The Knitting Knotebook

Back to Reality

We spent last week at the beach [Cape Hatteras, NC] and now we're back and having to face reality once again. We spent time at the beach, in the sound, learning how to crochet, going to Ocracoke Island, eating, splashing in the pool, drinking, and of course laughing.

Here are some pictures from the week:

[Open shell in the sound. Just feet from our house.]

[Sunset.]

[That's the first Vine Lace Sock. Finished in the car on the way down to the beach. I'm only about 30 rows into the second one.]

[View of the ocean from our house.]

I'm not sure I was ready to come back.

Socks and Stole

It's too hot for a proper post. So here are some pictures instead.

Wavy. [Technically: Vine Lace.]

Lacey. [Technically: Lacey Lattice Stole.]

Scan in a box. [Technically: A Weed Wacker Box.]

Fun. [Technically: Lorna's Laces "Rainbow".]

Hot. [Technically: VERY HOT.]

Dyed

I dyed some yarn this weekend.

















It was a spur of the moment kind of thing, and I decided that after two hanks, I needed to stop before I went crazy and dyed all of the natural colored yarn I have in stash.

The yarn in the back is a green color. Much deeper than what I had imagined in my head, but it's lovely.

The yarn in the front started as a purple/red in my head, but ended up being quite mottled and really rather lovely. It's amazing how the blue separated from the other colors in some spots.

[Both hanks are "Bare" lace-weight, from KnitPicks.]

When I dyed the first hank, I ended up adding extra dye after the yarn was already in the pot. It is amazing to me how well the colors mixed together, making the color pretty uniform across the whole hank. [I did notice this morning that there are some spots of really dark green, but overall, the color is pretty uniform.]

When I moved on to the second hank, I mixed the dye, put the yarn in and let it be. I left it on the stove for 15 minutes, then moved the pot to let everything cool [keeping the yarn in the dye] before I rinsed it. I'm still amazed at how the colors separated in some spots, but not in others.

I have a sneaky suspicion that I may be ordering some more yarn [and dyes] sometime soon... I need to practice some more before I dive into dying the lace-weight Cormo I bought at Maryland Sheep and Wool. I want that dying to go just right.

Mr Frog

Look what Mr Knotebook found on a bag of mulch while doing some gardening this afternoon:

[Look at his little hand holding onto the bag!]

Also, our tulips went *BOOM* in the last 24 hours. Take a look.

Here's hoping that Spring sticks around for just a wee bit longer...

S.K.B.

Also known as Simple Knitted Bodice.

I've been wanting to knit this sweater for awhile now, but never could find the right yarn. But then after a pretty long search, I found the right yarn. It's Tahki Yarns Savoy (52% silk, 48% merino wool) in "copper."

[Close-up of sleeve cap.]

I am very pleased with how it is turning out. I'm knitting the small size, and did have to add a few extra increase rows, and now I'm somewhere between the small and medium. The extra increase rows also mean a nice deep v-neck.

[Imagine that it's me trying on the sweater, and not the couch.]

I tried it on last night [and completely forgot to take pictures until I was transferring the stitches back to the needle] and I'm very pleased with the fit.

I'm currently working on the lace detail and will attempt to remember to take pictures the next time I try it on.

Oh, and I never did get to wear Mavis before the weather turned to spring. Oh well. Next winter.

Mavis

I finished Mavis over the weekend. Just in time for spring to spring itself. Which means that chances of me wearing this sweater before next winter are slim to none. Oh well. I can wait.

Before I wove in all the ends and blocked the heck out of it, I decided to reinforce the turtleneck. I didn't bind off the neck stitches because I wasn't sure if I would have enough yarn for a turtleneck, or if I'd have just enough for an applied i-cord or a short roll neck.

So I crocheted a chain around the neck. Right where I started the turtleneck.

Here are some finished pictures.

[From afar]

[Close up]

I am very pleased with how this turned out. Even with the turtleneck. [Truth be told, I was not convinced a turtleneck would be a good idea, but I think it looks okay. I guess it's more of a cowl neck than a turtleneck, which I think I like better. I just wish the scalloped ends would lay better.]  I had to really block the length because otherwise, it would have been way too short. And take a look at the sleeves. They're perfect! Nice and long.

Project stats can be found here. [And here if you're on Ravelry.]

And here's a preview of what's to come:

[Tahki Savoy, 52% silk, 48% merino wool, "Copper"]

More on that later.

More Prezzies

It's a Sock Yarn Cabinet!

Check out all that sock yarn!

And a close up of the Sock Yarn Cabinet's Guardians.

Look, it's the top of our wedding cake! Chocolate with white icing. Our favorite. Take a close look at the bag behind the cake. You might have to click the picture to really see it. I'll wait. Do you see it? Those are Peeps. Inside a Peep Bag! How can you not love a guy who buys you Peeps for your anniversary and then sticks them in a Peep Bag? Perfect.

[Oh, and the cake? Tasted so much better than we had expected. Especially after being in the freezer for a year.]

Christmas Socks

Last week, as promised, I did start Mr Knotebook's Christmas Socks.

That's Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in "Pioneer". The pattern is "Diagonal Cross-Rib Socks" from, naturally, Favorite Socks. I had to go down a needle size [from a 3.0mm to a 2.5mm] because otherwise they would have been HUGE. The pattern is a lot of fun and I'm really loving the colors.

My other projects [the Lacy Stole and Mavis] are not moving along nearly as quickly.  I did finish the first sleeve of Mavis a couple of weeks ago, but got distracted and I haven't even cast on for the second; I'll do that on Saturday [I'll be sitting around waiting for the cable guy to come]. My knitting time has been dramatically reduced, so having multiple projects on the needles may not be the best idea. That said, they all do serve a purpose when I need different things to hold my attention, so I don't think I'll be changing my ways any time soon.

You Spin Me Right Round Baby

I wanted to share the newest addition to our living room with you all:

Early 1900's spinning wheel. From Mr Knotebook.

It was an early anniversary present.

I have no intentions to learn how to spin, but I've always wanted an antique spinning wheel, and this one is just perfect.

[I did finish my Brouhaha Socks, Take 2 over the weekend, and started Mr Knotebook's Christmas Socks -- it was the least I could do, after all, he did get me that gorgeous wheel. You can find the Brouhaha Sock stats here. The full list of Favorite Socks I've knit can be found here.]

Little Bit of Lace

I needed a little bit of lace in my life. Awhile back I had ordered some Louet Gems Fingering in Ginger to knit a shawl from Victorian Lace Today. After a few inches, I realized that I was bored with the pattern, so I ripped it out.

And then I had 6 hanks of yarn sitting around staring at me. So I flipped through my binder that has all my loose lace patterns in it, and I found the Lacy Lattice Stole from Fiddlesticks Knitting.

I made one change to the pattern [besides my choice of yarn] and that was to make it a stocking stitch [by purling the wrong side rows] stole instead of a garter stitch. I found that the garter stitch really obscured the pattern since the yarn is much thicker than called for in the pattern. I think that decision made a world of difference. It's been a fun knit -- I 'm already on the second chart.

Mavis. The body is finished.

I'm so glad that I knit this in the round and chose to knit the small size. The fit is perfect. I'm working on the first sleeve and have [naturally] made some changes.

The pattern has you stop knitting in the Chevron pattern after 10 inches on the sleeve and then switch to stocking stitch. I decided to continue the Chevron pattern until it's time to start the sleeve cap. I think it will more closely match the body of the sweater -- where you start the stocking stitch as you start the armhole.

And because I'm knitting this in the round, I should have more than enough yarn left over if I decide to make the turtleneck.

Brouhaha Socks, Take 2. I've finished the first sock, and am about 2 repeats away from starting the heel on the second. I'd like to finish it over the next week or so because I have a trip coming up, and I'd like to bring a new sock project with me [Mr Knotebook's Christmas Socks -- pattern to be determined later].

[The puppy inspection was successful.]

[So successful that it plum tuckered him out.] [Click for a bigger picture and check out the little puppy tongue sticking out.]