Starting

If the last post was about finishing then this post needs to be about starting. (The topic of continuing will be another post.)

While the first steps in production happened this weekend, the two project I just started have been months (years for one) in the planning process. When I embark on a project I might just get the idea, buy the supplies and then start immediately. Others start as a germ of an idea and then proceed slowly as I figure out the how, what and why of the project. (For the writing teachers out there, the who, where and so what are usually the initial driving factors.)

Some projects may go from start to finish in the course of a weekend (a hat, a pair of socks knit while traveling) others may take months or even years.

The sweater below started as a concept the day that my son accepted his offer to the University of Michigan. It took a year and a half to get it to a finished state. The knitting only took a month. The other 17 months were spent thinking about it. Swatching, ordering thinner yarn, swatching again, graphing the notes, figuring out what to do on the sleeves (there is a clef on the right sleeve and a stop mark on the left) until I finally had it figured out. Mostly. There was still a considerable amount of recalculating done on the fly as I knit.

Other projects start as fiber that "jumps" into my arms in a store or at a fiber festival or fabric that just calls out to be a dress or, an idea that I want to try because it seems intriguing.

Last weekend I started  two projects. One began as fiber just begging to be spun and the other started as an idea begging to be created.

First up, I started knitting a new wrap/scarf thing in a handspun merino silk blend from Lisa Souza. The fiber was purchased at the New York Sheep and Wool festival at least two years ago, probably 3 or 4, and spun within a year of purchase. It has been sitting on a shelf looking pretty for about 2 years. 

My second project is a pair of cargo pants. The idea of making cargo pants crept into my head shortly after I successfully made my second dress this spring. A member of my family is tall and thin and favors cargo pants and it is difficult to get them in a waist size that also fits his leg length.

There are not that many patterns out there that fit the bill so much time was spent searching on line until I found one that also came with a video tutorial. I found the pattern two months ago but it took me this long to find what I think is the right fabric. Saturday was spent piecing the pattern together and cutting it out. Sunday I cut the fabric and started sewing. Monday was spent sewing al day. I successfully completed the front with the zipper, two side pockets and one front pocket over the 3 day weekend.

Neither project was finished over the weekend. I expected to finish the pants some time over the week but didn't get much done. Between evening activities (hello Carnegie Hall!) and this weekend's trip to the New York Sheep and Wool festival (hello Rhinebeck!)  these may be three weekends in the making.

The scarf/wrap has been cast on but it will likely take a month or two to complete. But then the satisfaction is in the process -- starting and finishing are just two of the steps.

#sewing #productivefidgeting #knitting #cargopants

Stocking Up

Earlier today I predicted a long, cold winter. Having thus predicted, it was imperative to make sure that the apartment was fully provisioned.Squidette's new hat

Fun Fiber for me

It was pretty!

It shouted "take me home" so loudly that I had to buy it to shut it up.

These whispered "make your son a sweater" (And there is so much that I might get one, too!)

Squidette's new sweater. Yes, it does sparkle. Why do you ask?

Comfort spinning for those times when I really don't want to worry about consistency. I see a woven shawl coming from these ...

I am now totally prepared for multiple snow days ... yeah, right, like that'll happen!

(A preknit pair of gloves for Little Squid also found their way into my bag as did some beef jerkey. But that's it. I swear!)

Still Alive and Spinning ...

Earlier today I bumped into Penny who was happy to see that I was still alive and interested in fibery pursuits. I appoligize to her much as I am now about to appologize to you, gentle reader.

When I started this blog, it was a nice outlet for my literary creativeness. These days, however, that outlet is being found, nightly, as I attempt to craft lesson plans that will capture the imagination (and attention) of my students. By the time I'm done, my urge to write any more is gone for the night. So, too, is my urge to knit or do much more than play Zuma's Revenge.

I did, however, find the urge, still within me, to drive 2+ hours to Rhinebeck, NY to play in the wooly goodness that is the New York Sheep and Wool Festival.

Want to see my goodies? (Get your mind out of the gutter! This is a family friendly blog!)


The pink log is 70% Suri Alpaca, 30% Silk from Flaggy Meadow Fiber Works. The big bump is 100% Coopsworth from Maple Row Stock Farm (no website). The Alpaca was my first purchase of the day and I was so attracted to it that when I went through the barn again at the end of the day, I almost bought it again! Fortunately I came to my senses just as I started to approach the inside of the booth and realized that I had already impulse purchased it. The blue just kind of jumped out at me and clearly stated that it needed to be a nice warm shawl.

Here are an early and a late purchase. The dark blue attacked Little Squid and insisted that he needed his mother to spin socks for him. The lighter blue was missed in the initial attack and was spied jumping into my hands a few hours later just because I really love Grafton Fibers batts.
The brown top on the left is Chocolate Alpaca and Tussah and the lighter brown/grey top is Finn Wool and Yak, both from Shadeyside Fibers. Both were a "I'll remember where they are and come back for them later" purchase which had me miss-remembering what barn they were in and recombing almost all of the numbered barns in search of them . I really wanted some yak and, some more alpaca -- having conveniently forgotten that I'd already purchased some earlier in the day.

The big red bump is 9 ounces of Coopworth dyed with madder and iron from Handspun By Stefania. It was mainly purchased because my Rhinebeck experience would not be complete without buying something from Stefania. I love her naturally died wools and they spin up so quickly!

The kids got some stuff, too.

Squidette got this kit:She is going to dive into Little Squid's domain and attempt some needle felting. Little Squid got some puff balls to do some felting on his own. No pictures of his haul -- he already put it away.

All in all, a lovely day. The crowds were ... well, not crowds. The weather was damp and mildly rainy but we stayed relatively dry. Lunch consisted of lamb ravioli for the kids and lamb and barley soup for me, followed by apple cider donuts, hot chocolate and finally soft pretzels as a snack for the trip home.

The drive was ... well I really don't like highway driving. I just do not know what to do with my foot when it isn't hitting the brake every two seconds. Give me Manhattan traffic any day!

Now, off to do some spinning on Mike's sweater. Have to finish that spinning before I can start in on the new stuff!