fiber friday: cherished stash

Do you have cherished stash? Stash that’s been waiting oh-so-patiently for that …*ahem* perfect *cough* pattern? I have a much of that here at Saffron Knits.

I’ve been wanting to use this particular yarn for this pattern for a while. So this year, at some point (how’s that for vague ;-) ), I’m going to use this cherished yarn to hopefully make an equally cherished shawl.

The yarn:

It is Cabin Cove Mercantile Merino-Nylon fingering weight yarn.

Colorway: Midnight Sky

Colorway: Sunrise

The pattern:

Daybreak by Stephen West

What I love about the idea of using this yarn for this pattern is that each was created by very talented men and the name/colorway of the yarn and pattern compliment each other so well.

I think going from Midnight Sky to Sunrise will make a very lovely Daybreak. :)

fiber friday: so cute

ok, so it’s fiber friday on Saturday. :)

I got my Moose Toes Sock Kit from Cabin Cove Mercantile. It’s so cute! Seven 50-yard mini-skeins and one black skein of 200 yards. Just enough to have some major fun with color.

I wanted to cast on right away, but my yarn store didn’t have the needles I like so they ordered them for me. Don’t you just hate having to wait to cast on??? It’ll be worth it, I’m sure. :)

Not telling you what I’m gonna make, tho. (It’s pointless ’cause I keep changing my mind)… but when I do, you’ll be the first to know! :)

Have a rainbow day! :)

rainbows anonymous

Hi. My name is Saffron and I’m addicted to Rainbows. I mean, seriously. I’ve loved rainbows since I was in high school but it’s now a big part of my love of fiber and color. Every Indie dyer has such a unique eye for rainbows, it’s become so much fun buying trying them.

Cabin Cove Mercantile has recently offered some wonderfully colorful kits.

First came the Original Compass Collection.

It has 21 individually hand dyed 50-yard skeins. That’s over 1,000 yards of fingering weight yarn!!

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I have some ideas of what I’m going to make with it… but the most prominent idea… this idea would require me to buy at least one more kit so it warrants more thought.

Dave’s most recent kit is the Moose Toe’s Rainbow Sock Kit. Yes I bought one and I know exactly what I want to make. Given the snow storm making it’s way across the country, I doubt that it’s shipped yet. But that’s ok. The anticipation is fun!

Rainbows in winter. Gotta love it! :)

fiber friday: kaleidescope

I always said that if Dave ever offered his hand painted fibers again, that would be one of the first thing I bought.

Cabin Cove Mercantile recently reopened for business and I filled up my cart with goodies!!

This is 4 ounces of 100% squishy merino in the Kaleidescope colorway. (I can’t resist a rainbow. ;-) )

The last fiber I bought a few years ago from the Mercantile is still in my stash. It’s that ‘beloved’ stash that sits there ’cause you don’t wanna to mess it up. Well, I’m a much better spinner now and make more yarn that I like than not.

I can’t wait to spin it all! :)

what’s new?

I’ve been working with some hand painted fiber from cabin cove … wait … what’s that lurking in the background?

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It’s my new spindle! Isn’t it loverly? I love kokopelli and have been drooling over wanting to buy it since the summer, but it wasn’t available until the fall. It’s hand made by Tracy from Woolly Designs. It’s a half-overlay – weight – 0.9 ounces and it has a notch unlike my other spindle.

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Ain’t it purty? :D

it’s not my fault!

Ok, I went the library and got this book:

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I looked at the book multiple times at the bookstore, but really couldn’t justify buying a book if I only liked one pattern – Chevron Scarf…and I didn’t used to like this pattern. I totally blame Tiennie for that. ;)

I visit her blog often, so when she made one, I thought ‘How nice.’ and didn’t think any more about it. Then she made another one and I thought, ‘How pretty.’ and admired it for a bit then went on my merry way. THEN… she made a third one… Now I wanna make one.

…and I think I have the perfect yarn for it. I went through my Cabin Cove sock yarn stash and found two possibilities that might work:

Midnight Sky
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Sunrise
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See what you started, Tiennie? (Thank you once again for the inspiration! :D )

Next up – What I’m spinning …. and… my new spindle! (I can’t wait to show you!!!)

Until then, keep on keepin’ on!

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FO: Beret

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Pattern: Periwinkle Beret by Grumperina
Yarn: Australian Merino Sport Weight Wool from Cabin Cove Mercantile
Colorway:Sunshine Sherbet
Needles: US size 2/US size 3 dpns (pattern called for size 1 & 2)
Completed: October 27, 2007
Notes:I wanna say that first of all that this was a fun knit. Pattern was easy to follow. (and that’s saying a lot considering how pattern challenged I can be). This is the 2nd hat pattern by Grumperina that I’ve done and each one was a joy. She even made trying a new cast-on a non-scary experience. The tubular cast-on was cool to do and very stretchy.

The yarn is reused from another hat I did and I like this one so much better. This yarn was the first purchase I ever made from Cabin Cove Mercantile and that makes it extra special to me. I think it was among the first batch of yarns Dave ever sold online. I had never used wool and never bought yarn online. Classic Cabin Cove is how I like to think about this yarn. I think the coloring works well with the pattern… the spiraling is pretty.

I have no idea who this hat is for. This project was all about the experience of knitting. I have no doubt that I will probably make another.

Keep on knitting!

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Trust … adventure… and spinning

Trusting can be hard. Oftentimes it is not given… it is earned. And imagine my surprise to realize this applies to kitting as well. And specifically… knitting patterns.

I mean following the written instructions and believing that it will work out (errata aside). I mean, this could be about confidence in my knitting, but I don’t think so.

Currently I’m working on a hat that is started with the tubular cast-on, which I’ve never done before. While I was still within the first inch, doing a k1 p1 rib… and I looked at the circumference knowing full well this isn’t gonna fit an adult sized head and I’m envisioning that that will change one I remove the waste yarn from the edge.

I could have done more research about this particular cast-on, but that would have given away the opportunity of mystery and discovery that is a part of the process of knitting. So, I will keep knitting this hat … trusting this designer, trusting a technique that is not new, by any means, and enjoying the mystery and adventure of learning a new technique and trying a new pattern. :)

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The yarn I am using is recycled from previous projects that were either going nowhere or and I never did like the final result. So I washed and reset the yarn and started working on Grumperina‘s Periwinkle Beret. The yarn looked really nice as a stockinette hat before and I wanted to stay with that. I’m starting to discover that I don’t really like hand painted yarns in pattern (but I’m sure there will be exceptions :D ). The yarn is Cabin Cove Mercantile Sport Weight in colorway ‘Sunrise Sherbert’. It’s 100% Australian Merino… so soft and squishy. *happy sigh*

Oh… and remember these socks?

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They now look like this:

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I just wasn’t happy with the colors. The yarn is so beautiful and bright and the pattern didn’t show that off at all.

Lastly… spinning. I finally have spinning goal. I really like this beret pattern and I think it would look pretty made with handspun. So I’d like to be able to spin enough 2-ply sport weight to be able to make this (or any) hat with it. And…I’ll soon be ordering a new spindle so I’m not tied to spinning one roving/top at a time (yes I know I can make my own… but I don’t wanna ;) ). Can’t wait!

I guess that’s it for now. Thanks for stopping by!!! :)

ttfn!

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i couldn’t wait…

I knew what it was gonna be before I even got it. I could picture it in my head… so after a few days of admiring (and petting) the skein, I finally wound Carnivale into a center pull ball and cast on. I’m not using a pattern, really … I got some guidelines for size from another pattern, chose a stitch pattern and started knitting.

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(This is the back of the project, btw. I’ll reveal the front upon completion ;) )

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In other news, my dear friend Sira now has a knitting blog!!!! I’m so happy about this! Please take a moment to stop by and say hello and welcome her to Knit Blog Land! :D

Sira’s Blog

Have a good week!!!

good things come to those who wait

What am I talking about, you ask?

Why Dave’s Cabin Cove Mercantile of course. It’s been been stocked full of fibery goodness … different sorts of yarn (including some gorgeous yarn handspun by Dave) and something new, spinning fiber. And don’t forget to checkout the Cabin Cove Cards that feature some of Dave’s photography. :)

I’m sure you’re wondering if I bought anything. Well, I sure did … but you’ll have to wait and see after I get the fibery goodness in my hot little hands. (and I’m sure you noticed I waited until AFTER I bought my fiber goodies to post this :D )

Well… that’s all I have to say … so why don’t you just go visit Cabin Cove Mercantile and see for yourself. Not much goin’ on here anyway.

Adios!

what am I waiting for?

Godot? No. Heels? YES! :)

Look how much I’ve gotten done on my Sockapalooza pal’s socks! :D

I wanted to take pictures when I’d finished the toes, but I couldn’t seem to put the needles down long enough to take a picture! :roll:

Ok… let’s first talk about the yarn:
Crystal Palace Panda Cotton – Lacquer Red

My first experience was not fun. I started out with US size 2 needles and let me tell ya … it’s was splitsville. Omigosh! I very quickly reached my frustration threshold. Finally, I told myself ‘Hey. This is supposed to be fun.’ And I was disappointed. I really wanted to make my pal some red socks. So I ripped it out and put it away. But for some reason… later that same day (it wasn’t a conscious decision), I picked up the yarn and my US size 3 and miraculously, much less splitting and I started having fun. It’s interesting how, when something goes wrong, a person blames his/herself (or the yarn) rather than thinking of other possible culprits (in this case, the size 2s).

I can’t say that I absolutely love working with this yarn, but I like do the soft fabric it creates. Since I’ve never knit with cotton before, it’s definitely a learning experience, which seems to happen often in the world of knitting. I was a little nervous about using a fiber I hadn’t used before and whether or not it would show off the pattern well.

And speaking of the pattern: (nice segue, hm? :D )
I had a hard time choosing the pattern. Not from lack of choices, but rather, lack of confidence. I may have been knitting for a year, but trying something new still ’cause some trepidation. I almost chose a very basic purl/knit stitch pattern … but I was drawn to ‘Crosshatch Lace’ from More Sensational Knitted Socks‘ and no matter what other stitch patterns I looked at, I kept going back to that one. But after calculating how many stitches I need for my gauge, the ‘Crosshatch Lace’ had too few so I noticed ‘Scrolls’ from the same book. It’s very similar to ‘Crosshatch Lace’. Finally, I took a deep breath and dove into the ‘Scrolls’ pattern… and ya know what? I love it it. I actually giggled at seeing the pattern after completing the 14 rows of the pattern. (don’t laugh too hard at me … this is only the 2nd ever stitch pattern I’ve tried on socks!)

What’s next?
The heels. The short-row heels (Sherman style). *insert small groan* The heel is the bain of my existence. :? Only sheer stubbornness and determination keep me trying but I know I’ll finally do it to my satisfaction one day. That day hasn’t happened yet … but I’m very close. :)

Finally, let’s mention the toe:
For some reason, I seemed to have forgotten the figure-eight cast-on toe because after three tries, it still wasn’t working … so I tried the Eastern cast-on from the Summer IK issue (I vehemently dislike their new layout, btw) and as it’s very similar to the figure-eight, I caught onto it quickly … but I still don’t love it, so when I cast on for my 2nd Amethyst sock, I went back the figure-eight toe and, because of my attempts at the Eastern cast-on, the figure-eight toe came out better than previously. Isn’t this a pretty toe? :)

and oops … I almost forgot to show you the finished Amethyst sock! :D

Isn’t it purty? 8)

And if you’ve made it this far on my post, thank you! thanx.gif

Also, Marce, at the The Brownberry Chronicles, has started a very interesting knitting discussion. Stop by and see what it’s about! :)

Well, I guess that’s it for now. … except for this little teaser…


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Take care and I hope you enjoy your weekend!

FO, WIPs, and Yarn, oh my…

Very Special Socks:
(sorry, they haven’t been blocked or anything yet)

Very Special Socks

Yarn: Paton’s Classic Wool
Pattern: My own basic pattern

Amethyst Socks (for the Cabin Cove KAL)

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Yarn: Amethyst colourway from Cabin Cove Mercantile
Stitch Pattern: Woven Stitch from ‘Sensational Knitted Socks’

Easter Egg Hat

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Yarn: Wool of the Andes worsted weight from Knit Picks
Pattern: My own, top-down

and I bought the yarn for my Sockapalooza 4 pal. It’s Claudia Hand Painted Yarn/Colourway: Carousel. I love it!!

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Enjoy the rest of your weekend! :)

finding happiness…

I didn’t wanna stop at the post office after work today ’cause I hate goin’ to the post office. But I told myself, whatever it is, it’ll make me happy so I went. When the woman came around the corner with this…

…I couldn’t help but smile.

When I got home, I couldn’t wait to peek inside:

And as always, the yarn is much more beautiful in person.

Fading Denim:

Summer Sky:

and my favorite, Wild Roses:

I was right. It did make me happy. Thanks, Dave. :)

i came… i drooled… i shopped…

Yeah … Dave updated the Cabin Cove Mercantile and this time I got there in time to get some goodies. Yay! :)

So… alas … stick a fork in me. I’m done… buying yarn for the next month (except for Sockapalooza). I know … famous last words … but I’ve been buying yarn behind the scenes, each one with a project in mind. Now I wanna do them. Learn a couple of new techniques. Finish more objects that I hope will be Christmas presents. And other stuff I have in mind.

But for now , I’m gonna sit by my mailbox and wait for my yarn to arrive. :D

my sock…

Here’s another look at my sock – I forgot to show you the bottom. Look at the cool stripy-ness. :D
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(It’s so hard to get the color right with this yarn, but this is close, I think)

This picture was taken AFTER I ripped out the heel. I’ve got the rhythm of the heel – I understand it and can do it, but still have trouble ‘reading’ where I am, so when I worked on it earlier today, I’d forgotten I was in the decreases and started increasing again. So I shall start the heel once more… over 40 stitches, oy vey…

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Smiley courtesy of www.FreeSmileys.org

update…

Here’s the Very Special Socks:

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Here’s MY sock with Dave’s yarn:

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Sorry to be low on details … I’m kinda bummed, that along with my hayfever symptoms this year, I’ve (re)discovered that I’m allergic to wool. I know that there are alternatives and I will definitely explore them. This just puts a crimps in knitting AND spinning project ideas that I have for the next few months.
Smiley courtesy of www.FreeSmileys.org How many days until Friday??

yes, it’s been quiet…

Been feeling under the weather so I havn’t been in the mood to take photos … (but whenever I was in the mood, it was cloudy – go figure)

Anyway …

  1. The Very Special socks are at about 7″ each so I will begin the heels very soon.
  2. My Cabin Cove KAL sock is about 7 inches as well. I didn’t think I’d get used to size 2 needles, but I’m a little more comfortable with them now and the pattern is looking very nice. (The colorway for these socks is called ‘Amethyst’. The color changes depending on the type of light.)
  3. I signed up for ‘Sensational Knitted Socks’ KAL, since the pattern for my socks is from that book
  4. I signed up for Sockapalooza 4! I’m very excited (and nervous) about this. As of this morning, there were over 700 people signed up so far!!!

I will have pictures eventually. Please bear with me.

Thanks so much for stopping by and for all the nice comments. I do appreciate them!

Enjoy the rest of your week! :)

works in progess…

I was going to write a whole lot more, but I kinda had a crappy weekend so I bring your pictures (and a few comments) of my works-in-progress:

Very Special Socks:

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I was mesmerized by some absolutely beautiful socks here and I was truly inspired to try a stitch pattern (for the first time) for socks I finally make for myself. … on size 2 needles. EEK! It’ll be slow going, I’m sure, but that’s ok. I’m enjoying working on them. Oh, and yes, this is Dave’s Amethyst colorway. It’s so nice to be working with his yarn again. This is my OFFICIAL Cabin Cove KAL project! (I know, I know, it’s two months after the KAL started … but I take the phrase ‘no pressure’ very seriously. ;) )
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And this is ‘The Neverending Scarf’:

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I spent last week practicing the sherman heel and I’m about 85-90% happy with the results. I think I eliminated the big holes on the knit encroachment but it’s still looser than the purl encroachment. Oh well. I still like it better than the wrap or yarn over short row heel.
Enjoy your week!

I got nuthin’

I did have all these ideas on what to write, but for some reason it has all left me. I have been knitting all week – on a kind of template for my ‘official’ project for the Cabin Cove Yarn along but those pictures are really bad. But so I at least have something to share …here’s a pic of the yarn I’m going to use for my official project:

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It’s a bit more purpley than shown here.

Have a good week!

You learn something new everyday…

I’ve been hard at work on the Sherman Style short row heel (I just discovered it on Tuesday)… but before I talk about that, I want to share something I’ve discovered in the process. I have been doing the purl stitch in such a way that it ends up on the needle backwards, causing me to have to knit from the back loop in order to not have twisted stitches. I’ve been knitting for a year and I only noticed this last night. To be fair, most of the projects I’ve worked on have been either garter stitch or stockinette in the round.

What this means is THIS SCARF has a bunch of backward stitches and no I’m not ripping it out. What this also means is that working on this scarf will be much easier so there’s a better chance of finishing it soon.

The colorway of the scarf is one of Dave’s earlier works. It’s 100% Australian Merino wool and so soft. Softer than the sock yarn. I’m so glad I have two more colorways of this yarn ’cause it’s such a pleasure to work with. I think I’ll be finishing this scarf sooner than later. :)

YAY! as I was typing this post, the mail carrier handed me my recent purchase from Cabin Cove Mercantile. Yippee!!! Soon I’ll be holding the Summer Sky in my hands! :D

Ok … back to the short row heel. Here it is:

Sherman Heel

This picture is a little deceiving … it makes it look better than it actually is. This is the better side, what you can’t see is as big hole at the base of the heel. and I forgot to pick up the wraps at the top of the heel. And the other side is not very attractive – I did have to rip it out twice before getting to this – the first time, after I realized the problem with my purl stitch, I ended up with a nice ‘ladder’ down the center of the heel. *rolls eyes* But this is supposed to a learning experience so hopefully, what I learned will help when I start working on the 2nd heel.

That’s it for now. Thanks for the nice comments on my previous post!

Hope you have a great day!!! :)