Warm

It's been a week of cool misty mornings clearing to sunny days and I've been taking advantage of the opportunity to walk as often as I can. My regular track follows a nearby creek--lots of trees but not many of them deciduous. Nevertheless the weather has me thinking of autumn colours. I spun these up this morning.

These are not so much the colours I see around me this autumn. Maybe I'm trying to capture some of the feel of autumn and the promise of warmth. Anyway I've got enough for another pair of wrist warmers.

Defiant

I had to go into the city on the train yesterday. It's not a long trip, but by the time you add a few minutes waiting at the station and the possibility of delays, it's certainly too long a trip to go without a knitting project. I didn't have anything suitable on my needles. I did have enough time for a quick rummage through my odd balls box. There was a wool-silk blend from several years ago that I'd forgotten about. Now it looks like this:

These wristies are so solid that they stand alone! Yet the merino and silk fibre is kind on sensitive skin as well as being warm. And I defy any winter wind to cut its way through this fabric!

Blueberry Pudding

Another set of cuties for me to wear--another few balls of yarn moving from my living space to my wardrobe. I finished this hat and wristies set yesterday and by the time I wove in the last loose end I was rather pleased with myself.I've got a matching cowl already in use. It's made from the purple mohair alone. For this set I teamed the mohair with a lavender merino. I found the merino alone a bit bland, but with the mohair it made me happy. The pudding-bowl hat is crocheted with the mohair and wool held together: thick yarn + treble stitch = quick and easy. The wristies are another exercise in "round and round" knitting--I'm getting reasonably confident with juggling those little pointy needles. I finished them off with a crochet ruffle. This morning I read through the introduction to my Sock book. I know, I know, I keep talking about it and I haven't done it yet, but I like to sneak up on these challenges and catch them unawares. By the time I actually get to knitting a sock, I'll have been talking about it for so long that I'll hardly even notice the bump . . . maybe . . .

More Tubes

I've continued to practise going round and round. This time with the grey silky wool which I bought at the Handknitters' Guild sale and spun up the next day.Just now I'd like to rename the silky wool and slinky wool--it's so slippery and I'm using metal needles. I don't normally fuss much about the needles that I use, but if you look carefully at the wristwarmer that I've finished, you might notice that there's about an inch of rib on the far right. To knit the rib I have to change the orientation of the working needle after every stitch. With slippery wool on metal needles, that feels like the proverbial can of worms. Oh well . . . overall I was pleased with how the knitting went ahead and I hope to have another completed project to check off my list soon.

Round and Red

Remember my "round and round" challenge? I've been getting myself used to using four double pointed needles to make knitted tubes. I've been happily wearing those wrist warmers and decided I could use another pair. Another recent personal challenge has been to wear a bit more brightness than usual--and to find some accessories to complement my new trousers. Yesterday those two challenges came together in a pretty bit of spontenaeity. Here's the result: Knitted wrist warmers with a touch of red--the red and blue stripe is a crochet trim--and a crochet hat to match. The hat is done with the two yarns held together and 5 mm crochet hook, so it's really thick and solid. And today just happens to be Bastille day. I'm not expecting to storm any fortresses, but with a forecast of 13, hail and a possible thunder storm, I could do with a bit of extra protection from the elements.

Scraps of Warmth and Colour

I'm teaching my first ever "One Skein Wonders" class tonight. I'm planning on more of a workshop format, with a bit of useful theory. Of course I want there to be lots of fun and inspiration as well. Over the last few days I've prepared a few more samples using small amounts of special yarns.

I'm particularly pleased with this little wrist warmer. The lacing means it can fit a good range of sizes. I think it would even work as an anklet on a small person or a very slim one--that's not me!
I've prepared an outline for the class already. Today all I need to do is pick through my collection for a few more samples. I'll also pick out a few small skeins of my handspun and hand-dyed yarns to use. This is a new venture for me, but one that's close to my heart. If it all goes well, I'll do it again soon.