Saturday, February 26, 2011

A Shawl for Bev

These photos have been closely guarded until I was able to conquer the inconvenience that is the USPS. *
 This is the delightful Chinook Shawl Pattern that I purchased as a kit from KnitPicks a year or so ago.  It was a simple lace pattern pattern to execute, even though it had pattern to work on both the knit and purl rows.  I would recommend it to novice and experienced lace workers alike.


*  The shawl was knitted (a few weeks) blocked (2 days) and packed to mail on a Saturday afternoon (1 day).  We lose Sunday (1 day), and then the box is carted around all day Monday until I make it to a post office.  Presidents' day!  The post office automated kiosk is still open though, so I get all stamped up only to find the big box that takes the packages is locked shut.  I could have put it through a slot for "stamped mail", but there was a sign warning that if the package was over 13oz it would be treated as hostile and returned to sender (1 day).  I took it with me to work again on Tuesday and threw it in the outgoing tray to see what would happen with a post it explaining the situation.  It arrived 3 days later in Columbus, Ohio with the bright pink post it still attached, which amused Bev and I both.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Kettle-dying (aka I only ended up with a few blue fingers)


I kettle-dyed some roving last night, 100grams of a 70% merino 30% silk blend from my beloved knitpicks.  I had never dyed plain old fluffy roving in a vat of water and was terrified that it would felt, nep, or sprout legs and run away dripping dye EVERYWHERE while trying to force the door knob open with soggy, slippery bits of wet sheep and worm poop.  Since that didn't happen, I was quite less disappointed when I didn't get exactly what I expected.  I can't wait to get back to spinning once I finish a Valentine Day shawl for Bev.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

By the way...

As I knit forward on other projects and begin to hoard indecent amounts of roving, I really should make an effort to post everything else.  This is how my "snowy pastures" hand spun knit up in cowl form.  I tried a few different stitch patterns, but the end result looked like yarn gak.  I settled on the plain stockinette to best showcase to yarn.