fo: serendipity sweater

yarn: Colonia 140 cuarzo verde from handpainted yarn, 4 skeins
pattern: serendipitous sweater from Hollywood Knits
needles: size 15

Modifications: My gauge was slightly off and the largest size was still a little too small for me, so I had to make some modifications--adding a few extra stitches to all pieces. Finishing this was a pain. I've decided no more seaming for me--I'm only going to knit sweater in the round! Still, this sweater knit up quite quickly with this fairly bulky yarn on such large needles....a pretty easy and inexpensive knit. The fronts seem to hang asymmetrically even after blocking and even though they appear to be the same length. Also, the neckline is so large that possibly this will end up slipping off my shoulders. And the sleeves are way too long after blocking, but I kind of like the look of it.

Here is a picture of some of the fleece that my aunt Carol and uncle Arch sent me to spin! They washed it once already before sending it to me, bless their hearts, but it still seemed quite greasy to me so I washed it again several times. It's drying on top of the washer/dryer and any place I can spread it out where it won't be too tempting to Clementine (she loves to eat wool.) Hopefully in another day or so it will be dry enough to start carding and spinning!

owl

I made this guy yesterday morning in about an hour. This is my first attempt to make a stuffed animal without a pattern. He was inspired by a dress that my niece wore on thanksgiving that had little owls all over it, and to be honest, he's nowhere near as cute as he was in my mind (or as cute as the dress.) I wonder if he would be cuter if he were smaller? Or in pink and green? Nevertheless, here he is.

Knittingwise, I had a productive day. My serendipitous sweater is coming along. A couple days ago I sewed the back and fronts together, having completed one arm which seemed way too long. Before sewing the arm in to see, though, I tried on the vest and found it too small. So today I reknit both fronts, adding a couple inches width to each, and adding about an inch in length to them and to the back. Tomorrow I'll seam them up, and if they seem to be ok, will knit the other sleeve and hopefully finish that sucker up! I'm eager to start a new shawl, Ishbel (so I can be like every other knitter on the planet) and I'm also trying to decide between several sweaters by Wendy Bernhard (aka Knit & Tonic)....I love all of her patterns!

spinning wheel

Well, here it is, my latest acquisition. It is an Ashford traditional wheel, bought used. A late birthday/early Christmas present to myself--but hopefully one that will yield some gifts for other people one of these days! Of course, I don't really know much about what I'm doing--right now I'm working with some merino/bamboo combed top that I purchased at my LYS, the Yarn Barn, and it's certainly trickier to spin than the wool that I prepared myself last spring. Still, I'm so happy to have a wheel of my own and am looking forward to seeing what I can do with it!

In progress

...the half-pi shawl, which I am considering ripping out, as I'm not sure it suits the yarn:and the serendipitous sweater from Hollywood Knits:
Doesn't this color bring out the green of Clementine's eyes?

I really haven't been knitting very much this fall, despite the fact that I've got plenty of free time. I did make a purchase at the yarn store near me with a birthday present gift certificate. Other than the 3 skeins that I got at Rhinebeck, this makes the only yarn that I've bought since last April, I think--and that was just one skein to make the baby bolero for Eloise. Along with 3 skeins of yarn, I got some merino/bamboo roving for the spinning wheel of my future (possibly near future!)

FO: very slouchy hat

yarn: a gift from my friend Jenny from the Estes Park wool festival
needles: 8
pattern: loosely based on slouchy hat from presents knits (http://presentsknits.blogspot.com/2007/11/slouchy.html)
modifications: I didn't get gauge so I had to change all sorts of things, but I also did 4 or 5 extra rows of increases to make this puffier than the original.
Began & finished: September, 2009

Rhinebeck sheep and wool festival

Yesterday I dragged my sister to the festival in Rhinebeck, about a 2 hour drive from here. I thought I might buy a spinning wheel there, or a fleece or at least some roving, but I didn't. We spent about 3 hours looking at yarn, petting sheep and alpacas, and eating junk food. I came home with only one small yarn purchase--3 skeins of a lovely, undyed handspun yarn of silvery-brown merino. Hopefully it's enough to make a shawl!

fo: lemony snicket socks

Pattern: Lemony Snicket Socks by Sabine on Magknits
Yarn: Koigu KPM Premium Merino Wool, 175 yds, 2 skeins (with a little left over)
Needles: 3
Gauge: 28 stitches/4 inches
Began: March 18, 2009
Finished: September 4, 2009
Modifications: Because I didn't get gauge, I made a size medium even though I definitely have large feet. I didn't modify the pattern until the toe decreases. I got tired of working the decrease every 4th row and switched to every row after I had done 4 decrease rounds instead of after 7 (it also was looking like the socks were going to be too long.) I stopped when I had 10 stitches remaining and grafted them together, too.
It's pathetic how long it took me to finish these! The first one was done in April but the second sock dragged on. The pattern was kind of annoying to knit; I detested the rows where I had to cross the purl and knit stitches, but I'm pleased with the final result. This is the first pair of socks I've made for myself (after the cable footies, which I've never worn since I lost the first before I finished the 2nd).