Wool People 8!

I'm still here! Just, again, not much is going on in my world of knitting.

Except we went to Rhinebeck, which was fantastic!

A shot of the spoils:

It was great! This time, we rented the most beautiful house right in the middle of town. The owner was fantastic and sweet and everything you'd want in a host! I'd tell you more, but we've reserved the house again for next year, so perhaps a more in-depth look will pop up in a year. 

My photography business has been really busy lately, so I haven't had the time to devote to knitting. I do have a sweater in the works, but nothing to see of it just yet. 

In other news, WOOL PEOPLE 8! Fantastic. A few of my favorites:

...As if I need to cast on anything else!

And in other news, I am really heavily considering moving this blog over to wordpress and giving it a lovely little makeover. Is it worthwhile? Are you still reading, out there?

- YX

FO: Golden Hour

I started this back in February, just a few days before the baby was born. I'd done so much baby knitting that I needed a break... Well, 6 months later, I'm finally done.

Raglan construction, fingering weight yarn... I used Tosh Sock in "Antique Lace", which was bought on a whim at my LYS. The wheaty color is something I usually don't wear, but I am finding I like it with my skin tone.

The chevron detailing was easy enough to do without the chart, so it was great tv and knit night knitting.

I need to block it, because right now it's this weird mid-crotch length, and I'm hoping to get an inch or two out of it. I already added a few rows of chevrons to the bottom to accommodate my long torso, but I really should've just started the chevron charts later. Ah well.

The little cable/button back closure is so cute. Completely unnecessary, as the neck is generous, but it gives a nice detail. I chose a blue button at the advice of some twitter friends, but also considered bright red and hot pink ones. I have a lot of buttons.

Oh, and before I go... That little green Wee Austin Hoodie I did for the baby? Well...

- YX

FO's and knitting time?

Every time I post here, I think "Wow, has it been a long time or what?"... I think parenting does this to you. I spent quite awhile trying to figure out life again, and suddenly, my photography business exploded. So maybe I'm cameraexploder, too, now... Anyway, things have been hectic!

Remember how I made that cute little blue baby sweater? Someone fit in it one day:

Then the next? Not so much!

Now that he's nearly 5 months old, I've finally found time to knit again. I'm working away on a sweater project (on the last sleeve, in fact, so I should be done in, oh, another four thousand years)... And I've just finished this cowl, which I've been meaning to knit for myself forever:

It's called Foolproof, and it really is a fantastic pattern. You knit the cowl flat, if you can imagine. There's a lot of turning your work, but no purling, no casting on (unless you count one stitch) and no binding off (unless you count a K3TOG and thread the end. With limited nights to work on it, I still managed to get it done in 16 days. Fast and great for TV knitting. 

I used Wollmeise twin (fingering weight) yarn on this project, with size 6 needles. Basically, it's the drapiest, squooshiest thing ever, and will be great for fall weather. I'm happy with how it turned out, and can't wait to wear it. I think it'll look good with some black skinny jeans and a denim jacket. A little biker-y. 

Anyway, I missed this! I wonder if anyone is still out there, reading. Are you? Perhaps I should give out more yarn? ;)

- YX

Better images

I have better images of many of the FOs I've completed here in the hospital. Here we go:

Here's Harbinger. Although it calls for a heavier weight yarn, I really like the fabric quality here:

This is a deceptive angle, since it looks like I'm not pregnant. Here's the real story:

The rustic fisherwoman hat:

Finished Wee Austin hoodie. I got the coppery leaf imprint buttons from Fusion. 

The buttons:

And two little projects for two very special preemies in the NICU:

I've done another two projects (toys), just haven't had time to photograph them yet. I'm planning on doing a big shoot of the two things I've finished and a TON of un-recorded yarn for my stash, so I just need to find the time to do that between blood draws and visitors.

I've put my Ysolda "Follow Your Arrow" Mystery KAL project on the shelf for now, as I'm not thrilled with the direction it's headed. I'm trying to determine if I want to write some new "clues" to make it more wearable (for  me), or if I want to just frog the whole thing and use the tosh on something else...

- YX

FO: Wee Austin Hoodie

This post contains spoilers about the Ysolda Teague Mystery Knit Along, "Follow Your Arrow". Proceed with caution...Again!

I finished the baby sweater I was working on last time:

It's blocking right now. Although the hospital has some decent AC, I definitely miss being able to block things under the ceiling fan in my guest room. One night under the fan, and anything was ready to go.

I'm excited to get home and take some nice images of all these FOs, but sadly it's looking like I'll be here until the beginning of March sometime. Our baby will probably be in the NICU at first, so either I'll keep producing lots of knitted things, or I'll end up going radio silent again for a few weeks.

I'm still working along on the Ysolda KAL, and this time chose clue B, the short row clue. Here's the progress:

Sigh... All this terrible photography!

Anyway, I like the way this weird geometric thing is shaping up. I can't wait to see the next clue set!

- YX

Weird things happening

This post contains spoilers about the Ysolda Teague Mystery Knit Along, "Follow Your Arrow". Proceed with caution!

Today is my birthday. Isn't that fun? Ask me where I'm spending my birthday...

...The answer is "in the hospital"!

Due to some complications with my pregnancy, I had to enter the hospital on 12/31. I'm now on indefinite bedrest until March, when I'll be delivering my baby a whole 5 weeks early. Kinda nuts! But in the meantime...

I've finished Harbinger, which needs a good blocking and deserves a better picture than this one on my hospital bed (Vice Yarns Sinful Singles):

I also finished a Fisherman Hat, which again is much prettier than these pictures give credit. See the Harbinger in the background? (Classic Elite Chalet):

I've started a Wee Austin Hoodie, which is coming along quickly. Photo doesn't represent the color, which is actually the same as the little baby hat I did. (Wollmeise 100% in Wasabi):

And to make things interesting, I've started Ysolda's Follow Your Arrow mystery knit along, which has a wonderful "choose your own adventure" feel to it. Out of the first two clues, I chose option A, which is an angular/ geometric option. Option B is a semicircular option. Although B is pretty (and I'd venture to say the prettier of the two), I tend to dislike wearing semicircular shawls, so I went for the other option. I'm using Tosh Sock in Antique Lace:

I need to do a wrap-up of 2013 (I'm SO late), and take some better photos! It's so hard to get nice images in the hospital!
- YX