Dear Jan,
I have started rooting for the owls to come out during the daytime.
While watching the squirrels raid our feeder, I’ve been working on my Fiber Fusion sweater. After the precision demanded by the Master Knitter program, the freedom to create a knit fabric that is organic and rustic and in which I have no preconceived notion of the final garment is quite freeing.
I did get back that first round submission, by the way. I’m pleased with how I did. Several swatches to reknit or reblock, a few more swatches to rewrite, plus a reknit of the wrister (I forgot a row in the pattern - huh!?). But the big happy is that all of the reports were accepted! Lisa and I will start back on our work this week.
I’ve decided I’m going to make the Decibella cowl by Gale Zucker. It just keeps haunting me with its magnitudeness. (I’m sure that is a word.) But I didn’t want to spend the big buck for the big yarn suggested. Good thing I know how to make my own!
I’m using the cerulean blue fleece, colored in the remnants of the dyebath that I used for all that 5-ply yarn I spun a while ago, drum carded and spun into singles.
I saved a chunk of the last batt to blend on the drum carder with some more of the natural colored fiber. The misty blue that resulted is equally enchanting.
Six plies of each makes for bulky yarns with just enough contrast for interest, and close enough that your eyes won’t hurt looking at the cowl.
Too bad I don’t have that cowl done already as we are getting socked by a good snow. Nothing like out east this weekend, but enough that getting to work in the morning will be challenging. And that morning will come fast enough, so bye for now.
Love,
Ellen
Jan and Ellen are identical twins who have always had an innate fashion sense. Crafting is an integral part of their lives and they stay stitched together sharing their love of knitting, family and community.
February 10th, 2013 at 11:57 pm
Oooh, pretty…
And the squirrel is cute, but only to a point. Safflower seeds for him! (Actually, mine have finally started eating a bit of safflower but only under protest and they will not attack the feeder for the stuff. )
February 12th, 2013 at 3:47 pm
So honored you’re using this gorgeous handspun for Decibella! Can’t wai tto see it in all its magnitudinal cerulean glory.
February 14th, 2013 at 8:01 pm
We had a few of those problems in our attic this fall. There are times when I am so thankful we don’t own!
The yarn looks beautiful. Along the way, you inspired me to actually go and try the core spinning I’ve been thinking about lately. I’ve been meaning to do something with it for a year or so, and just haven’t gotten around to it. It’s been on the slightly more urgent mental list lately, though, so it was fun to sit down and just spin some for no particular reason this past weekend. It’s kind of like your sweater, I imagine. A little hard to turn off the internal editor and relax those quality controls, but quite a lot of fun once you do. I can’t wait to see how your sweater comes out in the end!
February 15th, 2013 at 4:26 pm
I can’t decide if I like the cerulean or the heathered better. You’d better send me both.