WIP Wednesday: August 26, 2015

Sekret Knitting:

• Super happy!  I finished up my Mina Jacket for Spirit Trail Fiberworks.  Photo shoot this Saturday, and the draft is with my TE and my tester can tackle her version shortly.  Feels good to get this deadline project off my plate and it came out beautifully.
• Next on the deadline list is the cardigan for Bare Naked Wools.  I'm knitting this up in the fingering weight Stone Soup, a yoke-neck patterned cardigan using several of the yummy natural colors this yarn comes in.  I've got the body done up to the armpits, and I've finished sleeve #1 and joined that to the body.  I'm working on sleeve 2 this week and I'd like to have that finished to point I can start the yoke next week. 
• I'm also working on a shawl project for an Interweave collaboration book - this one is on the needles and I'm working on it as I fit in bits and bobs of free time.

Personal Knitting:

I actually have something finished!  Go me!  This is my 3S Shawl (a free pattern on Ravelry).  I knit this up as a show sample for the Salida Fiber Festival in 2 weeks out one skein of my Arianrhod Sock in the gradiant colorway "Hollyhocks" (new for the show).

I think this is one of my all-time favorite colorways and the skein worked perfectly for a nicely sized single-skein shawl.

I added in a row of eyelets every 10 rows of garter stitch and then I did a picot bind-off, as I like how that edging looks and it allowed me to get a little scalloped edge action going, which I also love. 

Come visit in the booth if you'll be attending Salida and you can see this one in person for yourself!  (I'll have this colorway  available then as well!)

WIP Wednesday: May 20, 2015

This week's WIP line-up:

Sekret Knitting:

• Working away on the colorwork cowl.  I'm about 2/3rds done, so I think with a few more evenings of knit-time, it'll be done easily by the end of the month.  
• Started sleeve #1 of my project for Spirit Trail Fibers - Loving this yarn and I think this pattern is going to be a really fun, wearable piece.  I may have to get the sample back from Jen to keep for my very own wardrobe!

Personal Knitting:
I cast on a pair of simple 68-stitch, 2x2 ribbed socks to work up an extra gradiant skein of Wooly Wonka Arianrhod Sock I had dyed up.  I like to have something simple to work on while vending, and since I'll be at the ABQ Fiber Fiesta this weekend, this is that project. Nothing fancy with this - I just am enjoying watching the colors start changing down the leg. I've got these skeins dyed up in (mostly) matching halves, and I know if I get to the purple section in the ball, it's time to get the toe finished up - since that's the halfway point (although I will probably not need to knit the foot that long.  I'm thinking these will be a great donation sock for a female person based on the colors, so I don't need a huge pair.)

I'm also looking ahead to the Tour de Fleece that starts the first week in July.  I'm trying to decide on fibers to spin for the Tour, so expect some more spinning-related chat over the next 6 weeks before the Tour officially kicks off.  (And if you are a handspinner and want in on some casual, low-key fun, please consider joining my Wooly Wonka Fibers team in my Ravelry group here - All Are Welcome!)

Weekending

A day late to be sure, but I'm just back from the Kid N Ewe festival in Boerne, Texas (near San Antonio) this weekend.  Three days of vending and about 1750 miles of driving later, and a whirlwind of busy this weekend - I'm ready for a nap.

D was a trooper and did the bulk of the driving to and from, and of course helped me set up.  This is a fun show, held at the fairgrounds in town (indoors), and Boerne itself is a cute little town.  Lots of restaurants and fun shops along Main Street.  This year, we opted to rent a little house, which was a great plan for us.  Since I've got kind of an odd diet these days, it was wonderful to be able to cook for ourselves and to sit around in the a.m. with a cup of tea or coffee before packing a lunch to go vend.

I had a LOT of repeat customers this year - thank you all! - plus a lot of brand-new ones as well.  It was a great excuse to get to see friends from the Austin area, and of course, I also got to vend right next-door to my friend Kelli and her Notable Gnome goodies.  I stocked up on her vegan lip balm and possibly also had a few holiday gifts fall into my bag as well.

A great show, but I'm happy to be home for a while.  Today I'm getting unpacked, doing paperwork, answering emails and generally getting caught up!