After my last shawl was done, and packed away, there was a void in my knitting universe. Voids tend to get filled pretty quickly. I was just thinking what I would like to knit next, when the doorbell rang, I kid you not, and I got yarn delivery! I didn't expect anything. Imagine my surprise when I unpacked and this yarn was in it. Well, I did order it, of course, what did you think? But it was back in March, right after I got the book Lace Style. I wanted the same yarn as in the book, or I should say, Hannah choose this model and liked the cherry red as in the book. Since I was ordering anyway, why not. I do like the richness of this cherry red. Something I would never choose for myself, but it's nice to work with for a change. Work with it is the key word here. I'd rather clean house than sit and knit. Really! I told you I'm procrastinating on something. I've added another couple of pattern repeats on this back piece. I hate cables!!! I hate cables!! Whiny, whiny, whine here! I was ready to either poke myself with the cable needle or do some serious harm to the next person who approached me, when I remembered reading somewhere about "knitting cables without cable needle". Well, off I went to Google it. Needless to say I found a very nice tutorial from Wendy of Wendy Knits. She did even a Youtube video. I've never learned something that fast! Now I'm (almost) cruising along. It's slow going nevertheless. Knitting with sports weight yarn on 3.75mm (O.K. not that bad) can't possibly go fast. Hannah choose the long version of this model. Big Sigh!
Oh well, I've got until July to finish this cardigan, when she'll be back for a short time. Her B-day is in June, that would have been hard on me, but now I think I can do it by July. Still, I'm dreaming of knitting the second sleeve already. Don't think I'll ever get there. The instructions are pages and pages long. How can you guys knit one sweater, cardigan, vest after another??? - and still go back for more???
Now that's something to get enthusiastic about! I think I'm a tiny little bit obsessed with spinning right now, or is it just because it's new? My pinch fingers hurt. Something on my body always hurts, and that because of my hobbies?! That's just not right! ;o)
I'm having fun here. I'd like to ply this red with the green from a previous post. The samples as it turns out are different weights. The red would not have been enough (I still think there's not enough), so I added some blue, just because. Just looking at this picture makes me happy, and I have the real thing here too! Think of all the cool yarn I can make, given I get better with time. I can do whatever I want. The unfortunate thing right now is, that I've got only two more samples left to play with. I'm still looking for a good source of fiber. I'd like to buy local or from somewhere in Canada, but I've found nothing so far. The nice green lichen and glacial green roving I bought at Gemini fibers is available at an online shop from the U.S. as well. So I'm wondering where it originated. Anyway, today I've got a delivery with some Shetland roving in black, grey and natural white. I'll spin that for a shawl form the book "Folk Shawls", but that's far in the future. I don't want to mess up the fiber just yet. ;o)
Look here! That's the fiber samples I spun with my wheel last night. I plied it right away and set the twist. I hung it out to dry today. It's only 49.5 yds long, the samples where less than an ounce. But, the important thing is, that it is NOT very overtwisted. After plying it evened out a lot. I'm so happy, because it is knitable. Don't they look pretty, ready to get married? At least a nice hat, don't you think?
And yes, my yarn gets more pictures taken off than all the paparazzi can shoot pictures of Johnny Depp.
By the way, I'm one of them. I succumbed and bought this and this.
28 comments:
The cardigan looks great - love the color and the cables. But it is hard to work on a project that isn't enjoyable. Great job on the yarn - looks very nice! Did you try Etsy for roving to spin?
Oh, I used to like cables but my recent exerience turned me off: I even tried the no cable needle thing but the loose stitches stress me out too much. The KHC looks fabulous though, KH is worth the effort. Sending you encouraging thought waves!! Very nice spinning(not sure of the technical terms!!)
As I said on the KAL site, I will support you the whole way through. I just love the pattern and yarn you chose. I like doing cables, so I'm really anxious to watch this progress.
I thinkt he red cardigna will be beautiful and worth all the effort you are putting in! Keep up the good work.
I love the blue and yellow yarn. I think it will look nice together in a hat.
That mitten book looks very interesting.
The cardigan is very feminine and beautiful - Lucky Hannah!! I love sweaters in a smaller than worsted gauge and the red is perfect. I hope it gets to be a more enjoyable knit as you go along!!
Your handspun yarn looks fantastic and I'm impressed with all of your knitting projects. Keep up the good work!
Oooohh...but it's so worth it in the end. After you've knit it, you won't want to give it away. I've knit sweaters before but man oh man, the time! I'm an instant gratification person.
The books look nice too! I've been snooping around the Selbuvotter book myself, it looks really good.
Your yarn is looking great!! You definitely have an eye for color. And it is getting much finer and a lot more even, awesome job, again!! :-) Keep plugging away at the cardigan, it'll get there. It'll be your slog-a-long project. ;-) As for fiber sources, Paradise Fibers is great, Hello Yarn, as well as Ebay and Etsy.
That cardi is going to be drop dead gorgeous! I love the color. Yum. :)
the cardigan is looking great!
looks like your spinning is improving quickly!
Remember, no pain, no gain!
Hallo Monika,
diese jacke habe ich ja auch ganz oben auf meiner Liste stehen. Ich stricke ja sehr gerne Zöpfe - aber mach´ Du mal erst. Ich entscheide danach, ob ich mir das antuen soll.
Das Handschuhbuch will ich auch haben *quengel*. Oh Gott! Das hört nie auf...
Entnervte Grüsse von Heike
I can't believe that's you talking about knitting a sweater...the same person who knits socks in her sleep!!
The cardigan- what you have done so far is gorgeous,,,just take your time...don't be in such a rush :)A complicated pattern like that take a lot of time and concentration. I know Hannah would understand if it took a little longer to complete.
Love the yarn you spun...wish I could learn to spin too...but I don't think it's in the cards for me :(
happy knitting and spinning :)
I'm not a huge fan of knitting cables either - love to look at them, don't like to knit them so much. Cabling without a cable needle will make them lots more fun though.
Your spinning is coming along so well! I love the blue and gold together! And you're right, don't judge overtwisting in the singles as plying takes some of it back out.
How exciting to have knit something out of yarn you spun yourself! (okay, I'm a post behind... ;-)
I love doing cables, but only if the item has a variety--the typical Aran panel, with a big complicated center pattern flanked by two or three smaller, simpler ones. That keeps the knitting interesting. But when it's the same cable over and over... Well, I sympathize. However, it looks like a beautiful sweater and the yarn is a wonderful color. Just promise yourself that for every 6 or 8 rows you do, you get to do some spinning as a reward!
The cardigan is so pretty. I really need to buy myself a copy of Lace Style.
The blue and orange are perfect together, looking forward to seeing this hat.
The Hepburn sweater is one of my favorites from Lace Style. Hannah will love it.
I like to have a large project usually too many and smaller projects like socks or hats on the needles.
Your spinning is progressing as fast as your spindling!
Mir gefällt die Jacke, die Du für Hannah strickst. Die Farbe gefällt mir sehr gut und jetzt kann ich auch nachvollziehen, warum Du Dich mit den Zöpfen etwas schwer tust. Es sind ja sooo viele! Aber die Jacke wird bestimmt superschön. Ubd das neu gesponnene Garn sieht Klasse aus. Du wirst immer besser.
I've been coveting that sweater since the book came out. I haven't knit it for some of the reasons you discussed: lots of cables, pages of instructions, small needles. Eek.
Woman, you're going to make me start spinning! Physically and figuratively, those hanks are FAB!!
The only trick I know of when knitting a sweater, or any large project, is to have two other projects going also. All three projects should be in different gauges and need difference degrees of concentration. Saves burn out for me, even though I do have more UFO's than is legal! But that's a whole other story. LOL
On the other hand you have that deep seeded project monogamy thing going on that I don't have. ;-)
Now, this yarn order certainly arrived at the best possible time - and I'm already stunned by how gorgeous this cardi is going to be - what a beautiful pattern! And yay for the blue and yellow yarn, how great!
Wow, your spinning is looking great!! Now for a sweater with something you spun :D
Your spinning is looking great!
There is a place in Bloomfield, Ontario that sells fiber. Can't recall the name off hand, but it is a fairly 'big' (in the Ontario yarn business scale) place.
Do you have a local spinning guild? There are lots of small, individual people that sell fleeces. I heard that there's one right here in Orangeville, but she didn't say the name. And there are ads in the spinning magazine. If you pass a farm with sheep, go knock on the door ;)
www.yarnsource.ca is the place in Bloomfield. And yes, I had breast reduction surgery. No noticeable reduction yet, LOL, just lots of swelling and bruising. But if this is how one might look with implants, I can (sort of) understand the desire!
I finished one front of the KH cardigan and about half of the second front. (they're on flickr)
I have a plan for the order of doing the pieces to avoid burnout. Two fronts then one sleeve, then the back, then the last sleeve.
I just can't bear ending with 2 sleeves and I don't like starting on the back in case I find my gauge is off. You could always put the back on hold for now and do a smaller piece. I always need that feeling of accomplishment to keep me going.
Also check out grumperina's method of cable-less cabling. I like it a bit better and find it quicker.
http://www.grumperina.com/cables.htm
My KH is on hold right now as my deadline for my wedding knits is quickly approuching and I have to finish a shawl and garters (july 1st!).
:)
Tamara
Hmmmm, I was thinking of making that, must rethink. :) I don't usually knit one sweater after another and you can tell right now I'd rather do anything else but knit. everything goes in cycles, I'm sure it will come back around in the mean time enjoy not staying up till 1 am because you want to finish just one more row :)
The spinning is coming along great!
The cardi will look so stunning when it is done! Have you tried Black Lamb in Port Hope?
Cute cardi and really cute yarn you're spinning! (Oh, I totally am eyeing that Selbuvotter book too! How do you like it?)
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