The Knitting Pirate

Janis asked,

So the important question is, what spinning and knitting will you be bringing to Pennsic?

Well!

For knitting, I will bring the Noro Striped Socks. I’m up into the leg of the first sock, and would like to get them finished, but honestly – they’re not holding me. Counting five rounds of stockinette stitch over and over is sort of dull, and I will be glad when they are done. I was also thinking about bringing the green yarn for the “Verdant” sock design that I started in Cookie A.’s class, and working on that. Or perhaps I could bring some Trekking XXL and work out the heel numbers for the fine-gauge rib pattern that I used for the Bloo Sock; then I’d have heels for two sizes and could publish that pattern, which will be called “Brother’s Socks”.

For spinning, I am definitely going to bring the Bullens Woolens fiber that I picked up at MDSW. There are four ounces each of Falklands and Merino/Silk, and I’m going to spin for a fingering weight with one ply of each. I will almost certainly take another braid or three of fiber with me. I decided against the batts that I carded and the “Starry Night” roving; I don’t want to mess with weighing anything. If I spin from braids, I can just fold them into half or thirds and tear. They’ll be even enough that way.

There will undoubtedly be fiber in Merchants Row to purchase, but it may or may not need processing before I can spin it. I seem to remember some silk hankies last year… in colors that I didn’t care for. Maybe if I get there as soon as they open, I’ll have better luck this year!

Yesterday was gray and drizzly, and I didn’t accomplish much in the way of knitting. I did catch up with friends for a bit, and had a lovely dinner with Pirate-Husband of chicken, sweet potato, and acorn squash over couscous… but no knitting! This morning was black and rainy, my commute took twenty minutes longer than it should, and I’m a little grumpy about it. In order to make myself feel better, I’m looking at my stash on Ravelry.

(I also ordered a three-pack of Malbec from wine.woot to make myself feel better, but that’s not as closely related to yarn and fiber… though it’s just as relaxing!)

So anyway, my stash. It’s so soothing to look at it, even in pictures, even without the tactile pleasures. I can imagine what I’ll knit or spin, I can envision the excitement of casting on and the accomplishment of binding off, the curiosity to see how dyed top will spin up and the milestones of filling a bobbin, plying, washing, and parading the finished yarn around the house.

I’m starting to plan out my 2009 fiber arts. Mom’s gloves should be done in two weeks (I’m being realistic; I can knit a glove in a week but my hands will hate me for it) and my socks should hopefully be finished in the next few weeks after that. Maybe I can get both of those projects done before the New Year!

Two fairly complex projects need to be worked on. The first is the Pomatomus socks; I have no excuse for not having those complete already. The next is Napramach, a colorwork bag for friend Angie, who has made me some beautiful SCA garb. I have the yarn and am thoroughly intimidated by the pattern.

Two sock designs are percolating in my head. One is the written-up pattern for the with numbers for a smaller size worked out, and a new name of “Brother’s Socks.” The second is the design I started in the sock class I took with Cookie A. back in September, which is much more elaborate. I’m going to name it “Verdant.”

2009 will also be a year for spinning. I can’t justify the purchase of a second wheel until I’m spending more time at the one I have. And I can’t justify the purchase of more top/roving until I’ve spun up some of what I have. The Yarn Harlot says that Tuesdays are for spinning, so perhaps I will take her advice and schedule time that’s specifically for turning fluff into usable yarn. I would really like to have a pair of socks made from my own handspun. I also have a dream of a lace shawl from my own handspun, but I’m not touching those rolags until I’m more confident in my ability to spin smooth, fine yarn.

It’s possible that 2009 will be a year for dyeing. There’s only one room in the house that hasn’t been unpacked and set up yet, and that’s the crafts room. Well, right now it’s a boxes-and-laundry room. The washer and dryer are going to stay right where they are, but there’s no reason that the rest of the room can’t be set up for arts and crafts! I’d like to arrange a fiber station with areas for both carding and dyeing.

Ahh, I’m feeling better already…

Here are the completed Bloo Socks. I used Elizabeth Bennett’s Perl Sock Program to start off, but had to make so many changes to it – first the number of stitches I cast on, then the ribbing, then the heel numbers, the decrease type, the toe… Enough changes were made that I feel comfortable writing up what I did as an original pattern. I will call them “Brother’s Socks” and hopefully knit a test sock for myself before releasing the pattern in two sizes. The Bloo version will be the large at 96 stitches, and medium will have 88. Maybe I’ll figure out the numbers for the heel and toe at 80 stitches for a small size as well. It’ll probably be another freebie pattern, as I’m not sure it’s complex enough to charge any money for. What do you think?

This is how far I got in three days of on-and-off knitting on the quick pair of toe-up socks I’m making for myself. It took a couple of tries to remember the trick of doing a figure-eight toe, but once I got all the stitches arranged on the needles it was full speed ahead! I got lots of comments about how fast it was going. That’s the thing about stripy socks, at least for me. I want to knit as fast as I can to see how the stripes will come out! I had expected them to be narrower, but they’re coming out at around five rounds each. When I start the second sock I’ll do my best to start in the same place so they match. These definitely pass my “blue jeans” test for hand-knit socks, but I’m sure I’ll wear them to work under skirts as well.