Little Bit Of Everything

It didn't take long for me to put a new project on the loom. I don't know when the spell will break, but weaving scarves has become quite addicting. I spent just one evening working on this particular scarf and found that I had woven half of it! 

Warp: Doespins sock in Paua. Weft: Verdant Gryphon Mithril in Green Water Snake.

Even though weaving is my new best friend, I haven't neglected my first love: knitting. I finally finished the test knit I was working on. I wish I could show the fantastic patterning that goes along the side of each sock, but for now I'll have to hide it until the pattern is released. Once that happens, I'll be happy to show off the socks in all their glory.

Yarn: Canon Hand Dyes Charles Sock in Etude 120

I'm also pleased to say that I am on the second sock in both my vanilla pair and my Haleakalas. Once these babies are done, I'll be out of projects on the needles. But with all sorts of fun new sock yarn to play with, it will be hard to choose what to cast on next! 

Left sock yarn: Der Kleine Prinz in Die Rose Der Kleine Prinzen. Right sock yarn: Malabrigo Sock in Pocion.

I have another project that I haven't been able to show much progress on, even though there is lots going on behind the scenes. I've finished up the embroidery sample for my USA travel patch quilt. There have been lots of decisions to make like: What kind of thread should I use? If I use the six-strand thread, how many of those six strands should I use? Which stitch would look best for the outline? Which stitch would work best for the numbers? And on and on and on. I've done the sample on linen, but the front of the quilt is going to be a cream-colored cotton, so the colors reflect what is going on the quilt. If I was doing it on linen, I would use colors that had higher contrast.

If that wasn't enough, I've signed up to take some classes at my local junior college in the fall. (Accounting and watercolors) I've also been working hard to format all my daily comics to put on the web. Connor has kindly been assisting me with the website side of things, so hopefully we will have the first few up soon.

Almost There

"Almost there" is how I feel about all of my projects. I've put time in to each, but none are quite finished just yet. Still, I'd like to share what is almost done.

I'm nearing the finish line with the Iceland Sweater. I was undecided on how long to make the welts for the body, so after doing around 60 rows of the front, I started on the back. I got a little nervous about the width. The ribbing sucked in so much that I went ahead and blocked it. No need to keep knitting if I'm going to rip it all out again. Luckily it blocked out great. Now I just need to finish the length of it before weaving in the many ends and attaching the buttons.

I tucked all the ends into the sweater when taking the picture, but there are quite a number of ends to weave in

I've been putting quite a bit of time into my new woven scarf. Connor has started playing Fallout 4, so I've been using that as my weaving time.... you know, when I haven't stolen the controller to play a little myself. (It's such a small part of the game, but I'm obsessed with collecting the magazines and displaying them on the rack at our home base.)
I'm nearing the end of the scarf and I've already learned what I would do a bit differently next time, but all in all it is a good first project. The only problem I've really run across is how to show weaving progress. It sort of looks the same as you weave.... so here is the big roll of scarf that I've woven.

It looks so small all rolled up, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to have a long scarf when I'm done

The socks are all moving along, too. The Haleakala socks (top) got put aside again because I forgot how complicated the gusset is. The test sock (right) is almost at the toe. My plain vanilla pair (bottom) is also almost at the toe. I wish some of these were second socks, but alas, they are all the first in the pair. I'm hoping that once I get one sock done, the match will knit itself.

Of course all these projects are just my yarn-related ones. I've been continuing on with my comic and figuring out how to best scan and process them for online and print. (I have no current plans to print them, but if I ever changed my mind, I don't want to rescan 160+ pages.) I've also taken a step away from the embroidery sachet/ quilt project. It all became a bit too much to maintain.

Who else has a bunch of "almost there" projects? If you love them all, how do you choose which one to work on next?

Mr. Bear Ears And His First Knitted Scarf

Connor had been diligently knitting away at his scarf. He thought he would have it done for next winter, but it got cold, so he became "motivated to finish" so he says. I'm pleased to show off his very first knitted project, a 2x2 ribbed scarf in Jill Draper Makes Stuff's own Rockwell in the Pacific color.

We decided that the only place the Pacific scarf could be photographed was in front of the Pacific itself

He's already received compliments at work. A co-worker told him they didn't know what a "manly" scarf would look like until they saw his. He was pleased to report to them that he made it himself. I'm so proud.

I'm also pleased to report that he is working on his second project already. It is Purl Soho's Lovely Ribbed Cowl out of Anzula's For Better Or Worsted in the Mariana color.

Since he is on his second project, I thought it was high time for him to join ravelry. You'll find him under the moniker mr-bear-ears.

Septet

May I present the newest Bear Ears pattern, Septet. I'd worked on this scarf earlier this year, but it took some time to be able to get pictures. Mum liked the scarf so much she kept bugging me about it. I gave in eventually and handed it over to her for her birthday with one caveat: she had to model for me.

I went up with her to help with leather crafts, like I usually do every year, and spotted tall, dried thistles. With only about 20 minutes available, we took pictures before helping out the campers. I'm quite pleased with how the images came out.

The name took some time to decide on. It was actually the last thing I had to do for the pattern; even testing was done before it was named. I had designed the scarf to use seven colors and it finally dawned on me to base the name off of that feature. Septet: noun - A group of seven people singing or playing music together. Or in this case, seven colors playing together.

The sample was made using Hikoo by Skacel's Llamor yarn in the entire Peruvian Palette line. But if you've got 20 yd/ 18m scraps of dk weight yarn, this is also a great way to use up extra yarn ends.

Septet can be found on ravelry, craftsy, and the bear-ears website.

It's Knit Night After All

The other week Connor and I were dog sitting Scooter. I had gone out for my weekly Friday Knit Night. When I came home, I saw this:

Connor told me, "It's knit night after all."

Two Knitters, One Roof

Connor has started his first official project. I thought we'd gotten pretty far in the swatch, so it was time to try out a scarf. We decided on a 2x2 ribbed scarf. To get him going, I handed over two skeins of Rockwell from Jill Draper Makes Stuff in the Pacific color way.

Since we've started the scarf, Connor's been saying things like, "We should knit tonight." And, "One more row."

He's making great progress, too! Maybe when he is done, I'll get to borrow it.

Sprig Is Here

I am a terrible gift giver. It's not what you think, though. I am excellent at finding a good gift, but I'm terrible at waiting to give them.

Case in point: Mum's birthday scarf. On Sunday, Mum told me that she was going to have an early birthday lunch on Friday. I hadn't started her gift yet because I thought I had another week to procrastinate.

I blocked the scarf today. And then it happened. I couldn't wait. I HAD to give it to her. It was still warm from being in the sun when I handed it over.

I believe she is quite pleased. She even stood for pictures. On a different note, her birthday lunch has been moved to Monday. But I don't care. I don't have to wait anymore.

I wasn't sure when to announce this, but as we all know, I can't wait. So, if you'd like the scarf pattern, Sprig, for FREE, you can check out ravelry, or you can go to bear-ears.com to download it. It's on me.
EDIT - As of November 30th, 2011, this pattern is now a pay-for pattern.

Happy Birthday Mum!

I know that this gift is no secret since you picked out the pattern and argued with me about picked out the yarn. But since I can't be present when you open your present, Happy Birthday. Love Me and Scooter. (Scooter added some hair on your present. He said it would add to the love)

Note: The pattern is the Inside-Out Scarf and the yarn was Limerick by Wisdom Yarns. One ball in 31804 and 31805.

Spinning and Sweater Licking

I bought myself a new toy today. I couldn't help it. This spindle just works so much better than my CD one. Plus, it is locally handmade. So I'm supporting local artisans. And it has a hook on the top and bottom, so I can use it as a top or bottom whole spindle. That's my justification and I'm sticking to it. And of course I had to buy some roving to go along with the spindle.

New work in progress. My mum wanted a scarf for her birthday, so a scarf she shall have.

I wouldn't make a scarf for just anyone. (I find them a bit too monotonous for my liking) This particular pattern comes from the book, Knit One Below. The pattern is called the Inside-Out Scarf. It is actually a pretty relaxing pattern. At least is was once I got past a few false starts.

Poor Scooter has been a little neglected for the past few days. I took him on a good walk this morning, but had a review session to go to later on (which took over three hours). He was spying on me while I was taking pictures.

Later on he jumped all over me trying to lick something I spilled on my sweater. Or, I assume I spilled something on my sweater because he was so insistent on licking it.