SomerKnits

 For the last year I have mostly been a monogamous knitter.  I would power through one project at a time, fully completing it, weaving in ends, and blocking it before moving on to the next cast on, no matter how much I was jonesing for the next project.  This method is usually the most productive one for me personally.  Otherwise I end up with mostly finished WIPs waiting patiently for their ends to be woven in or seams to be sewn and they can languish for YEARS that way.   But after I finished the STRIPES! sweater I got cast-on-itis.  I had previously cast on a Love Note sweater by Tin Can Knits for my daughter but I didn't love the way the yarns were together and I felt like it would end up with enough itch factor that she wouldn't wear it, so it had been set aside waiting for the right fingering weight yarn to go with the silk mohair I had ready.  Once I had the * right * yarn it really began to fly but, of course, in the meantime while I looked ...

Before we really get into this. I'd like to mention that if you hang around long or follow me on instagram, you'll notice I do not have a museum quality house.  I have a lived in house with people and dogs and lots of life happening.  So, as you glance around at piles of throw pillows in the corner or things tossed on the foot of the bed, realize its a balancing act and I'm going to choose to go ahead and take pictures in my not perfect bedroom and just let it be what it is.   You may remember that in the fall of 2019 I was introduced to yarn pond and really fell down that rabbit hole in January of 2020 while I was on bedrest after hip surgery.  Last spring I happened upon a test knit call for a sweater so beautiful I just had to put my name in to test knit.  I had the privilege to be selected and was able to test knit the Casagrande Sweater  by Sharon Hartley .  Its a beautiful sweater with a keyhole back, a ribbon bow, and lacey sleeves closed with a...

      A  bit more than a year ago I posted about recovering from hip surgery and renewing my love affair with knitting.  I didn't yet know about what life would suddenly be like.  I didn't know I'd be doing physical therapy over zoom and working from home while my wonderful husband managed remote school for the kids.  Amongst the home cooked meals, the bread baking, the wondering if grocery stores would have milk, flour, yeast and other necessities, at least there was knitting to help keep me sane.       From a knitting standpoint, it was a productive year.  I made sweaters for myself, gifts for family, clothing for the kids.  I connected online with more knitters than I had previously and even started listening to knitting podcasts.  The thing I am currently missing the most is the in person knitting groups of my younger days.  Before kids I spent many an evening sitting at restaurants or in people's homes, knitting,...

I am making progress on that project I am knitting with my first handspun.  I LOVE how the colors are knitting up. I am going for the random or messy-on-purpose look here.  It seems to suit the unevenness of the yarn and playfulness of the many colors.  To achieve the messy look I am just doing YO, k2tog but changing up where the YO starts.  So basically if you looked really closely, every once in a while you would see a single knit next to a k2tog or a k3tog to change up the starting point. I am just about to start the border again and the bind off.  I will have to take a picture of the completed project just to post because the weather has gotten so warm I don't know if I will get to wear it this winter or if I will have to wait all the way until next! Not that I object, I am loving the warm weather. Well, except for the painful sinuses.

Well, despite the fact that my right wrist has decided to not yet get over the whole carpal tunnel thing, I have knit (and completed) something!  I have a few things I have been working on, but I hadn't put all that much in to them recently.  But I finally sat down and knit on the same project from start to finish. Ok, so its a small cotton baby hat.  And I didn't swatch, so its not as small as I had intended and I have started another one on smaller needles (although between the smaller needles and the less stitches I may have over compensated...)  So take heart, my knitting mojo has not gone away!  (Its just slowed down a bit what with all the distractions) I'm excited for many things coming up.  Of course there is baby knitting, for both little Miss Evelyn and also for friends' babies.  Then there is the Indie Emporium Shop.  Have I mentioned that exciting news?  I think its going to be great!  And I was thinking maybe at some poi...

Getting back to more of that new inventory for the upcoming fall shows.  This is still all stuff I finished week before last, I just haven't gotten to photograph any of the stuff from this week yet.  Besides, I didn't want to skip these goodies.  This hat is wonderfully soft and squishy.  I'm thinking it might need a small brooch or little bit of sparkle  right at the pinch.  The picture doesn't do the richness of the purple shade justice, it is really a lovely shade.  This bright blue gem is bouncy, squishy, soft and fun all rolled in to one.  The basic spiral lets the lovely color of the yarn take center stage.  This cowl is long enough to wrap twice, as shown below.  Even though it s a wool blend, it is soft enough to go against the delicate bare skin of your neck. I really can't wait to get modeled pictures of both of these items as well as all the new pieces from this week.  I have 2 more cowls and 3 more hats that I need to...