Month: January 2010

- saffronknits

buying patterns

I’ve been buying patterns. Normally, I don’t buy a pattern until I’m ready to knit it. But there are are lots of designers who are donating some or all of the proceeds toward helping Haiti.

So I’ve purchased patterns that I was going to buy anyway and discovered other patterns that I might not otherwise have considered. I was amazed to see that Cosmicplutoknits has already donated $1,000 from these sales.

One of the pattern designers I discovered in my search was Heidi Kirrmaier – specifically, the pattern ‘Snowbird‘ – a gorgeous cardigan sweater that was released last week. I want to knit this. I want to knit this more than any sweater I’ve seen to date. It’s got positive ease, it’s long – going below the hips, it’s got pockets and it has long sleeves, which is hard to find when you have long arms like me.

If you’ve been reading my blog, you might have noticed that I have never knit a sweater. There are two major reasons for that:

  1. Intimidation
  2. Cost

One of the things I’m working on this year is to ‘Be Brave’ – To try those things I’ve been afraid to try; fight that fear of failure. I mean, in the end, it’s just knitting. Besides, it’s not really the knitting that intimidates me, it’s the figuring out what size to make so it will fit the way I want it to. That’s hurdle I need to overcome.

I suppose I could try to spin the yarn for this, making it a little cheaper to make, but I love this pattern so much, I do NOT wish it to be the first sweater I spin for. Therefore, I am researching yarns to see how in world I can find a nice tweedy wool blend yarn that won’t break the bank.

Another note about this designer, if ‘Snowbird’ is not your cup of tea, as it were, she has several more very lovely sweater patterns, some of which are free.

Happy Knitting!

- saffronknits 3 Comments

it’s all about shawls, y’all

I’ve been fighting it. Casting on for more shawls, I mean. It’s not that I’ve been taken over by all the wonderful shawl patterns that have been published recently, it’s that my yarn is being noisy again. It all seems to want to be shawls. I generally try not to cast on TOO many things, but now I think it’s beyond my control.

I have at least four shawls that I want to knit next – all from my stash. So … if I listen to my noisy stash and cast on for these shawls, I will have a total of about six shawls on the needles. I think juggling that many projects would make my head explode. … but all the potential projects that I want to knit are already driving me crazy(er) …

Ok … let’s see…

  1. Simple Yet Effective Shawl – on the needles – stalled again because I need the spin more yarn for it. It’s still not big enough.
  2. Ulmus – on the needles – almost to the lace edge
  3. Show Your Colors Shawl – in that pink Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Dyed Cotton. ‘Tis a gift, just took a while to settle on a pattern.
  4. Attabi Wrap – Some handspun yarn I just bought cried out to be part of this shawl. I will have to buy some yarn to be a contrasting color.
  5. Daybreak – Use the ‘Doesn’t Want To Be Socks‘ Handspun and maybe the purpley ‘Yummy‘ yarn I have.
  6. Impatience – A beautiful pattern, perfect for the Dream In Color ‘Starry’ I just bought. … What? It was Romeo Blue. I couldn’t resist.

*looks at list* Omigosh!

Do you see my dilemma? *thinks for a moment* Maybe I will cast on for the ‘Show Your Colors Shawl’ and that will drown out the noise from the other three. But alas, I know that in the end, Resistance Is Futile.

And finally… you didn’t think I’d mention stash in the list above without showing it to you, did ya?

‘Spectrum’ – spun by DebbieB. I’ve admired her spinning for awhile and I finally had to buy a skein.

Dream in Color ‘Starry’ in the colorway ‘Romeo Blue’. Oooo… Sparkles!

Ta ta for now!

- saffronknits 4 Comments

are wii having fun?

Yes! Wii are! :D … and that’s…

The good news:
I got a Wii last month! I won it at my company holiday party! Can you believe that? And I love it! I love how active you have to be to play it. I received Wii Fit Plus for Christmas and finally got a TV stand for my TV and soon I’ll have things set up the way I want it and Wii Fit, here I come!

The bad news:
The Wii has distracted me from my spinning! :roll: . I know! How frustrating! (I did, however, achieve my goal of spinning or fiber prep every day in December so I am pleased.)

Can someone find out how to add more hours in the day please? There is not enough time for the fun stuff. *pouts*

Ok, enough pouting! I have what you’ve been waiting for – more stash enhancement! :D

It’s from The Painted Tiger – 8 ounces Corriedale Cross in the colorway ‘RBY Party’.

I had so much fun spinning ‘CMY Party‘, I couldn’t resist a chance to try this one.

I plan on chain-plying this fiber as well, but I hope to spin the singles a little thinner.

See ya later! :)

- saffronknits 2 Comments

a moment of weakness

My goal this winter is the spin down my stash, NOT to add to it. And I’d been doing well. But in December I had a weak moment… (or two or three… ;) )

Dyed by AllSpunUp in my fave colors. Her hand dyed fiber is so distinctive but I’ve only once before bought from her and that ended up in my handspun shawl. Before then, I loved her reclaimed/redyed yarn. I have an awesome skein of cashmere (Yes, blue & purple) that I haven’t used yet.

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The fiber is 80% Merino & 20% Silk. I can’t wait to spin this up!

Stay tuned for more stash enhancements. :D

p.s. Happy New Year!