Finished Project

2 Weeks ago, I finished a new sweater. I am really happy with this one. It also broke the sweater block I've had lately. I don't think I've made a sweater in over a year. I have started (and stopped) several in the interim...just never finished them. Needless to say, this one makes me happy.

The yarn is something I have had in my stash for quite awhile (sorry, no pre-op photos). It was a worsted weight, worsted spun yarn from the Norlands, a living history museum near Livermore Falls, ME. If you are in that area of Maine for any reason, it is quite wonderful. They have tours of the enormous estate that includes: The main house, the stables, a Universalist Church, the library, and a one room school house. But I digress.

I bought 5 skeins of yarn milled from the wool of their sheep (as it is a living history museum) at abt 4 oz each. With the help of Fyber Duck, I dyed the yarn, three black, and two in a variegated pink with One Shot dyes. The black turned out grey...but I was still happy with it. This is probably 4 years ago, by the way.

In February (when it snowed, remember?) I took this yarn out of my stash and swatched. Since I didn't have a pattern in mind, I went for it. My goal was a striped, yolk sweater. Sort of like the garter yolk cardigan, but my own design. I did end up using the Handy Book of Sweater Patterns by Ann Budd for my numbers.

I did find that I had to do my decreases faster on the yolk (every 1.5" instead of every 2") and I went down to a smaller size on the yolk. The yolk is a little big in back (as I am so small across my shoulders) but it is not enough to tear out, and it is supposed to be a big, wear over other things sweater anyways.

In any case, tada!

Is spring here yet?

I have been working on several things the past two months, and so have been lagging on my blogging.

Reason 1 is that I have been working on editing some of my patterns and putting them on Ravelry for sale and download. This is a time consuming process, and a little nervewracking for someone who has not done this before. I am posting links to the patterns here, lets see if this actually works.

The first is a ruffled scarf in Kidsilk Haze:

1 skein Rowan Kidsilk Haze on US 8s. This scarf has a lace edging that is fun, and gives your scarf a little zing. This pattern is available for $5

The second is one I'm quite proud of. It is a fingerless glove pattern with a short row thumb. It is side to side, so no need to knit in the round!

One skein of DK or Sport Weight Yarn, I used Regia 6 ply for the first, and Rowan Felted Tweed for the second.

I also have a couple of patterns waiting in the wings that I need to write the pattern for. Here is one, and easy Earflaps hat with a simple colorwork pattern in Frog Tree Alpaca.

Reason 2: The weather is just blah, and although I have been knitting a gajdillion miles, I have felt very little inclination to blog about it. And you have probably realized by now how horrible I am at following a set time to blog. At all. Period.