blogdogblog

Fast Friday Updates

Somehow I'm off to a late start before I've even started this morning. So this blog entry is going by in a bit of a blur; try to keep up, okay? Or, ask a question in the comments, and I'll get back to you.

Giant Latvian Mitten Cardigan Update

It's from Wool Gathering #67, available from Schoolhouse Press, and is being knitted in Jamison and Smith jumper-weight wool.

Tapestry Update

My tapestry-weaving pal Rose came by to talk about a workshop she'd been in recently. While I've been knitting on the GLMC, Rose has been working on samplers...aren't they cool? These are being woven on an Archie Brennan copper pipe loom, designed to bring tapestry art to the people.

Cool, right? Don't you want to be a tapestry weaver?

Cryptic Dept. Update

Pup Update

Smiley Jack!

Okay! I gotta run! Have a most wonderful weekend! See you Monday!

We Interrupt Your Very Hot Weather

Still very warm here! We report no further progress on the Giant Latvian Mitten Cardigan. But we did knit down the heel flap on the Regia socks. But let's look at this first:

Okay. I think I can carry on with the wooly parts of the blog now.

Sock progress:

Here's the exciting s1, k1 heel flap.

I can't remember what this style of heel flap is called, but it's the first one I learned and I always seem to knit it before remembering Wendy's more beautiful short-row method. But on the NEXT pair, I'm determined to try it. Short rows rock my world ever since I read Bonne Marie's article about them in Knitty.

Now. Let's see. What was I thinking? Oh yeah. IT'S HOT.

The pups wish you a cool day.

Oh! The Humidity!

94%.

Gack!

It's very hot and sticky here. It's the sticky part I dislike; I only like stickiness in wool. Did you know the normal temperature of longhaired dachshunds is between 101-102 degrees F? I guess that's why they think cuddling up on me (at only 98 degrees F) is as cool as an ocean breeze. And I guess that's why it was finally too hot to work on my Giant Latvian Mitten Cardigan yesterday. So I worked on the mate to a sock (Regia 5281) I finished a while ago instead.

It's on two needles, and that makes it a lot easier to throw across the room when I am tired of it.

I guess it's Wednesday, so that's a good thing. Little Jack reminds you to stop and smell the geraniums along the way today.

Muggy best wishes, comin' at ya. Cheers!

Color My World. Please.

Hello knitters! I'm just working away on the second sleeve of the Giant Latvian Mitten Cardigan, so no update photo today. However, Cat asked in the comments yesterday about process in choosing color. Selecting colors for stranded knitting is very difficult for some people, so let's talk about how I chose the colors for the GLMC, which are FC8, 203, and 125.

Step 1: I spent several feverish weekends fussing over Jamison and Smith shetland wool color cards.
Step 2: I narrowed my choices down to 37.
Step 3: I agonized over the 37 and trimmed them down to 18.
Step 4: I agonized over the 18 and trimmed them down to 7.
Step 5: I climbed on top of the refrigerator with my cell phone and called Schoolhouse Press and, between hyperventilating and raving, told them I simply couldn't decide what went best with FC8.
Step 6: Meg, Eleanor, and Michelle calmly took over, added 203 and 125 to my rusty FC8, and mailed the wool out the same afternoon.
Step 7: The pups and I sat quietly until the wool arrived.

Doesn't sound like much of a process, does it? I would actually still be embarrassed about it if I didn't love the colors I have so much! But having 160+ colors to choose from in the J&S line of jumper-weight wool was too much for me. I hope this story doesn't disappoint anyone, but instead, serves as a testimony to the wonderful help available at the Schoolhouse. Choosing colors is hard for me, and I much prefer knitting to choosing colors. So this process actually worked out perfectly for me. And yes, I agree with you, Cat, this combination sings to me, too. I love it.

How do you choose your colors?

Cryptic Dept.

It's Tuesday; better get along, little dogies. Have a good one!

One Sleeve Down

And one sleeve to go! That's right, I finished one Giant Latvian Mitten Sleeve over the weekend. Here's a crummy photo:

As noted last week, I decided to add the bottom borders of the cardigan body back into the sleeves. I like it. That's a PWYC cuff, by the way, rather than corrugated ribbing.

I'm eager to finish the second sleeve now, because that's about all that's left to do before a "next" project. The cardigan will be finished with a round of EZ-applied I-cord, and since the steeks are crocheted, there will be very few ends to weave in. So I'll just add clasps (don't you love norwegian sweater clasps?) and be done.

So? How was your weekend?

Have an excellent Monday, everyone. See you tomorrow!