WIP Wednesday: The start of a shawl (plus a million other things)

In the wake of finishing several WIPs over the weekend, I was on the prowl for a new project I could start in addition to the MANY top-secret projects which are currently on my needles. Yes, there are exciting things afoot (pun intended), and I can't wait til I get to share them with you! Alas, that won't be for a while...next month at the earliest, to be exact. Until then, I'll be ever-so-slowly knitting on my new WIP, the Spindleberry Shawl by Joanna Johnson.

I'm using a skein of Skein Merino Cashmere Fingering in the Ochiba colorway; I realized that I didn't have a single grey shawl, and this just happened to be in my stash!

I was able to snag the pattern for free when it was first published thanks to my Ravulous Hot Right Now widget that I have on my phone (click here to read my review). I've never made anything with fringe, and it's not something I would normally be into....but for some reason I like it in this design. Bonus: the fringe is created as you knit!

I haven't had much time to spin as I thought I would this month, as I've been working 50-60 hour work weeks in preparation for the trade show next month. I am getting rather close to the halfway point with this pound of Dorper for Spinning Spring Training, which I suppose is pretty good given the circumstances. If i am finished with this project by April 30, I will be quite pleased!

Also, for everyone who made it out to the Windy City Knitting Guild meeting last night to see my presentation - THANK YOU! I'll be sharing some of the blogs, podcasts and other information I spoke about in a special upcoming blog post so since I wasn't able to do the powerpoint at the meeting due to a technological snafu since so many people asked if I would make that information available after the meeting.

Everyone got to try out some new yarns (including an exciting new hand-dyed yarn that will be making its TNNA debut) during the needle tasting; it was a ton of fun! I hope everyone enjoys their Knitter's Pride goodies!

Many thanks to my husband Tyler for being a good sport and taking lots of photos last night!

If you're just joining me, I am hosting a Virtual Thirty-One Party for the next two weeks (click here for all the details). Since I've already shared a few posts about Thirty-One this week, I will be unveiling my next product pick this coming Friday when I also share my finished #HKKAL project, the Cute Girl Squares top!

Thanks for joining me this week! For more WIP Wednesday inspiration, visit the Tami's Amis Blog!

Overdyeing A Finished Knit

Even after just a few years of knitting or crocheting, you're bound to have some finished projects lying around that never get worn or used. After 10+ years of crafting, I have more than just "some" or "a few"....and with my ongoing quest to declutter my house this year, I've become obsessed with going through these forlorn projects and making some Big Decisions. Sometimes, they are perfectly fine and just need a new and loving home. Other projects may have not turned out quite right: there might have been some mistakes in the knitting that I thought I could live with, or the yarn was gorgeous but not well-matched to the pattern, or my taste has drastically changed since I finished making the project...in any case, why on earth did I keep knitting?! Who knows, but I don't feel good about gifting anything that falls into this category to someone else. These projects have been relegated to the "frog pile" (or should I say, frog pond?), to b...

A Finished Sweater, With Cat Hair

After losing Tilly and Robin within a year of each other, I sure didn't think I'd be finding cat hair in my knitting any time soon. But the universe had other ideas. Over the winter, a white feral cat adopted us. I'd noticed her when we moved into our apartment last summer - I would see her hiding in the bushes or sunning herself in the grass when she thought no one was looking. I assumed she was someone's cat until I realized how skittish she was around humans, plus she had a tipped ear, which is a universal sign that a feral/stray cat has been spayed. Neighbors confirmed that she was a feral kitty (descended from several generations of feral cats, in fact), and that she has survived on her wits and whatever food various residents put out for her. We had some bitterly cold days over the winter, and I just felt so sorry for this poor kitty! I started offering her treats and slowly gained her trust. She didn't even want to come inside our apartment at first, much le...

Australian Superfine Merino Yarn Review & Giveaway

After more than ten years of knitting, I can still have new experiences - even with well-covered territory such as merino yarn! This recent merino experience actually took me by surprise: I've spun with it, I've dyed it, I've knit with it, and I've even crocheted with it...I was pretty sure I knew all there was to know about merino! Turns out, there are four different classifications of merino fiber, sorted by micron count range . At the bottom of the spectrum is Strong Merino , which ranges from 26-22.9 microns; above that is Fine Merino , which ranges from 20.1-23 microns; next up is Extra Fine Merino, which ranges from 20-15.6 microns; and at the very top of the heap is Superfine Merino Wool , with a micron range of 18.5-15.6. If you're into numbers and wondering how these four classes stack up against other fibers you may be familiar with, here are a few for comparison's sake: BFL (Blue-Faced Leicester) has a micron range of 24-28, Cashmere goat down ...

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