Category Cast-On Monday

Cast-On Monday: Borough For Sale

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I started a commissioned project last week, for an agility friend.  She wanted something special to give to her mom for Christmas.  Normally, when I quote my going rate for custom knits, the response is a moment of silence, followed by a vague excuse.  This isn’t un-intentional on my part — I have a lot of design knitting and a lot of personal knitting I want to do, and knitting a specific project for someone else needs to be worth the time.  My base rate is $0.25/yard, plus cost of yarn — which doesn’t approach minimum wage for most projects, yet is far more than most people are willing to pay.

This time though, my friend said something along the lines of, “Great, do you think you can be done before Christmas?  Do I pay you now?”  So, for the first time in a while, I’m working a for-pay project. I don’t want to give any photos or other important information away — Christmas surprise and all that — but suffice to say the yarn is DELICIOUS and I am loving the project.

CO Monday: I’ve been a-swatching

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No new projects this week! Instead, I’ve been swatching for Classic Elite Yarn.  Their Fall 2013 call for submission was inspiring, and I have sketches for three different projects.  I picked up swatching yarn last Thursday, and I’ve been working hard.  I think I’ve finally found the right cable design for the first idea. Yay!

In other news, I wanted to share a horrible thing that happened this weekend.  Brace yourself — it’s really sad.

Ready?

I forgot my knitting at home, and was at a two-day agility trial without my knitting bag. 

I’ll give you a moment. I know, it’s hard to handle even the idea of no knitting.

I was fortunate in that I had some emergency backup knitting in the car — it’s my “waiting in the carpool lot” knitting, a hat I’m not crazy about in yarn that I love. So, it could have been worse.  I did get a day “behind” on my 365 Puffs project, but somehow, I will survive.

Cast-On Monday: Prototype Shawl the Third, Sept 2012 RSC Sock

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I designed and cast on for the third shawl in my upcoming three-shawl collection.  Although I originally had a very sweet and romantic set of names picked out for these three designs, I have come to understand that they feel differently about themselves.  I have heard authors talk about their characters having minds of their own, and subverting the plot, and now I feel I have experienced something similar.  There’s nothing naive or light about these shawls — instead they bring to mind the current spooky season.  I toyed with naming them after some of my favorite leading ladies of horror, but I worried about being too off-putting… and I don’t want them to be purely seasonal, either.  I think I know the names now, but I’ll wait until I’m sure to announce them.

I’m planning to do a mystery KAL with at least one of the designs — so I’m not putting too many pictures out there.

I also received my September 2012 “Rockin’ Sock Club” shipment.  This month’s sock pattern uses a toe that’s new to me, and a technique that’s new to me too!  Nothing could make me happier or more intrigued.  I’ve finished a good chunk of the first sock already.

Cast-On Monday: Cranberry Wensleydale and Greta in Sanibel

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I have been resisting casting on any big projects this week. I have sold a design to a magazine, and will have to drop everything and knit like mad as soon as the sample yarn arrives. (Deadlines being what they are …)  Also, I’m making something for a friend, and I want to finish it quick so I can give it to her the next time I see her — so I must proceed at least 4″ every day on her scarf.  Last but not least, I expect the next “Rockin’ Sock Club” kit any day now, and want to have a “working spot” open so I can justify casting on immediately upon receiving the yarn.

So, this week I plundered my Ravelry Queue for a pair of small projects.

The first is a Greta headband (I’m substituting Sanibel for the called-for yarn, which runs $40 a skein, ouch). I cast on and finished the first of three pattern repeats.  I need to visit Jo-Ann’s and get the necessary O-ring ASAP — should be done shortly, but for that.

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The second is a wee mouse, Wensleydale, using some leftover Tosh Light. I finished the nose and head increases during Amazing Race this week. Here is the designer’s photo of the mouse — I’ll pick up some safety eyes while at Jo-Ann’s, I think.

Cast-On Monday: TSS Scarf

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I started a gift project over the weekend.  The target of my gift approved the yarn, and asked for a scarf.  I skimmed some patterns, and combined elements I liked.  I’m using some Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn, held double, in a basic linen stitch scarf.  I fancied it up a bit by beginning with an i-cord cast on, and transitioning that directly into an i-cord edging.  The gift target has approved the swatch, so I am good to go! 🙂

Cast-On Monday: Lace Project the Second, a Hat Re-do, and Peacock-Blue Mariposa

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Alas, my Pebbled Beanie in William Morris Tosh Light just didn’t look right.  I frogged back to the ribbing, because I still wanted a hat.  I surfed Ravelry a bit, found something that inspired me, and I’m winging it from there.  Here’s the first few rounds — basically I’m doing a simple travelling knit stitch on a reverse stockinette background.  I plan to have the direction zig and zag “some” — should be cool.  I still love the yarn.

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Today a friend came over to knit.  We sat outside on the deck in the cool September sun and knit while our dogs rambled around the yard — in other words, nearly idyllic afternoon!  I couldn’t resist the lure of casting on Something New.  So, I wound my new lace Madelinetosh in Turquoise and started a Mariposa.

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I guess I must have contracted cast-on-itis today, because I also wound the yarn and cast on for the second lace shawlette in a planned set-of-three series.  What can I say, inspiration hit me like a bag of bricks! 🙂  Here is the pretty hand-dyed merino/tencel from Mind’s Eye that I’m using for this design project (the puppy helped me shop):

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Cast On Monday: Firewood Goodale

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I was going to cast on for a hat last week. Really! I wound my Tosh Light (in William Morris)…

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… then I put it in a bag with the right size needle and my copy of Weekend Hats …

… and then I waited for the right moment to cast on.

But, instead … I bought new yarn at the Hub Mills Store when I worked on Friday.  Pashmina in Firewood

The photo does not really do it justice.  This on one of those layers-upon-layers colorways — rainbows under water, oil in a jar, gorgeous beyond reckoning! I’m making myself a Goodale  cardigan with it.  I’ve already got about two inches done.  It is so soft and pretty!  The William Morris hat will have to wait a bit longer.

Cast-On Monday: Shawl Project (Prototype #1)

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I’ve spent the last three-ish weeks knitting almost exclusively on a fingering weight sweater prototype for The Sock Report 2 (yay! still excited about this publication!).  If you know me at all, you know I am the exact opposite of a monogamous knitter.  In the last few weeks I know that I spent an hour working on  my Catkin shawl (as a reward for finishing the back of the prototype sweater), and I made about one hexipuff a day.  That’s it!  Normally, I will bring 3-4 projects along to a given knitting session, switching every hour or so to keep it fresh.  That’s just how I roll!

My work paid off: I finished the prototype with a few days to spare, and sent the pattern and sample off to the good people at The Sock Report for photography and tech editing.  You can imagine how antsy I was to cast on something NEW and DIFFERENT!  But of course I had all those neglected projects for me waiting in the wings too … so I compromised, and cast on for a new design project with this gorgeous BMFA Socks That Rock LW (Rare Gems):

I’m planning a three-design collection of one-skein fingering-weight small shawls.  I want to feature small/indy dyers — the STR for the first shawl is the most “mainstream” skein I’ll be using.  I’m also using a skein of “Cranberry” Merino/Tencel from Mind’s Eye (on the left) and a skein of “Walker” Barefoot Bohemian Sock from Bohemia Fibers. I had initially planned to use a fourth dyer as well … but the two skeins I picked from that dyer just didn’t “go” with the other three.  I will still design a fourth shawl, but it won’t be part of the collection.

So here’s a question, dear reader … what shall I name these three shawls? I had some pretty horse-related names picked out, but between the “Walker” skein (legit zombie) and the red/purple/blue of the other two, I’m sort of thinking of a zombie/monster theme might be better.  But, I don’t want to put off people who aren’t rabid zombie fans like me.  Hmmmmmmm.