Pathetic Photo

A long time ago I promised I'd get a modeled shot of the Handspun One-Stitch Cardi, which I sometime refer to as the "Tsunami Cardigan". Well it seems that I'm not capable of getting a photograph that really does the project justice.


You'll just have to trust me that it's lovely, as this is the best photo I was able to get.

And a Scarf Too!

My second attempt at a scarf was successful!



Like the cardigan, the table runner, and the little purse, this too was made with the "tsunami of wool" I received in September of 2006.

And I still have more.
~

Table Runner

I'm nearly finished the handspun One Stitch Cardi. It's blocking now and when it's completely dry I just have to sew on the buttons and stitch down the pocket facings and then it'll make it's debut.

Although I have other projects that I urgently need to be doing, after getting the cardigan blocking I had a craving to do a bit of weaving. I tried out a new-to-me method for warping the rigid heddle loom. It worked very well --- and QUICK! --- and with a little tweaking it will now be my method of choice for warping that particular type of loom.

The weaving went very quickly too. In only a couple of evenings I wove a table runner that is 10" by 54" with an additional 12" of fringe.



The fringe itself actually took a considerable amount of time as I don't own a "fringe twister" and had to do it all by hand.



If you are a regular reader of this blog you might recognize some of the materials I used. The light grey/beige background of the warp, and all of the weft, is handspun from the 'tsunami of wool' that I dealt with last summer. Now that the One Stitch Cardi is completely knit I'm safe using the leftovers in little side trips like this.



The runner fits perfectly on a side table we have in the living room. It looks very nice against the dark stained maple wood. I'll get a picture of the runner in it's proper resting place later this month, after it has done the rounds at "Show and Tell" (my son calls it "Bring and Brag") at the Ryder Lake Spin-In, September 15. Anyone coming to that?

Packing Essentials

Packing for a road trip requires careful thought. The right knitting project is essential. It must be large enough to last the whole trip and easy enough that I appear to be "enjoying the scenery" (for my husband's benefit) with my eyes on the surrounding countryside rather than my knitting. It also helps if it is something I actually want to knit.

Last night, despite other unfinished projects, I cast on for another "One Stitch Cardigan". I've done this one as "road trip knitting" before, only in a cheap acrylic. Once I determined that I liked the style and the fit I vowed that I would one day knit it again in nicer yarn.



This time around it will be knit from the huge supply of 3ply handspun wool I've been trying to find the right project for. I've tried this wool for a few different things and nothing ever seemed just right. I tried cables and textures but they were lost to the beautiful "ragg" effect of this handspun. Plain stockinette didn't impress me either. When I knit the garter stitch gauge swatch I knew I had found the right project. Add in the beautiful antler tip* buttons I was given a while back and I think I'll have the look I was wanting, a plain cardigan that should play up the handspun look.

*note: antlers are shed annually and no animals were harmed in the making of the buttons.

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