Busybusybusy

Things have been a crazy--crazy in a good way. We just concluded our busiest week ever at Bead Obsessions, thanks in part to the gorgeous trunk show from Blue Heeler Glass.

I'm still plugging away at the last of the Christmas scarves.

The two Pine Cone scarves turned out very nicely.

I'm really happy with how this handspun looks, feels, and works in this pattern.

The multi-yarn red scarf destined for a teen in the East Village looks better in person than in this photo, I think. If she doesn't like it, I'll wear it.

My first installment of the Shawl Club arrived the other day. And I'm still drooling over Victorian Lace Today on a near-daily basis. My reward for working on the Christmas scarves is getting to do a few repeats on chart 2 of the Swallow Tail. It's coming along nicely.

I also finished the 2006 Bead Obsessions Ball Gown today! Yay! I haven't taken a photo of the FO yet, but here it is almost finished.



And here are a couple photos just too dang cute not to share.
Chelsea is helping me out with the red scarf.
Who's the yarn harlot?

Ah, the cooking is done, the kitchen is all clean, and the relative is gone. Time to get back to the good stuff.

OK, so I got really tired of knitting scarves with big yarn on big needles, and although I promised myself I wouldn't cast on anything, especially lace, until after the Christmas knitting was finished, I couldn't help myself. I cast on some lace, and I've been sort of ignoring the Christmas to-do list and knit, knit, knitting lace. I am weak.

I've been reading so much lately about other knitters' experiences with the Swallow Tail that I thought I'd give it a try. So far, so good. I'm making it bigger though. The yarn is some "vintage" yarn that was given to me. The label says only that it's 2 oz., navy, and 100% wool. No name, no gauge or needle recommendations, no dye lot, and no yardage. The skeins are substantial though for fingering weight yarn, and I have three skeins, so I'm pretty sure I'll be OK. The original pattern calls for under 450 yards, and I'm not quite doubling the size. Wish me luck.

Plan B in lieu of the failed Nantucket yarn project is to spin some naturally colored superfine merino and silk blend top to make the DNA scarf. The scarf calls for just under 500 yards of sport weight yarn, so I'm trying to make a 2-ply sport weight rather than a single ply so there is better stitch definition in the knitting. I need to hurry up though! I've already told the spouse that his parents aren't getting their Christmas gifts on time, which is OK since they're always gone for weeks at a time during the holidays and won't be home to receive the package anyway. (We won't consider that the possibility of me getting a gift package to them before they leave for the holidays even exists.)

I gotta go spin!

More Christmas Scarves Underway

So, I just need to add the fringe to the Pine Cone Scarf and then block it, but of course I'm procrastinating about that since I hate finishing. In the meantime, I started a second version. It's an experiment, and so far, I like it. I have several skeins (just one of each) of brushed mohair, wool, and handspun, all in reds, and I've had them bagged together for a while now because I like the way they look together. The Pine Cone knits up in a snap, so I gave it a whirl.
Kismet thinks I'm weird. Here's the scarf as it was the night before last. I've since frogged and started over as I made a couple mistakes and couldn't live with them. The scarf is for a 13-year-old girl who lives in the East Village. Will she like it?
Hopefully, I'll finish this tonight, and then I'll fringe and block both.

Also on the needles is a mock cable scarf from Vogue Knitting in Nantucket handspun (not by me) Romney.

The wool is grown and sold on Nantucket, and while I like the idea of helping preserve a traditional cottage industry, I'm not thrilled with the wool. It's very rough; probably it's overprocessed? It's a bit overspun too. Sylvia the spinning teacher mentioned that it's possible to add some oil back to the yarn/roving, and so I knit a swatch and added oil to it (vitamin E oil is what I used), and it helped a bit. The wool sucked the oil in very quickly, so I think it would take a whole lotta oil to help this out. So I'm on to plan B (whatever that is) for a scarf for the spouse's dad. The DNA scarf would be suitable; I'll have to go through my roving stash to see what I can spin up for it.

Also finished this week one class project for the shop and started two others. But you'll have to visit Bead Obsessions to see those.

#4 on the Xmas list finished

Here's Chelsea modeling Branching Out. She loves alpaca and silk.


I'll finish the Pine Cone Scarf today, so I can cross that off my list too! Then three more to go. Then I have all the beading projects to get done. Luckily I'm not making anything for the spouse for Christmas.

Whilst

Some say clear thinking comes whilst (I love the word "whilst") they are exercising, but for me it's while I'm spinning or knitting. And then I wonder why I didn't think of it previously. Ah well.

It came to me today while trying to get some Christmas knitting done how I can reorganize my Web site. The knitting didn't go well (first I frogged, then I tinked, then I tinked again, and then I tinked some more), and I decided the paperwork gods were punishing me for not working on paperwork for Bead Obsessions. So I'll post here and then get back to what I'm supposed to be doing during the day. Shame on me!


But last night I did get the rest of the yarn for the Pine Cone Scarf plied while (whilst) the brownies for tonight were baking, and now it's setting.

What a week!

I finished the Melon Stitch Scarf! I started on a new lace pattern too (a Christmas present and for Lacevember). I've been reading about lots of people knitting Branching Out, so I'm giving it a try. What fun! It knits up pretty quickly. I'm using my handspun alpaca/silk blend.

We went to Stitches East on Friday and did some major damage. Yarn for years of enjoyment! I was very very bad. I purchased and had the author, Jane Sowerby, sign Victorian Lace Today. Ms. Sowerby is lovely, and the book is very inspirational.

I also received my order from Fearless Fibers: three skeins of cashmere for the Casino Shawl and one skein of Wisteria colorway that I don't know yet what I'll do with it, but I just loved the colors too much and there was only one skein left (so obviously I had to have it).

Also on the needles is the Pine Cone Scarf from Interweave Knits, Winter 2004. I'm knitting it with some handspun that I plied.

New to Bloggin'

OK, here I go! I figure this is a good day to start blogging since I joined the Lacevember KAL (knitting being one of my obsessions). You can join the KAL with a project already on needles, so that's what I'm doing.

It's the Melon Stitch Scarf adapted by Carol Huebscher Rhoades on 100% kid mohair yarn from Brooks Farm in Lancaster, Texas. I purchased the yarn from Brooks Farm at the Maryland Sheep and Wood Festival.

I've also signed up for the Lace Shawl KAL. I've ordered handpainted cashmere lace weight yarn from Fearless Fibers and I plan to knit the Casino Shawl from Annie at KnitSpot. So I'm impatiently waiting for the USPS delivery, but I'm sure I won't get started until after the Christmas stuff is finished.

Hot off the needles is an Aran-type sweater I'm making for my husband. It's Brown Sheep's Lamb's Pride bulky and Reynold's pattern no. 401. Now to block and finish.

Also just off the needles is this scarf knit with some sort of specialty yarn I purchased at Knit Happens. I can't remember what is was, but it was a truly mindless knit and very warm and pretty. This one is a Christmas present.


Btw, I'm having a horrible time getting images to upload. I've checked the help section, and I'm doing what they say, so if anyone has any tips, I'd appreicate them. I'm trying to post other stuff, but I'm getting no where, so I'll try later.

Of course, my main obsession is my bead shop, Bead Obsessions. I'll be posting a blog-type page pertaining to the shop at that site.