On the Needles | All about Jane...

It's a happy Sunday in our home - the boys are lounging, hubby is assembling his new office chair and I'm writing out a new recipe for trial later today. We're having tacos for supper (yeah, tacos are kind of the best) and I've wanted to make homemade refried beans for a long time, so we'll see how it goes. Fingers. Are. Crossed. Of course I could just use an existing recipe, but that's just not how I roll. *wink*

Before the evening events get underway - supper prep, podcast prep, podcast recording, supper eating, settling in to watch TV - I'm going to get back at some knitting from last weekend. We talked about these projects in last week's podcast and I'm here to share a few more details... 

This is what happened last weekend and I'm getting back to work on all of these lovelies this weekend - it was only after all were cast on that I realized all 3 new projects were Jane Richmond designs. LOL! I still have a sweater that's in the naughty corner, but the sleeves are slowly getting knit (again), so I hope to show that off soon. In the meantime, I needed a wee bit of a knitting pick-me-up and this was my answer. Really, one naughty project justifies casting on 3 new ones - right?!

First up are those super-amazing-spectacular socks... the pattern is Climb (by Jane) and the yarn is Spun Right Round 80/20 SW Sport in Renee's classic Graffiti colorway - it's a fresh arrival at Firefly Fibers and this month's featured yarn for the Sock of the Month Club, so I had to cast on. This is the 4th time I've knit Climb and this pair is raveled as Sporty Climb. 

If you haven't tried Spun Right Round, you really should! We carry SW Sock and SW Sport Sock at the store, but it sells so fast and each skein is so unique that it's not currently available in our online shop. If you can't visit Firefly to see this gorgeous yarn in person, Renee has an Etsy shop that is sure to make you drool (a lot). 

The second project is the Clarke Pullover (also by Jane)... 

This is a sweater that is going to get a lot of use. We got a huge order of Tosh DK a few weeks back and I couldn't resist casting on Clarke. My color choices are similar to Jane's with Dirty Panther and Antler and it will be endlessly wearable, but a friend also cast one on and is using a rich purple that I can't wait to see knit up. Honestly, I'm already planning at least one more Clarke, but for now, this one is raveled as Classic B &W Clarke.

For project success when striping... pre-wash dark colors with a wool wash and a couple tablespoons of white vinegar before casting on to avoid them bleeding onto lighter colors. Trust me, it's worth the extra time and effort. 

Last up is Arbutus (again, Jane.  I swear I'm not a stalker)... this is the January project for our Simply Handmade-along and there's still time to join (check out the Arbutus Love post for details and the discount code on Tosh DK through Monday 1/25)! This is my 3rd Arbutus and for this one I'm using Tosh DK - raveled as Arbutus the Third (Arbutus the second sadly didn't make it onto ravelry)... 

This is a fun and interesting knit with short rows and the project resembling an alien mouth (in my mind, anyway) while in progress.

If you enjoy a bit of knitting geekery... I'm using my preferred short row method - wrapless short rows - for Arbutus. Ysolda has a fabulous video for the wrapless short row method on her Technique Thursday page - be sure to check this page out, her tutorials are great! 

So, there you have it. This is the rest of my weekend and I think it looks pretty awesome!

Are you knitting this weekend? Do you have a favorite short row technique?

Cheers!

On the Needles | Things are twisted...

As the weather is cooling down, my list of knitting "wants" continues to grow, but I'm trying very hard to get some projects off the needles and not cast on too many new projects. You see, I have several pairs of socks in progress (I'm not going to count, it's really just embarrassing at this point), 3 sweaters (maybe 4 or 5, but one is going to be frogged and the yarn re-purposed for a shop sample and 2 are linen and it's not really linen weather in Wisconsin now),  a hippo that needs to be done this weekend since the recipient will be arriving in a couple weeks, and a few others. A list might be a good idea, but (for now) I'm going to focus on getting a few projects finished before I shock myself into reality. 

This weekend I've focused on turning the heel on a pair of socks and 2 other projects:

The first is the pink... I've been beta-testing for the new CustomFit shapes that are coming soon *squee* and with my sweater body finished and on the blocking boards, today was the day to cast on the sleeves. I'm several inches past the twisted rib cuff and I expect to wrap up the first one tonight yet and hopefully the second tomorrow. It's exciting to think that there's a very good chance that I'll be wearing this sweater (and be able to share details) in just a few days!

The second project is the brim of a hat - also twisted rib... This is a new project that I just couldn't resist casting on and it's going to make a fabulous Firefly Fibers shop sample when it's done. This is the Passerine Hat by Erica Heusser and I can't wait to get past the brim and start knitting those birds! 

© Erica Heusser

I've had my eye on Passerine and managed to push it aside, but then a friend mentioned it to me a few days ago, and with the sleeves queued up, casting on was inevitable to motivate me. So, after contemplating Unicorn Tail colors yesterday for much longer than necessary since I stare at them for hours a day at the shop, I finally decided on Glazed Pecan for the body and Cousteau for the birds.  Did I mention that I can't wait to start knitting those birds?!  The pattern calls for 3 Unicorn Tails of the MC and 1 of the CC, but I decided to go with a full skein of TML for the body since I'm sure I'll be knitting more than one and the Glazed Pecan is a great background color.  

With that... I better wrap up and get back to the knitting (and the very neglected crying husky). Hubby is helping family up north today and he'll be home soon, so I should probably get some supper started and prep for our weekly podcast recording. I hope you found some time to create this weekend!

Cheers! 

On the Needles | Sweaters and Baa-bles, oh my...

October has been lovely in Wisconsin - the temps have been cool enough to start wearing the handknits, but not so much to have to bundle up yet. I love fall and the instinctual nature that comes with it to suddenly knit everything and prepare for winter. It's unrealistic to knit everything, but that never seems to stop me and I usually do find the time to get most of it done. This fall is no exception. 

I have a lot on the needles and maybe one day I'll get brave enough to divulge the dirty details, but for today, here's a peek at what's getting the most attention...

I have two sweaters that are actively in progress, the first is Eddy. It's a built-in CustomFit design and a fast knit. I cast on last weekend when we went we made a run to IKEA to pick up more shelving for the shop and knit a good portion of the back in the car and finished it up on Monday evening. See, I told you it was fast. These are the sleeves in progress last night after wrapping up the work week and tonight I'll be finishing up the sleeve caps and casting on the front. I'm confident that I'll be ready to start seaming in just a few days.  

This one is knit to fit me, but it won't be FOR me. Yeah, I'm really okay with this and have not lost my mind. One of the lovey shops that participates in the CustomFit program has coordinated a CustomFit trunk show and I'm one of the shops that volunteered to knit a sweater to donate. I'm really excited to see everything come together with this joint effort from the shops and I think Eddy will be popular with sweater knitters from beginner to experienced - larger yarn, quick knit, super cozy and a classic cowl neck style. 

Next up is another CustomFit sweater... this one is a beta-test for the new shapes that will be launching in the near future. I'm testing a straight shape and I'm using Meadow Road by Bonnie Sennot for the front and back lace design. It's really coming along nicely and I should be on sleeves for this one in just a few days, too. I usually opt for neutrals and fitted sweaters, so this will be quite a change for me and I'm kind of excited. 

The last project I have to share today is one that jumped onto my needles this morning, Baa-ble by Donna Smith. I fell in love with this version knit by Courtney Kelley of Kelbourne Woolens in their newest Fibre Co yarn, Cumbria. This gorgeous new yarn is featured in our fall knitalong and I haven't had a chance to knit with it yet, but a couple weeks ago I saw Courtney had cast on her version of Baa-ble in Cumbria. So, for what seemed like forever (really, it was about 2 weeks), I sat on pins and needles waiting for our backordered colors of Cumbria to arrive and the wait was finally over this last Friday.

This picture is from this morning and I'm now getting into the sheep and loving it - along with one of our new yarn bowls that also just arrived this last week! I'm knitting like the wind so I can make some fabulous Baa-ble kits for our lovely knitters when I get back to the shop this week. Yes, I said KITS!!! If you're interested in one of these kits, just contact the shop and we'll email you as soon as they're ready. Otherwise, just stay tuned... 

Oh, that lovely Fringe Supply Field Bag that my 2 sweaters are being transported in, is another new arrival at Firefly Fibers (it's been a rather exciting week)! I've had one for awhile and I absolutely love it and am confident it will be with me for the long haul. 

So, there you have it. I'm going to go back to "reading" Eleanor & Park via audible and knitting on Baa-ble until I'm summoned by Mr. Yarnista to record this week's podcast episode. 

Cheers!