Fair-Isle Frenzy!

Yep. First little bit of Fair-Isle, and I am so hooked.

So very hooked, that I had to take a crappy webcam pick to show off. I am absolutely in love.

Somehow I managed to get all this done (about 1/2 the first wristwarmer) last night. It feels like this is going so quickly. I guess compared to giant lace, it is going to be a quick project!!

Yarn Bouquet & Back Join

If I'm going to be talking technique, you at least deserve a pretty photo: a yarn bouquet of my alpaca for the Composed Mitts.

I am concerned (or shall I say petrified) about the number of ends I will have to weave in at the end of this project. On each mitt. That's TWO mitts, with about a bajillion ends.

Therefore, I've already been looking for ways to avoid this problem, even before casting on.

I have found what appears to be the perfect solution: the back join!

I promise you, it is well worth your time to check out the posts at TechKnitting. The Series Index is an excellent overview of the techniques on this blog, and my mind has already been blown by thinking about charting charts, and i-cord hat topper cast-ons.

First Fair-Isle

I had a blast this afternoon picking out Alpaca at Lettuce Knit, my favourite LYS.

I may know absolutely nothing about Fair-Isle, but I know I love picking out 6 skeins of Blue Sky Alpacas, my favourite yarn on the planet.

The project will be the Composed Mitts from the Fall 2007 Interweave Knits for a dear friend for Christmas. I think this is the perfect excuse to learn a new knitting technique.

I managed to purchase the pattern online from Interweave -- quick and easy!

As usual, Ravelry Notes here will likely have more frequent updates than the blog.

Scrumdiddliumptious!

I paid a first (and looooong overdue) trip to my LYS, The Purple Purl, this afternoon. (What!?! I've only been in the neighbourhood for 11 months, cut me some slack!)

Wow.

They have an astounding assortment of incredible yarns. I would deem them all suitable for the YarnSnob within me . . . all except maybe for the sequined bamboo-something, but we'll pretend I didn't see that.

I discovered some lovely finds today, and thought you should know about them. My first thought for each of them was, "why don't I know about this?" so I thought I should give a Public Service Announcement:

1) Mission Falls 136 Merino Superwash - ravelry link

This seems to be a perfect all-purpose merino. It's a DK weight, and at about $7 per 136 yard ball, I could see this becoming a house yarn. It is soft and scrumptious, and I want to knit everything with it. They also have a heavier-weight non-merino that is very soft, but this was perfection in my eyes.

The colour range is also extensive, and most of the colours the LYS had in stock would have blended beautifully together.

I will definitely pick some of this up for baby stuff in the future.

2) Malabrigo Silky Merino - ravelry link

Um, yum. I want to bathe in this. Daily.

This is a DK weight. If it had been laceweight I would have bought extensive amounts. Probably the entire stock.

Most of the colourways were solids/semisolids, but there was one plum/yellow variegated skein that nearly made its way into my purse. To die for.

3) Mirasol Miski and Mirasol Sulka - ravelry links here and here

Both worsteds, both super soft. So soft that they could be a hat for my Dad, and that's saying a lot. The Miski is 100% baby llama (and yes, you can feel it), while the Sulka is a wool/silk/alpaca blend.

The colourways are gorgeous - there is even a black yarn that has so much subtlety it wouldn't be a bore to knit with.

Yup. Go. Pet.

Spend money, I promise it will be worth it.

It must be fall...

Must. Knit. This. Immediately.

I think everyone in blog land is suffering from Startitis right now, I know I sure am.

In response to spending my entire life (ok, the summer) on the big blue Mum-shawl, I needed a little something to knit.

I received some gorgeous Filatura di Crosa Zara in my perfect red from an SP swap many moons ago, and have wanted to make myself a hat/scarf set from it. Finally, I cast on for the hat, using the top-down no-swatching method from the Live Dangerously, Don't Swatch Hat by Susan Lawrence.



I've used this method before, notably for the Sweet Pea baby hat. I love it, and probably won't knit a hat any other way unless there's a really gorgeous pattern that I can't stop myself for. I mean really, no swatching!! I'm using the Addi Turbo Lace needles that I'd picked up for the shawl, and they make a big difference with the M1L and M1R increases. So easy!!!

And in a blatant stash expansion moment, I picked up some divine yarn from the Farmer's Market today. I've been chatting with Silvia from The Stoddart Family Farm for a few weeks now, and she managed to dye me up my own colourway. It was supposed to be pinks and purples, and by a happy accident, managed to include lovely gorgeous blues!



It's fingering weight, and so soft. As it is hand-painted, and variegated, I don't want it to be knit in a lacey pattern.

I think it is destined for an AmyKnitty Stockinette Crazy Lightweight Tube Scarf. You know, like this: ravelry link. Although, I think that will be worth swatching for to see how this yarn knits up in stockinette.

The Wrap, It's a Wrap!

†I gifted my Mum with the Path of Flowers Stole (big blue thing that ate my summer), and she adores it!! (phew!)

Action Shots (click to make big):






Project Details:
Pattern: Path of Flowers Stole by Chrissy Gardiner

Yarn: A Kidsilk Haze knock-off from the basement (sale section) at Romni. No labels, no tags, no dyelot...

Needles: Started on 4mm Holz & Stein Rosewood circular needles, but after struggling too much with the P2-tbls, I picked up a pair of Addi Turbo Lace 4mm circulars. The difference is unbelievable, and I swear my knitting got faster!

Time on the Needles: July 13 - October 10, 2008, with no less than 5 restarts!

Ravelry Link: click here

Project Post-Partum

The stole, she is done!

Just in time for my Mum's birthday (we're celebrating on Sunday), I have just gotten the stole off the needles. A lovely block tomorrow morning before I head off for work (to dry while I'm at work) and it will be ready to present to my Mum on Sunday night.

Oh yes, I am happy.

Unblocked lace photos -- not much to look at, but here you go:



I have to say, that I already have experienced the melancholy that comes with being done with a project: when I was on the last repeat of row 3 (I loved that row), I was sorry to be knitting it for the last time.

I honestly thought I'd be knitting this shawl for the rest of my life, and now that it's done I'm feeling a wee bit down. And without a project... Hmmmm.

Don't worry - I'll feel fantastic tomorrow when it's done blocking!!!!!!!!!!