Spinning

I've finished spinning the singles from my Hipstrings sample pack.  This was a fun spinning project and I took photos of each of the rovings and then the finished singles.

This is Unicorn Seeks Soulmate

Unicorn Dance Party II

Narwhal Pool Party

Space Unicorn

Neon Pegasus

The Unicorn in the Library

And here are the finished singles, in the same order, top to bottom - Unicorn Seeks Soulmate, Unicorn Dance Party II, Narwhal Pool Party, Space Unicorn, Neon Pegasus, and The Unicorn in the Library.

I spun all of them for a singles diameter of about 40 wpi which I plan to chain ply, for a (hopefully) fingering weight finished yarn.  The biggest surprise to me was how much more muted the colors became after spinning.  I expected some blending of the colors, but I was not expecting it to this degree.  This is definitely something to keep in mind when I'm looking at rovings and planning a project.  (There are different ways to handle colors when spinning, but these particular rovings are basically made up of lengths of different colors, and while I could have divided the colors and handled the colors individually, I think this type is meant to be spun back and forth across the width of the roving, blending all the elements of color together in the finished yarn.)

I've still got to ply the singles, and I'll show the finished yarns when they're done, but I have been enjoying playing with these samples.  I do wonder about the original Unicorn Dance Party though.  What was that like???

Texture and Color

I don't think I mentioned it on the blog, but I started knitting the As You Wish MKAL back in February when it began.  After I finished my brioche projects, I took a good look at it and decided I just wasn't feeling it.  I really like some of the projects being knit in this MKAL, but I wasn't loving mine.  I don't know if it was the way the colors I'd chosen were working in design or just where my head is at right now, but I decided to frog it.

Then I decided to use those colors and knit something else!  This is the Elsom wrap, knit in Cascade Heritage Sock.  So far I've used Vintage Indigo and I'm working on Caribbean Sea, but I will work into Jade and Herb as well.  I'm working some stripes to blend the colors a little where they change, but I'm really enjoying this simple wrap right now.  It's been great TV knitting and I can easily pick it up and put it down without losing my place.  The pattern is currently available only in the ebook, which has both knitting patterns and sewing patterns.  This is the first project I've made from it, but both the knitting and sewing patterns are classic and simple.  I fully intend to do more from this book.  

I was happy to see that there are still a few readers out there (waves furiously in your general directions) and from the comments it sounds like either you haven't done brioche knitting yet, or you haven't enjoyed what you did do.  I just want to make a suggestion or two, if I may.  There are several designers working with brioche knitting, but the two I've used and can suggest for their well written patterns and clear directions are Andrea Mowry and Stephen West.  Also, I found looking at the BrK and BrP stitches on YouTube, watching them being knitted, made a difference for me.  I'd suggest looking for these in the specific style you use to knit (English, Continental, etc.), so I'm not going to link to specific videos.  In some ways brioche is similar to knitting ribbing: there's a definite rhythm to it and it can be both simple and complex.  I love knitting it and find it fun, but not everyone does, and that's OK too!

Brioche

Long time no blog!  We're fine here, I've just been super lazy where the blog is concerned.  I have been knitting and actually have some finished projects to show you today, if anyone is even reading this anymore.  If not, well, I've talked to myself my whole life, why stop now?

I finished my Tourist Shawl.  I followed the pattern exactly as written, but I didn't add the tassel.  It's knit in Malabrigo Lace in Orchid (the main, lighter color) and Hollyhock (the contrast, darker color).  

Brioche creates a thicker fabric than stockinette knitting but it's very light and airy.  (It is not actually buttery, which is one way you can tell the difference between brioche knitting and brioche bread.)  

This is the first time I've knit brioche using laceweight yarn and I think it's just about perfect.  Soft and light and not too thick!

I also knit a second brioche project, this time in fingering weight yarn.  This is Cinnabar, knit in Hedgehog Fibres Skinny Singles in Sorry, Not Sorry (the main, darker color) and Pinky Swear (the contrast, lighter color).  Yes, it is bright, sorry about your retinas.

This was a much simpler project to knit and the colors just make me smile.

These were both knit for the first quarter ESK Craft-A-Long for their Yarnathon.  I was very excited to see Brioche as the theme because I just think it's fun to knit.

I plan to get back to more regular blogging, and I do have a few things to actually show you.  We're all fine here.  Caleb was home last week for Spring Break and he's now a little past the halfway point of the semester.  He's having a really good semester and actually getting out of the classroom to do more field work.  It's fun to hear how excited he is!

I plan to be back later this week, so if anyone is still reading my mental rambles, I'll see you then!