Teaching, test knits and Woolly Weirdos

I have been doing some  teaching on a regular basis lately and I am loving it!  The only down side has been the drive.  The shop where I'm teaching, Longmont Yarn Shoppe is 92 miles from my house.  It is the nearest lys where people are signing up for classes though.  There is another shop in North East Denver, aka Montbello where I have some class scheduled but no bites yet.  The shop is called Knot Just Yarn.
I have been doing some private lessons too.
I love teaching as much as making; I love to see the light bulb moments when someone "gets" it.
I have submitted classes for Yarn Fest 2020 but haven't heard anything back yet.
I just sent in classes for the next trimester at Longmont Yarn Shoppe
I also submitted classes for Estes Park Wool Market 2020 and won't know about those until the middle of January.  Patience, my friends, patience.
I have been working diligently on writing curriculum for classes that I want to teach before the class is scheduled.  The Bible teaches "to be ready in season and out" and the Lord pressed it upon my heart to apply that to the classes I want to teach.  Putting the time in on the front and not waiting until the night before class to figure it out.

Here are some pictures from my most recent Dyeing Safely Class at Longmont Yarn Shoppe.

Here is a picture from my Math, Yes Math class.  This is one of my favorite to teach.  I show how to make use of the swatch that you should be making any way.

Test knitting I have done a lot of this year.  I had as many as 5 going in on shot,  I currently have 3, 2 of which are due in the next week and a half.

I have learned so much from test knitting and been able to help independent designers get a better product out to their customers.  I really enjoy this work.  Because of test knitting I now have some practical pieces to wear on a daily basis other than shawls.  I have sweaters, a poncho and a new cowl.  I have learned new stitches and different writing styles.  When in doubt ask the designer.  They need to know if someone is struggling with some direction they wrote and many of them are glad of the help.
I have had deadlines of a couple of months or just a few days.  I love the "pressure" that it adds to my life.

The final up date is on Woolly Weirdos, the fiber arts guild that I really want to get going East of Aurora, Colorado.  The Lord put it to me that I haven't really invested enough resources in this venture and I need to do some more work.  By my next posting here I will have a posting on the Woolly Weirdos blog with next year's schedule and a picture tour of the studio we meet in.  My goal is to have enough people to have a spinning team for which ever spinning contest happens next year.

Next time I will tell you about finished objects, hopefully including a diningroom floor and planning for 2020!

Until then...

Happy making!

Stitches Salt Lake City, Utah!

This trip was so much fun! It was my first time on an air plane, first time traveling alone and staying in a hotel alone. It was AMAZING! I will totally do it again and hopefully soon.

This was not my first fiber festival. I have been going to Estes Wool Market for about 10 years and have been going to Interweave Yarn Fest since the beginning. Stitches was however the most fun. Part of that I know is being away and on my own. I will try to compare driving verses flying more objectively for you without all the other bits crowding in.

Driving to a festival really does have it's advantages. I have not driven far enough from home to have to stay over night somewhere before arriving at my destination. Keep that in mind. The biggest difference is how you pack. When I drive to a festival whether I am teaching or just enjoying I can bring anything that will fit in the van and that's a lot of stuff. I am getting better about how much I bring. I try to use most everything I bring at least once. Yes there are still some items that are back up in case of... There will always be those. I do bring both wheels and next time I drive will also be bringing my electric wheel.

The area of packing where there was little difference was the clothing. There were 2 fashion shows at Stitches. One to attend and one to participate in. There was also a Pajama Party. I had to have something for all of those. I also had to pack Dolores and all her outfits.

 

I did manage to get everything to Salt Lake in 2 carry on bags. The return trip home was a different story. I did check a bag. That was because of how much I bought from vendors in Salt Lake. That is another advantage to driving, plenty of room, unless you buy something large like a ewe or spinning wheel then it could get ify.

For me the difference in vendors was good. I did know a couple of vendors, but mostly I got to meet some new to me people. Locals in Utah and then some from states further west that haven't been to the festivals in Colorado.

Over all it was fun and exciting. I got to meet and take classes from Franklin Habit, had dinner with Marly Bird from Red Heart yarn and got to see the guys from Leading Men Fiber Arts again. While staying some what local for a fiber festival is nice, I would highly recommend planning well and going to one that you fly or take a train to. It makes it even more special to know that even farther from home that are crazy woolly people just like you.

For 2020 my husband and I will go to Yarn Fest if they have it. Are planning Salida and I want to go to Toas. We'll see where the Lord opens doors.

If you have never been to a fiber festival of any kind, please, please go. Yes it will be a bit overwhelming when you first walk in to the vendor area. There are a lot of choices of yarn, fiber and tools. Many festivals have hands on areas and some activities that are only for children. Some festivals in the warmer part of the year also have animals and for many that do, this is an opportunity for ranchers to sell animals and 4-H-ers to show theirs. To help with all the choices on the vending floor I recommend doing a full round of seeing everything before buying anything. This prevents buyers remorse. If you do see something on round one that you can't live without and it may not be there in 30 minutes, then you have a decision to make. You know yourself and shopping habits best, good luck. After having gone to a couple of festivals I now go in with a list of things I am looking for such as tools. I will make a list of yarn wanted with the project info attached. The one thing I always buy is a skein of sock yarn. That will be for my show socks. I have a pair from each show for the last 3 years I think.

Be sure and thank the vendors. I got a behind the scenes look at Stitches Salt Lake. I helped a vendor tear down and pack up. Watching the other vendors and overhearing conversation I learned a lot. The time, effort and trouble they go through to make that booth pretty and fun is a lot of work. Depending on the venue, the parking is hard to find and can be another expense we don't even think about. They put in a lot of time and effort.

For Stitches Salt Lake I finished my Journey to the Cape sweater. On Thursday night, the night before the fashion show I finished my "Love you too!" socks. Before coming to Salt Lake I decided I needed a skirt to go with my sweater. I don't sew unless I have to. I designed this A-line skirt all by myself and am pretty proud of it. I wore all these to the fashion show, on the run way on Friday night. It was a bit scary. I have done fashion shows before. There is one at Yarn Fest. That on is easy though, you walk around all the tables and show your piece. A real runway with marks of where to stop, bright lights and a camera at the end was new, hard and fun. That I will do again too, some day.

 

I also finished Dolores' newest outfit. I used the mattress stitch on it just as I did on my sweater. I talked about the mattress stitch on Instagram and have been planning videos. I was going to do the videos while in Utah but lost one of the balls of yarn. I did find it before I left but have just been too busy to record. Hoping to get those up by the end of the week. Watch IG to find out when and where I decide to post them.

 

I finished a test knit for Ioarma but can't share any more than that here because it is a secret and she hasn't said when she is releasing it or anything. I will say it was a very fun project with some traveling stitches.

My Bonfire Poncho from Little Woolly Things is finished but haven't had light to get pictures with the snow we had come through this week.  Too cold to go out and do it too.

I am still hard at work on my Boho Wreath sweater and That's My Jam wrap. They are both do on the 15th and I should make that.

I picked up another sweater test from Jill Karina that I will start when those 2 are completed.

I am still working on my own designs as well and am planning to release a new one on the first of December. It will be a small piece that can be made quickly as a gift or for yourself. I originally made them from 100% yak yarn. Since Bijou Basin has gone out of business though I wanted a yarn that was still available and have chosen Luna Lace from Deep Dyed yarns. This design uses 15/0 seed beads. I love them in this colorway and can't wait to be finished.

 

I am furthering my education in designing and taking the next step. On November 18th I will be starting the online, Blueprint class with Shirley Paden. I also have the companion book that as I understand is currently out of print. I have never designed a sweater before. I only started knitting sweaters just this year. I am excited to see what comes of this.

I'm also working on my drawing skills, as many places that you submit designs to want a drawing idea of the finished piece; be the submission be for a fashion show or pattern to publish. My sister suggested a book by Christopher Hart and it is helping. Now I just need to do it more so that it sticks.

After being snowed in for about 4 days, it is nice to get out and feel some sunshine.

Stay warm or cool where ever you are.

Until next time...

Happy making!

To the Mattress!

Greetings!  It is finally fall here on the eastern plains of Colorado.  The nights are getting to be chilly and the days are cooler, most of the time.  Still a mid or high 80F here and there...
Fall is my favorite season; the crunchy leaves, all the different colors of grasses, fire pits and of course pumpkin everything.  I hope that whatever season you are currently you can see joy in something.

This last week I finished my Journey to the Cape sweater, from BohoChic Fiber Arts.  I worked it in two differnet colors because that was what I had in worsted weight yarn.  I didn't put any thought into which color would be the back and which would be the front.  I am very pleased with how it ended up though.  I'm not so sure that the cables would have shown up as nicely in the darker orange.
I don't have many new pictures to share as it was just removed from the bath for blocking this morning.

I do want to share with you the joining technique that I used to join the front to the back, it is called the mattress stitch; but first let me update you on my projects and what I've been up to.

I didn't post last week as there just wasn't much to share in the way of projects.  I did go to Schacht Spindle Company's 50th anniversary in Boulder, Colorado.  Carl and I had a great time there.  We shopped, volunteered and ate.  The weather was sunny and not too hot.  It was a wonderful day outside.  We met the owners, Berry and Jane and their daughter Nora.  The entire family and staff were very welcoming.  Anne Merrow and Elizabeth Prose from Long Thread Media were there, as well as Linda Ligon with Thrums books.  Carl surprised me with a new bag from Hummingbird Moon and I bought a braid of the Berries Julbilee from Sweet Georgia.

The other items in the pictures are fiber to dye for a prize for Spin Together 2019, a back strap loom with a partial project from Cloth Roads and a new children's book about fiber.


That same weekend was the Art Walk in down town Longmont, Colorado, which isn't far from Boulder.  Carl and I stayed the night in Longmont to participate in the Art Walk the next day.  Before going to the art walk we walked around the farmer's market at the Boulder county fair grounds.  We bought a pint of ghost peppers and some green tomatoes for frying.  Carl has since dried the ghost peppers in the dehydrator in the garage.  The smell was too much to do it in the house.  For lunch we went to our favorite diner, Aunt Alice's near 17th and Main.  Longmont Yarn Shoppe hosted the faster knitter and crocheter contest for Boulder county.  I only participated in the knit part and won first place.  Then we did a fashion show.  It was a lot of fun!  We did all of this right in the middle of Main Street.

I have been hard at work on my Journey sweater so that I could take it to Stitches Salt Lake; more on that in a minute.  I have also gone back to working on my Love you too socks.  I have finished one and am about a third of the way through the 2nd.  I am hoping to wear them, with the sweater and a skirt I sewed at the fashion show in Salt Lake on Friday night.  I have nearly finished Dolores' new outfit for Salt Lake as well.

Stitches Salt Lake is going to be many firsts for me; my first time on a plane, first time traveling alone and my first Franklin Habit class.  I am really excited about this trip!  I leave on Wednesday afternoon.  I am staying in the Little America hotel.  I know nothing about it, only that it is a half mile walk to the Salt Palace Convention Center where Stitches is happening.  I am taking two classes with Franklin; Tessellations and Steek and Zip.  I am very excited for both classes.  I haven't finished my homework for Steek and Zip yet but will in time for class on Saturday.  Thursday night is the vendor and designer fashion show and a PJ party.  Friday night is the student fashion show and banquet.  This is going to be a great week!  I will share pictures in 2 weeks.


Now for the mattress stitch technique.  I used this stitch when finishing the Scrappy Knit Pillow, but had to go look it up again to see exactly how it is done.  I found this site, took a couple of screen shots and was on my way again.  When I did it on the pillow I followed exactly what the directions said.  This time I was curious what would happen if I did it in the middle of a stitch.  This sweater has a two stitch selvedge; the very edge stitch is garter and the other stitch is stockinette.  I decided to join the front and the back of the sweater using the mattress stitch in the middle of the stockinette stitches.

Here is what happened.

I actually screamed when I snugged up those stitches and got this amazing seam.  I will share a couple more photos and the basics of how I did this here.  On Friday I will share video on IG in my stories and then archive it so it'll be there for later viewing.

Here I have used the bar in the center of each V to sew the pieces together.

Here is a shot of each side of the selvedge stitches.

Next post will be in two weeks with finished photos on this sweater and pictures from Stitches Salt Lake.  If you don't want to wait check out Azariahs1982 on IG as I will be posting there at least daily.

Happy making!
And happy fall!

Charts are Our Friends, just like blueberries!

Hi Everyone!
I hope that the weather change where ever you are has been nice for you be it cooling down or warming up.  Here in Eastern Colorado it is still a mix bag.  The mornings are cool enough for a shawl or light sweater but you want it gone by lunch.  I am very ready for Fall and can't wait for the leaves to begin to fall.

I have finally finished my Sparkling Leaves sweater!  There is still no picture of me wearing however because it took a week for it to dry after blocking.  I don't have a sweater blocker and didn't see the need until this week.  I will be ordering one soon.  I didn't have light for a picture last night but will get one this afternoon and post it to IG tomorrow.

Here is the finished sweater folded on my lap.  The neck stretched out a bit when I moved the sweater to dry on a chair...  It'll be okay until next blocking I think.  If not I'll reblock just the collar.  If I have to do that I'll have a tutorial here on how to do that.

I have been hard at work on my Journey to the Cape sweater as well as my Bonfire Poncho.  I am really enjoying both of them.  I don't have any pictures of either of them that you haven't seen yet.  The cable pictures from last week are from the sweater and I haven't taken any photos of the poncho in a while.  I will do that before joining the to sides this week and share next week.
Both of these pieces have cables and some texture stitches so both are interesting.

This week I also made a small prayer cloth for my best friend, Robbie, who celebrated being clean for a year.  Here is a picture of it.

I made the trinity symbol from purl stitches.  I wasn't sure how well it would show up on the black but I think it turned out decent in the black and since I charted it free hand.  I will probably use this motif again.  I filed that chart away in my box of ideas.  I will cover in a future post how I try to keep ideas organized so that I can find them later.

So now to get to the point of this post really, charts.  I know some of you cringe at that word, just like the word swatch.  Ha ha ha!  Okay enough of that.  Charts really can be your friend, if you take the time to get to know them.  They have saved my knitting life again and again.

The most recent save was actually during a test knit, this one. I was struggling with the math of one of the rounds and how the stitches were supposed to work out.  I decided to chart it so that in my left handedness I could "see" what was going on.  After some experience with charts you will learn to read the chart and it will also help you learn to read your knitting.

I read a knitting chart from left to right on the right side of a piece and from right to left on the wrong side of a piece.  A right handed knitter will read the chart the opposite direct for each of those.  The idea is that you want to be working the stitches and reading the chart in the same direction.  Think of the chart like a fence.  A fence has two sides.  For the right side, the front you walk down the fence one way, for the wrong side, you will turn your piece around, and walk back down the other side oft he fence, thus seeing a different side.  The only time you work from the same direction for both odd and even numbers is when working in the round.  Then you will continually walk around a round fenced pen.

Anything that has pictures or letters I have to have a chart to make sure it is correct.

Charts usually take up less space and visually make more sense than word written directions.  This is not always the case however.  I have worked more than one test knit that prints out at over ten pages and I wondered why didn't they chart this?  I soon learned that a chart would take much more space than necessary; either for the empty spaces from the shifting stitches or because there was no true repeat of rows.  However on the other end of that I am working that cabled sweater from 6 total pages of directions, because the cables are charted.

Charted cables really are the best way to go with charts, then you know exactly which way each cable is supposed to lean just by looking at the chart.  No flipping back to see where the cable needle needs to be, again with some experience.

I use cables for lace, with or with out row or round repeats, as to write lace directions would cause my eyes to cross and I don't think anyone would do lace.

Color work is the most popular for charts, it would be nearly impossible without charts.  These are an okay place to start for reading charts, but then you have the 2 colors or more to deal with.  Another good place could be something similar that I made like the little pocket prayer cloth above.  It is just texture, done all in one color but I did use a chart from both the right and the wrongs sides. If you are interested in it just ask and I'll send you a pdf with directions to get started.

I did successfully start two projects this week.  Ri's mitts for Christmas.  I have half of a cuff worked.  The yarn ended but I'm not sure why but I thought it was a good time to talk to him about length for the cuff.  Yesterday he told me he would like it to be twice as long please.  So I will finish that this week and start working on the color work.

I also started a new outfit for Dolores, the Sensuous Ewe Caftan.  I am hoping to have this finished for her for Utah.  I really am enjoying the yarn that came in the kit from Webs.  That is one of the biggest reasons I order and make these kits for Dolores, to get to use yarns I probably wouldn't get to use otherwise.  I wouldn't order a shawls worth of yarn for myself.  I am also working with all different weights, fibers and colors.  Helps me get out of the box a little bit.

Next week I'll show you a couple of different ways to work a granny square and talk about differnet reasons and applications for each method.

Until then...
Happy making!

BTW I did get some demo cable videos up on IG if you want to see I'm Azariahs1982

Look Ma, no needle!

Happy Monday Everyone!

It feels so good to get back to some normal finally. This week is scheduled to be "normal". Keeping in mind that I need to be flexible. As Pastor Chuck Smith often said "Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be broken." So true. I'm just happy to be standing on the threshold of a week that doesn't have 3 days full of stuff to do. I get to be at home, doing the work I love. Test knitting, designing and this week I start Christmas presents!

I'm also planning for my trip to Stitches Salt Lake. I'll talk about all of that and working cables without a cable needle. So grab something to drink and let's get started.

I will finally finish my Sparkling Leaves Sweater tonight. Since I was slow working it, I was able to test the sleeve shaping out so that Jill could see it before the pattern went live. It went live today.  Here is the pattern.

I worked the 3X size. I used Nature Spun in sport weight from The Brown Sheep Company. The main color was Harvest Grape and the color of the leaves is called Mill Blue. It took me longer than I expected because of the heat we have been experiencing here in Colorado. Knitting with a wool sweater on my lap in 100 degree heat is not my idea of fun. We don't have AC or even a swamp cooler, just drink lots, wear light clothing and stay in the basement. I will share a picture of wearing it next week. 

I am also testing knitting the Bonfire shawl for Wendelika and the Journey to the Cape sweater for Annie Lupton. There are not pictures of them as I haven't made much progress due to working almost only on the Sparkling Leaves sweater.

The latest design and starting Christmas presets this week goes hand in hand. My son last year asked for finger-less gloves for hunting. By the time the yarn arrived and I played around a bit with ribbing and some color work, his hands had out grown what I started. I then got sick and was hardly knitting. I talked to him about the design again, traced his hand and took measurements. His hands have grown enough that I am going to use a similar design to that of the ones I made for my best friend. The difference for my son's is that the palm side will be worked in rib. I am hoping this will bring a snugger fit that will grow with him.

I am working on a lace gauntlet design and am about half way though the first one, again. The first go around was way too big. The notes I had, in the computer, not written, so no mistake there, said to use a US size 4 needle. That was way too big. After some swatching, I have gone down to a US size 0, big difference I know, but I am loving the fabric.

Tomorrow I will finish preparing the wool yarn to dye for my next big design, Tears to Roses. This design has been in process for over a year. I have done swatching and tiny dye jobs to choose colors. I have finally chosen colors, fade direction and edging. I will also be swatching this week to choose stockinette back ground or reverse stockinette.

For the trip to Stitches Salt Lake, I am very excited and a bit apprehensive.  I have never flown on a plane and I have never traveled alone.  I will be doing both for this trip.  Well Dolores is going with me, but...

I will be taking two classes from Franklin Habit; Tessellations and Steeking.  I am excited about both and think that both of these are excellent next steps in my designing and fiber arts career.

Cabling without a cable needle.  I am only going to cover a one over one cable stitch.  This is the easiest to do without a cable needle.  A two over two can be worked the same way but is more fiddly.  I personally use a cable needle for anything larger, as I have yet to find a method that works for me without losing the stitches.  If you have suggestions, please leave a comment.

I am currently working these cables in the Journey to the Cape Sweater and the Owlie socks I started in July.  Remember I am a true left handed knitter and you may need to reverse these directions for it to work for you.

To work a one over one cable that leans to the left I work as follows.  Insert the needle into the second stitch as if to knit, in front of the first stitch.

Knit leaving that stitch on the needle.

Knit the first stitch normally.

Drop both stitches from the needle.

To work a one over one cable that leans to the right I work as follows.  Insert the needle into the second stitch as if to knit, behind the first stitch.

Knit this stitch, leaving it on the needle.

Knit the first stitch normally.

Drop both stitches from the needle.

A column of finished cables.

I will post a video on my IG on Friday of how to do each of these.  Look for #azariahstip

That is all for this week.  Fall is on it's way in my hemisphere and I couldn't be happier.

Happy making!

 

All about the process

I am very much a process maker. For me there is a lot of happiness and joy to found in the journey. I very often also love the finished product and don't want to part with it. I have been working on one shawl, a wedding ring shawl since 2010 and am just past the half way point of the body. There are many reasons for this, one time, two not getting it dirty, three not wanting to speed through it, just to name a few.

The reason of time is simply because I don't choose to use my time on it very often because of reasons 2 and 3. The yarn is a very fine weight wool in an antique natural white color. I have to be careful where I work on it. I do take it out of the house to work on but I need a table, as the lace pattern is on both sides and I need my pattern handy. It is not something I work on in the van as I don't want it dirty from all the dust in the van. Mostly, I just love working on it so much, and honestly have no practical use for it when it is finished that I am just going to continue to take my time and enjoy the project a couple of times a week or so.

In being a process maker I learn and, to use a word from Elizabeth Zimmerman, "unvent" many things that are new to me but are most likely not new. Recently during a test knit, this one, I was having a problem with one increase spine with the little holes being larger than the holes in the other increase spines and I didn't like the look of it. In some situations I will take a picture of the problem, rip and try it in a different way. I had many rounds to go on this and it wasn't extremely noticeable because of the hand painted yarn, so I took a picture and tried something different right in the middle of the piece. I take a picture for future reference, either to see if the new thing I tried is any better, in case I have a similar issue in another project or for teaching opportunities.

 

The first thing that I tried to fix the spine didn't work. In this particular pattern there is a spine directly next to the beginning of the round and I thought maybe that having the increase there was making it looser than needed. I was working on 4 double pointed needles and not having this problem in any other areas. So instead of increasing on the increase round, I acted like I had missed it when I got back to that point on the plain round after, and made it up by pulling the stitches tighter. Not much change really, if any. At this point it was close to time to change colors, so I decided to move the beginning of the round to the middle of the side. I thought maybe the transition from a knit round to a purl round and back to get the garter look might be the problem. I cut the hand painted yarn, removed my beginning of round marker and slipped stitches from one needle to the other with out knitting them or changing their orientation to about the middle of that side. I then picked up my heather yarn and started knitting.

After a few rounds I knew I had found the solution, this was it. It was the combination of changing the stitch method at the start and increasing all at the same time.  This is that same increase spin after I shifted the start of the round to the middle of the side.

This is new start of round.  While it is still visible, I think it is less noticeable than the holes being larger.  The picture below shows all the sides.  The one with the new start of round in it is on the lower right hand side.

I continued with this until the piece was finished and am very pleased.

I got a new toy this week! It is my first e-spinner. It is the Electric Eel Nano from Dreaming Robots. I love this little guy. It is very quiet and runs very smoothly. It is much louder in the video than for real because it is sitting so close to the microphone.

I washed two fleeces this week. Both are from our small farm here in Deer Trail, Colorado. One is from the ram we lost this past year, Whitney. He was a Leicester longwool. The other is from my first ewe, Chloe. She is a Rambouillet, Shetland X. I am also processing her lamb fleece to become a Surprise jacket for me.

 

Here is the water after I have added a generous amount of Dawn dish soap.  I like it ot be slippery from the soap.  Dawn binds with the lanolin that the hot water has melted from the fleece.  I use the hottest water that the tap will give.  If I have a really oily fleece I turn up the hot water heater, but that isn't very often.  I recommend about 1 1/2c of Dawn per 3 gallons of water.  In that amount I will wash 4 mesh bags with 8oz of raw skirted wool each.  For these pictures it was a bit more water and soap with a total of 6 bags of wool.

 

Here is  the wash water after the wool has been in there for 20 minutes.  I don't leave it to sit longer because if the water cools too much you risk that lanolin becoming friends with the wool again.

Here is the water after 3 rinses.  There are no more suds but some dirt is defiantly still there.  I do 3 rinses after 1 wash.  Each rinse has less hot water than one before, with the final rinse being all cold water and some vinegar.  I don't go until the water is clear because that would take quiet a while.  I get it to a livable amount of dirt for me and then spin out the remaining water and put it on the rack to dry.

I said I'd detail the current test knits I have going. I'll start with the oldest, my Sparkling Leaves sweater from Jill Karina. I finally finished the yoke, tried it on and it fits nicely. I finished the ball of yarn I was on for the body and them paused there so I can work on the sleeves. Jill has some sleeve shaping that she wanted tested and I said I would. Here is a picture of where I currently am.

A couple of weeks ago I started the Bonfire Poncho from Wendelika. As I stated before, I am working this from unmarked stash yarn, except I did find a tag on one of the balls of main color. It is from Mirasol on their Hacho base which is 100% merino in shade 308.

I have almost completed both of the cable panels, in black and have now started on the main part in the rainbow color way.

Shortly after that I started the Journey to the Cape Sweater from Annie Lupton. This one is made of an very yummy worsted weight yarn that is a 50/50 blend of alpaca/merino. The majority of the sweater is worked in moss stitch, which is a new one for me. The front is cabled with all kinds of different cables and a wrap that is also new to me. I have finished the bottom ribbing and started into the cable panel.

When doing a test knit I always do a swatch. I don't always photograph the swatch, I'll be better about that, but I do always make one. This swatch helped me to know the obvious as to whether or not I was getting gauge, but I also learned what moss stitch should look like and how to count it. When I finish with a swatch some times I rip it out, other times I don't, this time I did and reclaimed the yarn. Swatches I don't rip out get stored in a baggy with the project info for future reference and repairs.

I will be hard at work on these knits for the next couple of weeks and starting a new outfit for Dolores for Utah.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Happy making!