shimmery

Posted on Posted in Bare Naked Wools, book reviews/events, designing, food and garden, lace/shawls

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i might have made a midnight run to the shop last night to dig around in the boxes that arrived yesterday from the mill—the ones that contained the test production batch of a new yarn we’ve been working on.

it’s not spun from silver, but it just might make people ask . . .

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and i might have rolled off an ounce or so right then and there to swatch with while we watched TV. you know, just to see how it knits up. it’s still damp in this photo; i soaked it this morning and laid it out to dry, but couldn’t wait to take some pictures.

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it was even better after drying—so slinky and shimmery, but it also has body. and do you see that stitch definition? sigh—yarn is completely fascinating isn’t it? you change one thing and it make an entirely new experience.

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i probably knit it more loosely than i should have for this particular fabric; i was trying to see if i could get the same gauge on the same needle as i do with the chebris lace or stone soup fingering yarns. i’ll need a smaller needle for that. but . . . wow, huh?

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it’s a merino/tencel/cotton blend and i think it’s going to be a new favorite once i get to know it better. the sheen comes from the tencel and cotton—they provide the glassy quality that magnifies the color of the merino. SO pretty; can’t wait to see it in pale brown.

we are aiming for a blend that has some of the same qualities as our ginny cotton blend, but without alpaca. and with a more slinky drape for really nice lace pieces. so actually, it’s pretty different, haha.

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i had hoped to make more progress this week on my dock and cabin cardigan; i’m working up the big back piece and when i actually spend time knitting on it, it grows steadily. i can knit at least one row of blocks while watching TV for an hour or two and  i can complete two rows over the course of a day, given the right circumstances (but when does that ever happen?).

loving the texture; it has the power keep me engrossed for hours (when i’m not managing garden produce or testing new yarn, haha).

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my dear old friend, stone soup fingering is such a winner for this fabric (and many others, IMHO). i’m knitting in the original in color pumice, which is nearly an exact match for the original yarn and color this sweater was designed with. i am really going to enjoy wearing this sweater when it’s done.

we have a date tonight, after i finish up in the kitchen.

another thing that waylaid my knitting progress this week was preparing for some upcoming classes that i’ll be teaching in september, at shall we knit? in waterloo and at the WEBS fall retreat in massachusetts.

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i knit up this trio of adorable mini shawls to test the patterns we’ll be using in class.

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the weekend after next i’ll be teaching an edmonia shawl class at shall we knit?, where we will work up this funny, swatch sized version. funny because the edgings are so disproportionate to the body when i shrank it down to a bite-sized piece. it’s so cute though, in a kind of goth way.

still spots left in the shawl class if you want to join us. i’m also teaching my yarn voyage class, which is nearly sold out.

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then at the WEBS retreat, i’ll be teaching the double happiness shawl and a blocking class. the retreat sold out long ago, so unfortunately that ship has sailed, but how cute it this mini in the ginny sport yarn (color georgia)?

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i’ve also knit one in chebris lace (color charbon), which has yet to receive its final dressing (because we will block it in class), but you can already tell how sparkly and light it will be when it’s stretched; just look at that gleam in its eyes—mohair is like that . . .

between now and then though, david and i are taking a trip to albany to visit with my mom and the rest of my family for a few days. we plan to relax a bit, see some movies hopefully, and on sunday we’ll be attending a big picnic with her extended family and enjoying lots of terrific italian food in the bargain.

naturally i am planning on foisting a great deal of garden produce off on her for the event (no worries, i’ll help her cook it all).

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our green beans have finally decided to start producing and i’m picking a pound or two every other day or so—a good amount; not so much that i’ll grow to hate them and not so little that searching the vines is a disappointment.

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(two different days’ take). i was worried that i wouldn’t be happy having grown a different variety this year, but i have to admit, these are delicious. and the perfume that wafts out when i open a bag of them from the fridge is simply amazing, like jasmine.

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tomatoes actually slowed down for a few days during some very hot weather over the weekend but have rallied back with a strong output yesterday and today.

so i am heading straight to my kitchen after i finish writing this to get to work. i need to get everything i have on the countertops (oh yes, there are many more in other places beyond the frame of this photo, haha) cooked and put in the freezer before we leave, except for a reasonable number that i’ll bring to my mom (i’ve got other vegetables to shower on her as well).

i didn’t forget that i promised a post about the upcoming lace scarf book and i’m working on that; i want to include some especially delicious teasers so you won’t be able to get it out of your mind, MWAH-ha-ha-ha! but you could always take a side trip to the test knitting thread in our ravelry mothership group and peek in on what’s developing.

now, time for me to tackle the mountain in my kitchen—see you next time.

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10 thoughts on “shimmery

  1. Oh Anne, the new yarn looks amazing. As the gray lover that I am I can’t wait to see the final version

  2. Oh, it really does look like silver…how lovely!

    And of course, all the swatches are equally charming.

  3. Does anyone else think those little test shawls would make the most perfect american girl doll shawls? Would love to see a little bundle of patterns released.

  4. The new yarn is so shimmery and delicious–might have to cheat on the yarn diet. Have a nice, relaxing trip!

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