I shall quickly tell you...

Here be my first sad, sad attempts at a mini quilt block. Much more fun to follow (and perhaps more successful if I had followed the pattern!)

Progress Negative on Wee Spencer

How comes my spencer? Very slowly indeed.
The above picture demonstrates my newly formed doppelganger at work, displaying my mostly-done WIP. I've still to CO for the sleeves.

Happily I blocked the nylon/acrylic mix (which actually blocked out nicely), only to find that the "knitting pins" I used left me a nasty rust stain behind! See pic below:

Luckily, the discoloured bits will go on the underside of the button edge.

Very quick update, my readers. I must be off now to work on another WIP which has caught my attention: Lady E le deux. (in Noro Kureyon 178, just in case you were wondering).

Bonjour Fair Isle!

At long last, I've completed the Fair Isle U-Neck.


Specs:

Pattern: Fair Isle U-Neck from Vogue Knitting, Fall 2006
Yarn: Knit Picks Elegance
Time to complete: October 2006-March 2007
Things I'd change: The sleeves. I hate them. They're way too loose and baggy compared to the body. I'd also change that, too. The body's about 2 inches too big.

Despite what my "what I'd change" list says, I really do like the way the sweater turned out. The yarn is wonderful, very soft and smooth against the skin. The colours worked out alright as well.
When I make a second one (yes, I will! and I already have the yarn for it!) it's going to be smaller, and the sleeves will be 3/4 length instead of full-length.

This second photo shows the colours a bit better.

Gone Shoppin'

And oh how wonderful a sale is. My sale-sniffing bud over at Foxy and Crafty wrangled me a 40% discount on Rowan. Yes, Rowan. And here it be:

This Rowan Summer Tweed (which is very soft indeed) will transform, through a bit of knitting magic, into this.
And, I haven't just been spending money.

Here be one of the fastest turnarounds, craft-wise, that I've ever had:
Not only did we go to Serendipity Yarn, we also went to their tres lovely bead store, just doors down. Looky what I made.

And, lastly, here be my doppelganger;

A little off, I know. But I'm a beginner at sewing, and until I prove to myself that this'll last, this is all I'll get.

Knit Picks Arrives to Great Enthusiasm

My happiness levels skyrocketed when I got that promising wee notice in the mail that I had a package to pick up at the PO. Indeed, it was the Knit Picks order (unfortunately, not in time before Spring sprung - it's already 3 degrees today, and heading ever northwards over the next week. I just might be one of the only people who are lamenting the warmer temperatures).

Here, you see my impatience to work on the FI:

I decided to weave in all the ends and sew up the body. And block. Check and check.
Then I decided to weave in the ends on the sleeves. Half-check.

Now I need to finish them up, sew them in, block them out, and add the neck.


Cute update: here are two amigurumis I made for a craftster swap.

Mr. Raccoon and Zebra dude are made from online patterns, and various shades of Bernat Satin. I think Rocky has something of an attitude.

The Story of the Little Spencer Continues

Here it be: since this photo was taken, more progress has been done, but I had to update you all (yes, all three of you who read this blog), as to the wee Spencer situation.

I'm working the two front panels at once, and just sort of eye-balling it up against the actual Guess top. I'm using this yarn, "Wendy" by Peter Pan - I just found it in the baby yarn section at the good ol' Lens Mill Store. It's a tiny gauge, with tiny needles (2.25 mm, I believe). I truly almost stabbed my leg with one last night - vicious things, they are.

I've also discovered that I love tiny gauge. It creates a fabric that's entirely beautiful, fascinating (and I hope) entirely wearable.

Makin' Plans

At a much-needed knitting knight yestereve, the topic of dressforms came up, and a wonderful idea was brought to my attention. Methinks I'm buying some duct tape and having a tape-up-the-knitter-night tonight!

In other news:


Here is the previously mentioned sketch for my fair isle halter top with the Rowan cotton.



I've yet to decide on what, exactly, the fair isle bit will look like. I've never designed any fair isle before, so this might get a little messy.

Elann has arrived at the sanctuary:


This, my friends, will hopefully become this:

Or, more accurately, this:


Why it always looks so different on the models than on reality is quite a puzzle.

The wonderful stretch capabilities of this Elann Esprit yarn are demonstrated below.

Pre-stretch


Stretch

I've purchased enough (if my calculations are correct) to make two little Spencers (which, I promise, will have a creative name once I've finished designing and transcribing). I've also purchased enough to have another go at the Molly Ringwald (this time in cotton, and not handspun!) and something that I couldn't resist - baby alpaca and silk in an olive green. God knows what I'll do with it. It's too pretty (and reasonably priced) to pass up.

And now to conclude this monster post.

Happy knitting, all!

Shedir (and matching mitts) Fini!

Here is the completed Shedir (and matching mitts I made with the leftover yarn).

Specs:
Pattern: Shedir
Yarn: Rosarios 4 Solisticos (this is some yarn I received in a swap from Portugal)
Things I'd change:
nothing about the Shedir pattern, just my stubborn yarn choice. I wanted to knit from stash yarn, and this was just about enough for a hat (and mitts, obviously). This was a larger-than-called for yarn, and after several false starts, I got the right gauge.
Unfortunately, I neglected to notice that when I was finishing the top, it was getting a little, uh... pointy. Very elf-like. I'll still wear it, and I could fix it, but I'm knitting-lazy.




Mitt:
same yarn as above, pattern from my head (other than the cable, to match the Shedir).

On to the next hat!

The Way to Wear a Lady E: or, Shall I Make Another?

An Ode to the Lady E:


Draped around the shoulders, for a bold look with attitude.




Or my preferred way to wear - around the neck, as a gigantic scarf.

This way is great. It allows for maximum neck warm-age, and if the weather turns truly inclimate the wearer can pull one of the folds of the scarf up over the head.

All other "regular" scarves seem far too puny to me now. Lady E trumps them all. That is why I'm debating the CO for another. I'm "researching" yarns. Hemming and hawing over some Patons SWS (don't really love any of their colourways). I'm open to any suggestions re: self-striping yarns that's worsted or heavier weight.