2 FO, 1 WIP and 3rd Time Lucky?

Since it’s FOFriday, here’s Bricked Up (my version of Brick by Brick from Michaela Moores) in a lovely burnt orange BFL:

I wore them the other day since it’s still cold here (although things may warm up soon, they say).  The combination of knit and purl, and the lustre of the BFL, brings out the colour very nicely – I’m quite fond of them, which is a surprise.

Now, as promised/threatened, here’s a project in bright hand-dyed sock yarn.  It’s Unleaving from the latest Knitty:

It’s not that bad, but I think it’s destined as a charity donation because I’m not hugely keen on long scarves at the moment.

As for the WIP, I’m knitting Amelia by Julia Frank from Rowan 51, which is a risky thing to do at the best of times.  I’m using Patons Cotton DK, which is highly mercerised, so the project is very probably doomed.

A while back I made the mistake of hand-painting some BFL laceweight.

I love the colours, but what to do with it has become a problem.  I started Semi-Precious from a previous Knitty, but the lace pattern was too obscure.  So I tried Demiluna and that didn’t look right either.  The yarn was just about to be binned when I came across Carie Harling’s Old Man of Storr Shawlette.  Will this be third time lucky?  Ironically, I named the colourway Smart Step.  I hope the eponymous racehorse does better.

And a small confession.  On things Rowan, I was passing an LYS in York and fancied a squeeze of Fine Lace.  It’s lovely stuff, but the colours are a little on the drab side for me.  The staff were very nice and friendly, but I didn’t buy any Rowan (although I wouldn’t rule that out for the future).  I bought some Lang Jawoll Magic sock yarn.  Why?  Because I’ve never bought Lang before.  Of course.

Image is Everything

Or perhaps in the plural: images are everything. I know I’m just an amateur photographer but I’ve really wished I was a little better this week. I took a load of shots of my hand-dyed yarn for the launch of my Etsy shop, and I can’t say they’re going to help sell the product! Never mind, though, there are a few skeins which I’d quite like to keep. This one, for instance:

It’s a burgundy/pink mix, although – since the photography isn’t marvellous – you probably have to take my word for it. But, if it sells, then I can always dye another for myself!

National Knitting Week 2011

Sunday morning saw me out for a run/walk again after too long a gap. I thoroughly enjoyed it, if that’s possible, and felt very smug for most of the day.

So, how long does it take to knit an Ishbel? I managed this one in about a day and a half, leaving it to block for another twenty-four hours. I delivered it to my wonderful neighbour on Monday.

She liked that it was an “exclusive” yarn (being hand-dyed by me).

I’m well and truly hooked on dyeing yarn. I love yarn: knitting is just an excuse to find it, touch it, buy it and then use it. I love thinking up combinations of colours: “never mind the theory,” an artist friend advised me, “just do what you like and see if it works.” Now I have stacks of hand-dyed yarn, but I can’t stop. I tried a silk/kid mohair mix last week and my head is buzzing with ideas of what to do next. I adore Kidsilk Haze and this is the same base, but dyed the colour of my Urchin beret. I’m planning an Ice Queen (from Knitty), without the beads: more of an Sorbet Princess.

So I’ll have to sell my creations, because my new obsession will cost me too much. Since it’s National Knitting Week from 3-9 October, it seems like a good time to open an etsy shop. Perhaps other people will enjoy knitting my yarn.