Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Casting on, a swatch, a WIP and some blocking.

Tonight, I dropped of Special K at the airport so he can fly up to Ohio and help his mother move. I'm going to miss him dearly but he'll be back on Sunday so he won't be gone too long. After I dropped him off, I stopped by the book store and actually bought a knitting book. I try not to use up too much stash money on books but sometimes I just can't resist. I bought the Knitalong: Celebrating the Tradition of Knitting Together by Larissa Brown and Martin John Brown. I picked it up because I was looking for one pattern but then started reading some of it and had to buy it! It looks like it's going to be a great read. I'll give it a proper review once I finish reading it.


I picked it up because I've been looking for something to do with all my left over bits of sock yarn. I have small feet so most the time I end up with a ton of left over after knitting my socks up. So, I figured the perfect way to use it would be to make a sock yarn blanket. I've seen others making the Barn Raising Quilt and love how it looks. I was also inspired by Mary Catharine's squares. I cast on tonight at knit group and honestly was NOT happy with the dpns at first but once I got a couple rows in...I was having fun!!
This is my first blanket of any major commitment...so I may need some encouragement in finish it.

For the sweater yarn I'm working on, I knit up a swatch of my hand processed, handspun yarn and let me tell you I LOVE the finished swatch! I really can't wait to finish cleaning the fiber so I can start carding it up and then spinning it...then I get to knit it up!! And after all that I get to WEAR IT! Such a wonderful process. Please remind me I'm so excited about this when I'm spinning 1500 yards of yarn and then knitting it. Ok? Anyway...look at my pretty swatch. :)
I had people pet it and some smelt this at the knit night. Everyone thinks it's very soft and most thought it smelled great...that is thanks to Soak in the Celebration scent. :)

I also have been really trying to finish this Table Runner which is supposed to be a gift so I need it done and blocked soon! So far it's coming out lovely!
Manda came to the knit group and she brought me some blocking boards so as soon as I got home I soaked the shawl and scarf and pinned it up. I've never blocked this way so I'm curious to see how it all comes out.Well...I hope you enjoyed my round up of projects in different stages of the knitting process. :) I definitely have become a non-monogamous knitter. I'm all over the place and never have been more inspired in my life! I'm really enjoying my crafting lately. My spinning mojo is back and I have finishitis and castonitis. :)

Good night everyone and I hope you all have a great Dogs on Thursday tomorrow. I'm off to get some rows in before sleepy time.

5 comments:

  1. Honestly the first round of every square is a bit of a pain but once you get going they're great!

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  2. Hey Gnat, I should try that - the blanket I mean - I have a whole drawer full of ends of sock yarn skeins. I had planned on knitting some of those mini-socks for ornaments, but one can only do so many of them, I would think.
    Good on all the projects, too. This from a definitly non-monogamous knitter, LOL.

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  3. Just found you thru Ravelry and subscribed to your podcast. I am NancyArtCrafts on ravelry and have a blog where I talk about knitting and my therapy dog, so we have a lot in common. Looking forward to listening to you today as I walk!

    Also, thank you for the tip on the sock yarn; it is in my queue now to make up a blanket.

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  4. I must have that pattern....I have sooooo much sock yarn I could probably make a couple blankets LOL :-) I wonder if my local Borders has the book..hmmm

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  5. You have some great projects going on!! Your swatch for your sweater looks amazing! Not being a spinner, I can't imagine wearing something that I spun the yarn for as well as knit. Impressive!
    I love the idea of the sock yarn blanket squares. And is that your Traveling Woman blocking? Looking forward to seeing that!

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