Knitting update

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

Knitting continues.  During my recent trip to Washington, D.C. for a conference, I knew I would need a small project that required little attention, so I cast on for a pair of socks to give to a dear friend's son who is about to graduate from college.  I cast on during the flight there, and was ready to graft the toe of the first sock by the time I got back.

The patterns is Anne Hanson's Fishbone Gansey Sock, which I have long admired but never knitted.  The yarn is Knerd String in fingering weight, a superwash merino in a colorway called Tidal Pool, which I quite like.  My friend's son got two new suits to launch his professional life, one gray and one navy blue, and these socks seem like they'd go with either.  I need to get cooking on the second one - my goal is to have these ready when she leaves for his graduation in a week and a half.

I'm also working on some hats for me and Rick; matching gloves for me are in the queue.

This one is for Rick.  It's a one-size-fits-all pattern, which makes me a bit nervous, given our relative head sizes, but we shall see.  The cables are fun.

It's the Montgolfier hat, in Brooklyn Tweed Shelter, colorway Embers.  My LYS has just gotten the full line of Brooklyn Tweed, in all their colors, and I've gone rather crazy for it.  I got the same colorway in a fingering weight to make my gloves when I'm done with the hats.  And, I got* a whole mess of yarn (also Brooklyn Tweed) for a design project I'm doing for/with Kivrin.  She drew this some time ago:

And I made the mistake suggested that knitting it would actually be doable, if she wanted me to try.  So I've been swatching.

She has decided on the cable on the right.  This project has been backburnered while I'm getting through the graduation socks, and the hats (even if not the gloves) and one other secret project I'm working on.  But when I pick it up again, I'll work the cables further, and then play with a wider ribbing at the top of the swatch to see which she likes better.  Then it'll be time for math.  Updates as progress occurs.

Meanwhile, in case any of you are looking to get some holiday knitting patterns AND support a fabulous cause at the same time, I wanted to point you towards Anne Hanson of Knitspot's annual scholarship fund drive.  This scholarship goes to support a student (in the fashion/design/fiber field when possible) who is a part of the Foster Care to Success (FC2S) program.  All pattern proceeds go to the scholarship fund (and you can choose to add a little extra to the pot when you check out, too, if you want!).  Anne gives all the details here.  I'll be getting this pattern myself. 

*Honesty compels me to admit that it was not, in fact, I who got the yarn.  My LYS had its annual sale a few weeks back.  On each of the two days of the sale, all yarn was 10% off - but during the first hour each day, it was all 20% off.  Unfortunately, I was teaching during that first hour.  Rick's parents were visiting, so I asked if he would mind taking his mom (also a knitter) and popping into the store to get my Brooklyn Tweed during that first hour - I mean, 20%, right?  I made a list for all three projects - sweater, hats, and gloves - and off they went.  Little did I know...  It took them over an hour in line just to get in the door, and then another hour or more to check out once they'd gotten the yarn.  I ask you: how many husbands would do that for their wives?  He's a good man, my Rick, a good man.