WIP Wednesday (for “Work In Progress”) is a meme where we share our current fibery projects. It was started by Nicole @ Book-Wyrm-Knits, who also reviews books at book-wyrm-reads.
Spinning
I haven’t posted a WIP Wednesday in quite a while, so I missed out on posting these singles, which I finished up in October. The fiber for both is “Rusty Truck” dyed by Lazy Livin’ Fiber on BFL, in two 4-oz. braids. Both braids featured deep purplish reds (or reddish purples), dark browns, and teals.
I started this spin in February, but had to take months off after I injured my hand and wrist (probably a “snuff box” fracture, though they couldn’t see it on an X-ray.) I went back to it in July for Tour de Fleece, finishing one braid/bobbin and starting the next. I took a break in August due to all the work we were doing on the house, and finally finished the second bobbin in October, after I got back from helping a relative recover from surgery.
I’m not sure how I plan to finish the yarn. I spun it pretty fine, so I think a three-ply or chainply would make a better yarn overall. Chain-plying would maintain the colors, but I’m not the world’s best chain-plyer. If I decide to do a three-ply yarn, I’ll need to spin an equivalent amount of something that goes with all the colors; I would probably choose a very deep, muted brown. I won’t be able to do anything with it until I get back from vacation in January, though.
Knitting
In 2021, I knit “Seeds of Neverland” (the multicolor scarf) out of yarn I handspun in 2019. But I never wove in the ends until this past week. I plan to block it and give it as a Christmas gift. The name comes from the colorway of the hand-dyed fiber I used: “Neverland” from Becoming Art; the pattern is a basic seed stitch.
This year, I knit up the green “Salish Sea” scarf out of yarn I spun in 2022, using BFL wool dyed by Quillin Fiber Arts. It was my first knitting project after being allowed to take off the wrist brace following my injury. I finished it up in October, and plan to block it this week to give as a Christmas gift. The pattern is Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s One Row Handspun Scarf.
I started this sock on Nov. 2. The yarn is Paton’s Kroy Socks FX in “Celestial Colors”; the pattern is Hermione’s Everyday Socks. I’m playing yarn chicken with the toe, but I think there’s enough. Just in case I need to rip back and knit the toe in a coordinating color, though, I added a lifeline (the white thread) where the toe decreases begin. Once I finish this, I’ll start the second sock—no second-sock syndrome for me!
Socks are my go-to portable project, but I find it hard to knit socks in the car because the yarn and needles are fine, making it harder to knit without looking at my work. So in addition to the second sock, I will be taking yarn and needles for several other projects on vacation: a vest I am planning for my Dad’s birthday in 2025, and probably some charity hats as well.
Links:
NOTE: Since there are still a few people who can’t or don’t use Ravelry for various reasons, I label all Ravelry links and provide alternate links when possible. (Since many designers sell their patterns only through Ravelry, I can’t always provide an alternate pattern link.) If there is an alternate pattern link, but you want to download a pattern from Ravelry, you can find the pattern link on my project page.
- Rusty Truck yarn (my project page on Ravelry)
- Salish Sea scarf (my project page on Ravelry.) Pattern: One Row Handspun Scarf pattern found on Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s blog.
- Seeds of Neverland scarf (my project page on Ravelry)
- Celestial Everyday Socks (my project page on Ravelry.) Hermione’s Everyday Socks pattern from the Dreams in Fiber blog (Erica Lueder.) However, I used the basic heel and toe instructions from Ann Budd’s Getting Started Knitting Socks book.
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