New projects

I thought I’d take this opportunity to document some new projects and tidy up my workspace.  Everyone in the mid-Atlantic is just waiting on this enormous storm that’s coming.  I hate when the TV stations get all melodramatic about the weather, but this one might really be worthy of the name “Frankenstorm.”  Time will tell.  Our hatches are battened down, school tomorrow for the kids has already been cancelled, and we’ll see what Mother Nature brings us tonight.Here is a new scarf I’ve started for S1.  The yarn is Shalimar Breathless, which is a luxurious fingering weight blend of 75% merino, 15% cashmere, and 10% silk.  She wanted a simple, lightweight, very soft scarf.  I was forbidden to consider a crescent shape, or a loop scarf, or anything but a long rectangle.  We looked at the designs in the new book Reversible Scarves, but she wanted something extra super simple – so this is it!  This is also completely reversible and is mostly garter stitch… except for a little wrapped and slipped stitch that creates those nice columns.  It also creates a pleated effect.  Very handsome.

This week, I also finished knitting a swatch out of the Tatamy Tweed yarn I got to make Boy 1 a sweater – remember when Julie and I toured the Kraemer Textiles mill last spring?  This is a type of yarn I’ve never knit with before (nor wanted to): a blend of 40% cotton and 60% acrylic blend.  But you know what?  It feels great to knit with.  I dropped the swatch into the laundry basket and it went through a normal warm water wash and dry, just like the kids’ clothes always do, and the gauge didn’t seem to budge.  MAYBE 1/4 to 1/2 of a stitch over 4 inches – and the row gauge was exactly the same.Now I have to finalize which pattern I’m making out of Boys’ Knits.   Right now Chip is the frontrunner.I’ll have to do a little math because the gauge is a bit different (20 st/4”) but that’s no biggie.  I like the ribbed detail down the sleeves and near the zipper.  AND… this would be a skill builder, since I’ve never put a zipper in knitwear before.  (Okay, I’ve never put a zipper in anything before!)

Also on the needles:

• Autumnal Charade socks – I’m on the heel flap of #2 so those should be finished relatively soon
• Autumn Fern Mobius – this one is slow knitting since I’m tied to a chart, but it’s lovely

I also started spinning some fiber but I’ve only JUST begun (like, maybe 30 minutes worth) so that will wait until it’s more exciting to share.

And I know I owe you good pictures of Leaflet… but that, too, will have to wait until after the storm.

Stay safe, everyone!