Helleborus scarf

Helleborus scarf
Originally uploaded by aswiminknits

Last weekend, I decided that I needed a little non-sock knitting. I wanted a nice easy project, though. I found a photo of mustaa villaa's "Helleborus" scarf on Ravelry and thought it might look good in some of the yarn I have in my stash. It's now about 24" long, and I like how the variegated colors are working -- there is little to no pooling!

Also, now that I upgraded myself to a Flickr pro account, I've been posting more photos in Flickr. I'm also trying out their new "blog this photo" feature. We'll see how I like that in just a moment ...

hats for charity

I knit 9 hats for charity this winter/spring. I need to mail them out soon. The top one (stripes) will go to Dulaan. Going clockwise, the next 3 are chemo caps which will go to Rebekah for the hospital where her husband has been treated.


The remaining 5 are all warm woolies for Dulaan -- of the 6 hats I made for Dulaan, 4 of them fit me or are too big for me (I have a small head). This is perfect, as the greatest need is now for larger sizes.

my new socks

Last month, I mentioned that I was working on some new socks for me. Here they are! The first photo shows the stitch pattern and color best, but the second one is there to prove that there ARE two socks. I'm going to SnB at lunch today, and brought the socks along to see if someone can take a better photo :)



Project specs:
Yarn: Artyarns Ultramerino 4, color 109
Needles: size 1 Knitpicks DPNs
Pattern: Diagonal Cross-Rib socks from Favorite Socks
Gauge: 9 sts/in in pattern, I think -- the pattern is written for a man size sock, so I knit at a smaller gauge to get socks that fit me
Pattern mods: added EOP heel
New techniques: first EOP heel!

Posted on Ravelry.

Thom's socks -- final photo

Last month, I posted a photo of Thom's new socks. He wore them recently, giving me an opportunity to take a photo in action.


He did make one request: "Watch where you're aiming that camera, ok???"

Project specs:
Yarn: Regia 4 ply
Color: tweedy gray (colorway 98)
Pattern: my own - toe up sock over 72 sts with 2x2 ribbed leg
Needles: size 1 Knitpicks dpns; size 0's for the last 1/2 inch
Gauge: 8ish sts/in

Posted on Ravelry.

my first spinning

This post has been a couple of weeks in the making. The Mafia told her version of the story and I gave a brief account too ... so now I guess I need to finish it up! Sorry for the delays.

A few of us, including the aforementined Mafia went to NHS&W last month. While we were there, Pi Grrrl dragged me kicking and screaming over to a wheel and forced me to try it out.

OK, I lied. I was a very willing participant. But I resisted the idea of getting a wheel.

Kristen had offered to lend me a wheel, and we made arrangements for a hand-off. Unfortunately, our schedules didn't mesh, so her wheel is still in her posession. However, fiber folks being the generous sort, Cheryl and Julia lent me and the Mafia some wheels. Teresa gave me some fiber -- blue, what a surprise -- and taught me how to use the wheel I ended up with ... Julia's Ashford Joy.

I learned the basics. The very basics. And managed to spin some really questionable singles! (With little twisty nubs!)

Then grad school started, and spinning stopped.

Until the Mafia convinced me that we needed to visit our local crack dealer LYS owner, Lucy.

We took a spindle (spindling?) lesson, which Lucy quickly dubbed "The Danielle and Mafia show", and she threw in some practice on the wheel just for fun.

The next week, we went back for the annual spring sale (25% off everything! and a coupon for a free drop spindle! yes I already had a drop spindle at home, shut up now!)

I pulled out some Romney roving that I purchased at MA S&W a long time ago and started spinning.

I spun up a spindle full, and with my trusty new computer I learned how to Andean Ply.

Here's my first-ever handspun yarn -- all 23 yards of it!! (I have a few more yards that I used as a test-ply ... I wanted to make sure I understood what I was doing before winding it all around my hand.) I think it's between worsted and bulky weight, according to a WPI chart.

I think I'll dye it pink, just for fun. I have a bunch more of this, and now I'm ready to go back to the wheel. It was good to spindle spin to get a better understanding of the concept of spinning, but I'm ready for more!

What should I spin next? The top 2 are from NHS&W, and the bottom is a 70/30 merino/tencel blend from Lucy. I think I'll save that one until I can spin evenly enough to make something useful ... perhaps a winter hat/mittens/scarf set?

felted clogs for Thom

I finished knitting the felted clogs!!

Oh, wait. I think I forgot to mention that I started them ... I've been knitting here and there while working full time, coaching 3-4 days per week, and going back to grad school. School is going well, although my current class is not the kind where I can knit while in class -- too small, with too many guest lecturers. But, Thom and I carpool to work, so I get to knit in the morning while he drives (unless I'm doing reading for class).

Anyways, last month, I picked up some yarn at the NHS&W festival. The Mafia spotted it for me, in perfect hubby colors (BRIGHT ORANGE!) and perfect Danielle price (less than $8 for 12-13 ounces). I got some "spice" colored Lamb's Pride to go with the orange yarn and cast on for some slippers from the Fiber Trends' felted clogs pattern.

I knit up one of the slippers ...
And the other ...

(Cell phone and foot for scale).

Now I need to felt them, obviously. I'll wait to do it until Thom is home with me, so that I can check the size as I go.

Project specs ...
Pattern: Fiber Trends' Felted Clogs
Yarn: orange mystery wool from NHS&W (12-13 oz of heavy worsted, with lots leftover), Lamb's Pride worsted in spice (3 skeins, with lots left over in the 3rd skein)
Needles: Size 15 Clover bamboo
Gauge: not sure
Size: to fit men's 11
Pattern mods: none!
Ravelry page:* http://www.ravelry.com/projects/aswiminknits/felted-clogs-2

*I'm adding a link to the Ravelry page for each new project that I enter from now on. If I'm keeping track via Ravelry, I thought it might be nice for others to know where to find the project details. If you are not on Ravelry, you probably can't see these pages. For those of you on the waiting list to join, I'm sorry if this annoys you! I'll still be posting info here too ...