Yarn in my Pocket

WIPing myself into shape

Oh, now, this is bothersome. I've recently joined the stash knit down Ravelry Group, where they run a 'WIP Wednesday' thread. "What a good idea!" thinks I. "I must do a WIP roundup blog post, and then I'll know what I'm working on."

"Hang on, Self," says my other brain, "Didn't you do something a bit like this not too long ago?"

"Why, yes, I think I did, Other Brain! Maybe I should check my blog and find out what I wrote then!"

Well, gee. That was January 6th, and I have finished no knitting projects since. Not one. Every single project listed on that page is still a WIP.

Come to that, I haven't finished any weaving or sewing projects, either. I did finish the spinning I had on the wheel back then (at least partly because I quit halfway through), and I also spun up the alpaca/BFL at the beginning of February. And the humbug Shetland.

It would be brilliant to be able to come to the beginning of 2012 and look back at the things that were unfinished – and see what progress has been made – as well as to list the new projects that have been completed.

That's what I said, way back there in January. Well, at this rate, it's going to be a damn short list. (Full disclosure: I have cast on a new knitting project, and warped another loom. What happened to my monogamous ways?). I think WIP Wednesday might have to be a new feature on this blog, so let's start with an official list:

Knitting

• Basil. It only needs the side seams sewing up! But I couldn't find the rest of the yarn when I pulled it out of storage at the weekend. :(
• The Nightingale Stole. Made a lot of progress when I was sick in February; haven't touched it since.
• The New Project. This hasn't even made it onto Ravelry yet!
• The Ugly Socks. I'll be frogging these.
• Dad's Christmas Sweater. Big. Woolly. Heavy. Did I tell you we're having an April heatwave?

Weaving

• The card-woven band.
• The cut pile sampler: continue, or cut it off!
• The New Warp.

Spinning

• Shipwreck.
• The Titania batts (spindle)
• The Abbybatt Weft (spindle)

Sewing

• The Quilt
• The Crochet Curtain
• The Tudor Sleeves.

The studio is a *tip* again, which might account for my inability to find the rest of the yarn for Basil, and it doesn't look like I'll get around to tidying it for a week or two. I think that the new project (yet to be revealed!) and Nightingale Wing will probably get more attention in the short term. Let's see if I can give you an update next week!

Chipping away

There has been so much going on in my little corner of the world, I haven't had time to write about it! Since Textiles In Focus, I've been to two craft fairs, been booked for a teaching gig in Norwich, at least one more craft fair and a demonstration day at Anglesey Abbey to boot, been over to Bury St. Edmunds to sell some of my yarns to Wibbling Wools, hosted J's Mum for a long weekend of socialising and sightseeing, applied for two major shows, booked a nice man in to take down the Evil Laylandii in the garden and replace them with a fence, met up with Geodyne, back from the antipodes (briefly), and had gastroenteritis (not recommended). And there's more! That's just the highlights.

(The dogs still know how to relax, though.)

Of course, planting season in the garden should be in full swing, but with a few exceptions, I'm barely getting started. I *have* managed to water the ground with nematodes, though. I'm hoping to keep the slug and snail population down to a reasonably low level this year, and thereby increase the yield of some of our crops. I am spinning every day this week, as part of a challenge on one of the Ravelry groups I belong to. I really want to restart my practice of spinning for 15 minutes in the morning, before work; it sets me up for the day far better than anything else I have tried, and yet I so often skip it, because I 'don't have time'. I'm hoping to finish the singles for the Shipwreck shawl; I have one bobbin (about 60g worth) of the blue spun up, and I'm well under way with the grey. These two fibres, despite both being Corriedale, feel so different to spin that it will be interesting to see how they ply together. Also.... I hope to have a great, big, huge announcement to share in the next few days (not a baby, no). I'm so excited, but I don't want to jinx it, so... later!

The state of things – January 2011 WIP roundup

I'm feeling a need to sweep the decks at the moment. It's partly a new year thing, but also just a feeling that quite a lot of loose ends have accumulated around me in the past few years, and it'd be nice to either tie them off properly, or snip them short. Having them floating around all over the place like this means my mind and energy are likely to get all tangled up in them. Also, I'd like to be able to state, categorically, what projects I've completed in the year, so starting with a kind of baseline would be nice. It would be brilliant to be able to come to the beginning of 2012 and look back at the things that were unfinished - and see what progress has been made - as well as to list the new projects that have been completed. So, what's currently in the works?

Knitting

Basil is still only partially seamed. It'd be nice to get this one off the list, though it won't be Summer Tweed weather again for a few months yet. (Embarrassingly, this was supposed to be my "two-week" sweater).

(Cast on in June. Seamed...?)

Dad's Christmas Sweater is now officially a WIP again; I detached the ribbing from the main body of the sweater just before Christmas, so I can lengthen it.

Needs alterations to fit...

The Nightingale Stole is on the needles, and has been for over a year. This has been an on again/off again project when I need something small and portable. At this rate, it'll still be on the needles in three years' time! I think the problem is that it's not really very interesting; every row is lace, including the purl rows, so you have to concentrate and progress is slow, but it's all the same, from one end to another. Another issue is that, though this is a beautiful pattern, I'm knitting it in a mohair lace yarn, and I'm not sure I actually want the finished object, or would actually use it. There's no way I can rip out this much mohair, though, so I have to decide - hibernate indefinitely, crack on and finish it, turn it into something else (a cowl??) or throw it out?

To finish or ...?

There's also a pair of socks (anklets, really) that have been languishing for about 18 months. I think they'd be better turned into a woven something, so I'm pretty sure they're going to be unravelled. No photos of these, but the yarn is this:

Lorna's Laces, 'Get Knitted' colourway

Spinning

Spinning for the Sandi Wiseheart Sweater KAL. This is my main wheel project: I am still plying my first set of singles, though that should be finished soon.

No plying pictures yet...

A second linen strick. This is currently languishing as a second wheel project, whilst I tackle the Wiseheart Wool. The Titania batts, on my Bosworth Midi spindle. I've plyed the singles I've spun to date, Andean-style, but I think I was getting better results with using plying balls for the last of my tussah silk, so I might revert to that method.

Merino, angelina - soft and sparkly!"

The Mauve it on Over Abbybatt which will be the weft for a scarf, eventually.

Weft!

Some cotton, which is on a spindle at work. I'm not sure whether this is really a project, or an extended exercise in sampling. Some BFL top, which is on a big, heavy spindle and which I haven't touched for at least two years. Need to make a decision about this one, because I suspect that even if I was to go back to it, my spindling has evolved so much that I'll never match my previous work.

Weaving

(This is the point where I run out of photographs...) I have nothing on my looms right now! Oh, wait, that's a lie. I have nothing on my Klik right now. A card woven band which was intended to trim my SCA cloak. This is a huge job; only half the warp is actually on the loom, and I know the other half is horribly tangled. Might be another 'throw' job. The very beginnings of my cut pile sampler, started way back in July at Sara Lamb's awesome workshop. I definitely want to do more cut pile stuff, but I don't know if I want this on my loom at the moment. Not least because a lovely lady from the workshop actually owns some of the hardware currently tied into the loom to make warp spacers, and I really should return them.

Anything else?

The sword dance quilt which I started (crikey) probably almost a decade ago now. Needs quilting (tying, actually) and binding - that's it. Mum's filet crochet curtain, which I started at least 20 years ago! In my defence, it was a truly giant project, and it's nearly done - at least in relative terms. The Tudor costume could use a few final updates - lacing holes for the sleeves, in particular.

The damn sleeves would not stay put...

79) The monthly roundup

Just a quick one, this time round:

1. Yarnscape: At least two shop updates - No.  None, again.
2. Yarnscape: Come up with a firm plan for my website - Yes!  Though I'm still investigating hosting options.
3. Finish the peacock shawl - ahem, no.
4. ***Finish the spindle-spun silks - YESS!!  Finally.
5. Do a garden recap, and plant the autumn/winter crops - The recap is done, and some of the garlic and onions are in.  More to go, though.
6. Ply the Sweet Georgia BFL/silk - Yes!!
7. Seam coppertop/Basil (my 'summer sweater').  Nope.  I started, but then I sort of forgot about it.

Three and two halves out of seven - better than average, I suppose!

This month:

1. *Yarnscape: At least two shop updates
2. Yarnscape: Get back to those dye pots!
3. Yarnscape: write some basic accessories patterns (scarf, hat, mitts etc). for my yarn.
4. Yarnscape: Pick hosting, and start work on the new site theatre.
5. *Finish the Peacock shawl
6. Winterise the garden (planting and protection)
7. Spin up four more batts for my Sandi sweater (bonus points if I get them plied).

The mathematicians statisticians out there will notice that four out of these seven goals are Yarnscape related.  I'm horribly, horribly aware that I've done nothing (or next to nothing) in this area for months and months and months.  And I want to.  So I hope - really hope - that there will be more exciting developments in this area soon.

78) Shawl-based geekery, and the Maths of Completion

It's been a slow week for the Peacock Shawl; I'm on row 157.  Given that I was on row 147 last time I posted, that's around 2 rows per day.  Since the shawl now consists of 234 rows (plus crochet bind-off), I have 77 rows remaining - and only 38 days until the last Rampton meet of the year, when it is 'due'.

Well, 38 x 2 = 76, so we're good, right?

Maybe not.  For a start, that plan contains zero contingency, which is not a comfortable scenario for us planny types.  Then, there's the blocking and drying time.

But, most importantly, there's also that wretched increasing-row-size thing.  A row currently contains 314 stitches; by the time I finish, it'll be more like 470.  So, the rows are getting longer as we speak...

So I made a spreadsheet.

Well, what else are you gonna do?  It worked for my Dad's Fair Isle, right?

So, allowing 30 days to finish the knitting allows for a few days contingency, and a few days to cast off, and to get round to washing and blocking the thing.  Terrifyingly, I've worked out that there are 30,420 stitches remaining (not including the cast off), so I need to average 1,014 stitches per day to finish on time.

I haven't done too well on production knitting over the last year or two; what do think the odds are for this project?

 

68) Grey weather days (September recap; October lists)

Reading last month's list, I feel amazed.  On one hand, I can't believe that I only wrote that list a month ago.  It seems like forever.   Yet, on the other hand, it's been half a month - almost three weeks! - since I blogged at all, and I can't believe it's been so long.  The latest lapse is due partly to my small camera breaking down on me, and partly due to the usual retreat I make at the end of an epic project - but I'm back now, with plenty to catch up on!

The chilly-but-bright weather we had at the start of September is mostly absent right now; yesterday was another clear, blue day, but mostly it's grey and wet - though not particularly cold.  Summer weather feels like a distant memory, and I'm starting to hunker down for the cooler days and longer nights.

This is a meditative time of year for me.  The end of October brings us Hallowe'en, of course, which is really only a rebranding of the Pagan festival of Samhain, marking the 'death' of the sun for the year.  For me, this marks the start of what I think of as the 'back quarter' of the year, the middle of which is marked by midwinter, and which ends on Beltaine Imbolc (oops) or Saint Brigit's day, when the spring really begins to quicken.  It's a time for reflecting, and for gestating the plans for the next year, particularly with regards to the garden and the outdoors.  I'm starting a little early, perhaps, because it's still only the very beginning of October, but I can feel that mindset starting to grow.

But without futher ado, last month's list!

1. At least four shop updates - No.  My shop is shockingly neglected.
2. *Significant progress on the Peacock shawl - Yes!  Unblogged as yet, but I'm working on this every day right now.
3. *Write up one design for give away or sale - No...
4. **Finish the spindle-spun silks - So...  close...  It's all down to the plying now. I have a couple of evenings worth of work, and then they'll be DONE.  I could look at warping the loom right away, since all that is left to ply are weft yarns...
5. *Keep up with the gardening! - Somewhat.
6. Finish Project Tudor - Yes!!  My big achievement of the last two months, for sure.
7. Hip permitting, get out and run twice a week.  Nope.  I think I've averaged once per week - which is progress, so no real complaints.

Project Tudor really was the big time-suck for the beginning of the month, and then work got crazy, and I had a week off to spend with J's parents and my own, besides.  So I suppose it's not a bad list of achivements, all in all. In addition to the list items, I spun my first strick of flax!!

I'm having great difficulty pruning my October list down to seven items - I seem to have a sudden burst of enthusiasm/motivation - but since I've had problems completing more than two or three per month recently, it's probably a good exercise in prioritisation.  So, let's go with this little lot:

1. Yarnscape: At least two shop updates (let's go for realistic, here)
2. Yarnscape: Come up with a firm plan for my website
3. Finish the Peacock shawl
4. ***Finish plying the spindle-spun silks
5. Do a garden recap, and plant the autumn/winter crops
6. Ply the Sweet Georgia BFL/silk (mentioned at the bottom of this post).
7. Seam coppertop/Basil (my 'summer sweater').

62) Autumn beckons (July recap; August lists)

Well, it's the first of September, and it's been feeling autumnal around here for the last week or so.  I've been denying it, but it's true.  That's not to say it's particularly dreary; August was a pretty much literal washout around here, but the last few days have been bright and sunny.  But the air has *that* feel - the one that makes you think of apples and woodsmoke and frosts to come.  The dew on the grass the last two mornings has been spectacularly, breath-takingly beautiful, but my little camera has finally broken completely, so no pictures.

I love this time of year.  I think the changing seasons are my favourites: Spring and Autumn.  And whichever one we are in is my favourite right now.  It does make me homesick for the moors and coastline of North Yorkshire, though.  This is perfect walking weather, and, however hard I try, the Fens just don't compare.

So.  Last month's list:

1. At least four shop updates - No.  One, I think.
2. Significant progress on the Peacock shawl - No.  Haven't even cast on.  This is partly due to losing the pattern and having to wait for a replacement to arrive, and partly due to Project Tudor.  I did start and finish the Pretty Thing cowl in (my own, hand-dyed) silk, though.
3. Write up one design for give away or sale - No...
4. *Finish the spindle-spun silks - No...  These are getting very close to done, though.  It's mostly plying that's left now - which I might use as part of my Tudor demo.
5. Keep up with the gardening! - Not really, though it's not completely neglected.
6. Sew a Tudor costume - Not finished, but getting there.
7. Keep up with the physio.  Add Pilates if possible. - Physio yes, Pilates not so much.  Last week, my osteopath said she didn't want to see me again until I'd seen my GP.  Despite doing all the right things, my hip isn't improving very much, and she thinks I may have a labral tear - which is difficult to diagnose, and may require an operation.  In good news, she's given me permission to start running again, even if it hurts 'moderately'.

Pants!!  It's pretty clear that Project Tudor has been taking up nearly all my time.  Yet again, I am reminded that however inspired I am, I will still only have the same 24 hours in every day, and a lot of those are already spoken for.  Unsurprisingly, September's list is going to look a lot like August's:

1. *Yarnscape: At least four shop updates
2. *Significant progress on the Peacock shawl
3. *Write up one design for give away or sale
4. **Finish the spindle-spun silks
5. *Keep up with the gardening!
6. Finish Project Tudor
7. Hip permitting, get out and run twice a week.

In Tudor news, I did get the pleats sewn and half the skirt attached to the bodice last night.  Just before going to bed, I realised that, actually, the alignment was half a pleat out.  Which doesn't sound like a lot, but would actually have looked completely wonky in the finished garment.  So I slept on it (just in case I was wrong, or it would magically fix itself overnight), but I wasn't, and it didn't.  So I undid the half-done waist seam and redid it this morning.  An annoying, silly mistake, but it's only cost me an hour.  I can live with that.  Oh - and I've brought my lucet to work with me today, so I can make some cord for my coif and shift.

In Yarnscape news, I'm considering merging my Yarnscape blog with this one.  I think it will be possible to publish separate feeds for each, so anyone who isn't interested in shop updates and the like can ignore them, and anyone who isn't interested in quilts, dogs and my personal projects can subscribe to Yarnscape-only news.  I'd originally intended to keep them separate, because I hate (hate!!) it when a previously-enjoyable blog just turns into a pimp-my-Etsy vehicle.  Looking forwards, though, I think a lot of my personal projects will be using my own yarns, or I will be knitting my own designs which I might later offer through Yarnscape.  It will get increasingly difficult to decide what I should post here, and what there.  Additionally, I know that a lot of my Yarnscape followers also read this blog, so the separation is really a bit artificial.  And, as a final point, I actually find it really difficult to pimp my Etsy shop even on my shop blog, so perhaps I'm being a bit daft about the whole thing.

I'd be really interested in hearing what you think, though.  Would you find it off-putting if I included product announcements or shop update notices here?

55) Over doing it (July recap; August lists)

Overwhelmed, overcommitted, overstimulated, overloaded.  One of my themes for the year was to be, "keep up with the obligations I have taken on", and for the first time this year, I feel like I've been falling behind.  July has been totally and utterly crazy - in both good and bad ways - and I really cannot describe the relief I felt when I turned the calendar onto August and saw... nothing.

Not that I have nothing to do, of course, but it was so nice to see a clean slate; no weekends booked out, no events, no workshops, no courses.  And, looking back, it's no wonder.  In the last month, I have:

• Attended a two-day workshop with Sara Lamb, to learn the basics of cut pile weaving;
• Competed in the Race for Life, where, although I couldn't run, I did spin whilst walking;
• Spun every day during the Tour de France (aka the 'Tour de Fleece');
• Hosted J's Mum whilst she was visiting England;
• Spent one and two half days at Knit Nation, including lugging my wheel to and across London by train and tube.

(That's part of the Wollmeise stall at Knit Nation.  They brought a metric tonne of yarn to the event; it absolutely glowed.)

This, on top of my usual full time job, plus dog-wrangling, gardening (it being the Busy Season) and the rest of daily life.  (No, not much housework; I'm catching up on that this weekend, with any luck).

Other things I wanted to achieve, such as dyeing more yarn, updating my shop and so on, as well as things I normally achieve, such as blogging, have taken a serious back seat.  And now, I find I'm avoiding blogging, because there is so much to catch up on.

Well, consider yourselves caught up.  ;)  I may, perhaps, get around to more detailed posts on some of these topics at some point, but if I don't, then fine - I'll just tell you about what I'm' doing right now.  So, onto the goals list:

June has been a startlingly different month to May!

1. Yarnscape: Continue listing yarns, and get some fibre up, too.
   Nope.  I think I managed one update, and no fibre.  This weekend, though, I promise!
   
2. Finish knitting Basil (Ravelry link), and cast of the blue silk Peacock Feathers shawl
   Sorta.  Basil is knitted and blocked, but not seamed.  I've also not cast on for the shawl because (darnit!) I can't find my pattern.  So I've ordered a replacement.
   
   
3. Tour de Fleece spinning.
   Definitely!  I really must blog about this; it was so much fun, and I did achieve a lot.
   
4. Finish the spindle-spun silks
   No.  I'm getting close, though.  All the warp and most of the weft is spun; should finish this month.
   
5. Keep up with the gardening!
   Not bad.  The garden is not neglected, but I haven't kept up wiht the planting, either.
   
   
6. **Plan and maybe warp my  handspun silk scarf project.
   Nope...
   
7. Restart my Pilates practice again
   No, but I have been getting into good habits with my physio excercises for my hip.  And I ran again last Wednesday!  (But only a little bit, and with my osteopath's permission).  Generally, good stuff.

So, what?  Maybe four half-achievements?  Well, as I said, it's been a crazy month - let's see how I do in August! 

1. Yarnscape: At least four shop updates
2. Significant progress on the Peacock shawl
3. Write up one design for give away or sale
4. *Finish the spindle-spun silks
5. Keep up with the gardening!
6. Sew a Tudor costume (details to follow...)
7. Keep up with the physio.  Add Pilates if possible.

50) June roundup, July goals

June has been a startlingly different month to May!

1. **Yarnscape: work at photographing dyed yarn (step 1).
   Yes!  In fact, I've surpassed my expectations here, and Yarnscape is now live on Etsy!
   
2. Overdye summer tweed yarn and cast on Basil (Ravelry link).
   Yes!  Madly, I started Basil with the intention of completing the knitting in two weeks - but gave up when it became clear I wasn't going to manage it.  I've barely knit since.
   
   
3. **Experiment with knitting socks on my knitting machine.
   Nope.  I think I might be 'back-burnering' this project for a while; it's clearly not speaking to me right now.
   
4. Finish plying the blue silk and pick out a new spinning project.
   Yes!  I'm incredibly pleased with the blue silk, and I'm looking forwards to casting on with it - as soon as I finish Basil.  As to my 'other' project, I've gone back to spindle-spinning some tussah silk for the scarf project.
5. Keep up with the gardening!
   Yes!  The garden is entering that wonderful stage of the year where it's green and productive.  Of course, it still needs lots and lots of work, but I haven't gotten any further behind in the last month, which is great.
   
   
6. *Plan and maybe warp my  handspun silk scarf project.
   I started - I did some calculations, and realised I was going to need a lot more weft than I have currently spun, and maybe some more warp.  So I've been spinning with that in mind.
   
7. Train for my Race for Life event
   Frustratingly, no.  I've been banned from running by my osteopath (for now, at least), and so will not be running the RfL this Sunday.  I will, however, be walking it.  Whilst drop spindling.  If you fancy sponsoring me to benefit Cancer Research, there's an online sponsorship form here.

4.5 out of seven!  That's pretty awesome - and one of the goals I didn't achieve (the running) was really out of my control.  It's been a great month for me, with lots of progress on some important goals, and plenty of fun things, too.

This month, I am going to be pretty busy.  I'm attending a two day weaving workshop this weekend (which clashes with the dratted RfL), and I'm going to Knit Nation at the end of the month.  In addition, the Tour de France kicks off on Sunday - and that means Tour de Fleece, too! (another Rav link).  As ever, I need to look after my health and energy, so I can't be too aggressive with my goals.  With that in mind:

1. Yarnscape: Continue listing yarns, and get some fibre up, too.
2. Finish knitting Basil (Ravelry link), and cast of the blue silk Peacock Feathers shawl
3. Tour de Fleece spinning (more details later).
4. Finish the spindle-spun silks
5. Keep up with the gardening!
6. **Plan and maybe warp my  handspun silk scarf project.
7. Re-start the Pilates practice (again).  Let's go for five days a week.

37) May roundup, June goals

1. *Launch an online shop for Yarnscape.
   No...  I've barely thought about this at all, I'm afraid.  I need to break this down into babysteps.
   
2. *Finish J's quilt
   All but the signature, and that's half done!  And it's a good job, too, cos it was his birthday gift for yesterday.  Expect an FO post by the end of the week.
   
   
3. Cast on another knitting (or crochet?) project - a garment.
   No, but I've been knitting a fair bit on my current stole.  I'm trying to decide whether this counts as success or not; I've certainly been knitting more, even if not as much as I'd like.  There are lots of summery garments I would like to wear this year, though, so I'm going to call the stole a work/travel project and go for the summer knits in the meantime.
   
4. *Experiment with knitting socks on my knitting machine.
   Pah!  Not at all.
   
5. Finish at least half of the blue silk
   Overachievement at last!  It's all spun, and about half plied.  After my rather whiny post about it, it's been growing on me rather, and the finished yarn is looking... nice!
   
   
6. Keep up with the planting/weeding schedule; this is a busy time of year in the garden!
   Kinda/sorta.  I need to get better at the stuff that needs regular re-planting (salad greens and some herbs).  I bought a herb planter thingy a couple of weeks ago, though, so that might help.
   
7. Plan and maybe warp my  handspun silk scarf project.
   Nope!

Hmm.  About 2.5 out of seven - not so great.  I've been feeling fatigued and overwhelmed, and the quilt has taken more time than I expected.  Add in the fact that the spinning grabbed me and Would Not Let Go, other goals have suffered rather.

This month, I need to look after my health and energy.  Frustratingly, I also need to get running.  I've entered the Race For Life, and would really like to run a whole 5k at the beginning of July.  I can walk if I must - but I don't want to.  So that goes on the list.  I'm scaling back my Yarnscape commitment, but it's working towards the same goal, really.  Other than that, the list looks rather familiar...

1. **Yarnscape: work at photographing dyed yarn (step 1)
2. Overdye summer tweed yarn and cast on Basil (Ravelry link).
3. **Experiment with knitting socks on my knitting machine.
4. Finish plying the blue silk and pick out a new spinning project
5. Keep up with the gardening!
6. *Plan and maybe warp my  handspun silk scarf project.
7. Train for my Race For Life event.