The Hardest Thing is Sometimes Saying Goodbye

As pour myself into all things FIBRE ARTS, I've got this crazy idea that the hobby at some point has got to pay for itself.

My latest venture is into hand dyeing and painting (see previous posts).  As my summer is full of being a Mum and lots of time at the soccer pitch, I had to pass on my crazy idea of going to our local farmer's market to sell my wares, so, as I build up the nerve to open an etsy shop, I've created a small Facebook page to showcase (and try to sell) some of my crafts. There hasn't been too much activity there (mostly a few sales to friends and a custom Grumpy Cat ornament or two), but I see it as a good place to build up my confidence to start to turn this into a very modest money making venture.  That and a way to decrease my stash and make my husband stop raising his eyebrow at me when I talk about needing more yarn!

Today, I sold 2 of my favourite fingerling yarns: Crumpled Rainbow (above) and Stormy Lagoon (below).  A friend is buying them, To knit socks.  The perfect use for them.  But as happy as I am with my success, I'm finding it so tough to let them go. The colours are truly gorgeous.

 I was almost hoping that there wouldn't be interest so that I could make my own creations with these beauties.  I have the same problem when it comes to knitting projects: I grow attached.   After all the hours and care and attention invested in a project, it really is hard to say goodbye.  I'm such a tactile person that I need to be able to get my hands on something to truly appreciate it. I can't get the same satisfaction from a photo (or worse, seeing it on someone else!)  I guess with these beauties, I'll just have to find solace in the fact that I can visit the yarn and contribute to it's final form with needle and pattern suggestions. I know that my babies are in good hands.


Oh, and here's the custom Grumpy Cat (just for fun)

Works in Progress (WIP) - Week 3

I'm really over due on my WIP, but with the start of summer break and all of the hand dyeing I've been doing recently, I've been a little negligent to both the blog and my knitting projects.

But here goes:

Current Project #1: The 7 Year Sweater
Although I haven't picked up the sweater in about a month, I'm now at the point where I'm ready to section off the stitches for the arms.  But somewhere along the way, I've missed a stitch.  1 stitch out of over 300 to account for.  I've put things aside until I want to sit down and sort out if the stitch was dropped or just never added in the first place.  My husband has waited over 7 years for this sweater, so what's a few more months?  I am pleased, however, with the stripes I'm adding in lieu of the snowflake pattern in the original design.

Current Project #2: Hand Dyed Socks

This one is really a half-finished object.  And considering I've already worn it to bed one cool night to keep my tootsies warm, I'd hardly call it a work in progress.  But I have cast on the second sock using Knitty's Solidago Sock pattern, so that is a start.   The Briggs and Little Sport wool knitted up quite nicely, although I am concerned that the single ply may not last through normal wear and tear.  I'll keep these as bed socks when done.

Current Project #3: New Wrap

 As it's summer, I'm now spending 4 nights a week at the soccer pitch to watch my boys play or practice and I needed something fairly simple to knit up, without referencing a pattern.  I've already started and frogged 2 projects  with this wool, but I'm excited to be designing a wrap with it that will show off the lovely colour variations from the dyeing process.  I can't wait to finish this piece and share the pattern.




Current Project #4: Rainy Day Shawl

Finally, I've been working with some of my handspun incorporating it into the Sunday Sunrise Shawl.  My colours aren't as cheery as the original, hence the name for the project.  The blue is a gorgeous silk-merino blend by Louet plied with a Noro lace-weight yarn.  The multi-coloured is a combination of a rainbow coloured merino and grey faulkland roving.  I've been itching to combine the 2 skeins for quite a while, but until recently, had not found an appropriate project.  I'll follow the pattern, but if I have a lot of yarn left over, I'll add a more decorative  edge. I'm most excited about this one!

Weekly WIP - Week 2

Okay.  I'll admit it. It's all a lie.  I can hardly call this a weekly WIP as I've missed 2 weeks, but it makes a great title.

I've been so busy the last 2 weeks volunteering at my boys' school, getting the garden ready and hand-dyeing that I haven't been keeping up with my knitting.  I've also crocheted a bunch of little flowers (left) and made some costume jewellery.  I've accomplished a fair bit, but my knitting projects are pretty much where they were 2 weeks ago.

I did, however, cast on a pair of socks last night using my recently dyed Briggs and Little Sport that I dyed with food colouring.  It's a single ply wool yarn and the colour is delicious.

I'm knitting a basic top-down sock (based on the  Solidago pattern on Knitty.com) and it is knitting up quite nicely so far.  I love how the colours are already starting to pool in just the right way.  Hopefully, I'll be done at least one more for next week's WIP.