Stuff and Nonsense 2

Hey Robin!
Here I sit with my new blanket over my lap and I think to myself: "Self? You haven't shared your latest FO with your best online buddy!"
"The hell you say!"
"It's TROO!"
*tsk*

I shall remedy that this instant....

So as to not leave out the details I will put pictures in order... you may recall this one:

A lovely beginning to be sure... and then it became this:

also known as the Turtle
And then the turtle was tamed:

Everybody say "oooooh... aaaaaah...." This is my favorite picture because aside from the photo I took of the stash, this one is closest to the colors of the gorgeous Vaa.

And here it is as it sits at this very moment:

Hemlock Ring Blanket - Malabrigo Worsted weight in Vaa colorway

It's a very happy blanket. I admit i was disappointed in my estimation of what "4-feet in diameter" actually LOOKS like, but as a single-lap blanket it's top-banana. Thank you Jared for sharing this incredible pattern with the world and for spawning many warm laps :)

Next up! Because I have a BAD case of startitis, here's what's happening now!
I'm making my Mom a lap-type blanket (no she doesn't get the Hemlock) because I wanted to try the Mason Dixon Modern log cabin blanket. I am calling it "Grammy Square". This will be entirely made of Lion Brand Homespun because it's the one thing i have a LOT of and because I hate this yarn and want it gone. I am going to try to use every last scrap of it.... Don't get me wrong, it's a fine yarn when the product is finished, but i don't like the "during" part. I seem to get the kneedles IN the stitch rather than through it so knitting takes twice as long and I just don't have the patience. The colors are fun but... there are way better yarns out there. Sorry there's no pic, I am not showing anything on the off-chance that she remembers I blog, and comes to see what I am up to.

Next! You may have noticed I updated the sidebar with another new label thingy! Amy Singer has called for the liberation of your laceweight! I don't know if I am doing what she had in mind, but I am giving it a go in hopes that I will create something gift-worthy. I am using the bramble stitch you told me about and it looks WAY different from yours simply because of scale. Take a look:

I don't recommend embiggening the picture because it will just be more-blurry. Sorry, I can't seem to take a pic with this camera on close-up. I need a tripod for that... anyhoo! I am hoping that the pattern will 'pop' a little more in the blocking process because it really is quite lovely. I am also considering attempting to add a lace-border (a very skinny one mind you) just to see how it's done. This yarn is lovely, it was recycled from a ladies sweater and I have enough of it to make a bajillion of these neck-scarves I think. Oh and it's silk! It's not much to play-with as a cake, but once I started getting some 'bulk' on the kneedle it's really feeling luxurious! fyi the color in the picture is pretty darn close. Sort of a coral shade...

What else what else... ah yes, i couldn't wait to cast-on some socks. I have two hanks of Hazel Knits Artisan sock yarn burning a hole in my stash and i've gone back and forth SO often on what to make with them that I jus threw a dart on my sock pattern-collection and went with the ubiquitous Jaywalkers by Grumperina. Actually that's a lie, I WANTED to make the Naga socks (gah! i can't find a non-ravelry link!), but I don't know HOW to get 9.5 stitches/inch with sock weight yarn darnit!! Since the designer warns us that the pattern makes for fabric with less stretch, I thought it would be best to wait for a different yarn...

I love how the pull of the zig zag makes the sock-in-progress look like a geometric shape:

What safety pin? I have no idea what you are talking about. Let's move on shall we?

The Rogue is the current "Project Primo" though, for some reason the Hemlock had taken over (blame the Malabrigo) but now I am more focused on the sweater. I don't want to take another picture of it until I am done with the hood though, and it's taking FUH-EVAH! Hopefully I will have an update on that VERY soon. My Dad will be in town next week and I REALLY want him to take some pictures of it with his super-nice camera. Must. Focus.

Later!

scramble for progress

Hey Robin,
The weather outside is frightful.... and the yarn is so delightful... so since I've no place to go (except for a bajillion errands and stuuuuuuuff) let it rain! let it rain! let it rain! *sigh* Isn't it supposed to be spring? Oh yeah, it rains in spring. I got so spoiled by So Cal weather...

The Dudelet is playing with his new set of lego figures... I'm running a stopwatch to see how long it is before he no longer wants to play with them. I got my money on 10 more minutes. DH has 20 (they're LEGO's!).

While I watch him frolick, here's what I have been working on the last few days...

Progress is made on the Rogue! I swear, I thought this whole thing would be a slog, but the bottom of the body went surprisingly fast! I really think having that wonderful cabling on the sides breaks up the monotony JUST enough that it keeps things exciting! Here's the latest:

I'm on the slog-part about halfway between the arm hole shaping and the shoulder shaping. Woot! I haven't looked to see what's after that. I want to be suprised...

I also couldn't wait to cast this on. The yarn was burning a hole in my stash! Really! No really! Did I give you a peek of the haul? No? Brace yerself:

Vaa Vaa Vaa VOOM!
I mean, hubba hubba ya knowz?

I knew instantly that I wanted to make the Hemlock Ring Blanket with this. No question. I am to row 40 on the original pattern, at 47 I switch over to Jared's added chart, this should be fun. I have 4 skeins, so it should come out rather large, maybe I will have enough leftover to make another Koolhaas.

OK here's a picture of it so-far, but it really doesn't do the color justice. So try picturing the above colors in the below-configuration:

Knitting this is making me very happy. The colorway reminds me of a certain Tartan, so it's perfect for taking in my favorite Scottish accents and relaxing....

There's only a few days in Malabrigo March left! Help us move the perfect yarn to #4 on the favorite yarns list and cast something on TODAY!!

Laterz.