Rhinebeck 2015

Although it has been months, I finally got around to photographing my modest haul from Rhinebeck. (You can click to enlarge the photo)

Does anyone else tag your stash with stuff like this? I have the projects I wear tagged with Rhinebeck(year) as well.

I also got a few more skeins that have already been used, a glass circ from the glorious Sheila and Michael Ernst, several needle felting kits from Going Gnome, buttons, cards, and project bags.

My knitting mojo has been gone lately, but I am about to pick up this lovely Neighborhood Fiber Co.  Studio Worsted to start my 2016 Rhinebeck sweater. 

I'm thinking another Joji pattern is on the way... As long as I can talk myself into picking up my needles again!

-YX

FO: Thom 2

Today, I finished a sweet little worsted sweater for my son. I used Miss Babs "Yowza - Whatta Skein" worsted, which is lovely and squishy and there's a massive amount of it per skein - 560 yards. It's lovely stuff.


A simple top-down raglan is my favorite thing to knit, and I already had this pattern from a previous newborn sweater I knitted for my kiddo, so it was great for a quick guideline for cast-on, etc. Except when it wasn't, which is to say that the age 2-3 size fits my 22 month-old son quite well. I even sized up to a US 8 needle, so either my son is gigantic, or my gauge isn't.


I am so glad I finished this quickly. It took just about a week, and the cold has rolled in to Texas. Well, the "cool", anyway, as I'm sure most of you would crack up to think of 50 degrees as anything but downright balmy.

Aww, I love my little dude. Especially in knitwear.

-YX

Contiguous Sleeve Method: Revisited

A few years ago, I took a shot at doing some Youtube videos where I talked about knitting. They weren't super popular, what a shock. BUT I did get the occasional email from Youtube letting me know that someone out there HATED my video on the Contiguous Sleeve Method because I had (admittedly) awful music on it to cover up the bad audio hum on the clip.

All that said, I finally reshot that video tonight. It's still not perfect, but it's better! Here it is:

- YX

FO: On the Grass

It's pretty ridiculous that it took me an entire year to finish this. Honestly, self, what the heck. This is Joji's On the Grass.

I went through a period of a few months where I didn't touch it... The bottom was pooling badly, and I didn't want to rip out those stitches- painful moss stitch, in fact- to fix it.

I eventually made peace with those pooling stripes and moved forward. The sweater was so bulky and stiff on the needles, but the yarn blocked beautifully. It's incredibly wearable and lovely now. The yarn is Dragonfly Fibers Damsel, which I got last year at Rhinebeck. I've finished this guy just in time for this year's show, and I'm already planning the other sweater quantity that I got there (ahem) for a new sweater. I'm trying to talk myself into some convoluted cables, but not finding any patterns I truly love.

My body has changed a lot since I had my son a year and a half ago, and adjusting to the new measurements- especially my increased hips- was an unexpected challenge. Things don't look the same on my body anymore, and I find myself second guessing what's flattering for this new shape.

As far as Rhinebeck is concerned, I'm going to try to stay away from sweater quantities and instead focus on shawls... Perhaps 2 or 3 skeins of things, to try to keep it simple. So many options, and I definitely overspent last year and haven't had much drive to touch the rest of it. I'm hoping the happiness I feel for this completed sweater will propel me into the next project. I'd like to work on some shorter-run items, since there are only so many sweaters one can wear in Houston. :)

I'm planning to go to Joji's meet and greet at the show, and she has mentioned that she'd like to see my Meridien, so I think I'll wear it on Saturday and this on Sunday. For the five of you still out there reading this, if you see me, please feel free to say hello! :)

- YX

FO: Planetary Pillow

I finished something! Here it is:

This was a really mindless knit, which has been great relief while I work on my On The Grass sweater. I got the planet buttons from the TessaAnn Etsy shop (similar here), and they are just about the best quality polymer buttons I've seen. It goes from the sun all the way out to Pluto (you'll pry my Pluto from my cold, dead, dwarf planet hands!)

This is going in the nursery, although I should probably do a slipcase for it, since you can see the white of the form a little bit, thanks to an aggressive blocking.

I ran short on yarn- my knit group can attest to the fact that my VERY LAST button loop was quite literally the last usable piece of the skein, which never happens to me! Anyway, this is going in my son's space-themed room, and I am really pleased with how cute it is.

It's been awhile since my last post- how are you guys? What are you working on?
- YX