sock porn for knitting voyeurs.

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

holiday projects

Projects, projects... things to do when everything else crashes down. :)

Child's placket neck pullover, one of many (MANY) intended knits for my nephew-to-be...

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Child's placket neck pullover, errata here
Knit Picks Swish Worsted, 3 sks-- delft heather (darker than pictured)
US 9, 5.5mm 24" addis
Started and finished: 3 days in January

I can't remember if I intentionally purchased worsted over the dk Swish, but since my gauge was way off (4.5 sts/inch, instead of 5.25-- both "soft" fabric gauges) I used the smallest size directions and the 3rd size lengths for torso and arms... I ended up with a sweater sized for a 1-2 year old.

It was a nice mistake, seeing as I used less than 3 skeins of Swish for a relatively large size-- I used LMKG's suggestion of knitting the fabric softly and a little more open and the sweater is definitely next-to-skin soft (but a little airy, I'd not use the gauge in a sweater for myself but a toddler it'll be fine for pulling over something). Decided against buttons, partly b/c I hate finishing but also because mom insisted I send this one *right away* (so sister has something now, instead of a pile of sweaters later...) I don't get it, but it's just easier to acquiesce than to pick it apart and try to understand.

I also finished another baby project-- this time a small 20x30 woven blanket. I still need to twist the fringe (takes forever!) and wet finish it-- but I'm pleased with my first attempt at using color for patterns. A pic of the edges-- you can see the lower edge where I carried the colors alongside, and the upper 'plain' selvedge edge. They'll look better once washed up.

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I had 2 balls each of Lana Gatto Wool Gatto in blues (4 total). I used 2 to direct warp the 25" length of the loom-- one slot in color a, the next in color b, the next in color a, etc. Then for the weft I used one up-down shed in color a (2 passes), one up-down combo in color b, one up-down in color a, etc. The effect is almost houndstooth-- I am planning to do this color pattern again in some contrasting yarns to really have it set out. (More pics of this little blanket to come after edges and washing done).

I also got a little spinning in, haven't spun much lately but Kristine gave me a gorgeous gift of mushroom-dyed fiber and mycophile I am-- couldn't resist. I alrernated spinning lengths of Finn and yak/silk into a soft single, and then warped my Flip with some white Henry's Attic Carrera (silk/wool). I practiced some pickup stick techniques from Textures and Patterns for the Rigid Heddle Loom and came up with a pretty float pattern that really shows off the mushroom-dyed weft...

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(left and middle "right side", right "wrong side")

I love how the same dye looks against the 2 different fibers, how they shift. My favorite though is how the yak/silk glows in the sun, and how you can see the energy of the single held in place...

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I also couldn't resist weaving another simple scarf for myself. This time, I went skinny and long-- WAY long.

a

Wrapped 2x around my neck, the fringe still falls to my knees. I dig it a lot, it's really different. The color gets me too-- I used 2 balls of Rowan Felted Tweed in "ginger", warping 12' long (!!) and 4.5" wide. I'm already weaving another (same dimensions) in A Verb for Keeping Warm's alpaca/silk... SO nice. I love the tweed though, orange always has me in its corner.

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til then, weaving to keep the world away! :)

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, I love your mushroom dyed scarf - gorgeous! I aspire to do that on my Flip....

lexa said...

Love it all, especially that long tweedy scarf -- I'm an orange fan, too. :)

jacquieblackman said...

I just started knitting your rpm pattern and I love it so I thought I'd do a quick lurk on your blog and I love that you weave (I so badly want to learn!) and that you love mushrooms (I just went to the Fungus Fair in December and learned about dying with them). Anyhoodle, I thought I would say hi so "hi!"

::waves::

Knit - R - Done said...

I am in love with your mushroom scarf. So purty.

Nadia said...

Oo! You make me want to learn to weave. That mushroom one is great!

Tracey said...

Love the baby blanket.

Stacey said...

The weaving is just beautiful! Tweedy, orange - that is my favorite!

adrienne said...

Super gorgeous! I love all your weaving, and the sweater looks super cozy too.

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful mushroom scarf! Very inspiring.

WonderMike said...

Happy New Year!!!!

Honey, I really, truly do think we are long lost sibings. Love your RH weaving and love your mushroom dyed fiber. How cool are you? Now, if only I could be as PRODUCTIVE as you. I stand in awe.

Amelia of Ask The Bellwether said...

what did you twist the fringe with? I just got a twister with clips on it, that's easier than my old one without. I'm thinking I want to chase down one of those Conair "braiders" that basically twist and ply -- then I'd have yet-another-electric-toy, an electric fringe twister!

Walden said...

The mushroom dyed scarf is very nice. Makes me excited to try stuff like that out on my loom.

Kristine said...

Hot Mama in the orange scarf - love it! Love, love, love the mushroom scarf. You yarn-y, fibery rockstar.

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