This has been a bit overdue. In looking back in the posts, I keep promising a knitting update, so here it is.
But first, a few photos from the 4th. A bunch of the boat owners on our lake have a boat parade late morning on the holiday, so we turned out to the beach with a few friends and some refreshments to watch.
Here’s John opening the refreshments. There were also Bloody Marys (Maries?) involved.
The parade:
There was knitting going on. My boss is learning how to knit. I gave her the first lesson Wednesday morning. Yes, I know how lucky I am, having a boss that wants me to teach her to knit.
And here is the promised Project Roundup. These are the 3 projects in active rotation. First is the sock.
Yeah, yeah, I know I haven’t made much progress. There have been other things interfering. For those of you not paying attention, this is the German yarn, the Wollmeise Krauterbeet. I just love the color name, Krauterbeet. It’s much more purple and green than in that photo. This is just lovely yarn, which is a good thing. Since I had to order it all the way from Germany, I couldn’t just order one hank of it, now, could I. Some day I’ll show you the rest of it fermenting in the stash.
Next is the Forest Canopy shawl. I really have made progress, it’s just hard to tell, being a lace shawl and all. This is Zephyr wool-silk, in Bottle Green. I thought it was Basil, but I’m pretty sure it’s the former. I love this color enough to buy more of it.
This one’s getting close. A couple more repeats of the main pattern is about all I will be able to stand, then it will be on to the border, then done.
Now, my new project. I am using South West Trading Company’s Bamboo, in a color called Butter. The color is actually more like real bamboo than butter. If you’ve ever been unfortunate enough to have the stuff growing in your backyard, you know what it looks like. I can only hope bamboo yarn really takes off. I have a bunch of it growing wild along my side yard fence. It could be an investment.
Here’s the first attempt. I am making a tee-shirt like top, though if I have enough yarn, I’ll put 3/4 length sleeves on it. I’m doing a picot/cable edging from one of the Nicky Epstein books for the bottom hem. The first version reminded me of chicken satay on skewers.
Then I had a little mishap and it ended up looking more like ramen noodles. The mishap had nothing to do with the pink wine in that photo. Since I’m making this one up as I go along, I didn’t like the first iteration, and decided on a do-over.
And here’s where I am now. The hem is turned up and pinned so you can see it. The edging is done by knitting 5 rows, doing a picot turning row, then knitting more rows, then a simple 4 stitch cable crossing all the way across.
I haven’t quite come to a verdict on this yarn. It is listed on the ball band as a worsted weight, which isn’t even close. I finally ended up with 3.25mm needles, and it measures out to be more like a DK or sport weight. Oh well, I really didn’t want to wear it this summer, anyway. It’s making a lovely, drapey fabric at that gauge.
Off to bed, another fun-filled work week starts in the morning!
Your Forest Canopy shawl is gorgeous!! (I think I’m going to have to get that pattern!)
Good luck on your designing, and, if it doesn’t work out, you can have ramen noodles for lunch! :o)
Not from my own experience, I have heard that the bamboo yarn stretches beyond believe. Good luck!
Uh oh, seeing that green yarn means I’d better look for some – that is gorgeous! And the shawl looks beautiful, I may give that a whirl sometime.
You’re teaching your boss to knit? Lucky you, having a boss you’d *want* to teach to knit!
Good luck this week …
All your WIPs look great. I wanted to make a scarf for a friend who is allergic to wool, and it was a toss up between SWT’s Bamboo and Soy Silk. I opted for Soy Silk because she liked the colors better, but I was tantalized by Bamboo. Does it seem as if it will stretch the way cotton does, or does it have more memory? The scarf I’m planning for Soy Silk is one of the seaman’s scarves in Myrna Stahman’s book, so the stretchiness doesn’t mattr much. If I use this kind of yarn again, though, it will be for a sweater like yours.
Everything looks wonderful. Don’t you just love Zephyr? I think it ranks right up there with my favorite yarn of all time. It’s even making Forest Path a little more bearable. And the butter yarn looks just like butter – good enough to eat!
Lovely shawl and socks! I’m intrigued and looking forward to seeing more of the bamboo t-shirt.
No one has more fun that Lorette!
I love the shawl. It really looks nice in a solid color.
I love the bamboo t-shirt. I especially love the picot hem. I haven’t tried bamboo yarn yet, but I have some bamboo towels that I don’t like because they don’t absorb like cotton.
The shawl is gorgeous and I love how the bamboo top is looking. It’s going to be so pretty!
Are you going to knitting tomorrow?
Oh you MUST post your chicken satay on skewers and ramen noodle pics on the Flickr group called Fiberlicious. I just posted about them today on my blog! Link to the photo group is there too! :o)
All I could think of was you sure couldn’t knit at a 4th of July boat parade here. After they judge the entries, they all pass by again, and water balloon war erupts boat/shore/boat! They’ve been doing this for 25 years, I read. What a hoot!
Barbara-Kay in South Louisiana
Wine and fiber hmmm? Looks like a fun day! Love the color of your Forest Canopy Shawl, it’s really nice! I only have most of mine to go! My boss thought my dpns for my socks were skewers!
That shawl is beautiful! What a fun time – and yay! You’ve converted another to knitting!
I have that that SWT Bamboo in a beautiful purple, yellow, and taupe combination (I know, sounds all like the colors of a good bruise, but it really is pretty)and I was going to knit a shell, but realized I’m going to have to put a sleeve on it if I’m to wear it at the high school where I teach (we have a strict NO SLEEVELESS GARMENT policy). Where did you find your tee-shirt pattern?
And your 4th sounds great, although south Louisiana may have y’all beat.
Love your edging for the tee shirt type top. I also like your shawl pattern stitch. It is really lovely.
Have a good work week! I’m working this week and next before we head out.
I know exactly what you mean about ordering yarn from abroad. I love doing it because I really feel compelled to order more just to make it worthwhile. 🙂
Here’s to converting new people (bosses or otherwise) to knitting! Yay! I hope she likes it!
What an ingenious way to distract the boss.
All your WIPs look lovely.
I would say Marys. Maries just seems like you are proving that the drinks belong to Marie and not you. And we all know we can’t have that.
🙂
Love the shawl…bamboo..hmmm anxious to hear your verdict..and Chester is cute- I made him roll into a ball 😉
very impressive! although I’d switch to white wine with that yarn!
That’s a great collection of projects – different colors, different patterns, just wonderful all around.
I LOVED the satay and ramen! The final project is less edible, but yummy in a different way. Thanks for being a yarn guinea pig!
Cathy
Very pretty stuff you show here. I started on the Forest Canopy Shawl, but didn’t like the yarn I was using, so ripped it. I like that bamboo yarn you have there, its a really pretty color. I have some at home in a really pretty brown, now I feel the urge to use it! It is nice yarn.