Phoebe's Blanket

For her birthday, Phoebe picked out a color of Kureyon for me to knit this blanket from (#148). I wonder what I would have done had she asked me to knit it from say, a pastel, or (uck) blue. I have nothing against these colors, and right now am knitting a baby hat from some very softly colored yarns. Blue, you ask? I am not in my blue period right now. Check back in a couple of years.




So this brings up the question: When you are knitting something for that special someone, do you surprise them, or let them choose?


I surprise them. The exception is my husband. He is quite particular and since we do share the same space (he would differ - I and the loom, spinning wheel, books, fiber and yarns occupy the house - he just owns the space around the various tv's and his recreational toys like his motorcycle, 2 dirt bikes, and his wonderful hunting dog) it's a little hard to have something as a surprise. In Mike's case, the first sweater I knit for him was a sucess in a TKGA contest, but a disaster for him. So I get to wear it! The next sweater I knit for him (which is the most current, done this winter, a mere 10+ years after the first one) I definitly got all of his input before even starting. And at that I had to re-do it twice. But it was worth it. He wears it and loves it and that is what matters. I have found that anything larger than a hat requires approval. And if there is a color I don't/won't knit (like black these days, since my daylight knitting time is very limited), it doesn't come up as a consideration. I'm lucky to be able to bring the yarn home (oh - please - do NOT bring your DH to the yarn store! It is too painful!!!) for his approval. Get the yarn, if he doesn't like it you can always exchange it (at Jimmy Beans Wool) anyhow.

OH! Major digression! Back to the blanket!

7 squares sewn up in 1 day, just 9 more, then a border. Better find more yarn to create that!!

Pleated Skirt


I knit this skirt from the Blue Sky Alpaca pattern called (what?) Pleated Skirt. It recommends their 100% Alpaca sport weight - I - Allie the Fiberist - having trouble following any pattern to the word started out by deciding to knit it from Rowan's Cashsoft DK. I thought it might work out a bit better with this yarn, being a little more wash-friendly (Cashsoft is machine washable, but I hand washed anyway - not a lot of skirt here, but a LOT of work went into it!)and having perhaps a little more elasticity. The jury is out on that one. Amanda, daughter #1 is modelling, and she said that it stretched a bit today - this is the 2nd wearing. So we'll wash and let it dry and it'll be good enough for the next wear or 2. She spent a day working at Jimmy Beans, and if that's not enough to wear a person out, it'll at least stretch a skirt out, fer shur.










Do you see the kinda dead stuff at Amanda's feet? Yep - you got it - Zone 1!!










I didn't mention in yesterday's blog that the model for the shawl is daughter #2, Katie. She's a natural, dontcha think? Especially since it was into the 90's and here she is sitting in the sun with a wool/silk shawl draped over her and Mom and Uncle directing!

I still haven't started piecing the blanket squares together - maybe early tomorrow I will start, before heading out to the Fair in Grass Valley, CA. So many friends to see and all their good work! 100 miles from here, and the trip will be a pretty one.

I've figured out how to post some pictures - we only have 3 computers here...my main working one doesn't recognise the cable connection from the camera all of a sudden...oy...gotta get Ramsey the computer genious on this one!

My sister, Meg, and her partner of 14 years, Clay, got married this past weekend on 8/5. We lashed pontoon boats together, we ALL took the plunge to celebrate! I wove 2 shawls from our brother Gus and his partner, Bruce's Shetland sheep's yarn. Blended with 5% silk, it has incredible sheen and drape and the colors - a rust and gold, are almost irridescent in their interaction. Gus & Bruce have a magnificent farm in central Massachusetts: Swift River Farm (www.swiftriverfarm.com) Gus performed the ceremony and of course, this being in California, the weather was perfect. Oh - I did encounter about 2 mosquitoes =0)

This is my last floor loom, or low warp, weaving project. From now on my weaving is cut pile combined with tapestry. So the loom is going away, making space. Hopefully a good thing, but not necessarily. I've found that Nature Abhors a Vacuum. So does any household I've ever lived in....

I'm getting so tired of all the bad news in the world - it makes me sad, angry, depressed. And really cuts into any creativity I might have! So for now I've got the radio off and pondering my next projects. Or should I say those projects already begun and seemingly hanging out there in space!

Two are the most immediate to tackle: first, a knitted blanket I've been working on for daughter Phoebe. 16 squares knit from Noro Kureyon in a log cabin pattern. They measure 14" each and all are knit up. Now comes the sewing together. I guess what is holding me back is that I have to lay them all out to see who gets sewn up next to whom. This is daunting not because I don't have the space, but because as soon as I lay them out, they will get covered with Maggie fur which is constantly flying about! Winter is on it's way, however, and Phoebe being in Michigan right now is going to need this blanket before too much longer....

Second, a cut pile woven bag from handspun silk I started at SOAR last fall. I plan to have it finished by this year's SOAR, so I'd better get crackin'! Or should I say, knottin'!

But first, I have to get out into the yard - a major irrigation leak and if it's not fixed, those plants in Zone 1 (it's like the garden has zip codes!) will soon be suffering.

Then off to work at Jimmy Beans Wool.