I can’t believe it’s Friday already. No, seriously, this week got away from me somewhere in there because I am sinking into the quicksand of RealJob. Soon I’ll be completely buried, but I wanted to show you some stuff.
Ishbels!
I won a giveaway on Jacey‘s blog! She generously offered up some handknit lace shawls and I won her Ishbel. I never win these blog giveaway things, so I kinda hyperventilated when she told me.
She also sent me some nice big chunks of Outside Oslo. I’ve been lusting after that fabric… *drool*
Now, I’ve wanted an Ishbel for a couple of years. And to my delight, the one I made a swap agreement for suddenly arrived in my mailbox yesterday from Anne! She also sent a super cute handknit bear.
Thanks, Anne and Jacey! These will be my go-to scarves for Autumn this year.
Colorwork!
With Lauren and Phoe, I’m doing a yoke-along. That is, we all intended to knit sweaters with colorwork yokes. They are both making swift progress and will soon hit the juicy fun of the colorwork yokes! Go ahead, click on those links to see their progress on their gorgeous sweaters.
On the other hand, I stupidly decided that I wanted all-over colorwork in my sweater and that it should be knit in fingering weight yarn on tiny sticks. And so…well…my progress is slow as molasses. It took forever to do just one round of 398 stitches in ribbing! But I’m loving the project and hope to make some steady headway over the next few months.
Now, if you are a knitter in the know, you will detect a steek in that bit of sweater. It’s gonna be a cardigan and then there will be steeks for the sleeves too. I’m trying not to panic yet about eventually cutting my knitting.
Quilting!
And in the ultimate demonstration of project whoring polyamory, I started yet another new quilt on Wednesday. At least it was quick to sew and it’s well into the quilting stage…
If RealJob allows time for breathing this weekend, then I hope to finish the quilt by Monday!
Have a great weekend!
Ooh, steeking. I bow before your bravery, my dear. For reals.
Ishbel has been on my to do list for quite some time now, lucky you to receive two at once!
Your colorwork looks great, I’m sure it will be beautiful when it’s done, but it’s gonna take time. One might wonder what you were thinking? :) I don’t understand how you have time for any RealJob at the rate you are producing artwork! But I really like the stuff that you make. Have a great weekend :)
your colorwork sweater looks so pretty! i’m sure it’ll be worth the effort in the end.
Not one, but two(!) Ishbels! Anne’s is gorgeous, and now you will be snuggly all winter. :)
Your colorwork, even if it is molasses, is beautiful. Colorwork at any gauge still intimidates me. I started a hat sometime last year, and stopped a few rows in, because I never got my rhythm. I want to pick it back up again and keep trying. I know practice will make me more comfortable.
I love the quilt in progress! I hope realjob doesn’t suck too much in the upcoming months, friend.
Ishbel is my favorite winter neck-covering. (Or, it has been for the last winter or two.) Lucky you to have two of them!
Love my Ishbel, so I know you’ll love both of yours! And oh my…what colorwork {drool}. Isn’t it a pain how those RealJobs cut into our passions? There oughtta be a law!
Happy TGIF!
(((hugs)))
So many lovely things in this post, as always! I’m in awe of the colorwork! I especially love the way the ribbing looks. And OMG, I’ve got to get a whack of that Outside Oslo fabric.
The Ishbels are lovely and oh! The colorwork! Fantastic.
Wow. Fingering weight, entirely colorwork AND steeking? I bow to you, oh Queen of Awesome. :)
Love the color work. I am a colorwork addict! Don’t worry about the steek it is actually fun! I did a baby blanket that was colorwork and knit in the round. Cut the steek at my knit night and even the employees of the cafe applauded.
Love your blog.
seriously…. have you learnt how to stretch time?
That knitting is amazing. Colourwork is not even on my radar… scary stuff.
And 2 Ishbel???? I tried knitting it 4 times and always got into a muddle. don’t know why… And yet I love it sooo.
You lucky so and so.
you are one lucky duck! i have to say i am super jeal. one of your above commenters said they used ishbel as a scarf… i never thought of using a shawl as a scarf… but it is perfect and what a beautiful scarf.. i am excited to see what your quilt looks like finished.
Do not fear the steeks! Respect them, but not fear. I have steeked a couple times including a sweater for my husband that ended up being steeked several times due to size issues. If you use a good wool and maybe zigzag before you cut all will be fine.
Lovely colorwork by the way… you have such a way with color!
I, too, too have lusted for Outside Oslo, but have yet to give in to it.
The colorwork is beautiful – you are brave with the steeks, but I’ll bet it turns out beautifully!
Yay, knitting!
I love to watch progress on colorwork projects; my own fingering-weight striped vest has fallen by the wayside as other projects (on size 6s, I might add) have caught my attention.
Don’t believe the rumours about steeks. They’re fantastically liberating, you’ll love them once you do one.
I am so clueless that I thought it was supposed to be “steak”, not “steek”. so clearly, out to lunch on steek. I did not know that people cut knitting, but I’ve cut crochet and lived to tell.
Ta da?
Also, I heart colorwork.
Okay: I am shocked to learn that real people actually win those blog giveaways. What’s even harder to believe is that two people would give you those Ishbels. And that sweater you are knitting? I just don’t know . . . maybe you aren’t real after all? But, no, I choose to believe that you are real, and to know that you also are also quilting is complete and total inspiration. Finally, your use of the term polyamory is hilarious. Please, carry on!
Yeah you for winning! All three of your colorworks are already looking amazing. Can’t wait for the unveiling! :)
I am in love with your sweater. The colorwork in fingering weight will be SOOOO worth the time.
I love that you call it project “whoring”! I’m such a project whore. I need to embrace it and try to control it but not fight it. Too much work and too far against my nature not to have 5 projects going at once!
I steeked a vest (http://www.ravelry.com/projects/careynev/morning-star), and that first snip was terrifying, but once I started, there was no turning back. And having worked on a smaller stranded project that was NOT done in the round, I can say with confidence that the terror of cutting your knitting will outweigh the absolute zillions of ends requiring weaving if you don’t steek. Your sweater will be beautiful–can’t wait to see it!