her something that will fit for the winter season.  I cast-on for the beautiful Fiona's Top tunic and am excited to already be half-way done.  It is moving quickly, however the pattern would benefit from a small description of how the garment is knitted and schematic drawing.  I am digging into a small stash of locally-processed alpaca that I purchased last year, and am excited to see it come to life.  It's also one of my favorite fibers to work with - so easy on the fingers and cuddly soft.

The second photo is of a pile of fleece, felted wool, cashmere and other assorted fabrics all working their way into mittens.  There is a surprise buried in that pile too, so I have to wait until the project is finished to share more.  It is going to be a tear-jerker.

And in a search for contrasting yarn for the tunic, I came across this amazing skein of orange sock yarn I had tucked away.  Not sure what it will become yet, but I retrieved Socks from the Toe Up from the library, and might just be brave enough to give a pair a whirl.  I am a top-down sock knitter, but Judy's magic cast-on may win me over yet.

There is still that pair of un-finished handpainted socks, un-finished silk mittens and those wintergreen mittens waiting in the wings.  They have a reputation for being my patient projects.

Handspun

First Harvest: Backyard, Colorway: Sugar Maple

 

Lovely fabric.  And that color!  Check out the story behind this yarn here.

 

I'm working it into the honey cowl, medium size.  Should be just long enough to wrap twice around my neck, and cozy enough to keep me warm this winter.