sock porn for knitting voyeurs.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

summer and knitters at Article Pract

I don't think I've ever enjoyed summers as much as I do right now. So much potential, so much and so little to do. This past weekend I spent some time with Krista, Jenny and Nicole at Article Pract and then went to check out Krista's really neat studio space (dude, smells like art class!) while recording a podcast for Stash and Burn. The best part? Gossiping with knitters... dishing about who's knitting what, the knitting hive mind, exclusivity pairing with consumerism-- just talking *knitting*! Aside from my keyboard I don't really share about knitting, just no place to really. So this was such a treat, even without pics or even knitting :)

We met up at Article Pract, my favorite LYS in the East Bay. It must have been a long time since I've been there, because there were lots of new-to-me sock yarns: Nature's Palette, Artyarns Ultramerino 4 (not really a sock yarn, but I'll use mine for socks one day), Article Pract exclusive colorways by an indie dyer (I didn't catch the name)... they may have stopped carrying Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock (I didn't see any), but they did have the sport. The koigu wall was there as always (changed colors though!), and even though Koigu Kersti is on their super secret 20% sale I didn't pick any up (every month, the staff picks an item and its on 20% sale... you can get on the AP mailing list via yahoo groups to let you know what's up-- its always good stuff they choose.)

I did pick up a few things, despite the fact I need no more fiber in my life...

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Silk Hankies, dyed by Curious Creek Fibers
(I braved transit with the toddler on Tuesday to pick up the 2nd pic's worth, loving it so)

I've been slooooowly spinning these into some Ariadne thin thread, and I love it.

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(Not always this even but pretty much this thin throughout)

Really though, this thin? I know if has to be lace, but this even 2-plied will be thinner than any laceweight yarn I've seen. I originally want to knit it as a single, but its so thin... I'm having a blast spinning though-- very different than anything else I've tried. (I started with help from twosheep's silk hankie tutorial, knitty has one as well.) If I were learning to spin on a spindle, I think this would be the fiber I'd want to learn on-- you do all the predrafting so when you start spinning, its just the twist you're worrying about. Like skipping ahead to good stuff of spinning, or something.

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Nature's Palette, "zinfandel"

Nicole asked me what this was dyed with-- the label only says "zinfandel" and if this yarn was dyed with WINE... dude! Even so, awesome color. I think Krista said Louet Gems Pearl is the base, so this'll be a set of Cookie socks as all of her patterns take advantage of that awesome base yarn.

I'm under a bit of a purple influence lately (obviously)...

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Louet Euroflax Fine/Sportweight, "eggplant"
(20% off :))

This'll be a Saturday Market Bag with disdressed's mods, or something similar. Anyone have rec's? I spotted a new free string bag pattern, knit in green and I think in a pdf file, somewhere in blogland last week and can't find it again... I love my sari bag (though it still is shedding and needs a new shave, along with other loves...), but I've been toying with the idea of knitting a new Sunburst Sling Bag from fabric strips. This idea's been ramped up since stumbling into the East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse and finding bookshelves heavily laden with silk fabric sample bags for $4 (what a fun place, also found lots of camera guts whose lenses and insides would likely make beautiful jewelry, at least 100 lbs of slides that would be great mounted on greeting cards, discovered that my grandma's a ROKKOR, and this beauty that I don't even want to know if it is what I think it is...)

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I held off, need to finish Hanami first, then a new purple linen sling bag, THEN pounds of sliced silk-- that's what I kept telling myself, anyway :) Speaking of, my Hanami's crawling along:

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The transition between basketweave and falling flowers is elegant, will look great across the back when worn. I don't know if I'll ever wear it though... when I started, I thought I'd dye the entire stole once knit, but I love the white and can't bear that thought now. Finished though, I think it looks too formal, too bridal (though, all lace will look that way on me). Who knows, it's enjoyable and has me even aquiver over anne's bee fields shawl, or really, *all* of anne's shawl patterns... :)

Back Friday with a winner for the etsy contest!

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah, that's what you think it is - looks like a 4-harness table loom. I've got its twin in my basement. How much do they want for it?

lexa said...

I just ordered some Noro Sakura for my first shawl (nothing delicate and lacy for the first one), and I don't know if I'll ever wear it. I'm not a fancy-dressing person. I'm a jeans and t-shirt gal. The pattern I'll be doing is Sakura Cherry Blossom Shawl, using the same color she used.

That's a mighty fine spin you've got going there! Super-delicate looking. Very pretty color.

The string bags are quite neat. I'd like to make a couple, maybe do some for gifts. I'd like to have a couple just for me, too. :)

Micki said...

Wow, you are speeding along with Hanami!

Anonymous said...

Oo, beautiful. I love those purples! And the orange silk.....drool.

WandaWoman said...

I love Hanami, such a pretty color too. If you think it will look too bridal, then dye it. I think you should wear it, it looks amazing. I have Nature's Palette in Zinfandel too, such a pretty color and I love it.

Stacey said...

look at all the purple - if that was dyed with wine, that would just be incredible!!!!!

was the bag you saw at the Purl Bee? She recently posted one also....

Julie said...

I've heard you can knit up pre-drafted silk caps, totally skipping the spinning process; and from what I know of fibers, it stands to reason.

Not that I've done it. Just sayin', in case you hadn't heard of it.

Loooooove the orange color you're spinning right now. Your beaded knitting is lovely, too.

Chris said...

Mmmm... purple... Sittin' Here Knittin' had a link to a nice string bag pattern recently. Also, Plymouth has a free bag pattern for one using Fantasy Naturale.

Romi said...

OMGosh! What an absolutely amazing color that orange is! WOW!

Nicole and Jenny (aka Stash and Burn) said...

That you could get those hankies to spin into something that thin is magic. It's like something out of a fairytale! Next time I see that Zinfandel dyed yarn I am picking some up. So pretty.

nicole.

Anonymous said...

i love nature's palette yarn... but i was surprised to find out the base is the louet yarn. she must beat the hell out of it because it seems much softer than that... whatever it is, it's GORGEOUS! it's on my "if your so inclined" wishlist for birthday presents, i had fondled some at MSW.

i miss article pract! i used to live in oakland and it's a hard store to forget... plus the LYS around here are pretty stinko, so i'm eternally grateful for etsy!

Gypsy Junk Knits said...

that weird thing that you found at Repo depot looks like an old table loom, for weaving. I can see the treadles and other little bits, but strange about the hang crank, that's cute!
Thanks for the link to repo depo, I was wondering where they moved to, and have been hankering over their Thai silk.
Cheers,and thanks mucho.

Anonymous said...

oops. i'm set, but didn't comment.

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