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I have to give up my spinning wheel. The dollar a day rent went up to $1.50. I can’t afford that. So I’ll be giving it back in January. Probably in two weeks. It’s fine. I actually haven’t really had time to spin. I have saved about 300 so far for the Ladybug. But the dog needs to go to the vet. She needs a distemper booster and she’ll probably get put on pain/joint meds. I hope they aren’t that expensive. Though I’m prepared to use all of my spinning money on her. I wouldn’t mind at all. I’d rather have her around then a spinning wheel. I think the spinning is something I can do – but not something I want to do. And it’s just so expensive. I’m going to put that towards paying off my cc instead.
But on a more knitterly note, I have finished the first lagoon sock. And it’s a little big. I’m not ripping it back. I’m just going to deal with it. I put it on waste yarn so that I can knit the next one up to that point and then divide the yarn I have left and finish them both off so that I use all the yarn. I love the colors, and the yarn is so soft. But I’m definitely going down at least two needle sizes. I’ll try it on 1s and hopefully I’ll get a denser fabric. I think I said that after my last socks – but I forgot. I’m determined to not forget next time.
I’ve picked up Karen’s clapotis again and have done a couple of rows. I’m almost halfway done. I’ll finish the straight rows before I start on the second lagoon sock. This whole clapotis thing, while really pretty – is really stressful. I hate dropping stitches, it makes me so nervous. I’m also worried that it might not block the way I want it. It does have some acrylic in it. Also I feel like it’s not going to be long enough. The straight section says to do the series of dropped stitches 12 times. But that doesn’t seem long enough. Other people have repeated the straight section 2 or even three times. I might do it twice. I have the yarn, and I want Karen to have a really awesome scarf.
I am thinking of making Karen some socks for her birthday. I’ll use one of the colors of the corn fiber sock yarn she brought me from San Diego. That way she’ll always remember the trip. I want to do something really cool for her. I definitely want to do toe ups, since the yarn comes in two small balls and I’ll be able to get the most out of those. But I think this project might have to wait for the perfect pattern. I want to start it by next month, so I have some time to do some digging. I think something sort of lacey would be good for her since she gets so hot.
As far as the SSS (Super Sister Slimdown) goes, it was a bust this week. Hopefully this weekend we’ll start. I’m buying my new exercise bike and Karen is going to help me put it together on the weekend.
I did not follow the plan at all this weekend. But instead finished the second pink/purple mitten, and the first pink camo mitten. I decided that I don’t have enough yarn to complete the second camo mitten, so I started on the blue snowflake mitten. I’m already up to the finger opening. I really like this pattern. Very easy to read and follow. I’ve been fiddling with increases and so far like the kfb (knit through front and back loops). It looks the neatest and doesn’t leave holes like the yarnovers. I’m planning on duplicate stitching the snowflake on, but I’ll wait till I have both mittens so I have a better chance of them being the same. If I have enough time I’ll do the same only opposite – white mitten with a blue snowflake.
The Central Park Hoodie is now available in plus size. I’m psyched. Finally a sweater I can get behind. I really want to spin my own yarn for this sweater. I think it would be a huge accomplishment. But, first I will need to purchase my own wheel.
I keep thinking that due to the wicked smallness of my turn-of-the-century saltbox, I’m going to need a small portable wheel. I’m due a 150 reimbursement in January. With that and my year end bonus from work I should be able to get the Schacht Ladybug. It’s wicked cute. Plus the plastic composite wheel is awesome since New England is known for warping wood with it’s temperature and humidity extremes.
No, I’m just thinking. I’ve got me a plan. When my sister and I were little, my mother used to dress us up the same (no surprise). We always got new pajamas just for Christmas on Christmas Eve. BUT, we weren’t allowed to sleep in them. My mom would give them to us, then take them back and keep them in her room. When Karen and I awoke in the morning, before we were allowed downstairs, we had to go and wake Mom up, then she would comb our hair and we would change into the new pajamas and then go downstairs where dad would be waiting for us.
Karen and I have been trying to get matching pajamas as a joke now that we are older. The only thing is that she is a size 12/14 and I’m a 22/24. Yup, ten sizes in between us. Think we could find a pair of pajama pants that match and in those sizes. Nope. So, that got me thinking. What if we wore matching hats? Then I was thinking about what hats we would wear, and I had a vision. Red pixie earflap hats with white pompoms on the top. Perfect. Then I had another though. What if I made them for everyone in the family in secret? Then stuck them in their stocking. Stockings are always hard, since we are all on a budget and we even put a $20 cap on the presents this year. I figured we would all have at least something in our stockings. My sister is the only one who knows about my secret plan (the only one who knows about this blog too) so it will be safe to post pictures. I’m planning on using an old lionbrand pattern that I have for a crocheted pixie hat with some red heart yarn held double or triple depending on the gauge.
Week Wrap Up
- Finished first Peekaboo mitten*. Looks pretty good. Easy, quick pattern. I think I’ll be making a lot of these in the weeks to come.
- Discovered my problem with spinning is that I’m not drafting enough and that my spindle is weighted for sportweight yarn.
- Spun the roving from the Sherborn Fiber Fest. Not bad. I just feel like I need another hand. Although I switched hands and seem to be a little better. Although after plying seems like an aran weight yarn. Which I guess is what you would get with two sportweight yarns held together. But not sure if that is how it works.
- Decided to take actual spinning lessons on an actual spinning wheel after the first of the year. If I don’t totally hate it, then I will start saving up for my very own.
- Finished green/brown socks. Glad they are done.
Weekend Goals
- I’m buying 3 skeins of Caron Simply Soft in an off-white color this weekend for my dear, dear sister’s Clapotis. If she isn’t going to appreciate nice yarn, then she isn’t going to get nice yarn.
- Set twist on all fiber. Maybe swatch a bit to see what’s what.
- Purchase some Woolease for more mittens. Hey, it’s on sale.
- Suck it up and go to Braintree to meet other Ravelers. I’m a little scared doing it, but I won’t stay long, so that I don’t have to navigate that rotary in the dark.
*Ok, so I haven’t totally finished the mitten. I didn’t kitchener the top, and I didn’t do the thumb. But I decided I would have better luck looking like these match if I did them both at the same time. So, I’m casting on the other mitten and putting the live stitches on waste yarn till I finish the second mitten body and then do the thumbs and close the top on both at the same time.
Took some pictures last night of some recent FOs. Ravelry has been a godsend since someone posted how to find the HTML in flickr to post their photos. I really have to play around with flickr more. I know I’m not using it to it’s full potential. First off is the Hallowig. Nana loved it. Everyone thought it was hysterical. Size 8 Addi’s and Cascade 220 Superwash. I taught myself magic loop on this. Not bad, but I think I like dpns better.
A simple intarsia hat. I love fishes. Pretty huh? Leftover Woolease in assorted colors. Wait, I think the blue was leftover Cascade 220. Ah, stashbusting. You are my friend.
Next up is the Yarn Harlot’s Unoriginal Hat. I was planning on using the Reynolds blizzard that my sister got me for this. But to try the pattern first I thought I’d use some….. STASH. I have some “old people” yarn in black. Both were aran weight so this hat is a wee snug. And the acrylic nature of if makes it a wee itchy. But I like it. It was only my second time doing cables. And I used the 2 circ method at the top since I didn’t have dpns that size.
Now onto the current project. Peekaboo mittens.
I love this yarn. It’s from Iron Horse Farm where Debbie Smith does everything, she dyed and spun the yarn herself. From her own animals no less. It’s pink/purple with a metallic magenta fiber in it. It’s Shetland/Mohair/Angora. Gorgeous. When I saw it at the Sherborn Fiber Arts Festival – it jumped off the table and said “Make me into something for your sister” I know I make my sister a lot of things. Which is weird since she is always so hot – I swear her baseline temp is like 198. Anyway, I’m making Karen these mittens. They are working up so fast, it’s crazy. No new skill with this project. Except that I decided I hate purling on dpns. But I love ribbing. My life is a series of contradictions. But tonight. Tonight is when the real fun starts. Karen and I are going to the opening of Bass Pro Shops in Foxboro tonight. A couple of the Patriots are going to be there. I’m so excited. I have about $30 if I see something I HAVE to have.
So picture taking isn’t going as well as I thought. It always seems like my camera is downstairs and I’m upstairs. Or I have my camera but my knitted stuff is scattered all around the house. I have to clean my room tonight so maybe that will help. I finished the Yarn Harlot’s Unoriginal Hat. I held two strands of black acrylic together. Good way to get rid of the acrylic. I worked it on size 10.5 needles. I’ll definitely go up a size or two when I do it again. Very tight on my widdle head. I’ve also decided to make Karen a Clapotis out of some acrylic too. She loves Caron Simply Soft. And I’m not going to spend a lot on yarn if what she really likes is the 1.99 a skein kind. I found someone on Ravelry who has done it in the acrylic so it should work out. I’ve started a Peekaboo mitten for Karen too for Christmas. I bought the yarn from Iron Horse Farms at the Sherborn Fiber Fest. It’s so pretty. Pinks and Purples and a sparkly thread running through it. I just realized that I’m making a lot for Karen for Christmas. Oh, well. I’m going to haul ass on the mitten, and get one done, then maybe do the clapotis and then do the other mitten. Then see which one Aunten likes. I’ll make her either one. Lisa and Abby are hopefully getting mittens. If I slack off then Abby is getting a pretty skein of yarn.
The second sock is almost done. I’ll probably have it done by Thursday night. Once the sock is done, it’s time to set course for the Peekaboo Mittens. I have to swatch the loads of Red Heart that was gifted to me with the size 8 addi turbos. That way I can use magic loop. I also have to swatch Karen’s socks. I still haven’t decided on a pattern for them. It would be best if I do an all-over rib, as her feet are bigger than mine. I’m planning on working mitten, sock, mitten, sock. That way I won’t get bored or frustrated.
I’m really excited about these mittens. I hope that the pattern isn’t that hard. I know acrylic isn’t really the best for mittens, but it’s free. And I’m slowly working my family out of a financial hole, so free works for me. I wonder what would happen if I stopped working on the sock and casted on the mittens tonight? Would the knitting gods be angered? Or would they applaud me for forgoing knitting something for myself and instead knit for others?
Hmmmm. Things to think about.
