Roll Call

This seems to be the present trend in blogland, and I couldn't resist, in spite of the fact that doing it without pictures is ever so slightly lame. Disturbingly, I can only access a stripped down version of Blogger at present - none of the icons for preview, photo loading, links, etc. Always something........ and only 20 more days until the desktop arrives.

So, enough whining, and on to The List:

1) On the needles, and almost finished (after only 2 days!): a funky recycled sari silk vest. This was an "it's getting chilly sooner than I thought and most of my clothes are still in Saskatchewan" sort of project. I bought the silk a couple of years ago on ebay because I loved the colours (blues and greens - what else?) and the concept. Never mind that it is horrifically overspun and takes the "thick and thin" thing to a whole new level - I HAD to use it, and it HAD to become a garment. I paired it with a no nonsense Briggs and Little worsted weight wool and knitted it in plain stockinette on big needles. There was a small crisis of confidence halfway through, but having just knitted the shoulder seams together, it does not look like fun fur after all, and I think it is going to be perfect. The last step now is to add ribbing at the borders in doubled wool alone on slightly smaller needles, to keep everything tidy.

2) Taking a little break while waiting for #1: The navy and white striped cotton sweater (which deserves a much better name). Will also come in very handy for the aforementioned chilly weather.

3) Swatching: An ornate, bright white, heavy Aran pullover, slated to be chic outerwear for fall. I bought the wool for this two years ago, and now that I am finally getting around to it, I see that bright white designer Arans are everywhere this fall. So much for being ahead of the curve. Presently I am lying awake nights fitfully rearranging cables and knotwork, waiting for the perfect original central design to gel. (Because if I'm going to reaggravate my carpal tunnel syndrome by endlessly cabling heavy wool, it had better be in the service of something truly show-stopping.)

4) Swatched, designed, not yet begun: the Stormy Sky scarf - a FI design in handpainted laceweight silk and Jaegerspun Zephyr at 11 stitches to the inch on size 0 needles. Yes, it is quite possible that I am stark raving mad, or will be in short order.

5) Reposing in a giant black garbage bag in a corner of the bedroom: eleventeen hundred balls of Lopi for Guinevere's Aran doggy sweater.

6) In the stash, not begun: sweaters for DS and DD, knitted dolls (for Christmas), a knitted Gromit, many many socks, a Shetland Tea Shawl from A Gathering of Lace, and...... other stuff, much of it for Christmas.

And last, but not least, now that I have at least a rudimentary studio set up , I'm back to pushing the limits of silver. I have a botanical collection in the works with lifelike crocheted flowers and knitted leaves that I'm very excited about. Hopefully the gallery in town will be equally enthusiastic.