FO: handspun mittens.

Posted on January 5, 2010 by barefootrooster

See? They’ve already found a home in my basket o’ warm stuff near the door. These are mittens out of Paradise Fibers oatmeal bfl and local undyed jacob, initially intended for my brother, but due to inexplicable (or, more likely, subconscious) sizing issues, it looks like I’ll have to keep them. (Life is really tough sometimes.)

I used the Alex’s Mittens pattern, and modified for gauge/size. I cast on 36 st, increased to 42 st after the ribbing, followed the thumb gusset instructions but only up to 15 st for thumb, and did one more uniform increase row (up to 48 st) on the last thumb gusset increase row. I followed the pattern for the decreases at the top and for the thumb.

I love these: they are rustic, cozy, and wide enough that I can probably wear these as an outer layer over close-fitting mittens or fingerless mitts.

Now that I’ve freed up these needles, I can cast on a pair for my brother — for real this time. (Unless he fails to email me his hand measurements. If I don’t get them soon, he’s getting a hat!)

boh + eternity.

Posted on January 4, 2010 by barefootrooster

Pretty self-explanatory, right? (Boh and I have had a good day: lots of lounging, yoga, and knitting. Today I cast on the eternity scarf in my pigeonroof studios handspun!)

tea and seed stitch.

Posted on January 3, 2010 by barefootrooster

This year, instead of way too many truffles and Guylian hazelnut shell chocolates, I asked Santa to fill my stocking with something that would last longer: a collection of loose leaf teas. I am having so much fun trying different varieties. This mug is filled with a lemongrass blend of organic herbal tea from China that also includes clove, roses, and schizandra berries: perfect for appreciating the snowfall and below-zero windchill from inside my apartment.

I’ve been welcoming the new year with some soothing seed stitch — a perfect pairing for this tea. I’m knitting a sample, and since I don’t get to keep the finished object, I was given the yarn: luxurious Schaefer Laurel in the Elizabeth Blackwell colorway. Usually I’d say that knitting with cotton is not my favorite thing to do, but this stuff is heavenly. Here’s a seed stitch close up:

Boh thinks it is pretty cool, too.

Or he just likes that I sit next to him on the couch while I work on it, doing my part to keep us both warm.

Actually, I’m just using Boh to transition to this super cool pair of yoga socks that my friend H. (who introduced me to yoga here) knit for me! She knit them (beautifully, I might add) out of Noro, and I absolutely love the color transitions. Also, they fit perfectly! Gifts between knitters are extra special.

Hope you’re staying warm on this blustery Sunday morning!

twentyten.

Posted on January 1, 2010 by barefootrooster

I made my list of things to remember to do or think about this semester and tacked it up on the fridge, and then I snapped a picture of the snow falling outside.

My knitterly goals for 2010? Not goals so much as ideas and possibilities: handspun socks, something cabled, spinning for a sweater, a nice balance of knitting that calms me and knitting that challenges me. I also plan to keep working on my spinning — which will allow me to keep something handspun on the needles all (or most of) the time.

And with that, how about some knitting and spinning progress to kick off the new year?