This and that

Tomorrow Spinzilla begins, so I’ve spent a little time today clearing the decks and getting organized to focus on spinning. I have a few things going that I haven’t really shared yet. First off, I’ve been working on Dan’s 2014-15 Bus Driver Socks. He enjoyed last year’s socks enough that he asked for another pair this year! He shopped my sock yarn stash and chose this heathery blue yarn. My Ravelry entry says that I added this in August 2007, so it’s at least that old. (Ravelry opened in May 2007 and I remember waiting for my invitation all summer…) It’s nice to see this yarn get used and Dan loves it.Anyway, I’m using the Hermione’s Everyday Socks stitch pattern (of which I’m very fond, having knit it twice already) on a top-down sock with eye of partridge stitch on a heel flap. The toe is the rounded style I’ve been favoring lately. I’m done with Sock #1 and have just turned the heel on #2, so they should be done soon if I have more meetings at work.In other sock news, I have a new sock student! Kristin is in my book group and recently admitted she knits. Turns out she’s always wanted to make socks but just isn’t sure how to get started. I always recommend using fatter yarn for one’s first sock (otherwise it seems to take FOREVER), so she got some Regia 8-ply from Simply Socks Yarn Company (I might have gotten some more, too). I’ve knit two pairs from this weight yarn, and they work up fast at only 48 stitches around. I set up little test socks on dpns and two circular needles to see which method she preferred. She had a STRONG preference for dpns, as you can see above. She made a strong start at her first lesson and we’ll meet again when it’s time to work the heel flap.

Remember the Circo Mystery KAL I was planning for in the late summer? It’s in full swing now. There are four clues in all, and we’ve already gotten three of them. I’ve been working each clue as it comes in. This has been a really fun project with something very different in each step. It’s hard to get a real sense of the final product because it’s all bunched up on needles, but it’s going to be beautiful. It is a moebius cowl, so the needle cable goes around in a circle twice. The fourth and final clue released on 10/6 (this Tuesday), but it will have to wait until after Spinzilla.

I’ve also cast on for S1’s Fall 2015 sweater. Here are some swatches of the red Bartlettyarns I made:We toyed with the idea of that pretty stitch pattern for the cardigan fronts, but that vertical pattern just won’t work on a cardigan with a deep V (which is what she wants). I went ahead and generated a CustomFit pattern and have been working on it here and there. I just finished the back of the sweater this morning. This is easy stockinette knitting, so as soon as Dan’s socks are done I’ll move this sweater into my work knitting bag so I can speed ahead on it.

And finally, I’ve been spinning the “greynbow” fiber that I showed you last time. I have 4 ounces done and have decided to concentrate on this during Spinzilla next week. I won’t be able to finish it during the week (especially because I’m leaving town Sat-Sun), but I can make a dent in it. I’ll figure out how to measure the singles later. I’ll do some rough estimating by sampling and weighing.

That’s it for now. I might not check in again until after Spinzilla. Happy yarn-ing!