Selfish Knitting

So I was just driving home from my first OB visit, and passed an LYS. I've seen it a few times (but had a car full of children with me). This time it was just me and the boy - age 2. Not a great age for LYS shopping, but I had to take the opportunity to pop in and check it out. After living in rurual New Mexico, I now shop for yarn almost exclusively online. There was no LYS within a 3 hour drive! (That's actually what drove me to start dying and spinning my own yarns.)



Anyway, I'm out of the habit of using my LYS, and today reminded my why they're so great. You never know how they'll be - snooty or nice - especially when you have a sticky-fingered munchkin in tow. (Literally sticky-fingered - not like he's a notorious yarn thief.)



I immediately relaxed when I spotted the table filled with kids toys at the door. Or I should say, when my son spotted them! One Stitch More in Cincinnati has an awesome selection of Rowan yarns, which is pretty rare, sweater's worths in stock so I had no excuse to order it online instead.



I love Rowan patterns, especially Rowan Classic (they seem to be more... well... classic than the other Rowan patterns which can be a bit edgy for my taste). So I decided to treat myself. I thummed through a few books, found one with patterns I loved, bought the yarn and now I just need to go and cast on already!



Here's my new project!
Pattern:

Woodland by Martin Storey from the Rowan book: "nature"

Yarn:
Rowan Bamboo Soft in silvery grey (so soft!)

Bamboo Mingus

So I've been dyeing yarns for quite awhile, but I've avoided the sock knitting bug till now. Not sure why really, I guess I love the instant gratification of big chunky knits. Plus, I give most of my knitting away to non-knitters or sell them in my etsy shop, so the time and effort of small yarns and complicated patterns just didn't make sense. I have a feeling that's all about to change!



Here are my very first pair of real socks (I've knit socks with turned heels and everything before - just in bigger yarns for quick gifts) knit up in my new Bamboozled sock yarn. I love these socks... let me count the ways...



1. I'm totally in love with them.

2. I'm realizing how fun it is to do a small but intricate project. It finishes relatively quickly, but is a total work of art!

3. I have a crazy large stash of handpainted sock yarn that I've been knitting scarves out
of - hah! Now I find myself dyeing more sock yarn because I want an exact colorway for a sock project I'm drooling over.

4. I love these socks!

5. Knitting a complicated pattern is oddly relaxing. You can't really focus on anything else so you kind of end up meditating on the pattern instead.

6. I must knit more soon, or else these babies will wear out quickly - I can't seem to take them off!

7. Hiya Hiya 9" circulars mean I can knit them in the round, on 1 pair of circs - total bliss!

8. Did I mention I luuuurve them?

9. I rarely knit for myself and these are a just-for-me luxury I can really sink my needles into.



Oh there's more, but I'll stop there. I'm so excited to finally take the dive and become a real sock fanatic! My new compulsions are all the sock KALs on ravelry. Right now I'm planning to knit every sock in Cookie A's new book, "Sock Innovation" over the next year - at least one pair a month. And I have about 5 other great sock knitting books I've collected over the years as I was hoping to catch the sock bug. I really think it was the Hiya Hiya needles that gave me the extra push - I'm just not a huge fan of double-pointed needles and hate magic loop. Hooray!

Knot Knit Scarf

Here's another craft from Martha - she seems to have so many uses for yarn beyond knitting (or crochet). I love finding alternate uses for my stash!





Straight from Martha's website: Here's a cozy yet speedy project. Cut 12 pieces of bulky-weight yarn to about 1 1/2 times the desired length of the final scarf. (We used 140-inch pieces to make an 86-inch scarf.) Divide yarn into 4 bunches of 3 strands each. Tie 2 bunches together with a square knot, leaving 6 inches of fringe at end; repeat with remaining bunches. Pin the knots to a piece of foam board. Knot inner 2 bunches of yarn together, spacing knot about 1 inch from existing knots, then knot left and right bunches together. Alternate knotting the inner bunches and the left and right ones, spacing knots evenly apart, until about 6 inches of yarn remain on the end. Finish so that final knots mirror opposite end, and trim to even the ends.







I think it would look great with some bulky thick and thin handspun. I haven't tried it yet, but it's definitely on my list and will make for a great last minute gift that's a little different from my normal knits.

Wrap-Around Scarf

It is Malabrigo March on Ravelry so I decided to give this yarn a try.

Holy. Freaking. Moly.

This yarn is amazing! I've knit with merino wool before but this is the softest wool I've ever felt and the kettle dyed colors are just gorgeous. I'm planning to knit Jared Flood's Hemlock Ring Blanket out of it so I can wrap myself in Malabrigo!

Anyway, I wanted a pattern that would show off this gorgeous variegated yarn, be an interesting stitch pattern, but still be easy enough to knit during LOST.

Here's the pattern for my scarf:

(Add it to your Ravelry queue here)

Yarn: 1 skein Malabrigo Worsted (can substitute Manos del Uruguay but it is not as soft)

Colorway shown is Stonechat

Needle Size: US 10

CO 19 stitches

Knit 3 rows in garter stitch

Row 1: k2, p15, k2

Row2: knit across

Row3: k2, p15, k2

Row4: k7, wrap 3 (move the last three knitted stitches off of the right needle onto a cable needle, wrap the yarn around these stitches 3 times counter-clockwise, move wrapped stitches back to the right needle), *k4, w3, repeat from * to last 4 stitches, knit to end.

Row 5: k2, p15, k2

Row 6: knit across

Row 7: k2, p15, k2

Row 8: k5, w3, *k4, w3, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, knit to end.

Repeat rows 1-8 till you get near the end of your ball of yarn, knit rows 1-3, then knit 3 rows in garter stitch.

Block like crazy (it is basically stockinette so it will curl).

Ta-Da!

Yarn that Inspires - Rowan Big Wool Tuft

Thought I'd share one of my current faves. I love this yarn! It is so unique, bulky and has big tufts of wool plied on with rayon thread (hence the name). I don't think I'd knit a sweater from it, but it is perfect for small projects like scarflettes or for trim on a larger project. It is soft merino and comes in lovely colors. The scarflettes I knit for my Etsy shop out of it sold very well this holiday season. For you knitters out there, here's how to make your own (not for selling!)...

With 1 ball of Rowan Big Wool Tuft and size 17 needles CO 10 stitches.

Odd Rows: K2, P2, K2, P2, K2

Even Rows: P2, K2, P2, K2, P2

Knit to desired length or until you're almost out of yarn, Bind off.

Sew a 1" button to the upper right hand corner of the right side, it will slide through the knitted fabric wherever you like it for different looks.

A fantastically fast, ridiculously easy single skein project. This would be great for a last minute gift - and I mean your friend is driving you to the party as you knit, that kind of last minute. It seriously takes about a half hour!

The only downside - this yarn is now discontinued! But I still see it on ebay and a few other places, so stock up while you still can!