Sunday, September 9, 2007

Dum vivimus, vivamus! (Heather)

Ooops! I didn't intend such a long hiatus. I have been working hard, and I am starting to find that when I get home at night I am all communicated out. I have been working on the odd bit of knitting, though. I carry a travel mug of coffee with me to work every day so my hands are full on the way there, but on the 45 minute ride home and on my lunch breaks, I can knit. Provided, of course, that I get to sit down...



My latest project was the Ballet Lace Scarf out of Fiesta Ballet, a lovely tencel-alpaca blend. Like others, I found it a bit splitty, but manageable and well worth the trouble! You get lots and lots of yardage... the scarf pattern called for 14.5 chart repeats but I found I had nearly half the skein leftover at that point, so I kept going. I forgot to count how many repeats I got from it in the end, and it has already gone to its home at Needles and Pins as a sample, but trust me, it was quite a long scarf in the end. The pattern was easy but interesting, and even for me (a notorious scarf-hater) it really hummed along.



Sorry, but the scarf was blocked completely in the cover of night, so it was hard to photograph. I pinned out each point where the waving column of decreases hit the sides. This gave it a really nice waving effect when it was dry. Why yes, I am in fact pretty smug about it. It made its debut yesterday at the Kitchener-Waterloo Knitter's Fair...



Where I was working at the Needles and Pins booth. What a crazy-busy day! Ellen got a fantastic order of Koigu in, and that always inspires a feeding frenzy. I was not immune.



These beauties made their way home with me. I honestly can't decide which ones I love best! I am considering a Syncopated Cap, as I see from Ravelry that some knitters have successfully used Koigu with some gorgeous results. I just hate to break up any two-skein pairs, so we shall see what happens. Maybe some matching gloves?

In the meantime, I cast on for an early fall sweater for me. I picked up this fantastic Handmaiden Cap Sleeve Top kit for a song awhile back, and have been thinking of it ever since.



It is knit with alternating rows of Silk Maiden and Lady Godiva. I tried and tried to take a picture that would show you how freaking soft and deep the colour and texture is, but until you can reach out and feel through the monitor, you are stuck with these pictures instead. Needless to say, I am in love. It is knit in one piece in the round, so it will only make decent commuter-knitting for so long, but I am loving it at the moment!



The textured stitch pattern is simple and quick, but amazingly effective with the soft silk/wool blends.



So firm and pebbly!

And finally, photographic evidence that there is a coherent conspiracy among the squirrels of Toronto to acquire our fibre through any means necessary.



You can look, buddy, but you CAN'T TOUCH!

8 comments:

Unknown said...

the knitting looks great...and that green koigu! it's like the more attractive cousin of my KP Leprechaun Gossamer. it needs to be leafy-pattern socks, i think. Kew, maybe or Zokni?

The squirrels on the windowsills here still scare me when they drop by for a visit. :P

Adriana said...

Looks like you had fun at the fair. I wish I could have gone. Next year for sure.

The scarf is so gorgeous. I'll have to stop by the store sometime to check it out in person.

The Syncopated Cap would be yummers in that Koigu!

Anonymous said...

What a great read this morning. The store has a big booth, that must have kept you hopping. Love all the knits and the Koigu. You really should send the squirrel picture to the yarn harlot. Do you think it gets up there to taunt the cats?

Anonymous said...

Great to have you back! That koigu is sooo beautiful. I'm sorry I missed the fair this year. Xavier had all four wisdom teeth removed on Friday, and he needed a mother.
Oh and your knitting is also beautiful!

Anonymous said...

ohhhh! all of your colors are so pretty, also they all remind me that fall is almost here! and I love the scarf, the way the color weaves with the pattern.

Kendyl Young said...

That Cap sleeve top has amazing color and texture! Can't wait to see it finished. Love the Koigu browns.

Mary deB said...

I love your selection of Koigu!
And how can we foil the squirrels?? One tried out one of my hot peppers overnight, but apparently didn't like it and tossed it aside with just one wee bite out of it. I wonder if he'll pass the word on to the others to avoid them.

Kare said...

A fair! Oh lucky!!