Top o' the Tam

I think I'm pioneering an entirely new field--documenting knitting with a scanner rather than a camera! Here are two scans of my new tam. I'll be wearing it tonight at the fireworks in Northampton.

Happy New Year, everybody!

Lusciousness

Here's what I spent part of my WEBS gift certificate on: Artyarns Ultramerino4. Isn't it gorgeous? I am thinking it might be just right for a lace scarf using the Old Shale stitch pattern in Martha Waterman's Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls (thank you again, Jamie, for that inspiring book!).

Other winter knitting plans: a cabled vest in Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Pumpkin, Branching Out using Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, legwarmers in a chocolate brown Cascade 220, and the Union Square Poncho in Weekend Knitting (which is bound to take a couple of months, at least). The other night I frogged my Stockinette and Seed Stitch Poncho (an Interweave Knits staff pattern). I just didn't like the drape (or lack of it) of the fabric--with the doubled yarn, it was too stiff. So I'll use the same yarn (Woolpak NZ) for Union Square.

Progress this week: I'm nearing the finish line with Gina's striped socks! And I made for myself a scarlet heather tam using Jo Sharp DK Wool. I knit it slightly large, using two strands, and then shrank/felted it by hand to achieve a thick, warm fabric. I used a checkerboard stitch pattern in a three-inch band going around to give it some textural interest (which is still visible after felting). It looks chic, if I do say so myself. You'll have to take my word for it--without a digital camera, I can't share a pic!

Campfire Lace Scarf

Finished just in time for Christmas, my second lace scarf, knit with Knit Picks Shadow in Campfire. I can't wait to wear it today. I wouldn't have minded making it a bit longer (it's 57" long), but at the same time, I am eager to start other lace projects. Which shouldn't be hard to do, because for Christmas Jamie gave me Martha Waterman's Traditional Lace Shawls, Cheryl Oberle's Folk Shawls, and a gift certificate to WEBS. What a wonderful guy! I am one lucky knitter.

Happy holidays, everyone!

First Lace Scarf

It's finished! This one was knit with Jaeger Baby Merino 4 Ply. Very, very soft yarn. I've got more and am contemplating using it for those lovely Embossed Leaves Socks in the winter issue of Interweave Knits. The blocking went smoothly--I used the top of the futon couch, with a blanket folded lengthwise under the scarf. It was 48 inches long before blocking, 59 inches after blocking.

Actually, is this my first lace scarf? I started the Campfire Lace Scarf before this one, but finished this first. Hmm. Anyway, all I'll be working on in the next few days is the Campfire, so I can wear it on Christmas.

I love lace knitting!

A Little Knitalong Madness

Well, I did it. After spending months looking at the Branching Out Knitalong and admiring the many beautiful iterations of this pattern, I got myself a skein of Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool and am going to give it a go. I can start just as soon as I finish my lilac lace scarf (I need those needles). What I find amazing about Branching Out is that it looks great no matter what kind of yarn is used. Take a look at pictures posted on the Branching Out Knitalong (see button at right), and you'll see what I mean.

The plan for this evening is to finish and block the lilac lace scarf. I have more than 100 T pins for the job--hope that's enough! If not, I can always run to Michael's and get more.

And as if joining three knitalongs were not enough, I also jumped on the Cover Your Ankles bandwagon, since I am planning on whipping out a pair of legwarmers next week. My next project for the Cover Your Head Knitalong will be a tam for myself, which I'm going to knit with two strands of Jo Sharp DK Wool in a heathered dark red.

The devil will never find my hands idle.

Double the Fun

Uh oh! Tomorrow is the weekly Holiday Countdown Knitalong check-in day and I haven't got any FOs to show! But I've made good progress this week on the lilac lace scarf (a gift) and the campfire lace scarf (which is for me, and which I look forward to wearing on Christmas). They're both more than halfway done, and thanks to them I'm really getting into the groove of lace knitting.

But what's a knitting blog without pictures? So here is a scan of the Simple Stripes socks I'm making for my friend Gina. I got a lot of work done on them last Saturday when Jamie and I took a bus to New York, where we saw the van Gogh drawings show at the Met. (Which, by the way, is an excellent show.) My gauge on the socks is what it should be, so I'm fairly confident they will fit. I'm glad I got a second set of needles, so I can do both socks at once. I'm not sure if it's any quicker, but I like the fact that when I'm done, I'm done. No second sock to start!

Four in One

Here's a closeup of four cotton cloths, which are each about 7-1/2 inches square. They are a commission from my mom, who's giving them to a friend for Christmas. I used Knit Picks Shine in blush and cream and will definitely use it again; it's soft and moves quickly and smoothly on the needles. It would be a nice yarn for spring and summer wear, as well as for baby items (it's machine washable).

Pics, pics, pics!

I finally got my film developed. So, without further ado: Jamie modeling his Regia Brasil socks, anniversary scarf, and watch cap; a better pic of the scarf plus my campfire lace scarf in progress--and a too-small-and-since-frogged Sockotta sock; Ida lounging alongside the just-begun stockinette and seed stitch poncho; and Ida inspecting my ball-winding work (that's some gorgeous handpainted fingering weight yarn from lotusblossom on eBay).

The woven cloths on the table, by the way, are by my sister Jenny, an amazing knitter, weaver, spinner, dyer, and teacher. My home would be so much poorer without all of her wonderful handwoven gifts!