Saturday, September 26, 2009

spinning, knitting, finishing things

Last summer I solar-dyed some roving and now I'm getting around to spinning it. I love the fall colors.
I started Sexy Vesty with some (thrift) store bought yarn. Looks too small on the needles, but I'll have to get a little further before I can tell for sure.

Soaked the #13 Lace Beret and then dried it on a dinner plate like the directions said. It looks great on my daughter...
who was kind enough to model it for the blog.






Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Back in Seattle


Just wanted to post a quick message to say I haven't fallen off the edge of the earth. We are pretty much settled into the apartment in Seattle. The kids are is school and family life is going smoothly. I've had a little time for knitting and began my next project: Sexy Vesty in turquoise. Once I find my camera charger I'll update FOs and WIPs. Later.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Goodbye Montana

I attended my last birth in Montana this week. It was a lovely home birth in Great Falls. Here's the new daddy with his baby. He is the quintessential Montana man and I love this photo.
It looks like I'll be able to leave tomorrow. I think it's a 10 hour drive or so. I'm sitting at Hastings again using the internet. The Lace Beret is coming along. I can't imagine getting any knitting done once I get to Seattle. I'll be busy hugging my family and unpacking my stuff. I'll be living in a condo so things are going to change for me. Dyeing in the kitchen will probably not be an option. I wont be picking stinky fleece in the yard, because there is no yard. I wont even have access to fleece so much. I'll go back to ordering it on the internet. Even with all the changes on the horizon, I'm happy to start my new city life. Goodbye Montana!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Baby Belle

It's done. Sewed the buttons on last night. I'm going to wait to do the next baby sweater when I get to Seattle and get to my stash. I have some hand-spun with me in Great Falls, but no contrasting yarn. The ruffle took quite a bit of yarn so I had to make the cuffs shorter than the pattern called for.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Knitting Projects Update

I'm still in Great Falls and I'm still waiting on a baby. I made these mittens out of some of the solar-dyed roving from last month. They are so soft and I love the colors. I just made up the pattern as I went and they fit snugly. It was a good project to do while watching movies and passing time.
I'm back at Hastings. Free wi-fi, Woo! Last night I started the #13 Lace Beret from the Fall 2009 Vogue. I'm using some hand-combed, hand-spun natural Shetland that I made a few months ago.

Yesterday I blocked Baby Belle and it dried very quickly because it was in the 90's in the shade. I bought some little buttons today and I will sew them on soon and take a real photo for the finished piece. August was suppose to be spinning month for me, but it turned into knitting month.


Thursday, August 20, 2009

Babies to be born, sweaters to be made.

Back at Hastings for free wi-fi. And coffee. Baby Belle is coming along. This sweater is for either Sophia, born last week, or for Un-named baby to be born in Sept. You see, THREE of my friends, all in their 40's are getting baby girls this year. Steve S. and wife had one in the spring. Steven F. and wife had theirs last week. Devony F, whom is my good friend and someone I met at childbirth class SIXTEEN years ago, is due in the fall. They all live in Seattle. I can't wait to meet the new babies and see my old friends. I know Devony would appreciate a hand-made sweater for her baby, but I don't know the Steves' wives very well and I don't know if they would put their babies in wool. One wife is European and Europeans like wool garments right? I actually plan see the babies--their size and what they look like, before I decide which baby get what. So I don't know who gets the first Baby Belle.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Seattle Mittens made in Montana

Yesterday I finished the mittens I have been working on. I used hand-combed Shetland from a fleece I obtained from LaVonne Stucky. I embellished with some white Shetland from Maplewood North and the inspiration came from cosymakes who embroiders on her handspun items. I made up the pattern to fit my hands perfectly. It took a few tries, but the fit was pretty good in the end. These are my new Seattle Mittens for all the rainy gray days ahead.



Today I'm at Hastings in Great Falls using their free wi-fi. I wanted to start the Baby Belle sweater so badly that I considered not setting the twist in the yarn. But I was a good girl and I took the time to soak and dry the skeins. The skeins dried in about 6 hours outside, so the wait wasn't that bad at all. This morning I rolled them into ball and started knitting the Baby Belle sweater.