Friday, October 10, 2008

Ooh! Look over there!

A shiny object!

Apparently I am easily distracted.

Oops.

This week, the shiny objects have taken several forms, but the most distracting of them is this:
What's that? Why, that is some absolutely gorgeous handspun yarn from Cheryl. It's her Bunny Patch Yarn, from NewHue Handspun Yarns. She dyes the fiber herself and then spins it into a lovely fingering weight yarn; a soft and cozy merino/angora yarn, no less (80/20). And the colors are gorgeous. That yarn is her Oasis colorway, and it's a deeper, richer, more mossy colorway than these two pictures show, with the colors running through the plies of the yarn.
Cheryl has been spinning for years, and has spun for several other producers during that time, but she's decided to go into selling her own line (that's her etsy link above). Cheryl asked Anne if she'd think of something along the mitt/scarf line to knit with the yarn (which is going to be amazing; this stuff is soft soft), and then asked me if I'd knit her a pair of socks with it so she could see how well it wears as socks. How could I say no? Look at the Joseph's Coat colorway that I'll be knitting into something for myself very soon:
It's more burgundy in real life,but you get the idea. So I sat down and tried and tried to figure out what kind of sock pattern I could knit that would show off the lovely color changes without obscuring either the colors or the pattern. I was pretty sure that either moss or seed stitch would have to come into it somewhere, but I wasn't sure where. I poked around in Barbara Walker's books, and thought that something in the eyelet family might also be nice, but I was feeling pretty attached to the seed stitch idea, especially with the lovely mossy colors in the Oasis yarn. I found a beautiful little motif from BW (the Wildflower Knot Stitch) that I thought would look nice, but I needed something more. I finally decided that I could wing something, that I had faith in myself, and I went with a series of travelling stitch diamonds, filled with seed stitch, running down the sides, and the knots along the front and back. I'm half a diamond repeat in, and I think I like.
That's much truer to the color, btw. I love the way this looks. I love this colorway (might have to get some for myself), and I'm feeling pretty proud of myself for figuring this thing out. I haven't decided if I'll keep doing the knots on the instep of the foot, the way I usually would, since I'm not sure how comfortable that would be, but I have some time. Maybe I'll just carry the diamonds down the side of the foot instead.

Meanwhile, I have not forgotten Rick's sweater, which I am knitting while reading and talking and watching TV (I always forget how nice it is to have one stockinette stitch project OTN for just vegging out with). I'm making some progress.
I realized that in my hysteria while writing my last post, I misstated the inches of the yoke; it's more like 22 than 29, but that's still a gracious plenty. This yarn is astonishing, though -- a cotton that I love and that doesn't hurt my hands. Wow.

I'm also working on another scarf from my handspun for another friend's birthday. I'm using the same stitch as last time (the cabled feather and fan) because I liked it so much (and because, let's face it, I'm a little lazy).
Now that I have a needle size I like on this one (three tries later) I think it'll go fairly quickly.

And last but not least, I got another package in the mail last night (Rick asked whether I've joined the "fiber a day" club; all I want to know is how do I sign up?). To be completely fair, I bought this with a gift certificate from The Loopy Ewe, so I'm not sure it really counts as part of my fiber budget.
What's coming out as a white/yellow in the picture is actually a deep gold, and the oranges are more pumpkiny. The final product will either be for me or for my mom; I haven't decided yet if I'm going to be able to give it up...

So, that's the week in fiber. Several projects going on, and a burning desire to spend some time at the wheel. Lucky for me it's a relatively quiet weekend, and if it stays as cool and grayish as it was today, it's going to be a good weekend for holing up with some needles and spindles. Meanwhile, I'm off to take Tilly for a walk while Younger Daughter goes to soccer practice.

18 comments:

Stell said...

fiber a day club - can I sign up also? sounds dangerous, as usual all you report and knit is seriously lovely, and especially the BW Wildflower Knot Stitch, which is working so well in that yarn.

Lynne said...

I think the diamond pattern looks fabulous; and diamonds down the side of the foot sounds like a good idea.

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad you are enjoying the yarn. My feet can't wait they are doing the happy dance in anticipation!

Cheryl <^..^>

EGunn said...

I love the Josephs' coat and the roving! I think I must be in a fall kinda mood...

The diamonds look good so far, too. It's so hard to decide when to stop the pattern; I agree about bumps on the top of your arch, though.

Bea said...

Oh I love the mossy handspun and your sock idea. Sounds like a wonderful combination!

Marianne said...

Fibre a Day Club? holy moly, wouldn't THAT be something :^)
Those handspun yarns of Cheryl's are GORGEOUS! and I love what you've come up with so far on the sock, Very Nice.
MMMMM, those are pretty colours in that fibre, merino/silk,eh? yummy.
Here's to a happy weekend!

Anonymous said...

The USDA acknowledges that most Americans don't get the recommended amount of daily fiber in their diet, so you have to get it somewhere, right?

The sweater is coming along nicely, and I can't wait to see a full repeat of the diamonds. I think that was a brilliant idea to incorporate seed stitch in another design.

Nana Sadie said...

LOLOL. Fiber a day.
Your socks look great! I'm allergic to angora, but I know how soft it is...(sigh)
Have a great, relaxing, fiber-filled weekend!
(((hugs)))

knitspot anne said...

wow, that's quite a fiber-ganza ya got there! love the yarn!!

FUZZARELLY said...

Ooooh - you're giving me fiber envy!

Alwen said...

I love those two yarns! And the handspun, since I love purples.

One of my favorite yarns early on was the Plymouth Encore Colorspun, where each of the two plies would gradually change color, so the yarn changed completely. I loved knitting that.

Anonymous said...

That Joseph's Coat is particularly stunning of a colorway. Gorgeous. Have fun!

Willow said...

Is the Wildflower Knot Stitch in BW's second or third edition? I have the first and haven't seen that pattern, which btw looks wonderful! I'm thinking aran sweater...

Hmmm, fiber a day club. I'm sure I have a year's worth in my big plastic tubs from when I joined a while ago. I'm hoping to have a few minutes to pull out some wool I dyed with Landscapes dye earlier this year. You've inspired me!

Anonymous said...

Looks fantastic!!! All of it . . . I like the diamonds a lot.

I have calmed down a bit over the last few days myself. Not much knitting, but sunshine and apple picking and apple pie (in the oven) and a nice time with K have made me almost sane again.

Have fun with your fiber. I am going to find some spinning time again soon, I swear :-)

Take care.
Sarah

Helen said...

The Fiber a Day Club sounds good:I thought I had got it down to a Fiber a Fortnight, but it seems to have crept up again.

Anonymous said...

So many beautiful things in one post,,, that hand spun yarn looks gorgeous and I love the color of your hand spun, the one you knit for a friend (such a lucky friend).

Anonymous said...

Cold mornings, cold evenings. Knit faster! Angora wool socks? Beautiful!

I would also like to join the fiber-a-day club. Even though I clearly can't knit that fast. Maybe I should take up weaving...

Anonymous said...

Woohoo, Look at you go on Rick's sweater!!