It is already dark and stormy here this afternoon so I have just one more thing to say.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
I just ordered about 10 more shades of Elann's Peruvian Highland sport weight to figure out the color combo I want to use for the Dale Whistler sweater. I know I am going to use Tapestry Blue for the main color but everything else is still up for grabs.
This Saturday, November 1st, from 10 am to 2 pm there will be a House Rabbit Society Adoptathon at the Albuquerque eastside Petco at 10700 Lomas. There will be zillions of spayed/neutered bunnies available for immediate adoption and experienced rabbit people to answer any questions. We're getting many more rabbits from the shelter lately and we have more bonded rabbit pairs like sisters Tiger and Snow seen below.
Bonding bunnies is a science (I definitely don't have the skill!) but fortunately we have some experienced rescuers who can help anyone bond two rabbits. In fact, they have been putting up Youtube videos HERE of their work with two of our former bunnies, Midnight and Luna, who are apparently in relationship therapy.
This Saturday, November 1st, from 10 am to 2 pm there will be a House Rabbit Society Adoptathon at the Albuquerque eastside Petco at 10700 Lomas. There will be zillions of spayed/neutered bunnies available for immediate adoption and experienced rabbit people to answer any questions. We're getting many more rabbits from the shelter lately and we have more bonded rabbit pairs like sisters Tiger and Snow seen below.
Bonding bunnies is a science (I definitely don't have the skill!) but fortunately we have some experienced rescuers who can help anyone bond two rabbits. In fact, they have been putting up Youtube videos HERE of their work with two of our former bunnies, Midnight and Luna, who are apparently in relationship therapy.
I am always reluctant to show UFOs here but alas I haven't finished anything in a while. This is a sock for a friend (fortunately she only has size 6 feet!) - the pattern is the Noel Noel socks from Red Bird Knits.
I'll post our photos from our visit to Colorado later this week. It was nice to see friends but our main goal for our last trip was to bring back our baby seen below. We haven't had her in our possession for over 8 years. I was hoping we'd get to do some canoeing this month before it gets cold but DH has been taking his sweet time refinishing the oars.
I'll post our photos from our visit to Colorado later this week. It was nice to see friends but our main goal for our last trip was to bring back our baby seen below. We haven't had her in our possession for over 8 years. I was hoping we'd get to do some canoeing this month before it gets cold but DH has been taking his sweet time refinishing the oars.
Point Reyes Natural Colors
This week, like last week, I decided to create SockPixie colorways using natural dyes. I collected salvia leaves from my yard to create beautiful greens, mushrooms, acorns, and gathered red cabbages from our little vegetable garden. The colors reminded me of our trips to Point Reyes when we used to live in California.
I have so much fun with the process. There is something undeniably magical about it. When I dye with chemical dyes, I know which color I can obtain. But with natural dyes, the first steps are always a sort of miracle. I collect local plants, guessing at their color potential, I extract the pigments, and then the moment of truth when I plunge the yarn in the dye bath, and see the colors appear!
I hope you will enjoy this week's magic...
I just received my new computer so I've been swamped transferring photos, installing software, etc. I can't believe how much time all this is taking.
DH has a new FO. It doesn't really look that exciting though.
It is a cold frame for growing greens in winter. I can't believe I found all these plants at Home Depot in the middle of October.
DH has a new FO. It doesn't really look that exciting though.
It is a cold frame for growing greens in winter. I can't believe I found all these plants at Home Depot in the middle of October.
Nature...
This week's SockPixie colorways are so different for me. I turned into a little witch, collecting leaves and berries, extracting pigment, and creating lusciously deep colorways for you and for me to enjoy!
Here are the witches pots boiling and fuming...A witch's brew...
A brew and a few spells and you get this...
I am a happy witch. These colorways are maybe my favorites so far, and just looking at them makes me happy, and peaceful. Enjoy!
Here are the witches pots boiling and fuming...A witch's brew...
A brew and a few spells and you get this...
I am a happy witch. These colorways are maybe my favorites so far, and just looking at them makes me happy, and peaceful. Enjoy!
dale of norway whistler hat
Here's the Whistler 2005 hat with the embedded maple leaf design from the new Dale of Norway Commemorative Collection full of Canadian designs. (Woolybaabaa, Kirtland's Yarn Barn, Bea Ellis Knitwear, and Allegro Yarns now carry the pattern booklet.) I used Elann's Peruvian Highland sport weight wool yarn in six colors but the contrast colors aren't showing up well enough in real life so it is back to the drawing board. I went up a needle size to accommodate the lighter weight yarn and my row gauge is off. Because I have to order more yarn to experiment with I have put off the estimated date of completion of the Whistler sweater until after the holidays.
I'm getting a great deal of knitting done during the baseball playoffs but it certainly isn't low-stress. Tonight's last ALCS game especially should be a nail-biter! Next up - a holiday sock for a deserving friend and some Dale snowflake mittens in alpaca.
I put my knitting needles down...
I have done the unthinkable! I have put my knitting needles down.I am always knitting. The first thing I do after I wake up, is grab a cup of tea, and my knitting. Well, things have been different around here for the last few days. The house almost seems empty without the reassuring clickety click of my trusted Addis. There is however no idleness, trust me. I have been working on a crochet project.
I had this mountain of left over tweedy yarns. So I decided to embark on a granny square project, with the idea of making a blanket for one of my children as a Christmas present.
Crochet has the great advantage of being fast. I actually doubled the yarn to make it super fast. Why knit a blanket in months, when you can crochet a spirited Granny Square blanket in weeks? I know some of you will say that knitting looks nicer, but I personally like both the efficiency, and the vintage spirit of the crochet blanket.
I have so far completed 22 squares, and probably have at least 13 more to go...
I had this mountain of left over tweedy yarns. So I decided to embark on a granny square project, with the idea of making a blanket for one of my children as a Christmas present.
Crochet has the great advantage of being fast. I actually doubled the yarn to make it super fast. Why knit a blanket in months, when you can crochet a spirited Granny Square blanket in weeks? I know some of you will say that knitting looks nicer, but I personally like both the efficiency, and the vintage spirit of the crochet blanket.
I have so far completed 22 squares, and probably have at least 13 more to go...
Men's Norwegian Mittens
Ahh the joys of technology! In the last five days my computer died, our electricity was out for almost two days due to a windstorm (I missed two MLB playoff games!), my MP3 player died, my scanner refuses to be hooked up to the new computer (actually a used model from the computer guy DH works with) and I think something is now wrong with my camera. I did learn one valuable thing though - it is mind-boggling how much more knitting I get done without a computer.
Here are the Men's Norwegian mittens. Info on the pattern can be found HERE on Ravelry or on page 38 of the Japanese booklet from Yesasia.com titled either Northern European Knitted Accessories or Scandinavian Knitted Accessories.
I really like the unusual pattern on the front. I used Cascade 220 and size 4 dpns and DH says he likes them.
I also made some mindless 2 strand thick socks on 32 sts trying to use up various purple odds and ends from my stash.
I'm off now to try to find some sort of battery-operated light bright enough for stranded color knitting during power outages.
Here are the Men's Norwegian mittens. Info on the pattern can be found HERE on Ravelry or on page 38 of the Japanese booklet from Yesasia.com titled either Northern European Knitted Accessories or Scandinavian Knitted Accessories.
I really like the unusual pattern on the front. I used Cascade 220 and size 4 dpns and DH says he likes them.
I also made some mindless 2 strand thick socks on 32 sts trying to use up various purple odds and ends from my stash.
I'm off now to try to find some sort of battery-operated light bright enough for stranded color knitting during power outages.
I Love Boston in the Fall...
I just love Boston in the fall. This week, for my new SockPixie colorways, I decided to pause a moment, and just look around me. I even decided to collect and use local black walnuts to overdye the yarn. As always this was a fun adventure, and the new colors turned out to be incredibly rich, and beautiful. The black walnut added a golden depth to the colors.
A lot of you have been asking me how I do this. I first dye the colors by hand, because I love the fact that it gives the skeins a more artisanal look, whith areas that are more deeply colored than others.
For this week, I dyed some warm colors, as well as some cool colors, and separated them into 2 batches, one warm, the other cool.
I took about 2 cups of the soft outer shell of the walnuts, and chopped them into little pieces. I cut 2 simple natural cotton muslin squares, and placed 1 cup of walnut in each, and closed the bundles with thread.
I emersed the wet already dyed yarn (the yarn has to be completely free of residual dye) in water, the warm colors altogther in one pot, and the cool colors altogether in another. In each pot I placed a little bundle of walnuts, and I "cooked" the yarn for about 45 minutes, stirring often, until the colors had reached the golden hue I was looking for.
The results are really worth the effort...Happy Fall to you all!
A lot of you have been asking me how I do this. I first dye the colors by hand, because I love the fact that it gives the skeins a more artisanal look, whith areas that are more deeply colored than others.
For this week, I dyed some warm colors, as well as some cool colors, and separated them into 2 batches, one warm, the other cool.
I took about 2 cups of the soft outer shell of the walnuts, and chopped them into little pieces. I cut 2 simple natural cotton muslin squares, and placed 1 cup of walnut in each, and closed the bundles with thread.
I emersed the wet already dyed yarn (the yarn has to be completely free of residual dye) in water, the warm colors altogther in one pot, and the cool colors altogether in another. In each pot I placed a little bundle of walnuts, and I "cooked" the yarn for about 45 minutes, stirring often, until the colors had reached the golden hue I was looking for.
The results are really worth the effort...Happy Fall to you all!
I promise I will have two FOs to show you by Friday.
I wanted to add that you can still buy some of the older, out-of-print Dale of Norway pattern booklets if you buy them as kits from Allegro Yarns. They do have St. Moritz, Norge 2000 (There is also a Norge 2002 which is a different design.) and the #7912 embroidered cardigan in another colorway using Tiur called #10404 Larvik. As the older out-of-print Dale booklets are now so expensive on Ebay you could probably even come out ahead by buying the kit at Allegro, knitting the sweater, then re-selling the booklet on Ebay.
Apparently not every design I showed yesterday is of out print. The #7912 cardigan is has been re-released in a new pattern booklet #8307 and different colors (PDF HERE) at Bea Ellis Knitwear. She is also now selling the 8501 Commemorative Collection that includes the Canadian Whistler sweater design I'm going to knit.
Yarn Barn also is selling booklet 8501 Commemorative Collection and if you go HERE you can see all the sweaters in all their colorways. Yarn Barn has the original St. Moritz pattern booklet HERE.
I wanted to add that you can still buy some of the older, out-of-print Dale of Norway pattern booklets if you buy them as kits from Allegro Yarns. They do have St. Moritz, Norge 2000 (There is also a Norge 2002 which is a different design.) and the #7912 embroidered cardigan in another colorway using Tiur called #10404 Larvik. As the older out-of-print Dale booklets are now so expensive on Ebay you could probably even come out ahead by buying the kit at Allegro, knitting the sweater, then re-selling the booklet on Ebay.
Apparently not every design I showed yesterday is of out print. The #7912 cardigan is has been re-released in a new pattern booklet #8307 and different colors (PDF HERE) at Bea Ellis Knitwear. She is also now selling the 8501 Commemorative Collection that includes the Canadian Whistler sweater design I'm going to knit.
Yarn Barn also is selling booklet 8501 Commemorative Collection and if you go HERE you can see all the sweaters in all their colorways. Yarn Barn has the original St. Moritz pattern booklet HERE.
I credit Dale of Norway for making me addicted to stranded color knitting. When I started knitting seriously they published the most beautiful knitting patterns. I can't even wear boxy ski sweaters and we live in a warmish climate so heavy sweaters aren't really practical. But the first time I knit a Dale pattern I was hooked. I experience complete joy when knitting their patterns. So far I've knit six of their sweaters and plan to knit more even though we rarely wear them.
When knitting became really popular a few years ago and Dale stopped publishing stranded patterns in favor of easier designs it was by far the saddest thing that has happened to me as a knitter. I don't know if the new Whistler pattern means they're returning to complex stranded designs or if it is just a fluke. I've also heard rumors there is a Dale Christmas stocking book being released.
Dale is the reason I blather on here about multi-color knitting rather than lace or cables. All of their old booklets are unfortunately long out of print and expensive but I thought I'd put some photos of some favorite Dale sweaters through the years.
St. Moritz
#7912
Norge 2000
#12406
#6101
This last cardigan is still in my queue if I ever find some yarn to use. I do love knitting with Heilo but if I used it I could only wear this as a coat.
When knitting became really popular a few years ago and Dale stopped publishing stranded patterns in favor of easier designs it was by far the saddest thing that has happened to me as a knitter. I don't know if the new Whistler pattern means they're returning to complex stranded designs or if it is just a fluke. I've also heard rumors there is a Dale Christmas stocking book being released.
Dale is the reason I blather on here about multi-color knitting rather than lace or cables. All of their old booklets are unfortunately long out of print and expensive but I thought I'd put some photos of some favorite Dale sweaters through the years.
St. Moritz
#7912
Norge 2000
#12406
#6101
This last cardigan is still in my queue if I ever find some yarn to use. I do love knitting with Heilo but if I used it I could only wear this as a coat.
Dear Elizabeth, how about a February Beret... FREE PATTERN
If you asked my husband who my favorite author is, he would answer without a moment of hesitation, Elizabeth Zimmermann. I have read, and reread her books, and seem to each time learn a little more.
One of my favorite projects is the February baby sweater. The gull lace, and the simple garter stitch are just lovely, a timeless classic.
The other day, I was working at Windsor Button, and we had just received a shipment of Manos Silk Blend, and I was assigned the job of twisting the skeins. Each color was more beautiful than the last, and soon enough, I started making a little side pile just for me. I did exercise some restraint, and settled on 2 skeins of color 300X, a lovely ochre.
What could I do with the 2 skeins? A February Beret!
I chose an i-cord to edge the beret as opposed to a rib. I did not want it to detract from the fluidity of the gull lace. The gull lace starts right after the cord, and like in the inspirational sweater, the project is finished with a simple garter stitch crown. I chose to make the beret large enough for it to have a slight slouchy, relaxed appearance.
Knitting the beret was so relaxing, the pattern easy, and the yarn silky soft.
February Beret
Yarn: 2 skeins Manos silk Blend color 300X
Needles: 16" US 5, set of dpt US 5
Gauge: 6 sts/inch in garter st
Gull Lace:
R1: K1, K2TOG, YO, K1, YO,SSK, K1
R2: Knit
R3: K2TOG, YO, K3, YO, SSK
R4: Knit
1. Make a 6 stitch Icord until the cord measures 18".
Graft live stitches to the beginning of the cord, or for a simpler solution, BO, and sew both ends together.
2. Pick up and knit 126 stitches. Join the round.
Round 1: *K1, K1f&b* Repeat from * to *. You will have 189 sts total.
3. Continue in the gull lace pattern for 5" (ending with R3)
4. Continue in garter stitch as follows:
R1: Knit
R2:Purl
R3:*K5, K2TOG* Repeat from * to *
R4:Purl
R5:Knit
R6:Purl
R7:*K4, K2TOG* Repeat from * to *
R8: Purl
R9: Knit
R10: Purl
R11: *K3, K2TOG* Repeat from * to *
R12: Purl
R13: Knit
R14: Purl
R15: *K2, K2TOG* Repeat from * to *
R16: Purl
R17: Knit
R18: Purl
R19: *K1, K2TOG* Repeat from * to *
R20: Purl
R21: Knit
R22: Purl
R23:*K2TOG* Repeat from * to *
R24: Purl
R25: Knit
R26: Purl
R27: *K2TOG* Repeat from * to *
R28: Purl
R29: Knit
R30: Purl
Gather the remaining stitches, and weave in ends.
Enjoy your beret!
One of my favorite projects is the February baby sweater. The gull lace, and the simple garter stitch are just lovely, a timeless classic.
The other day, I was working at Windsor Button, and we had just received a shipment of Manos Silk Blend, and I was assigned the job of twisting the skeins. Each color was more beautiful than the last, and soon enough, I started making a little side pile just for me. I did exercise some restraint, and settled on 2 skeins of color 300X, a lovely ochre.
What could I do with the 2 skeins? A February Beret!
I chose an i-cord to edge the beret as opposed to a rib. I did not want it to detract from the fluidity of the gull lace. The gull lace starts right after the cord, and like in the inspirational sweater, the project is finished with a simple garter stitch crown. I chose to make the beret large enough for it to have a slight slouchy, relaxed appearance.
Knitting the beret was so relaxing, the pattern easy, and the yarn silky soft.
February Beret
Yarn: 2 skeins Manos silk Blend color 300X
Needles: 16" US 5, set of dpt US 5
Gauge: 6 sts/inch in garter st
Gull Lace:
R1: K1, K2TOG, YO, K1, YO,SSK, K1
R2: Knit
R3: K2TOG, YO, K3, YO, SSK
R4: Knit
1. Make a 6 stitch Icord until the cord measures 18".
Graft live stitches to the beginning of the cord, or for a simpler solution, BO, and sew both ends together.
2. Pick up and knit 126 stitches. Join the round.
Round 1: *K1, K1f&b* Repeat from * to *. You will have 189 sts total.
3. Continue in the gull lace pattern for 5" (ending with R3)
4. Continue in garter stitch as follows:
R1: Knit
R2:Purl
R3:*K5, K2TOG* Repeat from * to *
R4:Purl
R5:Knit
R6:Purl
R7:*K4, K2TOG* Repeat from * to *
R8: Purl
R9: Knit
R10: Purl
R11: *K3, K2TOG* Repeat from * to *
R12: Purl
R13: Knit
R14: Purl
R15: *K2, K2TOG* Repeat from * to *
R16: Purl
R17: Knit
R18: Purl
R19: *K1, K2TOG* Repeat from * to *
R20: Purl
R21: Knit
R22: Purl
R23:*K2TOG* Repeat from * to *
R24: Purl
R25: Knit
R26: Purl
R27: *K2TOG* Repeat from * to *
R28: Purl
R29: Knit
R30: Purl
Gather the remaining stitches, and weave in ends.
Enjoy your beret!
Here's the view from my knitting chair with some baseball action on the tv. The plastic tackle box on the chair holds all my gadgets like tapestry needles. That Dale of Norway book (#100, long out of print) on the table has the most beautiful snowflake sweater with half of the snowflakes shaded in reverse. Just yesterday I realized there is also a matching mitten pattern so I'm going to start that this weekend in black and white.
I set up my music stand again right under the lamp. I put it at eye level and it is really helpful for complex charts. I'm working on a mitten pattern from the Japanese booklet in front. How did that Chocolove Raspberry Dark Chocolate bar get there on the Dale booklet?
I usually put all my works in progress on the couch during the week. I've tried neater boxes and baskets but they still all end up on the couch when I'm knitting a lot. Oh well - I do hide them in the tv armoire on weekends in case people come over. I have a really high number of UFOs for me right now - 4 - but I plan to do a lot of knitting during the playoffs this month and hope to finish at least 6 projects.
I'm doing my Black Forest Braided Fingerless gloves in red and black alpaca, some thick bulky purple socks in multiple yarns from the basket, the Whistler hat in 6 colors of Elann's Peruvian Highland sport and the Norwegian mittens from the Japanese booklet in Cascade 220. I'm also hoping to finish another Spontaneous Scarf in handspun, the Dale reverse snowflake mittens and a pair of stranded socks from Robyn at Red Bird Knits this month. I guess that makes seven projects planned for this month but fortunately I'm almost done with three of them.
I set up my music stand again right under the lamp. I put it at eye level and it is really helpful for complex charts. I'm working on a mitten pattern from the Japanese booklet in front. How did that Chocolove Raspberry Dark Chocolate bar get there on the Dale booklet?
I usually put all my works in progress on the couch during the week. I've tried neater boxes and baskets but they still all end up on the couch when I'm knitting a lot. Oh well - I do hide them in the tv armoire on weekends in case people come over. I have a really high number of UFOs for me right now - 4 - but I plan to do a lot of knitting during the playoffs this month and hope to finish at least 6 projects.
I'm doing my Black Forest Braided Fingerless gloves in red and black alpaca, some thick bulky purple socks in multiple yarns from the basket, the Whistler hat in 6 colors of Elann's Peruvian Highland sport and the Norwegian mittens from the Japanese booklet in Cascade 220. I'm also hoping to finish another Spontaneous Scarf in handspun, the Dale reverse snowflake mittens and a pair of stranded socks from Robyn at Red Bird Knits this month. I guess that makes seven projects planned for this month but fortunately I'm almost done with three of them.
Midnight Clear Christmas Stocking
I gave up on the 30-color armwarmer idea during the Red Sox/Angels game late last night. Instead I'm just going to do some really bulky socks in some purple stash yarns. Boring but practical. For the less exciting playoff games, I'm working on a Dale of Norway hat to figure out the color combo DH likes for the Whistler sweater.
Shown here are the Midnight Clear Christmas Stockings in two color combos in Cascade 220 (pattern on Lulu, pattern on Ravelry) with corrugated ribbing, an area for personalization with an included alphabet chart, and a snowflake design. This is the last pattern design I'm going to work on for a while.
My October blog plans include another photo tour of our recent trip to Durango, Colorado, a technique post on color dominance, compiling another long list of recommended yarns for colorwork, making a video of how I weave in ends, and possibly knitting some other Dale or Rauma accessory patterns. I will probably get started on the Whistler sweater before December as I'm absolutely chomping at the bit for some good clean Norwegian knitting fun.
Shown here are the Midnight Clear Christmas Stockings in two color combos in Cascade 220 (pattern on Lulu, pattern on Ravelry) with corrugated ribbing, an area for personalization with an included alphabet chart, and a snowflake design. This is the last pattern design I'm going to work on for a while.
My October blog plans include another photo tour of our recent trip to Durango, Colorado, a technique post on color dominance, compiling another long list of recommended yarns for colorwork, making a video of how I weave in ends, and possibly knitting some other Dale or Rauma accessory patterns. I will probably get started on the Whistler sweater before December as I'm absolutely chomping at the bit for some good clean Norwegian knitting fun.
I've been thinking about what to knit during the baseball playoffs. It can't be something that requires a complicated chart because I need to keep my eye on the game. It can't be something that is too boring because I will just stop knitting altogether especially if the game is tense as it will surely be as long as the Red Sox are playing. I finally decided to do something that is simple to knit but uses a ton of colors to keep me interested. I'm going to use the 30 stash colors shown below. I haphazardly separated them into lights and darks.
I am going to do a simple 2-by-2 pattern and make some fingerless mitts that go up to my elbows. If they turn out well I'll post the pattern here on the blog.
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