freedom

Posted on annePosted in designing, lace/shawls, projects

i am so done with the secret knitting, yay. i have one more pattern to write up and that’s it. last night i actually knit on something just for the hell of trying it out and then ripped it back and then reknit it . . . . it’s so good to play.
and it is very, very good to be back to bloggable knitting.

remember that really fun coppery swatch i showed a while back for a scarf (above, right). i hoped to start it right after lacewing was done as a reward for finishing the shawl? well judy contacted me to say she’d be switching yarn bases and i should hold off on starting it if possible. so i worked away on secret projects instead and then last week, the new yarn arrived (above, left).

so last night i wound it up and got started swatching it. the new yarn, sirena, is smoother and heavier, more of a DK weight. it’s a little heftier than i usually use for a little nothings scarf, but the color is still the only perfect one for this pattern that i have on hand. so i went up a needle size or two and re-swatched it.

i thought it was kind of bigger than i wanted and maybe too thick, so i tried it in another stitch

i like this fine but it just doesn’t have the fun, joyful look of the original stitch pattern. so i looked at other, lighter-weight yarns in my store of stuff and thought about this one

it would be perfectly fine . . . but it just doesn’t say “jester” and that’s the word that’s guiding this project—i can’t get the picture of the funny little man in the diamond-print costume it out of my mind when i look at the stitch pattern. so i’m pulling it back again and starting over.
sometimes, i just have to try all the options before coming back to the first one, you know?

as soon as i have cast on again and have some inches knit (that won’t take long; one of the pros of the heavier yarn is that it knits up fast), i’ll show you what it looks like for real. the new yarn has some great qualities like good stitch definition and more yardage per skein—i’ll have plenty for a scarf. and it’s cuddly soft and yummy (as was the other base).

i also took out another project that’s been on hold for a bit

and have been adding to it in my late-night knitting while i watch TV. stephanie now has restocked this colorway, eaving, in her shop, and i will be finishing it in the next little bit. it’s nice to be working on a sock with an allover lace pattern; i’ve done so many man socks lately and i was missing the feeling of delicate yarn in my hands (i’m using the “sylph” version of her yarn choices).

i’m anxious to get the scarf with abby’s yarn going,

but decided to wait for the right needle size—i need something in between the two sizes i used for the above swatches. i ordered it from knitpicks and it’s on its way, so that scarf should be underway soon.

and then lastly i started a new big project, which has been in planning for a long, long time. it started as just a spark in my mind last year, and piece by piece has pulled together over quite a few months. excruciatingly pleasant in its way

full story with swatches tomorrow . . . time to go knit!

22 thoughts on “freedom”

  2. Freedom!!!

    Look at all the loveliness you have going there. I can’t wait to see what you have up your sleeves with the last one.

  4. I can’t wait to see more of the new big project: it looks very promising. But I’ll have to wait till next week, as I’m off tomorrow for a weekend getaway… to the Vermont Sheep & Wool! Yay! Have a great weekend!

  6. The swatches all look lovely. And as the recent recipient of one of your secret projects — the lace club — I’ll forgive the un-blogabble knitting. 😀

  7. Very prosperous and pretty knitting, but I’m wondering just one little thing–where is your sweater?? hmmmmmmmm? curious minds want to know…. 😉

  11. you must be a great note-taker, because I would never remember what I was doing with all those swatches!

  15. Oh my. I’m anxious to see what the yarn for that last project is. If you’ve already told us, please remind me. If not, I’ll wait (with credit card in hand.)

    (When I first typed “yarn” I misspelled it “yearn”. I guess that kind of says it all, eh?)

  16. You’re a big tease Anne.. . Write another dang post and tell us what-up with that last purpley stuff. I love it!

  18. I’m interested to see what you do with the copper wool which is thicker than you usually use. I have been tempted to try some of your shawls at that sort of weight. Usually when I reach for a shawl it’s because I’m cold and need something to cuddle up in. And a scarf could be expanded into a stole rectangle for just this purpose couldn’t it. hmmmm

  19. I can’t wait ’till you surprise us with what’s cooking on your needles now!! 🙂 Speaking of cooking, I tried your recipe for drying tomatoes!!! and oh my goodness 🙂 I’ve done two batches and EACH time after they come out of the oven, they are devoured: so sweet my DH and I couldn’t believe it!!! Lip smackin’ good!!! Did take your advice too, I went for all the dp’s and circular interchangeables, Harmony wooden needles…they are wonderful too!! I must have missed the sweater part…Perk!!!! Can’t wait to see this as well….thanks for wonderful inspiration! 🙂

  20. Ooh! Lots and lots of lovely swatches! I think you’re right to go back to the original stitch pattern/color combination on that first one — they go together so very well. And the stitch motif for Abby’s yarn is beautiful!! The big one looks wonderfully mysterious — I can’t wait to see it 🙂

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