283 Projects

The past few days I have spent an enormous amount of time on Ravelry. I joined a long long time ago but really haven't made much use of it until now. I have been amazed at the amount of expertise just floating around out there. For example, I started a forum to ask about the type of Goat Down Yarn used to make traditional Orenburg shawls (which Deidre's scarf is based on) which has received almost 100 responses and been read by nearly 800 people!!! Woah! So awesome!

I also have decided, thanks to the helpful advice of my fellow Ravelers, to purchase some goat down yarn from a company called Taiga. The company seems to be out of business, or, more likely, no longer imported, but I found one person willing to sell me their stash and also a website with a few skeins left in stock. Thankfully its relatively inexpensive...

I also went ahead and bought myself a new spindle. Actually I bought two from a place called The Woolery. My crappy beginner's spindle is falling apart (the hook keeps falling off and now I've lost it) so I decided it was time for an upgrade. I ended up with a Greensleeves Bare Bones Top Whorl and a cute little Louet Bottom Whorl with sheep on it! (The image below shows the top whorl Louet)




Then I continued my shopping spree (my wallet hurts so bad right now...) and got two drop spindle books on amazon and a rigid heddle book. Silly amazon told me that two of my items would not ship for up to 3 months! AND to get the free shipping they would make me wait to get the other one until everything was ready! So I ended up buying things in two orders, one for the two books that are going to take a while, and one with the 3rd. But, helas, I needed another few bucks to make it to Super Shipper Savings, so I bought the classic Knitters Almanac as well. :D

What a happy Saturday!

UPDATE

The lovely people at The Woolery called me to say that the Bare Bones spindle is back ordered. I decided to try the Kentucky brand instead, which I am told is very similar, and local. Well, local for them at least... :P

Here is a pic of Deidre wearing her blizzard scarf that I made for X-mas. Notice my brother's "gallery" in the background. :D



And here, is my snood! This pattern came from Vogue Knitting's Holiday 2009 issue. I used Malabrigo Merino worsted in "orchid" and size 9 needles. I had to add on 6 extra stitches to make it the right size (it looked terrible on 10.5s, which was what I needed to get the guage right). This pattern was super easy, great for a first pattern in the round or first yo pattern. Honestly though, I got kind of sick of doing whole rows of yo k2tog about halfway through... In any case, I'm very pleased with the result.

I've been thinking a lot about what exactly it is I want to accomplish with my knitting/crafting. I'm always planning new projects. In fact, I think I spend more time planning new projects than I do working on them! But recently I've decided to take a more focused approach and make a game plan for what I would like to accomplish in the next year and beyond.

1) Continue to make awesome stuff and (more importantly) complete my projects in a timely manner. My next :



2) Continue to amass an awesome library of reference books and patterns (but not blow too much cash)

3) Brush up on crochet. I've only ever made one full object in crochet, and I think its time I had a bit more practice. The plan is to make crocheted cotton washcloths for everyone I know. There, you have now all been warned...

4) Figure out what else I can do with my loom.

5) Spin enough yarn to make something and then make it.

6) Next fall, if I feel confident enough I have decided to start level on of the Knitting Guild's Master's Program. Wish me luck. (Crouching Tiger Knitting Dragon, wha?! :P )

7) I want to publish a pattern. As soon as possible. AND get paid for it.

8) Also in the next decade I would like to develop at least have a working knowledge of the following:
a) Embroidery. In particular I would like to attempt an antique all over pattern, something crazy, complex and awesome.
b) Bobbin Lace. This has got to be the least useful craft ever. Yet it is awesome.
c) Sewing. YUCK! My least favorite thing.

Ok, thats it for now. Or at least that all I can think of. New stuff soon! :D

WOW! Two projects finished in the same day! The Blizzard scarf is almost dry and I just finished weaving in the ends on my Mermaids Tail Scarf! Here are some pics:




The yarn is Noro Kochoran. 50% Wool 30% Angora 20% Silk. I used almost 2 skeins for this and the mini version with size 9 needles.



I know I've got quite a poker face (you should see my passport...) but I felt silly smiling for the camera alone at 9am. :P



The pattern is alternating Moss stitch and k3p3 ribbing. There are 4 panels of ribbing and 3 panels of moss. The ends are k5p5 welting.



Its so cozy and soft. The yarn has really fluffed up after being handled.

Last night I finally finished the Blizzard scarf from the Nov/Dec 09 Piecework. I just pinned it down for blocking, but here are a few pics. Notice how sad and deflated my skein looks. It is amazing though that there is more than enough yardage in one of those babies for a whole scarf!