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Whenever we get Sweet Georgia fiber in at the store it’s really exciting. The colours are so rich and they feel so nice. I couldn’t help but bringing a few braids home with me to spin. And as you can see, Ms. Gnocchi could not help but get in the picture with it (I took something like 20, she is in all of them). I decided to try doing some deliberate spinning for once. I set out to make a chunky gradient yarn. I separated the Sweet Georgia Superwash Merino (IT’S SO FLUFFY!) in Stella into its four main colours, pink, purple, sky blue and navy. There was a bit of overlap in each colour, with bits of pink sneaking into the navy and sky blue into the purple, but that all made the gradient nice and gradual. I spun each braid separately and plied them on themselves. The result is around 180 yards of chunky/bulky super soft and squishy yarn. Now I need to figure out what to do with it. I’ve really been digging (ha, I say digging) bulky shawls, so I might do something in that direction. I do want to use the whole skein for one project to show off the colour changes. Or I can just keep squishing it.

Crochet mittens are fast becoming my favorite on the go project. They are small and easy and super portable. I can see progress right away (unlike on the go socks). My favorite part is that I can use up all those single skeins of pretty variegated worsted weight wool that I have around. Next I want to make a Noro pair. I’ve tried a few patterns now, and my favorite is Vargavinter. I like the fabric created by the back loop single crochet stitches, it’s more firm than regular single crochet. And it leaves a pretty ridge. I make the cuff a touch longer than the pattern calls for, because I like them like that. The pair in the picture are made with HandMaiden Casbah (soo nice) held double. Mostly because I fell in love with the colourway (I think it’s Masala), but wanted something quicker than a fingering weight project. So I doubled it up and now I have cashmere on my hands. I am working on another pair in Malabrigo Worsted in Whales Road right now. So pretty. Next I really want to try some crochet colourwork.

I’ve been looking over my yarns (which have been culled quite a bit I have to say) and am trying to figure out what I want to make with it all, and what I want to make with yarns I do not have yet (it was major ordering week at the store this week and I want to knit all the yarn). I came up with a list. Knit might not be wholly accurate, because there are a few crochet projects sneaking in. I really like crochet. Anyways, here is the list:

Manayunk Cardigan - This year I want to make more sweaters. I love this sweater. We have some Cascade Eco on the way in lots of great neutrals, and I have some neon yarn that would be perfect for the stripes. The real decision is neon pink or neon yellow stripes. I think it will come down to the neutral, but it is a tough one.

A yet to be determined granny square type blanket – As I mentioned, I have some neon yarn. Pink, yellow and purple Manos Maxima. Such unnatural colours in such a soft and natural wool is pretty great.  I was going to use all three for a couch throw of some sort, but I really want to use one of them for the stripes, so today while I was at the store I put aside some Malabrigo in Apple Green for whatever I need to replace. I feel I need some girly home deco stuff in the living room area because my house is overrun by boy things. I am also going to make a quick quilt and maybe some cushions too. I can’t wait.

Kornblomst Shawl – Another crochet project. I feel I really need to expand my crochet skills, and when I saw this pattern, I knew this was how I have to do it. I picked up some Tosh Lace in Forestry for this one. I am going to wait till the spring/summer to start this one because it seems more like a warm weather project

Sweet November Shawl or Tshirt Yarn Lace Wrap – There is a new cotton tape summery yarn on its way in some great shades (Chartreuse! Tomato! Awesome grey-ed out pastels!) that I can’t wait to knit with. I think one of these patterns would be perfect for it.

Rockerfeller Sweater - I started one of these, but ripped it out right away because I wasn’t happy with a few things I did. Mostly yarn choice. I still want this though, so I am going to try again this year. Probably with Mirasol Ushya, my favorite bulky. Unless I find an amazing bulky in a perfect grass green. But I really like the stretchy-coziness of the Ushya. I even have glitter needles just for this sweater.

Marina Sweater - I love this sweater so so much. It’s all sorts of whimsy. I see it in a Noro and some sort of neutral plain yarn, like Cascade 220 or something like that. Crochet is just starting to get exciting! Corie and I are going to do this one together which should be fun. Again, I think this will be a good spring/summer project because it is worked in motif pieces instead of having a heavy sweater on your lap.

Secret Sweater – I am just finishing a sweater for publication right now, and I want to make it for myself, but in cardigan form. Probably out of Berroco Vintage (which is crazy popular at the yarn store right now), Cascade 220 or some other nice basic worsted weight.

So that is my list!

I’ve been the worst blogger ever lately. I haven’t been much of one at all lately. In between hanging out with my increasingly crazy kids, working at a retail store over the holidays and deadlines I haven’t had much time to update among other things. I have so many finished objects to show off and other exciting things! I’ve also been thinking about myself and creativity and other things. I used to draw like crazy, and I wasn’t a horrible drawer (I almost majored in drawing in school). I’ve resolved to start art journalling ASAP. I just need to pick up a sketchbook and a pencil sharpener (I have all the grades of pencil, but they are dull dull dull) and maybe some glitter. I imagine an art journal of mine would involve some glitter. And maybe highlighters. I’ve always found art journalling to feel a little insincere to do for some reason, But I am going to make myself do it and find a way to make it feel right. I’ve found this list of prompts and I am going to try to work my way through them.

I’ve also signed up for two creative business e-courses. Creative is what I feel a big part of my side of the business (Wolseley Wool) is. And creatively I feel a little lacking lately. I just started reading Dream Job from Red Velvet and signed up for Indie Business Compass which is available in a couple of weeks. While what I do is more of a traditional business, in the sense that there is a storefront and it’s been established for a while, we have a lot of exciting plans I think these courses might help me think outside the box a bit better on.

I think in the coming months the overall focus of this blog might shift. Don’t get me wrong, the focus will still be knitting and yarn, but I want to bring more of me into it, if that makes any sense, and I want to bring more of me back out of me and get back into things I love and figure out how to incorporate them with what I do now if that makes any sense to you. Which it doesn’t need to, but it’s out there. Ha.

Finally, a cute pattern I made for the winter accessory issue of Petite Purls came out yesterday. It’s a sweet mitten pattern knit three ways: stripes, stars or plan. The stars are my favorite! You can check it out here and queue it on Ravelry here. Little mittens are the best because they are super cute and tiny and you can go really crazy with color.

Yesterday someone commented asking about good sock patterns. While I just knit simple socks and make them up as I go, there are two books that I find indispensable. They have great basic patterns and all the information you need to knit socks.

The first is Ann Budd’s Getting Started Knitting Socks. Don’t let the name fool you, it’s a book for knitters of all skill levels. It’s kind of like a Knitter’s Handy Book of Patterns for socks. There are pictures of all of the techniques, enough instructions and visuals to get even the most novice of sock knitters off and running, and my favorite part, instructions for socks of all sizes based on gauge from fine to heavy. And there are patterns too, as well as helpful hints for customizing your own socks. It’s my go to book for making socks.

The second is Socks from the Toe Up by Wendy D. Johnson. She also has some great information and patterns on her site, wendyknits.net While the former book focuses on top-down socks, this is a great book on toe up socks. Which is my favorite way to make them. Especially two at a time. There is lots of great information in the front on all sorts of techniques with helpful illustrations and a whole heap of pretty patterns. I bought the Kindle version of this book, and I love that there is a link for each lace chart so you can print it off and mark it up or whatever. A close runner up is Toe-Up-Two-at-a-Time Socks, which has some tiny practice socks at the beginning with step by step pictures that you can work through if you are really puzzled or just want some experience on a quick project before tackling a real pair. And it’s coil bound which I love for its flat laying qualities.