As promised, this is all eye candy. First, the yarn I won and am currently knitting. I don't normally knit yarn as soon as it is acquired. But I brought this along as a backup to the Wild Apple and I've had to put that aside for now due to some recalculation of numbers that is needed. I've started the sweater I have planned with this yarn twice and am thinking of re-starting it again. I have 1200 yds and I want to see if I can make the sweater I want in this yardage. It is a challenge. The yarn is mill-ends of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in Motherlode.
Secondly, Cheryl Oberle's hand-painted lace weight alpaca. It looks as luscious as it feels. The hand-painting/dyeing has caused some of the dye to split so there are shades of purple (for example) although the overall effect is that of the chartreuse that is the main color.
I also bought a random selection of brights in Jamieson and Smith jumperweight Shetland. This, combined with some Harrisville Shetland I got from Elann a while ago, is for my chu'llos and Latvian mittens.
I blame Colleen for this next lovely. She had one the last day of Camp and I fell in love. I paid for it and asked Michelle to pick one out and send it to me. Isn't it gorgeous? It is a nostepinne...
and it is a knitting stick. You can insert a needle into this hole and tuck the stick into your belt for fast and furious knitting. However, I don't have the long double points needed to use it. But I can use it as a nostepinne.
I went to Camp with the intention of buying the Knitting Workshop DVD. I did. But I also bought the new reprint of Mary Wright's guernsey book...
and the Faroese colorwork book...
(a peek at the contents)
and a lovely book in Latvian...
Don't ask me what it is all about but it is filled with fabulous photos of sweaters like this.
And last but not least, Liz Upitis's Latvian Mittens book. This is the mitten I am going to make first.
Whew! Isn't that quite a haul? Why do I succumb when I have way too much yarn, a great knitting library and everything else I need to knit?
5 comments:
Why? 1. Because it's there.
2. Because it'll be OOP or discontinued.
3. Because you love it.
(Hugs!)
A little experimental archeology, and I'm discovering that you, well, I, anyway, cannot use my lovely knitting stick with the long gansey needles! It works GREAT with my 4-0 needles for my 18th C super fine mitts (laceweight yarn, 15+ sts/inch). With it on my right side, it puts the needles in just the right position to use an American wrap, without moving my hand _at all_, just a twitch of my forefinger (when I'm doing it right, in the grove....I'm still learning, so that grove is elusive, but I am hitting it more frequently as I practice!). The longer needles are too far away from me with the stick on! The knitting belt works well with the really long needles, but I'm finding that I don't like the belt as much. So my wonderful husband is making me another, shorter (much shorter) stick for them. MORE TOOLS!!!!! And he made me a simple, plain stick to use when dressed in colonial clothing, until I learn just what a knitting stick in the Colonies would look like!
I tied a skinny ribbon around the little grove (stunsil tack bend works great!) with a loop in the end. I feed a belt (another, wider ribbon) through the loop, and tie that around me. For 18th C use, I thread my apron through the loop, and just wear it all day. Works great with regular length DPNS!
Well, that's easy:
Because you didn't already have those exact things
Next question.
A very nice and useful and beautiful haul, indeed! Rather inspiring.....
The scary thing is that we were clearly channelling one another (perhaps it has something to do with sitting together?) but my book haul looks remarkably similar to yours... as does my yarn haul. Except way more yarn volume--a Haul indeed.
I am looking forward to making my Latvian Mittens but first a sweater for son #1, using some of the small Faroese motifs in the (out of print, indeed) Foroysk Bindingarmynstur.
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