Constancy of Stash Level

I finished my latest Broadripple socks and wore them to Thursday night knitting. I've lost count how many times it is that I've knit this pattern. Such a beautiful sock and, at only 56 stitches around, it's a very fast knit.
I enjoyed knitting this BFL Sock so much that I decided I needed another skein of Fleece Artist. Oh it's not like I don't have any more yarn at home. The women at knit night joked that having recently finished a project, I needed to keep my stash level constant. Also, I needed a pick-me-up and this $19.95 yarn is not just beautiful; it's also economical.

I laboured over the choice between 3 or 4 colourways. Then I got it narrowed down to the bottom two. I was drawn to the coral/pink partly because it was Fleece Artist's Kidazzle, a yarn I've not tried before. On top of the wool and nylon, there is a touch of mohair. However, as much as I love trying new things, the bright ocean colours in the upper skein of BFL Sock won over in the end. That's the one I took home.

Unskeined for maximum viewing.

Poem

the slow striptease of our concepts
     -it is even this which builds us, 
for you I would subtract my images
     for the nude truth beneath them

as you, voluptuous, as with mirrors at the loins
     are unclothed piece by piece until
each cloth is slander to your skin and
     nakedness itself is silk across your rising sex

Gwendolyn MacEwen, A Breakfast for Barbarians
The Ryerson press 1966

A Knitalong Just in Time For the Holidays

I am excited to have joined the Indie Gift-A-Long on Ravelry. I stumbled across it on Laura Chau's blog. She is just one of several hundred indie designers participating. 

What's not to love about this? Support an independent designer, get a 25% discount on patterns and join a fun knitalong that makes you eligible to win great prizes! Love it! As I told Laura, "They had me at prizes." The discount lasts until November 21 if you'd like to take advantage. Use the code giftalong2014 when purchasing any of the eligible patterns.

I had no trouble choosing a pattern. I've decided on Laura's Sagano Shawl. It's unique and sumptuous. The textured daisy stitch makes it look so warm and that's a big plus with the sudden onset of winter we had here in Ontario this week. The yarn I've chosen to use is some Indigo Dragonfly Polwarth Silk that's been in my stash for a while. In fact, I thought of it immediately for this shawl before I even dug it out of the bins. There was a brief hesitation because it's such a large skein - 685 metres - and the pattern (with an extended border) will use 500 at most. However, the colour is perfect for this project. Beauty won out over economy in the end. I'll just have to find a second small project to use up the rest of the yarn.

Oops, Forgot

It dawns on me that after all that posting about the Rhinebeck Sweater's progress, I never actually posted the end product. It's been up on Ravelry for quite a while now. 
I am very, very delighted with this sweater. It's exactly what I wanted. Warm and cozy. Simple enough to go with everything but not dull. Neutral bit still noticeable. Timeless design. It's definitely a wardrobe staple.

Pattern: #19 Cabled Cardigan by Margaret O'Leary

Yarn:  Berroco Ultra Alpaca

Everybody looks better in autumn colours!

Winter Wool

It's a gray, cold day here and I am home sick. There are three other current projects on which I could be working; all of them light and silky or lacy and pale. Today however, I need to be organic. I need warm earth. So I've been knitting this oh so woolly wool (Blue Faced Leicester to be exact) with its rich autumn colours on warm bamboo needles. I may have just found the cure for the common cold.

Yarn: Fleece Artist BFL Socks
Colour: Kiss Curls
Pattern: Broadripple by Rob Matyska,  Knitty Summer 2003

A Gratitude Post

I posted this earlier on Facebook today and am re-printing it here because I am feeling uncharacteristically gushy today.

As many of you know, I have been involved for some time in a labour dispute with my former employer. One thing I've learned on this journey is that there are people who have the power to be nice - to "do the right thing" as Spike Lee would say. Yet they withhold help that could be so easily given. Then there are other people for whom being helpful and kind is actually a great deal of effort and hard work. Yet these people give support with such grace and good humour. Thankfully, I have met a lot of the latter group in the last months. Feeling very grateful today.

 It's been a rough two months. Today there was a small victory and I am feeling like my choices have been validated. A good day.