Two posts in one day! It’s not often that the last day of the month is also a Friday, but I didn’t want to combine the Friday Finds and the Month in Review into one post; the first is all about the awesomeness that other people are putting into the world, the second is all about what I’ve managed to accomplish (or not accomplish) in a month.
This month is full of accomplishments, because I discovered the joys of knitting on big needles. First on the size 15s was a pair of French Press Felted Slippers, which I have felted—I just haven’t had a chance to photograph the felted versions. Or stick the little tab part and sew on buttons. I’ve just been wearing them around the house. They are a little big, but I’m afraid of felting them to the point they’re too small, so I may just add some elastic in at the heel.
And then there was my Mustard Scarf on the size 15s, with Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted.
I also finished my Amy’s Scarf, and then sent it off to Ashley, who reports that she was having difficulties taking it off. I love knitting things for knitters. My family appreciates hand-knit goods, but they rarely ever wear them (though my mom does occasionally wear the scarf I knit her for Christmas one year, so that’s the one exception).
Then I switched my attention to wee little knits, and whipped up a “cut” for Lisa’s son, based on the TV show Sons of Anarchy, which both Lisa and I enjoy watching.
And I knit another Elefante by Susan B. Anderson! This was a secret project, and I didn’t want to write about it until I knew Lisa had received the gifts, so I can talk about it now. I knit this with half a skein of Sheep Shop Yarn Company Sheep Feet, which is now discontinued, in the “Royalty” colorway. I’d bought the yarn about 2 and a half years ago, on my wedding/interview trip to Colorado, and couldn’t really figure out anything to do with it. It’s a DK weight yarn, and I could have knit a pair of socks, but I just didn’t have a pattern in mind, ever. So I took a chance on the DK yarn in this pattern, and it’s so cute! I’ve knit an Elefante before, and I highly recommend it as a way to use up scrap yarn or churn out a last-minute baby gift.
And yes, they always look just a little drunk.
I also made some more progress on my sweaterdress, and then saw all that progress go down the tubes. Still bitter. And then I started on another secret project that I can’t tell you about FOR WEEKS (it’s for a swap partner). Though there may be some teaser photos and whatnot along the way.
As to looking ahead, I’ve got a variety of projects on my list that I want to finish in the month of October. Apparently my circle of friends have collectively reached that reproductive cycle of life, so there are lots of little baby knits on deck. Most aren’t “due” soon, but they’re baby projects, and those are fast, and I’m all about cheap personal thrills. I am going to try my hand at socks again next month. I said “to heck” with the random number generator and just decided to knit a pair of Snickets.
On the stashing front… well.
This is Black Bunny Fibers, sent to me by Jacinta, in exchange for the Malabrigo Sock I sent her—she’d never had any Malabrigo before! I felt that needed to change.
Then there was “Purple People Eater” dyed by Lizz, who was selling yarn in preparation for her move down to the Denver area (and she’d better come back and visit!). It’s purple. I was helping a friend! It needed to come home with me.
My biggest stumble and fall of the month were these five skeins of Sweet Georgia Tough Love Sock in the Berry Tart colorway, but they’re going to be knit into a Chambourcin by Ruth Garcia-Alcantud one of these days. I feel like it’s “better” if I at least buy yarn with a project in mind.
This is about 280 yards of handdyed, handspun yarn sent to me from Carrie, who was also involved in the “How Can You Have Never Had Malabrigo In Your Life?” swap. I just love the blues and greens in this skein, which I couldn’t photograph well with my phone.
I traded this yarn (Politically Incorrect’s MCN 375 in the Phantom Disagreer colorway) with a friend who needed a skein of yarn that I had for a particular project. The beauty of this is that I can use this skein for the project I’d originally intended to use with that first skein, and yes, this is for that aforementioned secret project, and look, you’re already getting teaser images.
Then there’s this Neighborhood Fiber Co Studio Sport that I received in a nail polish trade. I’d picked up an extra color of usually on the expensive side nail polish (butterLONDON, if you’re curious) during a crazy sale at Ulta. I didn’t want this color for myself, but I knew a bunch of my friends did, and one of them traded yarn for nail polish. I like this barter system.
So I really only purchased (for myself) the destash from Lizz and the Sweet Georgia with a project in mind; that’s not too bad! I did buy another skein, but again, that’s going to my swap partner, so it’s not added to my stash.
