I missed a post last week and now I’m kind of overwhelmed by all the things I want to show you. But I’m determined to catch up so you’ll just have to put up with it. Go get a cup of tea and settle in.
The October Dream Club yarn was a beautifully dyed skein of Everlasting Sock, along with a gorgeous pattern for a pair of socks that, frankly, would have taken me at least a couple of months to knit. Beautiful and complex, but really not for me. I decided to make Foolproof, a cowl that was a mystery knitalong at one time. The “hook” for the mystery was that there was no casting on, no binding off, no seaming, no grafting and no purling! So I was intrigued. (And Donna was too. She’s teaching it in her Friday cowl series on Dec. 6 & 13.) Here is how it turned out, which I love despite choosing a kind of blah contrast color that dulls down the pretty autumn tones of the Everlasting.
And here’s another look, along with a skein.
And here was the whole shipment, along with suggested color combinations and treats from Ady’s Cakes for the club members when they picked up their skeins.
I knitted this cute little topdown baby sweater from one skein of Indulgence. This yarn is a self-striping DK weight blend of extrafine merino and nylon, 400+ yards in a ball. It’s machine washable and very soft, so perfect for babies and kids, but would make terrific socks, scarves (Wingspans!) or cowls. There are a variety of colors, from baby to grownup. The stripes are perfect for topdown styles, and I like this one since the buttoned neckline makes it easy to pop over a baby’s head.
I think a few weeks ago I showed you a bunch of gorgeous heathery colors in alpaca and proposed doing Carol Sunday’s Milano in them. It took a bit of revision in sizing and gauge but here it is, and I just love it. Drapes beautifully in 100% baby alpaca, and feels just heavenly.
The colors are just too wonderful all together, and remind me of the beautiful Perry Ellis sweaters of the 80’s.
Unfortunately, I am not as purty as that little cutie above, no matter what kind of sweater I’m wearin’. Here’s another look at the colors:
Here’s a tantalizing look at a sweater that Karen Walter is working on for a class this winter, in a deep, rich, lose-yourself-in-the-color shade of purple in Maxima from Manos.
That’s it, that’s all you get! Challenging, but totally worth, I’m thinking.
Loads of new yarn has come in, but I’ve been too busy to take pictures. The only thing I have to show you is Meadow, new from Fibre Company in another one of their amazing fiber combinations. It has merino, baby llama, silk and linen, feels lovely and has wonderful character. 545 yds per hundred grams, so it hovers gracefully between lace and fingering weight. Here are all 12 colors:
(There are 12; a little touch of a charming pinky-brown can be seen between the dark purple and bright red.) I haven’t settled on a project yet, but that’s okay. I’m deep into Moroccan Nights, which I hope will be far enough to show you next week. Plus I’m messing around with a doubled strand of Findley from Juniper Moon Farm, a lovely silk and merino laceweight that I yearn to make a sweater from, it’s so soft, smooth, luminous, and every other nice thing. Might as well face it, I’m addicted to yarn.
And for your drooling pleasure, here is the Multigrain Scarf from Antonia Shankland, who is a sales representative as well as a designer and knitter. She adores luxurious yarn (she reps for Shibui, Manos, Fibre Company, and Jade Sapphire – she’s a happy lady!) I love the way this scarf looks, in multiple yarns and colors from Shibui. Of course, you can make your own combinations, but this is so inspiring that I wanted you to see it. Don’t you wish this was hanging by your front door so you could grab it every time you leave the house?
And just for those of you who haven’t been in lately, here’s a look at Purl with a favorite toy (thank you, Aunt Barbara!) She made herself comfy in a bottom shelf, which luckily had only a few leftover skeins in it.
She’s recuperating nicely from being spayed and seems to be her old self, for better or worse!
Janet and Donna went to Rhinebeck on Saturday, so they’ll have lots of stories to tell this week and maybe some unusual yarn to show? Meanwhile, enjoy the beautiful sweater weather! See you soon.
