Ciao 2005, Bon Giorno 2006!

The end is near! And I've got one last FO for 2005. My version of a baby sweater and earflap cap for a 5-month old boy, who, according to his dad, is a rather large child. Remembering the disaster that befell my first baby gear (too small, made prior to birth), I confirmed with poppa that Sean should have a sweater suited for a 1-year old, at minimum. I found this pattern and modified it to have seed stitch instead of garter. I also added arm and side seam striping to break up the sea of blue merino:


Now, on to new beginnings. I look into my crystal ball and consulted the tarot deck. They tell me that socks loom large in my future, so I decide to get a jump on 2006 by stocking up on some inexpensive yarn and tiny bamboo dpns. Et voila, the first sock is cast:


What's that I hear? The clacking of ebony needles on my first felting project! I finally dug the Naranja-ochre and Mustard Malabrigo out of stash-land (where it has resided since March) to make a small 2-color tote. It's only 1/3rd of the way done, so that, too, will land squarely in the 2006 camp. Promise there will be pictures upon completion.

Hasta la bye-bye '05.

Yarn Is My Metier has moved

I was reminded tonight that I completely alienated a segment of my loyal readers when I moved my blog to a proper domain several months ago. Shame on me for not notifying you!

For those of you still linking to the Blogspot version of Yarn Is My Metier, please update your bookmarks to point to http://www.yarnismymetier.com

Break Time Is Over

A couple of weeks have passed since my last update. Sorry about that but, like many of you, I was under the gun and overcommitted on handmade holiday items. Plus, silly me fell on a patch of ice whilst headed for the back door of my home. I banged my already damaged right arm enough to warrant a doctor visit and painkillers. Nerve compression be damned! I was going to finish what I started.

Remember back in August when I started (and subsequently re-knit) a sweater for my Mom? She was kind enough to give me some slack month after month until I promised, hell or high water, to have it for her for Christmas. And I did finish, but not until midnight on Christmas Eve. I cut it so close that I forgot to take a picture of it. She promises to model it for me sometime so I can prove it really does exist. Truthfully, I'm glad to be rid of it. Remind me to never, ever knit cotton tape or railroad yarn again!

I did manage to pump out a few other things, including a baby blanket which Nikita felt the need to inspect:


A scarf for an 8-month old made from stashed Rowan Cork (a matching hat is on the way):

And last, but not least, a scarf for the 10-year-old daughter of a friend of mine. See, today is her birthday. Thanks, by the way, for the suggestions on what to do with the silk and alpaca yarn. I toyed with doing Misty Garden from ScarfStyle, but instead used a pattern from Vogue Knitting Crocheted Scarves as the basis for this one. Add a triangular border and pompom and it's good to gift for the party tonight:


Also on the FO roster are a blue striped baby sweater and a double-stranded garter stitch mohair scarf.

On tap for next year? Beaded lace knitting and socks. Plus a new pattern or two. Wish me luck. I may be reaching out to you for advice on both. Until then, "Happy New Year!"

What Would You Do?

I'm about half way done with my version of this toddler sweater by Margaret Hubert. I'm doing seed stitch instead of garter on the sleeve cuffs and collar, plus I've added a tiny bit of striping on the sleeve.

That's not the reason for the post, however. I need some suggestions for a quick and fun birthday present scarf for a 10-year old girl. I only have a few days to devote to it and I just got the yarn today. It's Knit Picks Andean Silk in variegated blue-green-yarrow. Her mom assures me that the colors are perfect. I just need to find the right pattern - knit or crochet doesn't matter.

So please stitchers, put on your thinking caps and give me your pattern ideas. Gracias, and I do mean mucho!

Just Keep Stitching

I'm taking a couple of days off from work. Days that I'd hope would be for rest and relaxation and, perhaps, a little knitting. A little knitting. Ha! I am so far behind on my gift-making that I should just spend the next 2 days cranking on my brother's Sharfik, a Minnow Knits baby sweater, and a second Elizabeth collar.

I did finish a child's hat and scarf set in pink lambswool and fuschia mohair:


Meanwhile, more of the stuff I went wild ordering has arrived. Yes, there's yarn (Chamonix, Koigu), but I also got a box of books from Amazon as I try to prepare myself for the next wave of knitting: socks and lace. I'm particularly enamored of "Folk Shawls: 25 Knitting Patterns and Tales from Around the World" and "Sensational Knitted Socks." The pictures are beautiful, as are the stories and clear technique descriptions woven into the pages of each book - especially Folk Shawls. Makes me think I might be able to use that heathered laceweight alpaca to make some gossamer pretty after all...

Argh. What have I gotten myself into?

Temptation, Thy Name Is Chamonix!

Several months ago, Jaeger announced they were discontinuing the Chamonix line. Chamonix, for those who don't know, is a luscious mix of French angora and wool that feels as soft as cashmere but at half the price ($14 instead of $28 per 50 gram skein).

Once it was announced that there would be no more Chamonix, I scoured the Web and eBay looking for suppliers cuz I just love a challenge. Coulourway.uk had some. So did Jimmy Beans, but that was about it. Despite my best efforts, I was only able to score one 10-ball bag of Biarritz. The others I sought were no longer available - until yesterday.

Enter WEBS and their deep discount special. Naughty, naughty WEBS (aka one of my pushers) sent me an email featuring beautiful, bountiful Chamonix for sale at the low, low price of $6.50. Unheard of. Fantastic. Where did they get it? Does it matter? You know you WANT it!

Earlier that same day, Janette's (another enabler) sent me an email with info on the subscriber-only availability of some discontinued Rowan ASC, which I adore. I fought, reasoned, and wrangled with myself (and my check book) before deciding I had to find the strength to pass on it. It wasn't pretty.

But not so with Madame Chamonix. Is yarn feminine? Well, I'm just a girl who can't say no to really rare yarn, so I bit. Such a beauty, number 906. Dusky blue and inviting. How could I say no? As with most of my "oh-my-God-I-love-this-yarn" purchases, I have no idea what it will become. Perhaps one day it will tell me.

Meanwhile, I am content until the next little pretty comes sashaying buy, um, by.

Elizabethan Collar

I came across this on Kate Gilbert's site and found it so enchanting that I purchased the pattern straight away.

Specs: 200 yards of double stranded Brooks Farm Primero Kid Mohair, 5 blue-tinged buttons from The Button Drawer, 1 day of knitting time.

Besides, I needed something quick and in a hurry because my grand plan for the WrapStyle Secret Santa gift just wasn't coming together. Not enough time and 5 feet of wide, boring ribbing. It'll get finished someday -- just not this day!

On the site enhancement front, I've pulled together a Finished Item gallery of sorts. Looking back through this year's pictures made me realize just how much stuff I've made, so, for the time being, I'll stop flogging myself over the nagging guilt of "startitis".

For a minute or two perhaps. There are other projects looming.