Kiyowara

Chloe update

Chloe will be out on medical leave for a while, so if N and I look like we're slumping at the shop, please prop us up with caffeine.  We're a little stressed, but it will all be okay, I'm sure.

FO's?

It has been a while since I've posted here...I've been doing most of my blogging on my other blog account.  However, I have been doing a LOT of knitting, even if it feels to me like I haven't!  I had a real coup just happen: the fastest turn around I have ever had in roving to finished project!  I acquired, spun, plied, and knitted 8 oz of the most beautiful Crown Mountain Superwash Merino Roving, spun it and plied, and knitted it up into fingerless gloves and a ribbed watch cap for Kevin, all in less than six months!  I'm so pleased with myself!   I'll get pictures up sometime later this week in my flickr account.  I'm so pleased!

Holidays over, whew!

The holidays are nearly over, and I can finally work on something other than holiday knitting.  In total for Yule specifically I knitted the following:

7 hats
5 pairs of socks
3 pairs of fingerless gloves

During the same time frame I also finished the following:
Gingko Leaf Coat (finally!)
newsboy cap for me
3 pairs of socks for me with singles for the shop, plus an additional single for the shop
2 sweaters
1 scarf

I need to work up the final tally, but I believe that I am close having completed at least one project for every week this year, i.e., 52 or more projects for 2007.  The amazing thing is that many of these projects were started in 2007 as well.  I'm really pleased with this, but am ever hopeful to raise that number even higher next year.  One of my biggest coups this year was that instead of a ball of yarn and an IOU for Tony's socks like I gave him last year, he got one whole sock this year!  Maybe by next year I can manage to get his entire pair of socks done before Yule!  I do have an outstanding IOU to him for a sweater as well.  The yarn and pattern have been chosen and I just need to get his measurements to get started.

Happy Knitting!

FO Alerts!

I have actually finished several things since my last post.  I finished up the scoop necked ribby pulli with the hood a couple of days after the birthday party.  There are pictures up on the shop blog.  I started and finished a child's sweater model in Plymouth Yarns Encore Colourspun Worsted for the shop.  I also completed a nice one skien scarf design for the shop; look for the free pattern on the web site next week.  I just finished up my Mom's birthday sweater, also knitted in Encore Colourspun.  It's the Knitting Pure and Simple Summer Cardigan pattern.  She likes it and it fits her nicely. I have also finished up a pair of fingerless mitts for me, and I have gotten a reasonable start on the Yule/Christmas knitting, though I can't spill any secrets on that yet! 

Happy Birthday, Purlescence Yarns!

Happy Birthday, Purlescence Yarns!  We made it a whole year and we're still here!  It's been an exciting year.  On to year two!

UFO updates

Well, my start-itis continues with great fervor.  I am about to cast-on a top down raglan sweater for my mother's birthday.  She selected the yarns on her natal day in September, but I've been sluggy getting it started. I'm using the Knitting Pure & Simple top down summer cardigan pattern, and Encore Colorspun Worsted.  I'll post a picture as soon as I have it actually started.

I have some items started that I can't give details because they are gifts!  Hopefully, I'll be successful in completing them before "IT" (See The Yarn Harlot for more info on "IT"!), and I'll have a whole host of FO's to post about after the holidays!

I sat down last night and got my Ribby Cardi and my second Ribby Pully both back on track.  I'm hoping to finish the latter today, at least to the neck bind-off. I probably won't finish the hood and final neck treatment until Friday or so.  Cross your fingers for me that I get the thing finished in time for Saturday!

Yesterday was a very productive day.  Kaye and I got started on the Studio Recovery Program.  We got through about a quarter of the studio and it's like having a breath of fresh air out there!  I'm so hopeful that we'll be able to get the space organized in a way that makes it far more comfortable to work in again.

The chenille drop shoulder sweater is moving along. I have about 5 inches to go on the back.  It's hard to work on this piece while I watch Ruth swim now that the days get darker earlier.  However, I am ever so pleased that Autumn has arrived! Autumn and Winter are my favorite half of the year; I"m just not a Summer person at all. I tolerate Spring, but that's about all I do.  The rain, wind, and chill in the air today leave me feeling incredibly refreshed and energized.  Hopefully, folks will join us at the shop today to share a cup of tea and enjoy the lovely Fall weather.  Happy Knitting!

TKGA

I had a wonderful day at TKGA.  It was terrific to share get to share the experience with KathyC, Kevin/Ghost, and Ruth.  Thank you, Kathy, for celebrating your birthday by sharing the day with me at the show.  It was terrific fun and a much needed get away!   

Having this kind of comforting day was exactly what I needed as the preceeding week was extremely tough for me and the other Purlescence Girls.  Several crises occurred, topped off by the passing of a very dear friend of mine, Teresa.  I will miss her terribly.  The burden of grief I feel has been lightened so much by the caring people around me.  Thank you.  You all mean so much more to me that I can possibly say with these feeble words. 

Trekking sold!

Yeah!  Thank you Lisa**, for saving me from having a poor, single sock!  Lisa** bought the last skein of Trekking XXL color #81, so I can now wear my model socks as a pair. Thank you!

Alpaca Sox!

I cast on for a new pair of socks in a brand new sock yarn that we received in the store last week. It's from Classic Elite and its called Alpaca Sox.  It has Alpaca, Merino, and a touch of nylon.  The knitting is very soft and sweet, but the yarn is very drapey. I have elected to make slightly shorter sock top than I usually do for demo socks - only 3 inches.  I do think the color is lovely, and I'll post pictures as soon I get the first sock done.  I'm hoping I can squeeze three socks out of the skein (hey, there has to be some advantage to having short feet!) so that I have a pair to wear AND a single sock to display at the shop.  Which brings up the purple, black, blue, and orange socks that I mentioned in an earlier post.  There are still two skeins at the shop.  Any takers?  Please!

I'm working on a chenille sweater, and the knitting has smoothed out somewhat.  I was cranky with it when I cast on as it was splitting because it's actually two think chenille strands and a metallic strand plied together.  Nonetheless, I think the resulting sweater will serve its three intended purposes quite nicely: 1) to have knit up stash yarn that has already aged nicely, 2) to have a soft sweater to wear this fall, and 3) to have a true drop shoulder sweater to use as an example for the basic pattern drafting class that I teach.

I need to finish up the Artful Yarns Fable pullover that I have on the needles. I'm about half way through the first sleeve, and I just need to make myself sit down and get it down.  My gauge is a 1/2 stitch per inch tighter than I planned on, so the sweater is smaller than I would have liked.  I am intending to get a  bit smaller, but I stalled out working on it for a bit since I won't be able to wear it for a bit.  However, I need to get disciplined and just get it down.  I only have about 6 hours more knitting to complete both sleeves and the hood, then it will be ready to wear - and I can freecycle the remaining Fable yarn at that point.  At that point, I will have used up quite a sizable quantity of yarn from my yarn stash between that and the chenille sweater.  Yeah!

I am probably going to head up to TKGA this weekend in Oakland to take a look at what other vendors in the East Bay are offering.  It should be interesting!  Catch me at the Oakland Convention Center and say, "Hi!" if you're up there.

A Fo!

I finished a pair of ribbed socks in Socks that Rock Cockamamie colorway this morning!  I got to wear them to work and everything!  Hooray!