The yarn for my next project arrived yesterday. I wound it up because I’ll be traveling over the next few days and want to take it with me.
Despite knitting on the HGS every evening this week it doesn’t look like I’ll finish before the closing ceremonies. I’m feeling like the slowest knitter ever– it’s endless rounds of stockinette! And yet I’ve really enjoyed the knitting, mainly because the yarn has kept me captivated.
Packing a current knitting project for my travels will be a last minute decision. But I’m definitely taking one of the yarns above (Ornaghi Filati Merino Oro in colourway oatmeal or muted turquoise) and a new pattern.

Posted by brooke at 12:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

What do you do with yarn remnants? I've been coveting this small ball left over from one of the first scarves I knit (gifted). I love its texture and the specs of yellow and maroon and orange. I've lost the tag but I'm pretty sure it's Jo Sharp. I'm wondering what to do with it. I never made a swatch, so maybe I’ll knit up a square. Or maybe I should add it to a future project, like a hat or another scarf?

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untitled 8 watercolor 5 x 7 inches

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Progress on the HGS.

This just made my Monday.

And oh my, these are so cute!

Hope you all have a great Monday!

Posted by brooke at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Noro Cash Iroha

Today I knit some more rounds of the Hourglass sweater while listening to Marie Irshad’s interview with Annie Modesitt. It’s a great interview and if you haven’t listened to it yet, definitely check it out. Then watch how combination knitting is done and try it for yourself.

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I was knitting birch during my lunch break and came to this.

I stopped in the middle of the round I was working on, took a picture of this crazy knot and put it aside. Nothing like that to scare a newbie-lace knitter.

...I just read Eunny's helpful tutorial on joining non-wool yarn. Just in time. Thanks Eunny!

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A new episode of Project Runway airs tonight on Bravo. I had a marathon session watching all the past episodes a couple of weekends ago and got hooked on this show. They sketch designs, go to Mood, and then sew up their creations.

KO Update: Where have the days gone!? Behind the blue koigu on this shelf is a bag filled with beautiful cash iroha. I wound one skein up before the ceremonies and am still working on it.

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Hmm…I should have got a lot more knitting done during the blizzard, but the snow and my dog (who possibly loves it more than I do) was calling. I did manage to finish the toe of this sock.

Posted by brooke at 08:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I’ll be knitting the hourglass sweater for the KO.

Last night I knit up a swatch in Noro, gave it a little spray of Evian and some knitting acupuncture.

Yeah, we’re blocked. Our gauge looks good. Now light that torch.

Posted by brooke at 09:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I haven’t knit a sweater in a while and after mentioning that I wanted to knit the hourglass sweater, I started looking at what yarn to use. Choosing the yarn-fun. Choosing the color-fun. Having to buy 10 skeins-whoa! I’d forgotten what a huge commitment making a sweater is and how quickly it empties pockets of cash. In my mind I rationalize. It’s an investment. It will increase in value as the years go by. It will be passed on to (hopefully one day) my children. And if they don’t want it, it will be auctioned off at Christie’s…you know that's how we all feel about our FOs.

It’s been three weeks since I started my search, but I don’t mind because I love, in the words of one knitter, "the hunt”. You know the drill. Go to LYS. Stand in front of yarn. Compare a bunch of colors. Go to the window to see them in the light. Do you ever knit up a swatch at the store? I always feel that I shouldn’t….like I’d be trying one chocolate from the box, and then putting it back on the shelf, wrapper all messed up and box top askew. (I know you don’t eat the swatch, bad analogy.)

Cari asked what yarn I’d use and I've finally decided. Fresh greens just waiting to be knit up.

Posted by brooke at 01:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I paint portraits in watercolor.

Posted by brooke at 07:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Nona makes a good point.

I’ll stick to one of pair socks at a time. But I think I’m going to branch out and have at least one other project on the needles. Made me think that switching things up may prove better for my hands long term.
Last year I injured my right tibia – a hair-line fracture. I was running more miles per week than my body could handle and not mixing up my workouts with riding a bike or using an elliptical trainer. The doctor said I probably won’t run mileage like that ever again. The culprit? I ran almost everyday without incorporating cross-training in my workouts.

Not being able to run is hard. Not being able to knit…I just don’t know what I’d do! So here’s my cross-training.

pattern birch rowan magazine no. 34
yarn rowan kidsilk haze
colour splendour 579

…knitting Olympics must be on my mind.

Posted by brooke at 11:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Even though we’ve had a mild winter, my hands are still dry from the weather. They take a beating from all the knitting, walking my dog without mittens and the occasional office paper cut. More now than ever I’ve been putting on lots of crème before I knit. I used to wash my hands well before knitting and then just dive into the project. Dry hands and wool don’t go well together. So now I use shea butter for the cracks on my fingers and if I have any cuts I do a quick soak in a bowl with epsom salts.

Posted by brooke at 09:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)