your sea-bound coast, let your mountains dark and dreary be

IMG_8052ps, originally uploaded by pirateygoodness.

I’m back! My trip to Nova Scotia was, quite possibly, the best vacation I’ve ever had, but it’s still nice to be back home. (With my kitten, who is extraordinarily needy after my absence. It’s getting a little over the top.)

As I mentioned before, I finished my first Ishbel fairly early on in the trip, but now that I’m back here where my SLR lives, I can show you good-quality photos of it. This is before blocking, but you can sort of see the lace pattern detail here, and the photos are remarkably colour-true: the yarn really is that purple.

I worked this up in the small size on 8mm needles instead of the suggested 4mm, which got me to the correct stitch gauge, and the yarn is SRK On Your Toes Bamboo, a 75/25 bamboo/nylon blend. I’ve never blocked bamboo before, but I have a sneaking suspicion it’s going to grow a lot.

The skein claims to have 328 yards in it, and I’d seen some Ravelry entries claiming to have knit the small-stockinette/large-lace variation of this shawl, with close to that amount of yarn, but about halfway through I realized I wouldn’t have enough for that and stuck to the small size, which I’m glad for – I have maybe 10m of yarn left over.

I’ve also started a second Ishbel, this one for myself. I’m working it in delicious, dyed-in-Canada wool from Tanis Fiber Arts, and it’s going just as quickly as the first one did. It looks like garbage, as all lace still on the needles does, but I swear it’s going to be cute.

Song of the Entry: Farewell to Nova Scotia (Listen)

you told me there's no need to talk it out

IMG_8018, originally uploaded by pirateygoodness.

This would be the next stage of my Owls sweater. What a disaster.

I’ve been trying to salvage the yoke, and make this into something I’d enjoy being able to wear, but it. . .has not been going well. The sweater hits me right up until the waist shaping – which I thought, at the time, was so clever, but ended up producing this weird billowy hunchback effect between my waist and my shoulders. It was super attractive.

Between that and the fact that the math on the yoke just wasn’t shaking down the way I wanted it to, I ended up spending the better part of an afternoon on Ravelry and decided to just frog the whole thing. I’m going to take the yarn (which I still love, and which is not that much worse for being knit up once before) and turn it into the Garter Yoke Cardi (Rav). Everyone will just be happier.

I am, on the one hand, a little sad that I have to let this sweater go, because I was so excited about it. On the other, it wasn’t going to be what I wanted, and I’m in love with this yarn, so I’m glad I’m grown-up enough to realize that now and not after I’d cut the steeks and destroyed my chances of using that wool for something else.

Also, this is happening. It’s a very special birthday present for someone I am 99% sure does not read this blog, so I’m allowed to mention it every now and again as I go.

Song of the Entry: Ashley Tisdale – It’s Alright, It’s OK (Listen)

i'm the instigator of underwear showing up here and there

IMG_7163, originally uploaded by pirateygoodness.

Remember the yarn I bought over Thanksgiving weekend? This yarn? I finally knit with it! Basically, the second I picked up the skein I just wanted to squish my face against it (the wool/silk is ridiculously soft) – so I decided the best thing to make would be something that went against my neck and face.

This is a scarf! Or possibly just a glorified neckerchief, since I’m trying to make as much scarf as I can get out of 300 yards, but, whatever. It’s going to be awesome, and I can squish it against my face as much as I want to.

Song of the Entry: P!nk – Bad Influence