The colour of meadows

As part of the preparations for taking part in the Mystic Meadows KAL, I've been preparing some yarn. I wanted to use a non-solid colour of fingering yarn and decided that I would try to dye my own. Three skeins needed to be dyed at the same time, so first I had to get a suitable dyeing vessel. Previously, I've only dyed 100g at a time in the microwave, but this needed to be a bigger dyelot. Luckily, M&S are currently offering 7 litre stock pots at a good price, (stainless steel with a glass lid) which proved to be ideal. The idea was to create a range of greens to reflect my idea of meadowland, but the first attempt was a bit off colourwise. Very yellow-green. I had prepared three different greens, then dipped opposite ends of the skeins in each of the first two, followed by total immersion in the third. Something wasn't quite right obviously.


Realizing that this wasn't quite what I wanted, I overdyed the whole lot with blue, and finished up with multishaded greens, maybe a bit darker than I had planned, but still pleasing.


The swatch for the KAL was released today, so I'm all ready now.


The Tidal Wave socks are finished, I really enjoyed working with this yarn (merino/tencel) and the socks feel so soft on my feet. It's almost a shame it's nearly sandal weather.

Sometimes, life gets in the way of knitting

Having realised that I haven't written anything here for over a week and a half, I thought I'd better try. Blogging about not very much seems a bit pointless really, but this is supposed to be my fibre related journal, so I'm going to do it. It's hard to isolate the reason, but there are no FOs, nothing started, and only a bit of progress on Secret of the Stole ii. I'm halfway through the penultimate clue, and I'm finding it hard to keep enthusiastic about it. I'm past the heel turn and gusset decreases on the second Tidal Wave sock and on to the plain stockinette of the foot.

I've spun up a little of my mid brown alpaca, and spent some time this morning carding some more.

We're having a warm spell of weather at the moment, and I think Mollie has the right idea.

Done and blocked

Mystic Light is done. It's been a really nice knitalong, and the design is lovely. It used a bit less than 200g of yarn, and it stretched out to about 34" deep and 68" across. I'm glad I learned to cable without a cable needle which is easier than I thought it would be.


Progress on anything else has been slow, but I have made a start on the second Tidal Wave sock. I couldn't resist reversing the pattern to make a mirror image of the first one. This merino/tencel yarn is so soft, it's very nice to knit.

A lesson learned (again)

You would think that a fundamental like swatching using the exact same needles or hook that you intend to use for the item itself would be obvious. I know this, so why I didn't do it I don't know.

I bought this book by Doris Chan having seen rave reviews on a couple of blogs. The garments are worked top down with raglan shaping which is nice for trying on as you go. Anyhow, the swatch you can see was worked with my grotty old plastic 6mm hook and I got exact gauge for Jewel. Jubilant, I started out using my 6mm Clover soft touch hook which I really like. The rest is predictable really. Of course my gauge was off with this hook, instead of 3" for 2 pattern repeats, I was getting 2.75". No problem, I'd just do extra rows and increases. I finished the yoke and laid it flat to measure, when I noticed that the raglan increases weren't laying flat, there was a bulge in the same place on each one. I'd followed the pattern for my size, but it seemed as if there was one increase round too many early in the yoke.

So, I ripped nearly all of it out and continued with the old plastic hook. I omitted the offending row, and currently I'm nearly to the armpit on this version with the raglans laying flat so far. This picture shows progress before this evenings crochet frenzy.

My Mystic Light shawl is approaching completion, almost half way through the final clue. I'm going to be sad when this one is done, I've really enjoyed knitting it. Looking on the bright side though, I'll be able to wear it.

Lots of Alpaca

I thought I'd never see the day, but this batch of Alpaca is spun, plied and washed. There is 910m weighing 492g. Not quite enough for a sweater, so I will have to spin up some of the darker brown to get the yardage. Then I'll have to get ingenious with designing something which works with the yarn I have.

I started a sock using 64sts on a 2.75mm needle with the merino/tencel yarn, colourway Devilishly Red which came from this seller on eBay. It feels so soft, and I'm really enjoying working with it. The pattern is Tidal Wave socks which is a simple pattern with a lot of effect for a little work. I'm just past the heel turn at the moment. It'll be interesting to see what happens to the patterning at the instep, but I like it so far.

It's been a whole year...

....since I had my carpal tunnel release surgery. It was Friday the 13th April 2007. DH wasn't very happy with that date but superstition didn't get in the way of a successful surgery. I'm so glad I had it done. I was able to start knitting again within a week, which was marvellous.


I haven't really stopped since and for once I'm up to date with a KAL: Mystic Light is done up to the end of clue 3. I couldn't stretch it out very far for it's photo since it's getting a bit too big for the needle. I've just started the second balls of yarn which should mean it's half way done. Luckily I do have more of this yarn if it goes over estimate.


I had a little splurge last week on eBay. I bought this merino and tencel sock yarn and some undyed BFL laceweight. The sock yarn is in the colourway Devilishly red. There is 330m and I'm looking for a suitable pattern for it. It is very soft and has quite a lustre.

There is 1200m of laceweight here. I don't have anything in mind for this at the moment, but I plan to dye it when I find a project for it.

What with pressing on with Mystic Light, the only other thing to report is the completion of the first Charade sock. I've cast on the second and I amazed myself by remembering how to do the old Norwegian cast on.

Will I never learn?

Despite having enough projects on the needles, I cast on the Mystic Light shawl using some wool from stash. The picture shows it 6 rows into clue 2. The yarn is botany 2 ply in Old Gold used double. I figured that the source of all light is the sun, therefore my shawl is sun coloured. I'm using 4.5mm Knitpicks options needles which are pointy enough for lace. The largest Addi lace needle I have is 4mm. I did hear a rumour that they are going to make some larger sizes, I'll have to investigate.


Secret of the stole ii or Savannah to give it it's proper name is just past half way done now. It's still an easy knit, but the element of surprise is lost now, so it's growing more slowly. The second half is just the first half reversed. I still like it and I'll keep doing a few rows here and there so it should be finished eventually. Being behind on a knitalong means that all the errors and problems have been ironed out for you, but you lose the surprise element.