Here is the loathed shawl















And day 4 of the new sweater

This must be one of the most infrequently updated fiber blogs online. Well, don't say I didn't warn you.

I actually have been knitting a lot, but I HATE the pattern I was knitting. It's the Spring Lace Shawl. I've made it before, years ago, and hated doing it so much that I ended the shawl a full pattern repeat early. I'd made it out of hemp so I could see whether or not I liked it enough to make it with the cashmere that was given to me with the pattern. I didn't, and the cashmere eventually went to waste (m@th$)! Overall, I had a negative impression of the whole project.

Occasionally, I still wear the shawl - I have it on today - but I'm generally not a triangle shawl type of person, so mostly it was all for naught. (I have other patterns by the same company, which I like and recall no errors from, but this particular on just gets under my skin.)

But get this - my brother loves the shawl and wanted me to make another one, as a favor to him, to give to his boss. I couldn't get him to change his mind about the pattern or the materials. He wanted it out of hemp, just like mine. I cannot adequately convey to you how pissed I was about having to do this. Raw hemp is not fun to knit with (although it has softened up and lightened in my old shawl so that it's quite lovely).

To make matters worse, it turns out the copy of the pattern I have is full of errors! I didn't bother to correct them last time I made it because I knew I was never making it again. So I had to refind them and refigure them out. (I wrote them down this time.) About this time, I'd put the project down in disgust. The damned yarn wasn't in my budget in the first place, I hate the pattern, my version was unique and I didn't want to duplicate it, and I don't even know the recipient; I certainly couldn't be bothered. But I'd been in a seriously crappy mood, and figured I'd exacerbate it, so I hauled ass to finish the shawl by last Thursday. (I don't have it with me - will photograph it tomorrow.) I have yet to mail it off to my brother.

So - the outcome of this: new rules.

I don't make anything for anyone by request, unless I want to, or they're paying for it. (Rates may range from 5¢ - 50¢ or more per yard, subject to my discretion.)

Now that I have that off of my chest....
Currently, I'm working on a pattern I want to knit. Dawn by Euroflax Linen. I got linen/silk from School Products on sale. This is 3 day's work.

I hope to have this done in two weeks, so I can wear it on vacation. I'm optimistic. My volleyball season is over, so I won't be damaging my thumbs or going out drinking with the team during that time. I can concentrate on knitting.

I started the arm warmers from the Anticraft, but then I realized that the pattern was just duplicate stitch, so I lost interest. I was all of the way up to the knuckles when I bailed on the project. On the other hand, I think I'd like to make some fitted gloves. I like how the arm warmers tapered in at the wrist. Maybe some fitted-mid forearm length gloves would be good.

I skeined the grey yarn with which I was going to make the skulls/snowflakes. I'll use that for the gloves. I'll have to find a nice lace border, and a more fitted palm than the one I usually use...

Someone pointed out The AntiCraft to me today. That's just what I need at the moment. I think Snowball's Chance in Hell will be my next project after the scarf. I was wondering what to do with all the sport-weight I've been spinning. I'll use what I've spun as the contrast, and spin a bobbin of black for the main color.

I'm spinning again, I just haven't been blogging. In fact, I'm knitting again as well. I'm currently working on a scarf.









And I've been spinning corriedale on the weekends while watching movies.










I'm tempted to spin enough for a sweater, but I know I don't have the patience. That would be at least 2 months of spinning at this rate.

For what it's worth, the aforementioned yarn store, which sold us multiple dyelots for that aran project, gave a full refund for all of the yarn, even that which had already been knit/rolled into balls. I understand they were very apologetic as well.

I did not mention their name when I spoke ill of them, and I will not mention it now, lest others take too great advantage of their generosity.

We're going to School Products Thursday to re-select yarn.

I made a hat yesterday.

I tried to use this pattern, which I found a link to on You Knit What?!? I used a bulky, charcoal grey cashmere from School Products, which I had bought for my birthday.

But since I seem to be physically incapable of following simple instructions, I changed a few things.

1. My hats are always 88 stitches. They just are. It makes my life simpler.
2. I don't understand why one would do seed stitch in the round on an even number of stitches, as called for in the pattern, when on an odd number, it's jogless. I did it on an even number for the hat band (see item #1), but switched to an odd number on the earflaps (where technically, it didn't matter, but it appealed to my sense of symmetry).
3. I can't bring myself to put cat ears on this. The stockingette is so smooth and nice. If I want to be irreverent, I'll tie the earflaps on top of my head.

I haven't done the pompons yet on the flap ties. I can't decide if I want to do a pompon on top too.

There's a Devil Hat pattern on the same site. Since I still have a ton of the red cashmere leftover from my entrelac turtleneck sweater, maybe I'll do a hat with horns yet.