I love sweaters, especially cardigans, and wear them all year round.  Of course in the summer, cotton, linen, and bamboo (notice how plant fibers seem to be more appropriate for spring and summer, the growing seasons) are the fibers of choice.  A couple of weeks ago I got it in my head that I wanted a form fitting, “simple” cotton cardigan.  The only criteria that I had when I went to my LYS was that I had to knit it on small, small needles… ahem, #1.  Well, I found this wonderful cotton yarn from Dale of Norway:

And this design popped into my head, so I sketched it and made notes:

The resulting cardigan is almost complete – needs buttons (which are on hold at the LYS) and sleeves.  The design is knit from the neck down in one piece (including the buttonband) – no seams!!!  The sleeves contain live stitches so I’ll just put them on needles and knit the sleeves right on.

I can’t wait to make another one!!!!!

Spring projects abound chez moi!  I’m working on so many things - some work related (writing and submitting workshop/class proposals like mad - I’ve already landed a gig at the Fiber College and have had a promising conversation with the owner of my local yarn shop to teach lace knitting this summer, started working part-time at my local library, working on things to sell on my website and around the island this summer, etc) and some creative projects for myself.  Now that I’ve pretty much shaken my second bout with that nasty bug afflicting everyone this winter, I feel a bit of my energy returning.

I’ve been working in the evenings on the Bee Fields shawl (designed by Anne Hanson of Knitspot).  I’ve had the yarn (from the Woolen Rabbit) in my stash waiting for a special project.  The colour is called Sweetheart.  I’m so excited by the way it is turning out.

I’ve also been working on my own personal sheep to shawl project.  I keep a stash of Cormo to spin - it’s my favorite fiber.  I spin it up to make baby sweaters, scarves, etc., to give as gifts. It’s so soft and very easy to spin.  Usually I spin it up as a three-ply in-between fingering and worsted weight.  For my shawl, I’m spinning a very fine 2-ply laceweight.  What I’ve learned about this fiber is that it is easy to “strangle” or overspin, especially laceweight singles.  I’ve done numerous mini skeins and found that if I keep the ratio low and relaxed, use a modified long-draw for the singles and ply it using the same ratio, but with a bit more twist, the finished yarn sets up beautifully.  Cormo has a beautiful natural crimp that makes for a very forgiving yarn.

I don’t know exactly what pattern I’m going to use - whether I’ll design something myself or use another designer’s pattern.  I do know that I want to make either a stole or a triangular shawl.

And since I’m obsessed with all things lace lately - I’ll show you what I bring to my spinning group.  Behold, my portable spinning apparatus……

Cormo (of course)/silk roving from Foxfire Farms purchased on my trip last fall.  I think I’ll have just enough for a scarf.  This one I’ll design myself.  I’m cruising the stitch dictionaries, looking for inspiration.  I don’t know if I’ll keep it, or sell it….. We’ll see - I’m thinking too far into the future, and my life’s experience has taught me that that is never a good idea for me.

I’ve also been washing quite a lot of raw fleece procured from a friend of mine who raises sheep (on an organic farm that is totally off the grid - so efficient!).  The wool comes from her Jacob sheep.

I have already carded and spun some of the mixed color.  This is a 2-ply worsted weight, crocheted and stuffed with a mix of raw and washed fleece (raw fleece is better than catnip) cat toy called Wooly Mouse.  He is Jack’s absolute favorite toy.

Oh, and speaking of Jack…. all this activity has really tired him out:

The urban farm is still in the planning stages.  Here is what I have to work with:

My landlady is giving me 8 troughs, which I’ll use to build raised beds here.  I’m thinking of growing peas, kale… all the stuff I listed in my previous post.  Inside I have four southern exposure windows where I want to put up shelves and grow my seasoning, medicinal, and dyepot herbs.

I continue to work 3 mornings a week at a small non-profit, spin and knit socks for friends, plan my art exhibit this coming September (searching for inspiration right now….), teach French, bake bread, plan a fiber festival on the island for next May, continue my research on wind power,  and all the other things I’ve taken on …..

Sheesh!  I might need a nap like Jack now…..

Come this September, I will be teaching two classes at the Fiber College.  Details to come, but I’ll be teaching Let Them Wear Socks and Contemporary Papermaking: Watermarks.  (I’m so excited!)

I have just had the best start to my favorite season. Autumn in all its glorious plumage arrives and leaves first this far north. This year it seems the peak arrived even a tad bit earlier - when a lady dresses up, she wants to get the party started! So I did what I’ve wanted to do since I arrived - took my mother for a carriage ride over the roads that Mr. Rockefeller built.

(more…)

So, a couple weeks of this:

finally gave way to two days of this:

and this:

Meanwhile, I finished these:

Both are Anne Hanson of Knitspot (her Wing O’ Moth shawl). Both are in their “unblocked” states, but I still think they look pretty. The lilac is Misti Alpaca laceweight yarn. I started and completed this one first and had such a great time knitting it, that I bought some merino laceweight from the Woolen Rabbit to make another (in Rosemary/Thyme colorway). I cannot praise Anne’s design and technical prowess enough. The pattern instructions are superclean - no errors, very clear, and catering to those who read charts and those who do not. This is a great pattern for newer knitters who want to take their knitting to the next level, yet it’s entertaining for the more experienced. The motifs flow from one to the next as the shawl grows between the needles. It was so much fun to knit! Her online shop if a must-visit web destination, as is her blog.

Then, this moved in:

Yup. That would be rain (and more fog). So, I took the handspun from the Tour de Fleece and cast on another Anne Hanson design - the Fiddlehead Scarf:

I’m not liking the bands of color, but I love the stitch pattern and the way the fabric feels - the alpaca/angora combo with merino is sublime. I also finished a second bobbin for the Cormo Project, and I cast on a secret project that I’ll introduce in the future. So behold! Cormo single bobbin deux: