On My Needles || Toulouse

The moment I spotted Toulouse by Leah Thibault in Knit Scene last year, I knew that I HAD to make one.  Maybe it's because I had a mean case of hat envy (seriously, I love floppy hats but hats just tend to look terrible on me), but I think it had more to do with the beautiful reminiscence of vintage blouses incorporated through the neckline tie.  The tie is what did it - the tie.  I can't believe I went all this time without expediting this project to the top of my queue, but here we are and maybe it's a good thing... the anticipation has just made it that much sweeter.
One thing I should point out is how vibrant, yet earthy and neutral the yarn color is.  I'm lucky enough to have a mom who is even more into knitting than I am - I'm a fledgling in comparison, as she's been a serious knitter since her teens.  Anyway, one of the really cool parts about having a mom who knits is her exuberant yarn stash... and the opportunity to every once in a while take some of it off of her hands.  Such was the case with this yarn - some supremely soft Cascade Alpaca Lana D'Oro.  Thanks, Mom!
I was about halfway done with the body when I took these photos the other day, but at this present moment I'm working on the bottom ribbing section and may even get to move on to the sleeves tonight!  More top-down, seamless, easy stockinette knitting.  The project has gone really quickly and considering how long I've waited on making it, that's a great thing!  You'll likely see an Off the Needles post for this baby soon.
Also on the finishing list is Cardoon, which has but one sleeve left to be seamed and set in.  And maybe one day I'll get to unpack all of my studio boxes, find my Lanesplitter skirt and a strip of elastic and get that one out of the black hole that is my unfinished objects list too.  Another day...

52 Forms of Fungi || #22

Clavaria zollingeri.  Dazzling, bright, ascending wisps of coral fungi incredulousness.  I've wanted to knit this species since I first laid eyes on a photo.  Its otherworldliness appealed to my senses and imagination. (which I suppose is a sense, isn't it?)  You know how sometimes you see something and think how it can't possibly be real?  Moments like these are what fuel my thirst for observation and inspire me to ponder the depth of what we are surrounded by.  I could never fathom it.  How sweet it is to coexist with such magnificent creatures!
Clearly, since this fungi grows in eastern North America, I will be obliged to at some point visit that area in the fall to look for some.  Even if I never find it, I am at least happy to know that it's just out there being amazing.  As fungi does.
As with the Lactarius indigo, I would like to thank Berroco for providing me with the yarn for this fungi!!  It is made with Ultra Alpaca Light in Viola.  Oh, stitch definition...  Vibrant color scheme...  Soft and cozy...  I'll never get enough of Ultra Alpaca!  Good thing I've got a few more species to go with the generous support Berroco has provided to my project.  Thanks, guys!
I also want to put this out there - if there's a fungi out there that you LOVE and would like to see it in knitted form, please share a photo (with scientific name, if you know it) on my Facebook page!  Even though the project has extended into a 2nd year, I am committed to finishing all 52 forms... suggestions are welcome!
This structure was knitted as part of my 52 Forms of Fungi project. Check out more of the forms from this project.
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Wall Hangings || Turkey Tail

Meet "Turkey Tail", a wall hanging inspired by the turkey tail fungus.  I created this piece at the same time as "Riot II" this past summer, but unfortunately never had a good opportunity to get photos of it in an open space with good natural light... until now!  The individual polypores were knitted and then mounted onto a large piece of elm bark.
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Off the Needles || Brise

Brise was really a breeze (see what I did there?).  A long-winded breeze, but a breeze nonetheless, just like the other Knitbot projects I've taken on.  Effortless Cardigan... Walpole... who says miles of stockinette are mundane?  I like having at least one project going that doesn't require my full attention so I can keep my hands busy while watching our fave HBO shows (who caught the True Detective premiere last night?!) or a movie with my husband.  Truth be told, now that this piece is finished I will likely move on to the Featherweight Cardigan (also designed by Hannah Fettig aka Knitbot) using some gorgeous Malabrigo yarn I ordered with birthday money last summer... but that's another blog post.
This pattern called for Quince & Co.'s Sparrow, a linen yarn that the collection was designed around.  Since Hannah's patterns are of course simplistic genius, they are on the queues of many and this yarn was totally sold out when I went to buy it.  This may actually have been lucky for me, because I've been looking for an excuse to splurge on some Louet Euroflax Sport for quite some time... so in the spirit of seizing opportunities (as seemed to be my theme for the year), I went for it.  My normal color choices fall under the bold and bright categories, but since I do like to wear such bright colors I figured it would be great to have a neutral tone in my wardrobe.  This shade is called Ginger and had just enough punch to grab my attention.  (Hey, neutrals can be enticing too).
As I've said before on other Knitbot projects, the seamless design of this cardigan made it simple and non-stressful to create.  Sure, it took FOREVER, but that was due in part to my over-zealous period of cast-on addictions, and then it sadly sat on a shelf for the majority of the fall while I was working furiously on Saprobia and then preparing to move.  If you erase September, October and November from this timeline, it really didn't take all that long.
What do you think?  Have you tried any Knitbot patterns yet?  Have I convinced you yet that they are AWESOME?!?  I do feel like I should put this out there for those of you who have not ever knitted a sweater but are interested in attempting it:  Knitbot patterns are a great place to start.  Seaming is a chore, and it can be especially confusing when you're not that familiar with sweater construction and shaping.  Lining up pieces to sew them up can be tedious.  Why not just get used to the sweater knitting part and not deal with the seams?  All you have to do is put live stitches on waste yarn and then return them to your needles later, or pick up stitches along an edge and knit on.  Just something to think about.  You can do it!

 

 

 

 

Top and Jeans: Loft

Reconnected

Happy New Year, my dear blog readers!  I hope your holidays were spent with people whom you love with reckless abandon-- joyful, comforting and rejuvenating for a new start.  After a particularly strenuous summer and fall, I found myself in need of a disconnect for a short time.  Large project commitments, buying a home and moving just before the holidays got here were a little overwhelming. You know how sometimes you have to take a step back, regroup, and allow yourself to feel ready and refreshed before taking the plunge back into your normal work and routine?  That was December for me.
Our home is slowly coming together and I've been getting inspired to start creating again (more like itching to create SOMETHING - just a month off is still too long!)  I plan to rouse the 52 Forms of Fungi project this week and get back on a regular posting schedule.  If you've been checking back every so often, thank you!  Know that this is the beginning of a new year of active blogging.  One good aspect of the hiatus was that I had a little downtime to start whittling down my list of knitwear WIPs.  I'm excited to write some Off the Needles posts and cast on some fresh new pieces!  Happy January and I'll see you next week!
The above photo was from the ice storm we had during December.  Just enough to glisten on the trees without much damage!  It was beautiful.

 

Snow Days

Some winter weather hit us last week, so I spent a few days stuck at home.  The dog sure seemed to enjoy it - she's still on a high of having her own yard and it was fun watching her sprint in circles in the snow.  Plus, winter brings the most amazing sunrises/sunsets, don't you think?

Foggy Morning

It's a foggy morning over here today.  These are some images from the front part of my back yard.   We are moved in, and finally finished cleaning up at the old place for the end of our lease.  Most of our stuff is in the garage, but we're gradually starting to unpack and figure out where things will go.  Since the weather was so nice this weekend, we (Emma included) were able to enjoy the yard a little bit and get the bird feeders filled up to watch for little winged visitors.  With all the huge pecan trees in our area, there are a ton of wild birds hanging around.  I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!  I will have a small announcement at the end of this week...

Off the Needles || Color Craving

Top - Athleta, Skirt - thrifted, Tights - Target, Shoes - Minnetonka, Shawl - Color Craving by Stephen West knitted with Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine
Since Momentum Tulsa ended, I've been trying to knock out all of my pending projects so I can start anew once we move.  There are a couple I've started on that haven't even been shared in an On My Needles post.  Soon!
Despite falling about a month behind, I continued with Color Craving using the mystery KAL instructions (although if you're interesting in knitting this pattern it is now released in its entirety on Ravelry.  Color Craving was designed by the talented Stephen West, and this is the second shawl of his that I've made (the first was Daybreak).
I'm not sure if I got too hasty in trying to finish this up or if I got distracted by the sob-fest that was my Parenthood Season 4 marathon on Netflix a few weeks back... but my stitch count was waaayyyyyy off on clues 2, 3 and 4.  Because of my determination to get this dang thing finished, I decided that fewer repeats would not change the appearance of the piece that much beyond the size so I just winged it and did as many as I could before running out of stitches on the short rows.  I think it turned out fine and I'm happy with the size, so no harm done.  Isn't it nice when accidental modifications work out?
Being the Ultra Alpaca fan that I am, I used some jewel tones in the Fine gauge, and man is this shawl ever cozy.  The breeze was a little crisp when I was taking the photos, but my arms were nice and warm underneath the shawl.  The large end is wide enough that it makes a really great hood/head wrap (as you can see below... too far?)

On My Needles || Cardoon

Don't you love those flecks of color?  This yarn is quickly becoming a new favorite.  I've partnered with Love Knitting again to try out more of their eco-friendly products, and this time it's a recycled yarn by Rowan, called Purelife Revive.  It's made with recycled cotton, viscose and silk fibers, and has the feel of a plant fiber yarn that has me thinking it will just get softer with wear.  I love the statement on the label, "Recycling is becoming increasingly important in a world coming to terms with the challenges of environmental, economic and climate change.  Rowan Purelife Revive is made from used garments which have been selected according to the silk, cotton and viscose content.  These are then carded to make regenerated fibre, which is then spun into this beautiful, high quality yarn, which gives life to new hand knitting designs." The colorways are named for different geologic formations, and the one I chose is called Pumice.  I love the Pink Granite colorway as well - it really does look just like granite, with the various shades embedded into it.  Very fitting for the theme of the yarn as well to name them after a unique set of natural formations.

Love Knitting sent me a copy of the coinciding pattern book, the Purelife Recycled Collection.  The first garment I'm making from this lovely array of organic, down to earth pieces is Cardoon, a one button cardigan with rib texturing.  It's knitting up pretty quickly, so I hope to share the finished product with you in just a few weeks!  This would be a great pattern to make for a Christmas gift - since it goes fast and the cardigan is not too particularly fitted - no wonky shapes here to deal with.  It looks like both the yarn and the book are on sale on their web site right now, too!  More on this piece soon!

Beautyberry's Best Season

The shrub was given to me, dug up from a friend's garden that required space for other plants.  The tiny white blooms are pleasant, and the big, bright green leaves are nice, but my favorite part of the year with my American beautyberry is autumn when it boasts these vibrant, purple berries.
I had big plans to dye yarn with them this year, but have found mixed reviews about whether or not the purple pigment from the fruit's outer coating is actually released or if the neutral toned flesh inside dictates the resulting hue.  Fact sheets about Callicarpa indicate that the berries have been used to extract a purple dye for fabric.  I have found little online about actual experiences with using the berries for dye, and one of the accounts I came across indicated that it was a bit of a disappointment.  With that in mind, I've decided to defer to next year.
My beautyberry is one of my favorite plants, and I can't bring myself to strip the branches of their ornamentation - especially when I'm so close to adding it to my own landscape!  Upon moving into the new house, I do plan to propagate some new plants from seed to plant around the yard, so next year I should have enough that I won't miss them.  Do you have any experience with using this species to dye with?

52 Forms of Fungi || #21

Words cannot express how excited I am to be back on this project again!  I've definitely missed it.  The next few forms for the 52 Forms of Fungi series also include a bit of exciting news... Berroco offered recently to provide yarn for some of my mycological creations, and I shortly thereafter received a nice little package of Ultra Alpaca (one of my most favorite yarns!) in multiple gauges and a variety of colors, as well as a couple of other yarny surprises.  I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the support, and want to say a big "THANK YOU!" to Norah Gaughan and the Berroco team.
Thanks also to all of you who have followed along with the project and reached out along the way - it means a lot.  Momentum Tulsa sidetracked me a little bit, and with the current first time homebuying milestone it's looking like completing all 52 forms by the end of the year is most likely not going to happen.  However, this just means that the fungi will keep on coming for a while longer, so I'm okay with this!  I hope you'll keep checking back to see more.
Now, what do we have here?  This is Lactarius indigo, which exudes a dark blue milky substance when cut.  Sounds like a fantasy novel, doesn't it?  How incredible that these things exist in real life.  The range apparently passes through my state, but I have yet to see one in person.  Are there any tricks on where to look for these beauties?  **Edit: I had previously reported that this is a good mushroom for dyeing wool, but Alissa Allen from Mycopigments has clarified this for me and I'm sad to find out that the blue milky cap does not really transfer to a dye very well.  I would still love to see one, however!
To create these blue milky cap fungi, I used Berroco's Ultra Alpaca yarn in Pastel Blue and Azure Mix.
This structure was knitted as part of my 52 Forms of Fungi project, through which I will knit a different type of fungi for every week of 2013. Check out more of the forms from this project.
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Solar Dyeing || #3 Results - Sumac Berries

You may remember this dye jar that I started a couple of months ago.  I let it sit for several weeks while I was working on Saprobia, to allow the pigments to really soak in.  It's funny how with pretty much every solar dyeing experience I've had, the outcome was not at all what I expected.  This is not a bad thing - I don't really go into it with a vivid idea of the end result, but the color of the yarn is rarely in alignment with the color of the dye solution.  I had anticipated a pale red from the sumac berries, but what I ended up with was more of a light peachy tan.  Next year I will try some different mordants and see what comes of it.  Have you dyed with sumac before?  How did yours turn out?  I need to start coming up with projects to know with all of these naturally dyed skeins!

 

I Love October

October is by far my favorite month of the year.  Aside from our wedding anniversary, the month has just always brought refreshment and comfort to me for as long as I can remember.  Maybe it's because of how much I dislike the heat of summer.  Maybe it's because everything becomes so vibrantly colorful... Or maybe it's just that change has come about.. we need that every once in a while, you know?  J and I went to a pumpkin farm this past weekend to harvest a few of these little guys for our porch.  Disregard the windswept hair.  On another note, my tights are actually mustard colored - no, I did not go to the pumpkin patch to be all matchy-matchy.  It was fun to get a little bundled up on a chilly morning and do festive things, however.
Another exciting event will occur this fall-- we are purchasing our first home!  I will wait to post any photos until after the closing date, which is in late November.  All I will say for now is that it's in town and on a lot that's over half an acre, so I see a lot of tree planting, garden building, fire pit making, and beekeeping in my future!
Happy Fall, friends.  What do you love most about this time of year?

 

On My Needles || Color Craving

 Leave it to me to join a knit-along, despite knowing full well that I have absolutely no time for ANOTHER new project.  Stephen West recently hosted another knit-along on Ravelry (did any of you join?), and as I've never done a mystery KAL, I just couldn't pass it up.  The pattern is Color Craving, which is now unveiled and available in its full disclosed version.... and I just started Clue #2.  I've avoided looking at the final pattern photos so I can still have my fun going off of the clues, but seriously guys... this is sad. As you know, I've been a little busy with other things though, so I hope you'll let it slide.
Mr. West never ceases to intrigue with his patterns.  The first few rows were a little odd to knit because I just kept thinking, "okay, where is he going with this?"  As the first section unfolded though, it was really interesting to see how it shaped up.  Since I have about 5 other things going at the same time, including fungi (yay!) and some Halloween socks (had to), and another cardigan that I'm excited to show you soon, just know that it could take a little while before I show you finished photos of this guy... but I'll enjoy my surprises all the way.

Installation Week

I installed Saprobia in the early part of this week, a very gratifying experience.  It's been a lot of work, but there's something to be said for seeing a project through from beginning to fulfillment.  Feels good :)
Momentum Tulsa opens on October 12th at Living Arts in Downtown Tulsa.  These forms will be incorporated into a larger installation for the exhibit.
(photo on bottom left taken by Laura Reese with OVAC and also of Laura Reese Art)