scenes from the before

Posted on Posted in book reviews/events, designing, projects, yarn and dyeing

can you believe i spent the whole day packing and organizing for this trip?
what a dawdler, eh?

it was good though; i really REALLY think i’ve got all my bases covered:
class materials—check
teaching notes—check
music and audiobooks—check
laptop updated—check
camera, cables, ephemera—check
passport, tickets, money—check
clothes, woolens, shoes, underwear, socks, etc—check

knitting projects for four weeks—check
actually, that last one took the longest; i do hope i have all the needles i need . . .
wanna peek at what-all i;’m taking along to work on??

good ol’ wasp and rose . . . i am determined to get some work done on it if it kills me. i can’t remember the last time a project took me so long to complete. on the other hand, it’s a good one to savor.

i put together a shawlette kit with three balls of yarn—a pale, pale gray to knit another LOVe, one for a scarf, and one for a new shawlette i cast on last night in craig’s new mink/milk/merino yarn, in maroon

the charcoal gray ball of yak/mink/merino/soy will be knit into a matching rectangle scarf.

here’s the swatch

i’ve had this stitch pattern selected for ages and have been been dying to start this project for months, but was not finding just the right yarn for it. then craig sent his new yarn samples at the end of december and whammo—they are perfect. refined, yet just a little fuzzy. soft, but structured. feminine AND manly . . . perfect for this simple, elegant motif.

i’m bringing this abandoned sock, begun whilst i was designing the june 2010 installment for tina’s rockin sock club. i finished my sample and mailed it away, then started a pair for myself and never finished them. totally lame, since they knit up in a jiffy. time to get them off the needles, i say, along with the roger sock.

and if when i get those done, i will treat myself to a fresh sock project.

in desperate need of blue socks, i pulled these two skeins (i also need pinkish ones, but could not find the right thing in my stash—i told myself that they might have pink sock yarn at the vogueLive event . . .you think??)

anyway for the blue ones, i’ve decided to dig into these

on the left, the perfect hydrangea colorway from the periwinkle sheep, in honor of the fact that i’ll be in this dyer’s hometown at the end of my trip; it would be great to be knitting with her yarn by that time. and on the right, studio june’s eight bells sock in the unabashedly vivid blue suede shoes.

a hat kit, packed with enough mountain meadow wool to knit two hat samples, one in chunky weight and one in DK/light worsted.

more mink, this time in the deep forest colorway. i have this lone ball to knit another monkey bread hat, and craig is sending a couple more for the matching scarf. he’s out of the apple green colorway i showed earlier, but he has TONS of the deep green. and it’s such a great color—you’ll see.

meanwhile, i finished my scarf and blocked it—are you ready for some serious yarn prøn??

can you feel how soft that is around my neck?? just think—it hasn’t even begun to bloom—once i start wearing it, that surface will explode with minky goodness.

i love, love, love the big fat loose cables—all of that double-crossing just builds up the depth until the whole thing is a delicious beehive of warm around my neck

and from what i hear, i’m going to need it in new york—my mom was telling me it’s freezing up where she lives (and i’m headed there at the end of the trip)

so, that’s it—i’m off. for those that are coming to vogue LIVE! . . . see you there. i’ll be signing patterns on sunday from 12 to 1 pm—we’ll have a selection to sell on the spot or you can bring your own, or buy one from the sales floor. or just come by to say hello (especially if no one else is there, eek!)

that about zips it up, but i’ll be back in a few days with an update.

45 thoughts on “scenes from the before

  1. I am dying for that mink scarf pattern Anne. No pressure since I’m still finishing up the Bel Aire sweater. . . .but really. . . it is absolutely gorgeous. It almost makes me wish for icicles on my roof so I can snuggle up in it. . . .

  2. What a bunch of great projects. Very inspiring!
    The small bags are stunning. Did you make them yourself or who is making them?
    I am looking forward to see the charcoal gray rectangular scarf.
    Have a nice trip!

  3. OMG I love that scarf SOOOOO much. I don’t even knit scarves much but I MUST have it. If you need a tester let me know! And yes you’re going to need it up here, it’s been freezing!

  4. I’m joining the clamor for the amazing cabled scarf pattern and the maker of the wonderful owl bag!

  5. Beautiful scarf–looks so soft–and you will get to wear it this weekend.
    Only one day to pack for a month’s trip away–that is amazing.
    See you soon–looking forward to the big knitting event!

  6. You are so organized! Getting the projects in order is the hardest part. At least you know you’ll be in the vicinity of a *few* yarns and needles should an emergency arise.

    The apple green mink scarf is to die for. I want one in a blanket size.

  7. Oh my goodness. I am in LOVE with that scarf – cannot wait for the pattern! 🙂

    Safe travels!

  8. “Zips it up” — hahahaha!

    I have needles desperately longing to work the cabled scarf. That is one serious piece of beauty united with comfort. It looks a tad warm for typical NC winter weather, but I know several Michiganders who need.this.scarf.

    Bon voyage!

  9. See you there Anne! I love that scarf pattern and will definitely be picking one up somehow over the weekend at the conference! Come home and order some yarn from Craig.

    I have my long down jacket packed for the weekend….

  10. LOVE your cute little project bags! And that scarf looks so warm and cozy. Curious about the mink yarn…wonder if I’m still allergic. Happy, warm, safe travels!

  11. The scarf is gorgeous! How fun to have all of those projects to choose from. And if you DID forget needles, David can always bring some over when he visits 🙂

    Can you carry on ephemera or do you have to check that?

    I really want that green bag with the owls on it. I don’t suppose it’s current though…

  12. Thanks for taking time to update us all on your packing progress! It’s inspiring to see how organized you are.
    How many skeins of Craig’s yarn does it take to make that beautiful scarf?

  13. Off and away!!! I hope you have a safe trip, Anne, with as few traveling snags as possible, and good weather all around. Can’t wait to hear(read) all about it.
    Looks like you have some great projects to carry along. I love the dark green mink – have made a couple things from it.
    Be careful – and safe journeys!

  14. Sigh…

    I am yarn heaven just looking at your pictures.

    I am also a little bit jealous.

    I am in an education certification program, and the load is heavy. This has left me NO time for knittin! I don’t heve one project on my needles, and they are getting lonely!

    Have a wonderful trip!!!!

  15. Hooray for you! Karin will be so thrilled to know you are using her yarn (I LOVE it!!). I cannot wait for your trip to Albany and have already signed up for the sweater fitness class!!! I am so excited!! Safe travels–see you next month.

  16. I am suffering from serious Bag Envy! And that’s quite apart from what’s actually in them. I can well believe that you took a day to get all that sorted out! It’s always good to have choice, and you don’t want to be in the position of running out! The scarf is just luscious! People will be queuing up to fondle it! Have a safe trip.

  17. It looks like you’re good to go!! And every one of those projects is perfect. But I particularly love that scarf (as you know), and I bet the hat and scarf look GREAT on you – those are really your colors. Travel safely and well 🙂 (And remember: Passport, tickets, money, KNITTING.)

  18. The scarf is absolutely gorgeously wonderful. How many skeins of Craig’s yarn did you use for that? I’d like to get some ordered. Have a wonderful trip.

  19. Bon Voyage! Have a wonderful time.
    I’m loving that mink scarf! I guess we probably won’t see the pattern until you return?

  20. I am so overwhelmed with lust for your pink/orange/yellow owl project bag that I can hardly breath. The big cabled scarf has me somewhat back on the planet though…I think that I may get into something like that when winter rolls around here in the southern hemisphere, the cables are just so welcoming! Travel safe and happily!

  21. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that cabled scarf! My fingers are itching to cast on immediately. But no pressure with that pattern write up! =)

  22. Safe travels, Anne, until we meet again!!! Don’t worry if you don’t get to “my” yarn by then. Just the fact that you wound it into a cake and want to make something makes me happy.

    Oh and I’ll have a whole ‘nother yarn package ready for you to play with. 🙂

    See you in February. 🙂

  23. Safe travels… have a blast and I add my excitement/anticipation for the scarf pattern to come!

  24. that mink scarf is blowing my mind; it’s fabulous!! i can’t wait for the pattern; i think this is the one that will finally give me a rock-solid excuse to buy some of craig’s yarn!

  25. Wow, that scarf is making me drool. Some serious coveting there. It will go in my queue for sure. I’m also impressed that you blocked it with wires! I sort of dread stringing blocking wires through wet wool, but I do it for lace. Haven’t yet done it for anything other than lace!

  26. The scarf is simply divine….love it…the softness shows through big time!
    Wishing you safe journeying…it is SO cold over here at the moment…remember those thermals!!
    Best Wishes

  27. That is a lot of projects to bring with you.

    I can feel your scarf thru. my computer. It looks so soft and that gorgeous green. You know how to make a girl drools on her computer.

  28. My mama just told me she was ready for a new scarf and I instantly thought of your beautiful scarf. Can’t wait for the pattern!

  29. I LOVE that scarf… I am also anxious for the pattern… it kind of looks like the “le Ghirlande” scarf, but better… looser and more yummy! I hope you’re posting the pattern soon (LOVE the hat too!)
    Hope your trip is fabulous.

  30. Anne stunning… you won’t be able to publish that scarf pattern soon enough for me! LOVE LOVE LOVE it. And if there was ever a winter for it (inside and outside) in NY this was the one! Just can’t wait! Thanks for the tease!

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