birthdays

My mom grew up poor, raised by a stepfamily who really couldn't give any shakes for her or my blood uncle. Consequently, she had to procure what I consider necessities for herself starting at a too-young age-- clothing, shoes, books, toiletries. There's a story my sister and I were told from that time... how mom worked and saved an entire summer for a snow white sweater for the coming school year, and how someone else in the household bundled it into the wash, ruining it before it was ever worn.

I can't say I really understand, sis and I were raised wanting nothing til the end. I can understand the resonance of destruction of work though, in a small way... cos mom keeps felting the hats I make her. Now they don't take me a summer and aren't even something I consider work and to be really honest I don't see them as 'same'... but as much as I love her am constantly amazed at how nonchalantly she tells me that she has another hat for my son since she's passed one of my handknits thru the wash and it won't fit her anymore.

I should have started ages ago but it's superwash all the time for mom now. She had a birthday and I promised to replace all the hats she's felted this year (3? 4?), starting with the now-felted Malabrigo Koolhaas.


Koolhaas hat by Jared Flood
Started and finished: two days in August
Elann Superwash Worsted in Espresso, 1.5 skeins
US 7, 16" Addi Natura

At least I really enjoy knitting Koolhaas. I know that it fits lots of heads (it fits my son's in width but not depth, I'm going to make him one with only 3 repeats and it'll be perfect if a little loose), is easy to read when knitting away from the pattern, and is interesting to knit. I don't know if she'll get 4 Koolhaas hats in different colors... maybe :)

She was kind enough to model the wrap I wove for my sister (ages ago!) who shares a birthday month with mom...


Warp: Tactile Fiber Arts Superwash Merino/tencel sock yarn, "orchid"
Weft: Hand Jive Knits Nature's Palette superwash merino sock yarn, "odd duck 5"
woven on my Schacht Flip

The colors look as if they were made for one another, even from different dyers. I sought out machine washable for sis as well-- I wanted her to be able to use this as a nursing wrap if she wanted and know all too well how those can get messy. My Malabrigo Clapotis I used for a nursing coverup had to be washed much more than any other handknit I've made save socks :)

I also dig that both warp and weft are naturally dyed-- I have no idea if it will appeal to sis but it sure does to me.





So does the sheen of the tencel... I usually don't like tencel blends in sock yarns, too shiny and drape-y for my taste. Here as weft though it's really interesting against the more matte merino warp, and gives it a nice fall when worn. The wrap's one of those things you hope gets worn outside in daylight, but we don't have much control over these things once out of our possession... and I'm starting to accept that.

I double-threaded the warp edges...


(lower left corner)

...two strands on the beginning and end. I don't know if it makes it more stable, but at least it can't hurt :)

I also used simple overhand knots on the edging, but only 2 strands instead of my usual four.



I had planned to use one of the MANY beautiful warp edgings from Interweave's Compendium of Finishing Techniques, but decided against it since this was a gift and may have been too much for my non-knitting, non-weaving sister (who actually is always quite appreciative of fiber gifts, but there can be a taste/technique disconnect between fiber and non-fiber people...) I like how small the two-strand knots are, and the contrast between the color of pure warp fringe against the woven fabric.

One surprise was how little weft I used... I used the entire skein of Tactile's sw merino/tencel (412 yards) but only 222 (of 370) yards of Nature's Palette superwash merino.



No matter, the 40 grams will make a sweet cap for baby or maybe a tiny pair of socks for my bigfoot boy.

I also don't know quite what this will spin into, probably something for the holidays for sis since the colors match her wrap so well.


Tactile Fiber Arts Luxury Fiber Club, July 2009
15.5 micron merino, 2 oz
featured dye: logwood purple

I was lucky enough along with Adrienne to win a 3-month subscription to Tactile's fiber club thru PhatFiber (yes, that little box that causes so much fiber furor!) So nice! What to make is the question though-- socal's not really wrap yourself in wool weather. Maybe incorporate the leftover Nature's Palette in as well...

Oy! Am I talking about holiday knitting already?! :)

Til then, at least after weds. Miss you.

surprises all around

Handspun American Maid socks
from Simple Socks: Plain and Fancy
Roving from dyeabolicalyarns.etsy.com
US 3, 3.25mm dpns-- 4
Started: January 2007
Finished: 24 January 2007

Were they unexpected because I haven't knit socks in so long, or for some other reason? :)

I usually do have a Simple Socks: Plain and Fancy sock somewhere idling for the right moment of spare time and stockinette crave... I was updating my Ravelry project notebook and actually counted-- there are 14 pair of socks in there based on Ms. Gibson-Roberts' heel/toe recipe, not counting times I've switched in her heel into another pattern. (!!) I have lots of knitting books but none get as much use as that one does around here :)

I'm sure I'd only knit them if I could keep spinning such striking yarn...



I still can't believe how deep the reds are in the Dyeabolical Yarns roving. I like the blue, but love red-- but I never buy red roving for fear of pink. This red didn't even run when the yarn was rinsed and set in hot water (I always abuse the yarn a little, not fearing the felt it's kinda fun!)... though I really thought the blue and red would create a line of purple somewhere between my brain-eye talk.



I've been spinning a true fingering weight yarn lately, but the dk is so fun and so fast to spin and knit that I may try and spin some heavier ones soon. At only 48 sts around, these socks fly off the needles and are a nice cushion of warm against the lingering cold.

Speaking of the cold, yall will get a kick out of this. Mom came by the other day as I was leaving to run errands... she pointed to the unoriginal (handspun) hat on my head and said (I swear)-- "Oh, and I need to put an order in for a hat, like that to go over my ears, but in black." Oy.

She is my mom though, crazy is and does all, and I can do a hat. (And goodness knows I had the yarn.)


Koolhaas hat by b r o o k l y n t w e e d
Interweave Knits Holiday 2007
Malabrigo worsted, black
US 7 & 8 Knit Picks Harmony 48" circular (magic loop)
Started: 14 January 2007
Finished: 16 January 2007

It turned out great, if I do say so myself :) I couldn't get the true black of the yarn in pictures, and couldn't capture a good shot of the top to save my life, but it was way fun and way fast. It fits well; the Malabrigo must have a longer column gauge than the listed yarn though-- I thought I'd have to add another repeat to get it stretched down over my ears, but the women's size worked just fine and would have been a little too long had the ear covering part not been requested.

I did try and eke out another toddler sized Koolhaas from the leftovers... didn't quite work for my big headed boy, but would fit a baby/2 year old. I had *just* enough yarn with 16 fewer sts, 3 repeats and a hasty decrease at the top-- no matter. Some bobble headed baby will fit in it, I'm sure :)

Speaking of... So. My family (not me!! i wish, yadda yadda) is welcoming a pair of twin boys in the near future and of COURSE I have a burning desire to knit a set of baby surprise jackets for them, even bought some GORGEOUS deeper than pictured turquoise and orangy yellow Colinette Jitterbug from Article Pract for the task. After scanning Ravelry I'm pretty sure a skein each will suffice... My problem? I was planning on doing an applied i-cord bindoff in the contrasting color on each (so, yellow will get the blue icord, blue will get the yellow) and thought that was freaking brilliant!

True to form, now I'm staring at the skeins trying to decide if it's too matchy matchy.

The colors do look great together though.

Ergh. Anyways! Have a good one, see you soon!