Month: March 2011

- saffronknits 6 Comments

a little knitting therapy

Lately, I’ve been a little stressed and a little overwhelmed… so I decided that I needed a little comfort. That, of course, meant knitting.

So I pulled out some handspun, wound it up and started knitting a very basic triangular shawl. No specific pattern but lots of mindless stockinette with lots of color. The color of the shawl reminds me of an impressionistic painting so I’m calling it my ‘Monet Shawl’.

Here’s are some photos of fiber, yarn and just a small peek at the beginning of the shawl. Enjoy! :)

- saffronknits 5 Comments

fiber friday: mmmmm… cashmere

Buying new stuff for my stash is not currently in the budget so I am looking to my cherished stash to knit patterns that I’ve fallen in love with.

One such pattern is the Stripe Study Shawl. If you have not seen this recently released pattern, it is an asymmetrical triangular shawl knit in garter stitch.

I pondered a bit, trying to figure out what I wanted to use. I have some CCM Merino-Nylon that I could use, but the yarn said it didn’t want to be this pattern. (Yes, yarn can be pretty particular about what it wants to be.)

Then I remembered that I have some reclaimed/redyed yarn that I bought quite a while ago from AllSpunUp before all the lovely spinning fiber filled her shop. It’s this lovely, blue-purpley fingering weight yarn and oh so soft.

So the next question became what would I use for the contrasting color? Enter the cashmere/tussah silk fiber that I bought last year.

I originally had other plans for it but that did not come to fruition so, after I finish my current spinning project, I plan to spin a 2-ply fingering-ish weight yarn to use as a part of this shawl.

A cashmere/silk shawl…in garter stitch…can you imagine?

I’ll go now while you think about that.

Bye! :)

- saffronknits 6 Comments

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. :)

- saffronknits 2 Comments

did I mention what I am knitting?

I am knitting a hat and a shawl….

:D

Need more details than that? Ok, ok. :)

The hat is true mindless knitting. It’s the Sockhead Hat pattern and I am used Cabin Cove Mercantile’s Ombre yarn in the colorway ‘Coal’.

The yarn has this cool spiral thing goin’ on and this has been a great project when life stresses me out and I need to calm down.

The shawl I am knitting is a kind of ‘fly-by-the-seat-of-pants’ project. I’m making it up as I go along and keep changing my mind on every row.

The yarn is Tosh Merino Light – pretty drool-worthy stuff – awesome yardage for the price.

- saffronknits 2 Comments

did I mention what I am spinning?

I recently got some fiber from Spincerely Yours in the colorway ‘Periwinkle’. I was really drawn in by the subtle/soft blues and purples and had to buy it.

It’s spins like a dream – so soft. I am pulling off pieces of the top, and drafting it out sideways then spinning in a supported long draw so the resulting singles have a bit of air in them.

I hope this will make a nice squishy two-ply fingering weight yarn.