Top-Down Magic

The problem with stripes...

The solution: an evening of weaving in ends.
Pre-blocking
Blocking with Fiesta

FO

Knitter: Rebecca

Pattern: Top-Down Sweater, #6 Unpattern by Karen Alfke. I love this pattern. I've made at least five sweaters with it, all different and all of them fit perfectly. The pattern is designed so well that perfect fit is a given. It's all about gauge. Your vision, your yarn, this pattern = the best sweater, ever. Once in a while I teach a class for the Top-Down Sweater using the #6 Unpattern.
Yarn and needles: Jamieson DK in 5 colors, size 4.5 Inox grey circular needles, G crochet hook.
Project Notes: I started this sweater in September, 2004. I cruised through it until I became hopelessly stumped when trying to figure out the hood ~ I'd never knit one before and had all my 'how to' books out, trying several styles, frogging each in turn, putting it away to think about and losing track of it until a couple weeks ago. This time around the hood just about knit itself and wa-laa, a little crochet chain 3 times around, weave in the endless ends, block and done on December 2nd, 2007. Took me three days. If only I'd known how easy a hood really is...

And now for an 'omg moment': I just realized that I did a really good job matching the repeat from the body to the sleeves! I hadn't noticed this until I looked at the photos of the FO hanging in the Rhody. Just-goes-to-showya ~ step back and admire your work now and then: you may see something different and wonderful.

The Magic Bits

(other sweaters from this pattern)

Sock Monkey Sweater
in Rowan DK Marl

Sock Monkey Suit
in Tweed DK
using the same pattern.

Jamieson DK Henley with
vintage buttons, a little pocket
and side-vents

Koigu V-Neck with short sleeves
(7 skeins)

Koigu Crew Neck with long sleeves

Boyds Bear in worsted weight v-neck

Gansey Socks

Back interest

Knitter: Peggy
Pattern: Gansey Socks, designed by Beth Brown-Reinsel in 1995
Yarn and Needles: Alice St*rmore Scottish Fleet in pink; #2.5 2-32" Addi Lace
Project Notes: The project served 4 purposes --

1. Something fairly straightforward to work on at the retreat

2. Refreshing my interest in Gansey knitting

3. Using STASH yarn left over from knitting Jade St*rmore's Beadwork sweater (pattern found in Winter 99/00 Interweave Knits) a few years ago (2004?)

4. And in so doing, giving me socks that match a sweater I love to wear.

My Beadwork

Autumn Shawl

The maple in the front yard is creating
a play pen of leaves for the cats,
Austin and Ferris
(they're bad boys, these cats)
2-ply spun on my Betty Roberts
Russian Olive double drive wheel
A lump of damp shawl

Preblocking

I brought in some leaves to compare.

Stretched on blocking wires.

And done!

Spinner/Knitter: Rebecca

Fiber: about 5.7 oz of Corriedale cross, color #32 lot 2 from Reflection Farm.
Project Notes: The fiber was spun early in 2006, about 830 yards of 2-ply. For the knitting, I used a #5 needle and the 10 stitch lace chart called Horseshoe from one of Barbara Walkers books. I used the chart throughout and included a border of lace with #8 seed beads. I've used Horseshoe Lace before in my Scalloped Lace Wrap, a pattern available at a couple of local yarn stores. The Autumn Shawl knitting began October 14th and was finished October 29th. I am very pleased that the FO reflected so well my original vision for the roving. yea!

Boy Socks

I told David I'd knit him socks only if he promised to not tell anyone who did it. You know the problem: knit one person some socks and then everybody wants some. He's a very sweet graduate student in the department at the UW where I work, saw me knitting one day and pined for some hand knit socks with "red cuffs, heels and toes and crazy yarn in between." It took quite some time to knit them. Boy Socks go on forever!
Knitter: Peggy
Yarn: Opal in the leg/foot and the red is Fortissima Socka mit Bamboo, both purchased locally at Village Yarn.
Pattern: Basic stockinette with more stitches for The Boy, size 2 needles.
Note to Self: "No more Boy Socks."
Big Doily: It is called 'Willow Basket Lid' and the pattern can be found on page 99 in Traditional Lace Knitting by Furze Hewitt, published in 1997 by Kangaroo Press. This was a gift to me, knit years ago by Rebecca in #5 cotton. I keep it under glass on my end table.

Got wood?

These trees had to come out because of safety issues, not 'just cuz'. I love trees, and didn't want to spend thousands this way, but these trees (plus some from the green belt which have fallen onto my yard and thankfully not my roof) really need to be removed before they do massive damage. Fear of trees is big in this neighborhood. The winds are strong off Puget Sound, the trees fall often and usually onto something. Winter is coming and it's time to deal, again.

Below, a brief pictorial history of what 5 men with chainsaws and a wood chipper can do in 5 hours.

Two ginormous Douglas Firs

at least 115 feet to 125 feet tall

Close-up view from deck

Two guys with really big...ummm...
chainsaws (yeah, chainsaws) cutting off limbs
as they climb.

I missed seeing the Christmas Tree Top
come off, but this is about 2 hours after
they began.

Big pieces came off fast.

This is the back yard under the trees
before they came down ~
you can see the 2 trunks and how
close they are to the house.
This is the same space after
they came down:

Side yard before,
with Sequoia and a tilting Douglas Fir

Working on the Fir

These two needed to come out ~
the Fir because it was tilting further each year
and the Sequoia because the Fir damaged it.

We have so much wood!

September has come and gone, so cleaning this up now prepares us for the rainy season, and the gray days ahead when it will be too nasty to work outside. If I heated mainly with wood I'd be set for the next year or so, but as it is, I'd be happy to give most of this away to neighbors with stoves and fireplaces. Life is abundant!

Merino on KoolAid

Spinner/Knitter: Peggy
Fiber: 100% Merino top, some wonderfulness that we talked our buddy Sandi into sharing. We got together with good friends back in March for a pot luck and many hours of dying. We used Mother McKenzies Miracle Dye for some wool and KoolAid for others.
Project notes: Space-dyed with KoolAid and then separated down the middle and spun. The single was chained in order to keep long color runs and BONUS: the socks match so well and it must have been totally great dying/spinning/knitting MoJo! The pattern is just basic stockinette with the picot top.

Revamping the yarn room or What I Did Over the Three Day Weekend

It's out of whack, needs help.
This is a job for...WOOLY WOMAN!

There shall be a place for all this stuff! A while later...

Peggys' plan and solution:
two six-footers from the IKEA AS-IS room.

Break them down...

and, because girls know how to pack,
load them both plus two other cabinets
into the Mazdaratti.

Haul them into the room for re-assembly.

24 hours later:

The 'sock and other yarn' side.The 'spinning fiber and results of spinning fiber' corner.

Part of the knitting/spinning library we share.

No men were harmed in the revamping of this yarn room.