What a week, and there is more to come ...

Yup, just when the students arrive, teaching fires, up and we are all tired from it all beginning over yet again, it gets busier, but in an exiting way. So excuse the lack of content, not much more to any of the knitting than last time, CB's second sock is slightly longer, so is my hand spun shrug, and I'm scheming new things, but first two things are sucking much of my time and energy away. First a conference, a real biggie, design and art education (sorry Art and Design - design is being invited in for the first time, we are apparently the new kids) in New Zealand, planned for here in 2009, and right now, I'm spending 2-3 afternoons week on it, imagine closer to the time how much time I will need? 2nd, well thats more exiting, the ID emerging designer show, oh wow, just got home from after work drinks and mingles with the entrants and their minders, shows tomorrow, Friday, and Saturday night. I'm going to be one tired bunny by the end of it all, seriously I'm a morning person, and by the end of day with students - well I want my own mental space, but it is exiting. 25 international entrants selected from 95 and 3 are 'ours', and we are not judging!

So knitting, the sock grows, the heel needs turning and then onwards to the toe, not much else to report. I am loving the Crystal palace needles, so smooth and pointy. I'm also loving the linen stitch, nice texture, 'will buy again' as my favorite food reviewer says of the products she reviews in the sunday magazine.




And the shrug, yes it grows, and look two circs, again. This time I'm using a knit-pics harmony and an addi, so there is less chance of knitting the whole lot onto the one needle. But, yes two circs means I can make both sleeves in the round at once, but it seems slower.

... and I'm still planning a cardigan in that alpaca, oh I have not forgotten the vest, but thats for mid year, for now I want a cardigan. The latest IW knits arrived here on our shores, and I like bits of Slyph but not the over all shape. My body needs longer, and leaner perhaps. Also the guage is all wrong for the yarn I have, so this morning I measured one of my favorite commercial cardigans and compared those measurements to the ones taken of me at last years Knit to Fit workshop. I am thinking of using the overall slip stitch pattern, the waist detail and the neck line treatment (so pretty) and working them into a standard open front boring-middle-aged-pretty-cardigan, that I would just wear and wear. Not every thing needs to be edgy. I just need to work out what to do below the waist, and for the sleeve hems, I'm not sure picking up a cast on edge in the silky alpaca will give me a smooth finish, but I will need some flare, I do have hips.

and spinning, I've been admiring all the lovely multi toned and hued and coloured rovings out there, and the incredibly beautiful yarns made from them like this. But question is - what do yarns like that knit up like, I see lots of yarns and not much knitting of them, or am I missing something? I'm thinking that roving needs to be subdued and tonal rather than contrasty. Still I like the technique that Rebekkah discusses in her post, must try that.

take care, see you at the shows maybe, if you got tickets, I'll be in black at one of them ushering, and front row at another.
Stella