FO: Sagebrush Infinity Scarf

I finished up a great stashbuster project this week - the Sagebrush Infinity Scarf.

Project Details:
Pattern: Sagebrush Infinity Scarf, designed by Romi Hill.
Yarn:  Tendril from Tale and Tendril on Etsy.  Colorway is Gringots.  (Color looks a bit gray-er in the detail shot and a bit yellow-er in the above mood shot.  Color in the final photo is probably closest to real life.)
Needles: US size 3.

I used up all but about 3 yards of the 400-yard skein.  This cowl is worked back and forth, flat, from one end to the other, starting with a provisional cast-on.  The provisional cast-on is then unzipped and the 2 ends' worth of live stitches are grafted together with a 3-needle bind off to create the loop. A very straightforward pattern, nicely written, like Romi's usually are, and perfect for a stashbusting single-skein project.

WIP Wednesday: February 17, 2016

For all the details, please see the podcast, episode 5, which is now live:

Otherwise, for the drive-by version:

Sekret Knitting:
The only deadline project I'm working on right now is the final sweater due March 8th.  I'm about 2/3rds of the way up the body to where I need to cast off for the underarms and then shape the rest of the garment top.  I've got sleeve 1 started, and I'll get that and the body finished up for sure this week, and hopefully get sleeve 2 cast on (and done if possible), which will just leave the front bands/collar and finishing to do when I get home!

Personal Knitting:  The only things on the needles right now are self-striping sock yarn samples.  I'm cutting myself off from any other personal projects for a bit while I finish my deadline knitting with the carrot that I get to start a new handspun shawl project if I can free up those needles.

WIP Wednesday: February 10, 2016

Sekret Knitting:

• I finished up the second Heroines Club shawl and blocked it.  I even shot photos for it yesterday and my tester is finishing up her version. 
• I'm halfway up sleeve #1 of the current sweater project, and I've cast on for the body.  I had some detail at the bottom hem I needed to fuss with regarding numbers, but that was less painful than I thought it might be (easy in fact), and so I am now cruising along on the body.  This is my focus project for the next couple of weeks. 

Personal Knitting:

• I finished my Dewberry cowl and love it!  It's soft and drapey, and was a quick fun project that used up some handspun.  What's not to love?  My version used a sportweight yarn - the pattern was written for Aran, so it's a bit smaller than the original.  I'm actually thinking I might knit it again in a heavier yarn just because.

• With Dewberry off the needles, I cast on a Quaker Yarn Stretcher with my recently spun Mirro Lake colorway BFL from Three Waters Farm.  I'm a bit farther along since this picture was taken - I knit on this during the Superbowl this weekend, and it's a quick and easy knit as well, so I made a lot of progress on it. 

At the rate I'm going, I'll probably have this finished up this weekend as well, and I've selected a more complex pattern to knit up with a gradient skein of handspun for my next on-the-needles project. 

• I have finished up the March self-striping socks colorway - those will preview on the podcast on Monday.

WIP Wednesday: February 3. 2016

For those of you following along on the antics via the Podcast, Episode 4 is now live!

For those of you here for just a quick drive-by update, here ya go!

Sekret Knitting:

• Sweater #2 of 3 is finished!  Sample is knit, blocked, buttons are on and it's ready for photography.  The draft is off in the capable hands of my TE for review as we speak.
• So I'm working on sweater 3 of 3.  Just started the first sleeve and I'll be working on the sleeves this week while I am finishing up the last bit of...
• The second Heroines Club Shawl pattern.  I'm in the final repeat of the biggest lace pattern, so hoping to have that off the needles by the end of the weekend and blocked!

Personal Knitting:

• I finished my Hogmanay Shawl.  If you are interested, you can find all the details on my Ravelry project page here.  A very successful project - I love how the pattern worked up in handspun.  I was able to use just about every yard of the skein too - win/win! 

• Having that off the needles, I cast on my next handspun project - the Dewberry Cowl by Hilary Smith Callis.   This one I'm knitting up in a handspun gradient in the Iceberg colorway that I spun up on Falkland from the shop.  Currently, I'm through the first 2 pattern sections and about to start section 3. 

• And finally, I'm still cranking thru samples of self-striping sock colorways.  I have a half-dozen of single socks right now, since I'm trying to keep ahead of new colorway releases, but this summer when things are a bit quieter (or sometime soon!) I need to get mates knit up.  Drives me crazy to have half-pairs of socks finished.

WIP Wednesday: October 21, 2015

Sekret Knitting:

• I finished up the sample shawl for my #1 deadline project.  That's been TE'ed and my tester is on the last section, so it will be ready to forward on to the yarn company shortly.  Woot!
• I am still working on my DK-weight lace and cable sweater sample in the meantime - that doesn't have a specific deadline, but I'm picking it up as I have time right now. 
• I have another short deadline project that was accepted, but I'm currently waiting on yarn for that.  When it arrives, that'll bump to the top of the to-do list for a bit.
• I have committed to going to Stitches West in February, so I've been brainstorming some kits and 2-skein-size patterns to take for that.  I have been really enjoying my new DK-weight superwash merino yarn, so I decided to start a 2-color, slip-stitch cowl with that, using 1 skein of a handpaint and 1 skein of a tonal dye.  It's knitting up fast!  (Here's a little sneak peek....)

I plan to have it worked up in a long, wrapable size, and a smaller single wrap version too.

Personal Knitting:  Nothing going on here - nor in my sewing this week.  I was a bit under the weather this past weekend, so I just worked on deadline knitting projects and a few swatches.  More to come as I'm solo this weekend - D and Lizzie are headed out for a camping trip up north for 3 days!

WIP Wednesday: May 27, 2015

This week's WIP line-up:

Sekret Knitting:

• Colorwork cowl is done!  I need to get the draft off to my TE and send it for a test knit, but the sample is finished. 
• Now I can focus more exclusively on my project for Spirit Trail Fibers.  I'm actually thinking of including this piece along with a few others in a winter Steampunk collection, but mulling over the details of that currently. 

Personal Knitting:
Working on my simple 2x2 ribbed socks.  I finished the first sock and cast on for #2 while I was vending.  While these aren't really my colors, they are very fun and I think will be a great donation pair.  I'm going to toss these into my bag as well to take with me to the TNNA conference this weekend in Columbus.

WIP Wednesday: February 11, 2015.

Sekret Knitting:

• Socks:  Finished the heel turn on these, and now need to work the gusset and foot.  I'd like to try to get sock #1 done this week.
• Gradiant Shawl:  I'm through the final increase row on this one.  I've got one more color change to work.  This is on the "finish it up" list for the week for sure.
• Shawl #2:  Still on hold.

Personal Knitting:

Mittens:  I've finished up one of the pair of mittens (although these really will need a stern blocking. The slip stitch pattern draws them in a lot length-wise).  I'll cast on the second one at some point this week when I need a little quiet project to work on.

I am waffling between a couple of other projects to start.  I can't decide whether a pair of socks is next on the needles, or if I want to work on another pair of mittens - which I'm finding oddly addictive right now.

I did decide that for my Forest-themed fairy-tale group swap, I'm going to create a DIY kit for my swap recipient rather than knit her something.  She's a wonderful knitter and she has a bunch of things in her wish-list that I think I can make her up a fun kit to knit.  A sort of 2-fold gift - to enjoy while she knits it and then when she has the FO to wear and enjoy.