Earth Colors

Project Spectrum has started the new series of colors, the “Earth” colors: greens, browns, metallics.  As usual, I rounded up a collection of yarns, and a couple WIP’s that might be suitable Earth projects.  But before I get to that, I have this:

This is the one, lone “Fire” project I actually completed (the Peaks and Valleys scarf still slogs along, and the Fire Socks that I envisioned are still just a vision.  Someday.)  It’s just a simple 2×2 rib hat, the Painted Forest Ribbed Hat  I’ve done before.  I only followed the pattern loosely because my needles and gauge were different, but the pattern came in handy for the decreases at the crown.  The yarn is Marvel, a thick-and-thin wool yarn from JoAnn’s (I noticed it’s no longer listed, I did get it for a steal so it might be discontinued).  I think it turned out cute, and our weather is still chilly enough that a warm wool hat is good to have.  In fact, a lot of good warm hats (and scarves!) are good to have.

Here is the pile of yarn I came up with for Earth (please note, the colors that look blue here are actually more green):

There’s  some green lace-weight cashmere, maybe for a shawl or wrap, hand-dyed sock yarns in shades of green, brown alpaca; quite a lot of very nice yarns.  The hard part will be narrowing down a project or 2 to actually work on, but I always love re-examining my stash and finding out that I really do have some nice potential projects in there.  Of course, I also found these:

The first is Cozy, a wrap I started during last Project Spectrum I think.  I’m using super soft Ultra Alpaca for that.  And the second is a Wool Peddler’s shawl from this book.  That one has been on the needles for a long time (longer than a year) and is almost done, but I messed up a row and it took forever to rip back, and now I’m not sure where I am or how many stitches I’m supposed to have, and…………..I put it away in frustration.  But I think now might be the time to finish this one.  I’m pretty sure enough time has passed that I can look at it with a fresh eye and a clear mind and get it figured out.  After all, I’ve been continuing to knit since I started it, so I must know more now than then, which should help me figure it out, right?  But then, the Cozy is a fairly simple pattern, and the Ultra Alpaca is sooo soft.  Clearly, I have some thinking to do, not to mention continuing to knit my current WIP’s.

Fire!

It’s that time of year again.  Another round of Project Spectrum begins in February.  The colors this year are organized around themes, which I love.  Lolly is using the Elements as inspiration – Fire, Earth, Air and Water.  I love the idea; it opens the door for all kinds of creative inspiration.  I’ve enjoyed participating in Project Spectrum in the past; it’s a lot of fun seeing how other people interpret the colors.  And the amount of creativity out there is amazing.  I’ve already started pulling some yarns and pattern ideas for the Fire grouping.  I usually end up with way more project ideas than I could possibly finish in the two-month time period, especially if you consider that not all my projects will be PS inspired (and I’m pretty sure I have a WIP or ten laying around here).   Some things I’m considering for the Fire grouping:  a red hat, Phoenix Rising Shawl (how perfect is that?), and some Fire Monkeys.  Plus I like to do at least one dishcloth for each grouping, that way I’m sure to finish at least one project each time.

Brown, Orange, Purple

 

The new color groupings for Project Spectrum started this month.  As is my usual routine, I went through my stash to see what I had on hand that might fit.  What I find to be the most interesting thing about the Project Spectrum idea is that I almost always have a project or 2 (or 6) on hand even when I’m sure I have nothing.  This is (so far) my least favorite group of colors.  I almost never wear brown or orange, and very little purple.  I was positive I had nothing in my stash.  Yet, here it all is, (well, what I could dig out of the stash closet) and there’s plenty to do.  I see I have some lovely brown Alpaca that was meant for a Cozy shawl.  Some oranges and purples that are meant for scarves, and even an orange/purple combo that I planned to use for socks.  Plus the usual assortment of dishcloth cotton, which I’m fairly certain I have in every color.  So, even if these aren’t my favorite colors, it turns out I must have decided somewhere along the way that I needed a few items in them.  Now we’ll see how much I actually get done.

Weekend Knitting

I managed to finish a couple things over the weekend, including a WIP that’s been on the needles since December.

I started this scarf back around Christmas-time.  It’s for my oldest son.  I thought I’d get it finished during the “Blue” phase of Project Spectrum.  No go.  I used Knit Picks Decadence yarn, and it’s a basic Brioche Stitch pattern, but it seemed to go on forever.  My oldest is 18 and about 5’11” and likes his scarves long.  There were days (months?) I could not face even one more row.  It’s not the yarn’s fault — it’s heavenly.  Very soft, if a bit “sheddy”.  I finally made myself just work on it for 15 minutes a day, which is my favorite trick for getting on with stalled WIP’s (the ones you know you’re going finish, not the ones that are stalled out due to technical difficulties).  After all, if you never knit on it, you’ll never finish, but it is possible to finish even if you only knit one row a day (it just may take you the rest of your life.  Which is still shorter than never).

This one is technically not finished.  I still have to sew the buttons to the other side, and I’m planning to add a lining.  But I just love this.  It’s “The Clutch You’ll Never Give Up” from Leigh Radford’s One Skein.  I used Lamb’s Pride worsted weight in Onyx (held double).  It was a very quick knit, and it’s just fun to felt things things on purpose.  I’m thinking of adding a snap closure, too.

And this is just the latest Mason-Dixon Warshrag.  I bought new dishtowels because I couldn’t resist the lively colors.  So now, of course, I’m knitting a slew of dishcloths to go with them.  Who am I kidding?  I’m always knitting a slew of dishcloths.  My kitchen is euphemistically called a galley kitchen (which means teeny tiny), so all it takes to redecorate is new dishtowels, some matching dishcloths and maybe a new throw-rug.  It also means my kitchen has a new look practically every week.

Red, Black and Metallic

 Today starts the next Project Spectrum group, so I spent yesterday digging around in my stash to see if I had anything.  I didn’t expect to find a lot; this color group appeals to me less than the previous two.  Did I even have any red stuff?  I should know better.  Of course I have red stuff, and black and even a bit of metallic.  Now, I still haven’t finished the pink/yellow/green projects currently on my needles (or even some of the blue stuff).  But that won’t stop me from planning a couple things for the next two months.  Some of the projects I’m contemplating:

*A red Beaded Beanie from Knit Picks (sorry, the pattern isn’t on their web site anymore, but they have other cute hat patterns.)

*A black felted clutch from One Skein (click on some of the customer photos, there’s a cute one in red).

*A red felted purse, Sophie from Mag Knits.

*Abalone Silk Bag from Just One More Row.

*Maybe a novelty yarn scarf.  I have some metallic novelty yarns that would look nice with black.

*Something with the 1000 yards of handspun hemp & wool yarn (no brand) that I bought awhile back.  I’m thinking a shawl of some sort.

Most of these are fairly small projects, mainly because the weather has gotten warmer and my attention span gets shorter in the summertime.  I also know myself well enough to know I won’t work on large projects during the heat of summer.  I doubt I’ll get all of these things done, and I reserve the right to change my plans for any of the yarn at any time, but I love that there are so many possibilities just lurking in my stash. 

Pink, Green and Yellow

Pink_Green Stash 

The new color group for Project Spectrum started this month. Pink, green and yellow, the colors of spring.  I don’t have a huge pink and green stash, and practically no yellow (it’s not a flattering color on me).  But there are a few things I’m thinking about tackling during the next two months.  Unfortunately I still have a couple Blue things on the needles.

This:

 

A blue scarf for my oldest son.  I’m knitting it in Knit Picks Decadence in a Brioche stitch and it seems to be going on forever.

And this:

 

This is Sonnet from Knitty.  It’s a very old WIP and I’m hoping to finish it soon.  Naturally, these unfinished projects aren’t enough to keep me from starting new ones.  I swatched this morning for a shrug with a lovely pink merino/alpaca yarn, and I want to start my green socks.  Plus, the astute among you may have noticed a couple green WIP in the stash.  The Wool Peddlers Shawl (from this book) is almost done.  I stalled out because there’s a mistake in one of the lace rows.  I’m in the middle of ripping it back a row to see if I can find it (It’s a loooong row.  I took a little break.)  And the Irish Hiking Scarf  is about half done.  The yarn is Malabrigo in a gorgeous shade of green.  It’ll be a race, though, to see if I can finish it before the motivation to knit wool fades in the face of spring.

Happy Valentines Day!

I feel like I should have something pink or red to post today, but it’s all about blue right now.  This is my first FO for Project Spectrum, and it’s not even knitting.  I beaded these using beads in my stash, most of which were purchased at either Michaels or Joann’s.  I have beading and jewelry on the brain after spending a day in Tucson at the Gem and Mineral Show.  I go every year with my Mom, who lives in AZ.  I go, not only to visit her, but to escape the New England winter weather which is usually depressing the heck out of me about now.  And, of course, I go to shop for jewelry and beads.  The event is huge, and there is more jewelry and beads there than I can even take in.  We only go for a day, which is all my brain can process, but folks who are serious about their jewelry (designers, retail buyers) stay for days.  I don’t know how they do it.  Everything starts to look alike to me after a day.

Project Spectrum Blues

Project Spectrum 2.0 is getting ready to kick-off (if you’re unfamiliar with the Project, go see Lolly for details).  I participated (loosely) in the first one and really had fun with the idea of focusing on one color or group of colors at a time.  Oddly enough, I find that by limiting the color choices, my creativity seems to increase.  Maybe because I have so many crafty interests (knitting, quilting, beading, collage, etc) it helps me actually have a place to start.  When your options are unlimited, it can be hard to pick a starting place.  The colors for Feb./Mar. are blue, white and gray, so I’ve been pulling yarns, beads and papers in anticipation.  Ideally, I’d like to do one knitted project, one collage project, and one beading project for each group.  I don’t know if I’ll manage all that, but this time around we get two months to play instead of one, so I’m feeling optimistic.  As you can see in the picture, I already have some blue WIP’s.  Maybe this will help me get them finished up.