My World This Week

Hi knitters! This post would be more appropriately titled “My World This Month” since I have not posted a progress report in about that long. Ah, well. Above you’ll see a new addition to my world, new baby succulents. If you know me, you’ll know that I have a thumb that is decidedly brown. We’ll see how we go, but I’m so attached to them already that I’d hate to see anything bad happen to them. I think they’re cute.

Since my last WIP report, I’m happy to say that some pleasure knitting has happened. I’ve managed to finish a wee pair of socks for Rowan and have cast on a matching pair for her Mom.

Back in the summer while visiting with test knitter Nina M., I got turned on to a marvelous cotton sock yarn by Schachenmayr called Tutti Frutti Cotton. It is a bouncy cotton yarn with quite a bit of stretch. It has been designed in the loveliest fresh fruit colors and is a dream to knit. I fell out of love with self-patterning yarn quite some time ago, but this one caught my eye. It knits up to a suede-like softness that feels dreamy on your feet and it’s the perfect opportunity to knit on happily letting the yarn do the work.

Part of my desire to work with a self-striping yarn came from the urge to experiment further with after-thought heel construction, a technique I have come to love. An afterthought heel allows for a contrast heel, as well as a perfectly striped heel without disrupting striping patterns. I started with Susan B. Anderson’s Smooth Operator Socks and made my own modifications from there. I’ve got a little whirlwind of sock ideas in my tiny brain that are itching to get out!

Speaking of socks, I’ve made a bit of progress with Fr. Richard’s socks. By that I mean that I’ve knit the heel of the first sock four times and find that I do not like it. These socks have become Sisyphean. Perhaps that will be their name.

Remember the forgotten cardigan? I found this three-quarters-finished cardigan in my storage unit over the summer and have resumed working on it. It is Knit Picks Cotlin, a cotton-linen blend so it should be perfect here for winter and spring. The color is Raindrop. It is the second incarnation of my Martha Cardigan and is coming along nicely. With any luck and favorable winds, I should be able to pack it for my summer travels.

Cashmere Beret by Churchmouse Yarns & Teas

In honor of Bubba’s birthday way back in November, I’ve finally finished the beret he requested. I used this basic Cashmere Beret pattern from Churchmouse Yarns & Teas, a great simple beret for both men and women. I used Knit Picks Capretta, a fingering weight yarn, so it was necessary to make quite a few modifications to account for the difference in gauge. It turned out great though! I’m waiting for him to try it on before I block it and photograph it.

Then there are the swatches! I’ve been laying out ideas for self-publishing, for several print publications and for yarn company submissions. A change in season always makes me want to explore new seasonal yarns and cool new ideas. We’ll see where they go!