She’s a Majacraft Rose.  I don’t have a name for her yet, but I’ve got a few ideas kicking around in my head, so she’ll probably have a name very soon.

I did a bit of practice spinning on her to get used to the differences from my Mazurka, and then I jumped right in to finishing up spinning my Gotland wool (that’s been sitting half-spun for probably a year).

I only realized after I started that my Gotland wool is from New Zealand, and the wheel is from New Zealand, so my choice of first yarn to spin on her was very apropos!  I’m still getting used to how she spins, but we’re starting to get to know each other, and I can see myself falling in love with her in the very near future.  Especially once my wild flyer arrives (it was ordered separate, and is on its way!)  I really want to try out tail spinning and core spinning, and the wild flyer should be great with that!

As far as knitting goes, the fair isle socks have really sucked me in, so all other knitting has been neglected in favor of those.  They are coming along quite nicely:

I’m past the heel, and probably will start the calf increases soon.  I love knitting fair isle so much!

Anyway, that’s what I’ve been up to lately!

Happy Knitting (and Spinning) everyone!

I have lots to show you today.  All socks.  I’m not sure what has happened to me.  I was really into socks a couple of years ago, and then I was really into lace shawls (still am), but my obsession with socks is starting to come back.  I suppose we all go through an ebb and flow as knitters, as with lots of other things.

Anyhow, here’s the first pair in progress:

Pattern: improvised 58 stitch cuff down sock
Yarn: Lotus Yarns Chakra in colorway Katherine (Merino/Cashmere blend)

Done with the first sock and about to start the second!  Loving the colors in this yarn.  Very masculine – I almost wish I had knit these for my husband instead.  Almost.  This yarn feels like heaven on my foot.  I can’t wait to have a finished pair.  Not sure I’ll ever wear them in shoes – maybe just as bed socks.

Second pair in progress:

Pattern: improvised 64 stitch cuff down sock
Yarn: Collinette Jitterbug in colorway Monet.

These will have Velvet Plum heels and toes like my Gauguin socks.  See a theme?  I’m truly considering wearing one of each as a pair.  Monet and Gauguin.  I’m definitely going to use my leftovers (and I have plenty!!) together on an ‘artist mash-up’ pair of socks.  Along with my leftover ‘Starry Night’ yarn.  It’ll either be ugly as all get-out, or fantastic, we’ll see.

Third pair in progress:

(top of foot)

Pattern: Nightingale by Vintage Purls
Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy in colorway Dusky Aurora (dark blue) and Gypsy Knits Sock It in colorway Fairy Tree (pale yellow)

(bottom of foot)

I cast these on because I had an uncontrollable itch to knit something in fair isle.  I want to do this pattern as a cardigan, but I couldn’t wait for the necessary yarn to be ordered for that, so I did some stash diving and came up with these yarns to do the socks.  At least this way, if I ever do the cardigan, I’ll have some matching socks to go with it.  I’m having fun with these – fair isle is so much fun!!

So, that’s what I have on my needles this week.  (Plus a shawl that I can’t show you.  Which is taking forever because there are beads involved.  Yep.)  I wonder how many more socks will end up on my needles by next week?

Happy Knitting!!

I finished another pair of socks:

Pattern: improvised – (a  basic cuff-down 64 stitch sock with short row heels)
Yarn: Collinette Jitterbug in colorway Gauguin, with colorway Velvet Plum for the heels and toes
Needles: US 2 (2.75mm)
Started: January 12, 2012
Finished: January 24, 2012

Nothing spectacular about these – I did a 2×2 rib for the cuff and short row heels, and then decreased to 58 stitches for the foot after the heel, for a better fit.  Then I did a basic wedge toe.  Not sure I like the pooling going on, but the colors are wonderful.  It’s nice to add another pair to my sock drawer!

Short row heels with small gusset

I have two other pairs on the needles for my ‘art class’ knitting, so I’ll most likely have another finished pair to show you very soon.  Socks do make such wonderful ‘waiting room’ knitting!

Happy Knitting!!

So, here’s the pair I’m working on right now:

I’m using Lotus Yarns Charka yarn in the colorway Katherine.  I’m loving this yarn – it has 10% cashmere in it, which makes it so soft and sumptuous.  On top of that, I’m loving the colors in this skein – sable browns, and blue-greys.  I can’t wait to finish this pair so I can get them on my feet!

I’ve got another WiP I’m actively working on, but it’s a new shawl design – so I can’t show it to you just yet.   But I can show you the yarn I’m spinning for it!

It’s a cream colored 100% Polwarth, which I’m spinning as fine as I can so that I can then do a two-ply lace weight (or as close to lace weight as I can get!!)  It’s spinning up pretty slowly, since I’m spinning so fine, but I’m enjoying it so far.

Thank you for all the condolences for losing Harpo- my heart is still sad.  Our other cat, Minnie, has been depressed ever since he passed, so about a week ago we decided to go ahead and add another kitty to our family.  Meet Gracie, a 7 month old orange/brown tabby calico:

She is quite the kitten, and attacks my yarn and knitting needles, as well as my spinning wheel, so trying to knit and spin has been interesting these last few days.   Minnie is slowly getting used to her – she keeps looking at us as if to tell us that she didn’t want an annoying kitten, she wanted Harpo back.  But hopefully with a little time they’ll be best buds… and our hearts won’t hurt so badly from missing Harpo.

I have a sad bit of news – my kitty Harpo passed away the week before Christmas, so it made the holidays bittersweet for me.  He would have loved all the wrapping paper and excitement.  The vet was so sweet and did a set of his paw prints in clay for me, and the staff even hand signed a condolences note for me as well.  The sadness is fading slowly, but I still miss him.

Harpo in his prime

In knitting news, however, I have lots to share!

I finally finished my cashmere shawl – it turned out just lovely, I’m so happy with it!

Pattern:  Queen Silvia Shawl from Knitted Lace of Estonia
Yarn: 100% Cashmere : 220nm heavy lace from Colourmart
Needles: US 4
Started: February 17, 2011
Finished: December 15, 2011
Finished measurements: 60 inches by 26 inches

This was my last finished object of 2011!  I made absolutely no modifications to the pattern.  The machine knitting oils washed out of the yarn really nicely (the yarn is machine knitting remnants, so the yarn is pre-oiled) and the shawl blocked out very well.  It was done in time for me to wear it to the Nutcracker ballet with my son. My goal with this was to have an ‘heirloom’ quality shawl when I was done.  It turned out so very light and airy, and I think it meets my goal to a T!

My first FO of 2012 is my linen stitch scarf:

Pattern: Koigu Linen Stitch Scarf by Churchmouse
Yarn: Claudia Handpainted sock yarn, in colors ‘Driftwood’, ‘Truffles’, and ‘Yo! Sailor Boy’
Needles: US 5
Started:  October 2, 2011
Finished:  January 9, 2012

Finished measurements:  6 feet, 10 inches long, not counting the fringe.

This was an easy knit, and mindless, but it was a bit too mindless after a while.  I’m very glad that it’s done, actually.  After about 1/3 of the scarf was done I had the bright idea to work every row from the right side, which made it go a bit faster, but didn’t relieve the tedium that much.  Don’t get me wrong, I think it looks great, but I can’t see myself making another one anytime soon!

My second FO of 2012 is a pair of socks that have been on the needles for far too long:

Pattern:  improvised – 64 stitch toe up socks.
Yarn: Knit Witch Celestial Bounce in ‘Starry Night’
Needles: US 2 (2.75mm)
Started:  March 19, 2011
Finished:  January 11. 2012

These were started when I was teaching a two-at-a-time sock class, and I never finished them after the class.  I decided to do an afterthought heel (since I had never done them before).  I used waste yarn where I wanted the heel, and  I used Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off at the end of the cuff (wonderful bind-off!).  My first heel was a little wonky – it had ‘ears’ like you get on your toes.  It fits alright, but has a bit too much extra fabric on the sides of the heel.  I altered the second heel to add extra decreases for the last few rows and that fixed it perfectly!  I’m going to leave the first heel as it is, though, since I don’t feel like ripping it back.   Overall, I’m happy with these – I don’t mind the heel as much as I thought I would, and I like that the stripes stay consistent throughout the sock.

This is the second heel - turned out great, I think!

So, that’s it from me for today! I have a few new projects I just started on, so I’ll show you those next week! And don’t forget to check out Tami’s Amis for more FO Friday posts.

Happy Knitting!