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Oh, yes. I’m going to flash my stash.
Sorry, I didn’t have time for the artistic photos. It’s really more organized than it looks. I kinda pulled out the bins, and haphazardly layed it all out on the bed. Except for the last photo which is the office stash and contains most of my WIPs and other goodies I’ve not gotten around to putting in the bins yet.
I really need to destash many things… and never buy yarn again…
Just a quickie to share yesterday’s spinning adventure… ’cause I kinda love it.
I’m calling it Black Tie Affair. It’s black alpaca spun with white tussah silk, then thread-plied with silver thread that has been strung with red beads. It’s going to become a clutch for me. Rock.
First and foremost… Lew’s yarn is done. (and there was great rejoicing!)
This photo is pre-soak and whack. It is now drying peacefully . And soon it shall be back with its rightful owner. I honestly didn’t think that I was going to make it through the spinning of this yarn.
The other day I started to notice that my sock count was diminishing. There is much darning to do. So, obviously, I need more socks. And feeling ambitious, I gave toe-ups with a short row heel a go. And I must say… what was I so afraid of? Actually, I’m finding it easier to do toe-up on two circs than it is to do cuff-down on 4 dpns (which is usually my favorite method). So, I’m knitting up these little diddies right now:
It’s the Express Lane sock pattern by Diane Mulholland. It’s a super easy knit. I used the figure 8 cast on method for the toe (the pattern called for a provisional crochet cast on and short row toe). And for the record, the figure 8 cast on is a beautiful thing. I’m about a quarter of the way up the cuff now. If I can keep the momentum going, I should have a new pair of socks by the weekend. But, I’m not sure the momentum will be there this week. I just have a hunch… But as always, I’m hopeful.
Always hopeful.
Lack of inspiration will not leave me alone. It’s haunted me all February and is now following me in to March. All I want to do is make pretty things. Really… is that so hard? But I sift through patterns and nothing looks enticing. The other night I was perusing my stash and nothing was singing to me. Not even the unspun fiber. I know that I have an annoying habit of letting my aesthetic shift every so often, and I think that it has just shifted. Previously I had been drawn to bright, saturated colors, variegated yarns, fingering weights, tiny needles and simple patterns that allowed the garish yarns to shine. But now everything that seems appealing to me is made of muted, earthy tones. Architectural patterns, rich, intricate cables and worsted to bulky weights are what I long for. Sadly, my stash is seriously lacking anything muted, earthy, bulky and worsted. And I’m still on the no yarn until April kick.
So, I’m trying to ignore what my heart wants to knit. And it hurts, actually. But, I know that it’s a necessity right now. I trudged back to my stash this morning and found some bulky novelty yarn that I had been ignoring for quite some time. Since my feet were cold, I decided that it wanted to be slippers. I set out with the lovely Amy March Slippers pattern, knowing that my loud, variegated yarn will probably murder the simple beauty of the pattern. And I was right.
BUT, there has been some good to come out of this. First and foremost, I have finally learned a toe-up method that does NOT involve a provisional crochet cast on. (And there was great rejoicing!) The figure-eight cast on (which can be found here, along with some crochet cast ons) just might be my new favorite thing. It was crazy easy and relieves me of all kitchner duties. And that’s a wonderful thing. Actually, I want to start a pair of toe up socks just so I can try this cast on again. But, with toe up socks comes another technique that still eludes me: the short row heel. I’ve tried to read tutorials on the short row heel, but apparently they are all written in a foreign language. Now, my slipper pattern actually had a little tutorial on how to complete the heel in the pattern. And it was still a foreign language to me. I tried. I followed the directions diligently, but it made absolutely no sense. I kept ending up with large holes and running out of stitches rows and rows before I should have. I finally just improvised and ending up making a heel that looks like a heel flap, only knitted in reverse. Now I just need some ribbon and lace to finish this one up and then I can move on to the second one.
In spinning news, I’m spinning the most luscious batt right now.
I received it in my most recent swap. It’s a Merino, cashmere, baby camel and silk bled. Hello, luxury. I’m going for a delicate lace weight as I have a lovely neck piece in mind for it. This stuff is seriously a dream to spin.
Still making progress on Lew’s yarn. I finished up the singles and have moved on to the plying. I’m so close. I just need to get out of this slump so that I can finish it up.
