Barn Door Scarf

I finished the Barn Door scarf yesterday.  It came off of the Cricket Loom, got a wash, and then I pressed it this morning.  I used 150 grams = 483 yards of The Plucky Knitter's Traveler Sport in Barn Door.  I was worried about the strength of the yak content on the loom, but coupled with the merino and silk, it did just fine.  The scarf has a lovely sheen and great drape. 

7.5” x 70” without fringe
7.5” x 78” with fringe

Since it's the end of September, it's time to revisit the 12,000 yards in 2012 goal.  I'm not doing bad, but the last 3 months will have to be a bit of a push.  Totals so far stand at 8,133 yards completed and 3,867 yards remaining - which averages out to be 1,289 yards each month until the end of the year.  I'm estimating that the sky scarf will use around 1,000 yards and I can add that to December's totals.

Eye Candy: First Fall Mums

Shaelyn Shawl

Shaelyn Shawl is completed and its lovely.  I started with 258 grams total of a 2ply cormo from Clear View Farm in northern Illinois.  It is a dk/worsted weight, so I bumped up the needle size to 10.5 because I wasn't using a sport weight as the pattern originally recommended.  I ended up using 248 grams, or 414 yards total. Blocked out it measures 58” wide x 28” deep. 

I really enjoyed working with the cormo.  It a dense fiber, but not too heavy.  It also endured two froggings and took it pretty well.  The shawl is nice and thick, but doesn't weigh too much.  I'm ready for the fall weather now!

3rd Sunday Market Haul

My haul from the Third Sunday Market last weekend in Bloomington.  I kept my purchases to a minimum despite the fact that there were some lovely, lovely pieces of antique furniture and a 1920s art nouveau writing desk that I contemplated renting a U-haul to bring all the way back home. 

I picked up a few maps that I will either turn into elements for card making or possible a banner for the living room/parlor.  The old wooden spools of thread were a steal for $4/tin and I grabbed each of the wooden sock darners for $1.  I'm looking at new bookcases for the living room to changes furniture up a bit and help display some of these little collections.

A good wool week

First and foremost, my Shaelyn shawl came off of the needles last night.  Its been soaked and is currently blocking and drying in the living room.  It's really humid outside, so I hope it dries today and I can get pictures tomorrow.

I am working on my 12,000 yards in 2012 goal.  As of the end of August, my totals stood at 6,926 yards completed and 5,074 yards remaining.  If you average it out: 5,074 yards / 4 months to go = 1268 yards a month….which is do-able.  I have a few weaving projects planned and waiting in the wings.

First up, the skeins from The Plucky Knitter that I picked up at Stitches Midwest in August.  I'm going to see if the 8 dent or 10 dent reed would be better to weave these into a scarf.  It's a heavy sport/dk weight yarn - merino, silk, and yak.  I'm interested to see how it holds up on the loom - I'm hoping that the strength of the silk content will counterbalance the yak fiber.

I'm also participating in an Etsy KAL with one of my knitting groups.  We're all using yarn from a indie dyer of our choice on Etsy.  I picked up a skein of sock yarn, colorway Mrs. Featherbottom, from Cakewalk Yarns.  I'll get it wound up to start a pair of socks.

And lastly, it's wool week!  The Campaign for Wool is being launched in the United States this week in New York.  You can learn more about the campaign and how it is working to highlight the wool industry around the globe.  They will be bringing a flock of sheep to Bryant Park in NYC!  I hope someone takes a video of that.

Eye Candy: Queen Anne's Lace

PS - The last of these humble flowers normally signals the end of summer and beginning of fall.  I always enjoy their complexity and delicateness. 

Back to Shaelyn

Last night I picked up the Shaelyn Shawl (Ravelry link) again.  I enjoy the simplicity and beauty of the old shale lace pattern.  I've made it onto the fifth pattern repeat and it will be larger than the original written pattern.  The cormo fiber/yarn is lovely.

I think there might be a reason why that particular lace pattern has been used for hundreds of years...

Eye Candy: Busy Bee

PS - From my parents garden

Scottish Thistle Socks

A little late, but I finally finished my June personal sock club socks.  These are in Spirit Trail Fiberworks in the Helen base, colorway Scottish Thistle.  I picked mine up at The Loopy Ewe.  

Cast on 64, size 2 needles for nice, thick sport weight socks.  I used 107 of the 150 grams, for a total of 310 yards.  I think these might become my new boot socks.

Back to knitting the Shaelyn shawl tonight...

Greeting Card Bunting

Buntings are all over the place right now and I've had my eye on them for a few months.  What's not to love?  They are easy, add instant color, and can be personalized in more ways that I care to count.  Since I am in the middle of a living room refresh/redecoration project, I thought this was the perfect time to put that idea to good use. 

For the longest time, my dining room table faced an uninspiring wall.  My apartment used to be two that has since become one, so I do have awkward wall outlets, but have struggled with what to place on this wall.  The other two walls near it have art, and I am in the process of compiling a massive photo collage for the large one.  I didn't want to add another one.

Enter, my Stampin Up demonstrator.  B has a massive living room in her home that is lovingly decorated with all of the handmade cards that her customer send her.  And she displays them using two large stacked buntings...Bingo!  I've admired hers for years, so I figured that I could create a smaller, modified version to fit the length of the dining room table.  Since I save all of my handmade cards, I grabbed a stack from the box and headed to the living room. I grabbed a hammer and nails and set to work to create...

I tried the double bunting idea from two nails, but the wall wasn't long enough to have it work.  Nails are spaced 45 inches apart lengthwise and 9 inches vertically to create 3 mini-banners.  I used Stampin Up's Marina Mist 1/4 ribbon and 1 package of their (retired I think!) mini clothespins to attached 24 greeting cards.  I really like how it turned out. 

I'm considering it season wall art.  Since the cards normally reflect the seasons, I can swap them out as the new ones arrive and it can continue to serve as inspiration in the meantime.

(PS - Now, if only photo collages came together in 30 minutes!)

New favorite color combo

New find from the flea market I attended over the weekend!  I found this little dresser scarf for $1.50 on Saturday.

Normally, I am not a fan of to many frills, but the intense color combination on this one literally caught my eye from the other side of the booth.  It's a simple, laurel shaped design.  The blue, coral, and green combo might be my new color inspiration.

Eye Candy: Marigolds

 

PS - From my parent's garden.

Succesful $2 Finds

While fall is one of my favorite seasons, it is also one of my busiest times of year.  I took a few hours two weekends ago to do a bit of antique hunting.  I had a successful $2 day.  First, I found this taper candle holder for a quarter that I couldn't pass up.  No idea where its permanent home will be, but right now it has taken up residence on an end table in the living room.  The big find of the day set me back $1.75.  I found an entire bag of straight knitting needles in a variety of colors nestled at the bottom of a box.  I don't knit with straight metal needles, but I always pick them up while I'm out visiting thrift stores or antique shops.

Over the years, I've amassed a few vases full of these colorful once loved needles.  They're nestled into a corner of a bookshelf, just waiting to be given a second chance.  If I'm teaching someone to knit, I normally pull out a pair and pass them along.  Right now though, they're adding color!

Really, I have been knitting

It might not seem like it, but I have.  The beginning of school and fall is one of the busiest times at work.  To add to the back to school chaos, this past week I was down with my first cold/flu of the school year and am just starting to bounce back.  I have been knitting though!

First up, the sky scarf.  Here you see it complete through the end of August.  I'm excited that it is now scarf like in length.  4 months to go until I have a finished object!

Remember my personal sock club?  Well, I'm catching up on that as well.  These are my June sock club socks that I am finally getting back to.  I had great intentions of knitting on this during my vacation time in June and July, but time off and vacation sidetracked my efforts.  The yarn, form Spirit Trail Fiberworks is a great heavy fingering weight, is something I might have to pick up another skein to have on hand.

My participation pin from the Ravellenic Games arrived over the weekend.  I've added it to my bulletin board.  I would love to put it on my knitting bag, but I have a Namaste Hermosa, and it would completely puncture the vinyl.  Any thoughts?  Or maybe I need a second knitting bag?