It was a Friday night in late May, and I was feeling reckless. I was, ahem, ensconced on my couch, surrounded by knitting projects, when I spotted a testing call from Thea Colman for her updated version of White Russian. I loved the sweater and thought I had the perfect yarn for it, so I dug for the details. Testers were about to be chosen, and they’d have about a month to complete the sweater. DK-weight, cropped, no seaming … in the abstract a month sounded doable. But I have a slightly-less-than-three-foot-tall reason I’ve not anything that quickly in recent memory. And yet. The sweater was so gorgeous. The yarn I had in mind so perfect. I threw caution to the wind and sent in an email with the details for applying. I was then thrilled (and slightly panicked!) when I received a reply from Thea telling me the pattern would be with me soon!
Continue reading “White Russian With Love”Tag: FO
Finished Object: Bracken Beanie!
I don’t know about the rest of you (in the Northern Hemisphere, at least!) but from where I sit, winter doesn’t seem to be going anywhere fast. The days are (thankfully!) getting a bit longer, but the cold, wind, and damp are very much alive and well. And the hat I keep reaching for again and again is my recently completed Bracken Beanie, which I was lucky enough to test knit for the very talented Jenni Barrett. And good news — if you need a scrummy hat to keep you and yours warm during the winter that’s still to come, the pattern is now available on Ravelry!
Featured Finished Objects: Wood Warbler Cowl and Ruschia Hat
After sitting the lovely August pattern out because of moving craziness, I was excited to jump back into A Year of Techniques in September and October. September’s project was Martina Behm’s Wood Warbler Cowl, which taught garter stitch grafting. This month’s was the Ruschia Hat, designed by Woolly Wormhead, which featured short row shaping, but also, building on last month’s project, used garter stitch grafting — I know I’ve talked about this before, but I love how the sequence of AYOT designs build on each other, giving you chances to practice and reinforce the skills you learned in previous months!
What was extra fun about these past two projects was that they shared some features — squishy, delicious garter stitch with clever design to keep it interesting — which meant that they were both really addictive (and quick!) to knit and lent themselves to making a non-matching, but coordinating set (my favorite kind) — just in time for autumn weather for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere! I finished my hat this past Sunday and have already sported my new, purple-hued pair of projects around town a few times!
Continue reading “Featured Finished Objects: Wood Warbler Cowl and Ruschia Hat”
Once Upon a Sock: June edition
Oof, the days go fast, don’t they?
It’s the first Thursday of the month again, so time to talk about socks.
So, I have a confession to make … for the first time in maybe a year, I don’t have a pair of socks on the needles!
Don’t get me wrong, I have plans … some plans I am really excited to share as they take shape. But the combination of lots of WIPs and Stage 1 Moving has not been conducive to Starting New Things. Especially if those things require a bit of thought.
So instead, I have some pictures of my finished Favorite Socks to share (as if you haven’t seen enough pictures of them in progress) (on Ravelry here)
Finished Mitts!
When I stumbled into my kitchen this morning in pursuit of coffee, it was 58 degrees. Inside.
Sigh.
So let’s turn back the clock 72 hours, when I was still in sunny California, wandering around botanical gardens and taking pictures of my finished mitts.
My mitts saw some lovely orange flowers …
Featured FO: Rose Lane Rocquaine!
Hi friends!
How’s your weekend going?
It’s been quiet around these parts — errands, laundromat (blergh!), cooking, and a little bit of knitting.
But I’m not here to tell you about what I’ve been working on at the moment — I’m here to share a finished sweater: my Rocquaine Pullover!
Finished Asagi!
Hi friends, and happy Sunday!
I finished my Asagi last weekend, and I’ve been wanting to share it with you!
Thursday Sock-a-long: A Finished Pair, Shire Socks, and WHALES!
It’s Thursday, so let’s talk socks, shall we?
Continue reading “Thursday Sock-a-long: A Finished Pair, Shire Socks, and WHALES!”
Finished Islay!
Hi friends, just popping in because I’m so excited I had to share ….
I’ve finished my Islay! It needs a good bath over the weekend, but I’m pleased as punch that I finished it — even more so because it was just in time for the deadline of the KAL that Shetland Trader hosted on Ravelry. I’ll do a fuller post with all my thoughts on this sweater soon, but suffice it to say that it’s a great sweater, and I highly recommend the pattern!
Some exciting knitting plans are afoot this weekend, which may or may not include some yarn shopping — looking forward to telling you all about it soon.
One last thing: fiber and sustenance now has it’s very own Instagram account! If you’re on Instagram and like knitterly posts, follow along @fiberandsustenance.
Ok, that’s all for now! Hope you have a fabulous weekend — what do you have planned?
Rain, rain, go away
It’s our second day of solid rain here on Kapiti Coast. But I can’t complain too much. It’s easier to spend the days inside working when it’s dreary out. And I get to wear my Baffies around the house!
I made these back in October. They were the only project I managed to complete (or even cast on, for that matter!) from Kate Davies Seven Skeins Club, which culminated in the wonderful Buachaille book. Not because I didn’t want to make the rest, but other projects got in the way. Hopefully this fall, I’ll make more of the projects from the book. The Buachaille yarn is a joy to knit with — gorgeous colors, sproingy and sheepy, but not too coarse to wear next to the skin — a very special yarn indeed. (There’s even a song about it!)
Wherever you are, I hope your week’s going well. Clear skies are in the forecast for tomorrow. The rain’s not so bad, but I’m looking forward to the return of beach combing and blue skies.
Happy Thursday!
fiber and sustenance 