Whippoorwill Shawl - Finished!

I spent all day yesterday working on this, but I finished it.  Fortunately they were running Marilyn Monroe movies on TCM all day (summer under the stars).  She was such an amazing woman, smart, talented and with that luminous beauty and that incredible combination of innocence and sensuality.  There will never be another like her.  Today is the 50th anniversary of her death, she was only 36.  I always wonder if she would have kept her iconic status if we had seen her age, if we had seen her humanity.

I used my ultra fine super long blocking wires from in-spin-knit-y to block the shawl.  It made getting that nice wavy edge super easy.  I simply threaded the wires through that last row of eyelets and only had to use one pin at the peak of each wave.

Pattern:  Whippoorwill by Carina Spencer
Yarn:  madelinetosh tosh sock, 367.4 yards (335.9m) of Robin's Egg and 209.4 yards (191.4m) of Baltic, total yardage 576.8 (527.3 m)
Needle:  US 6 (4mm)

Whippoorwill Shawl - Section 2 Done

I have decided to try and get this project finished this weekend.  Mostly I just want to get it done.  I think between work and knit-alongs and clubs I just feel generally over-committed.  On the bright side, it was nice waking up this morning with no nausea or migraine.

Project:  Camp Loopy 2012 Project 3 - Whippoorwill by Carina Spencer
Yarn: madelinetosh tosh sock in Robin's Egg and Baltic
Needle:  US 6 (4mm)

Whippoorwill Shawl - Section 1 Done

This is my third Camp Loopy 2012 project.  500 yards, at least 2 colors, and a pattern I haven't done before.  The yarn is madelinetosh tosh sock in Robin's Egg and Baltic.  An easy knit, which has been okay this week as I've had a migraine for the last three days.  I think (hope) that it is finally going away, it actually caused me to miss work.  The pattern is Whippoorwill by Carina Spencer, needle size is US 6 (4.0 mm).

Raspberry Mocha Pullover - Finished!

Finished today, my second project for Camp Loopy 2012, and the gallery on The Loopy Ewe web site hasn't even been set up yet.

Pattern:  Top-Down Raglan, from Sweater Wizard software
Yarn:  Fiesta Yarns Boomerang in Raspberry Mocha, 3 skeins
Needles:  US 5 (3.75 mm) and US 6 (4 mm)

Raspberry Mocha Pullover - Body Done

I spent most of the 4th working on this, and finished up the body this evening (as evidenced by the darkness beyond the window in the background, and the poor lighting).  Even with my knitting mojo at a low this is an easy knit and still enjoyable.  Plus, I have a deadline as this is the second Camp Loopy project - 800 yards and must have a color from my country's flag.  Easy.

Yarn:  Fiesta Yarns Boomerang in Raspberry Mocha
Pattern:  Top down raglan from Sweater Wizard software
Needles:  US 5 (3.75 mm) and US 6 (4 mm)

Raspberry Mocha Pullover

When it comes to knitting, I can't stay monogamous for very long, and I seem incapable of having less than 8 works in progress going at a time.  Of course it doesn't help that the second Camp Loopy project started this past Wednesday.  This time the challenge is to knit something that takes 800 yards, and has a color from your country's flag in it.  I took the easy way out and decided to knit another one of my top down raglan pullovers in Fiesta Yarns Boomerang.  I have the pattern down and I know that I can finish it quickly and that it will use more than 800 yards.  The color is Raspberry Mocha and there is both red and blue, and you can even convince yourself that there is some white in there as well, so I think I have the color thing covered.  I do love this yarn, and I do enjoy knitting this pattern.  I think that this project will give me an even dozen of these pullovers.

Briar Rose Bolero - Finished!

I finished my first Camp Loopy 2012 project Thursday night, well in advance of the deadline, and I ordered my yarn for the second project.  I am taking the easy way out on the second project, though.  It calls for 800 yards and has to have a color from your country's flag.  I am going to do another one of my colorful pullovers out of Fiesta Yarns Boomerang.  I did a pullover for last year's Camp Loopy as well.  There are times when you want a challenge, and times when you don't.

Pattern:  Briar Rose Bolero by Ysolda Teague
Yarn:  Dream in Color Classy in Cold Fire
Needles:  US 7 (4.5 mm)

Briar Rose Bolero - Sleeve Shaping Done

I've made great progress on my Camp Loopy project.  I am up to the shoulder shaping.  The instructions for the decreases for the sleeves is a little confusing, and I don't think I did it quite right, but it is close enough.  I kept the decreases along a single line, my line just may be shifted a stitch, but I don't think it will make any difference.  It has been a fun and speedy knit.  I even managed to fit in some trip preparations.  I've laid out some outfits for the trip, although I still need to pack.

I always bring my Afghani Nomad Dress.  The bodice is heavily beaded, and it is always a big hit at the show.  And of course matching jewelry and lace shawls is always important.  And Bruce and I even packed the Element.  But there is still more to go in.

Briar Rose Bolero - Both Sleeves Done

I finished up sleeve two this morning while watching bad SciFi on the SyFy channel.  I hate the fact that they changed their name to SyFy, just because they wanted to trademark it.  I think it would have been more clever if they had changed their name to PsiPhi, but of course no one asked me.  I also joined both sleeves to the body.

Now the fun begins.  Of course, what I really should be doing is getting ready for my trip tomorrow because it is time for the Bead & Button Show and I have to pack up my Element with all of the booth infrastructure and head out for points west.  Tomorrow I will drive to Ohio and rest a day while I visit my parents and then on Tuesday I will head to Milwaukee for 5 days of beads.  I have laundry to do and I have to figure out what outfits I am going to take and of course what knitting projects to take.  I'll definitely take this one, plus my mystery socks and probably the Little Wing shawl and maybe the Fresh Ink Cardigan.  That should keep me busy and keep me from getting yarn withdrawal while I am hanging out with all of those shiny objects.

Briar Rose Bolero - Sleeve 1 Done

While I have been working on my Tea Rose Shawlette I have not been neglecting my Camp Loopy project.  Here is my first sleeve, done up to the underarm.  I love the way the colors are striping on the diagonal.  This was a nice piece of mindless knitting.  When I wasn't working on it the yarn and my row counter nested perfectly inside, the unfinished sleeve became a yarn cozy.  Now on to the second sleeve, unfortunately the yarn cake is getting small enough that it will fall out of the bottom of the sleeve.  I used almost half a skein on sleeve 1.

This morning I saw a cardinal snatch a bug out of the air.  It was a nice bit of flying.

Briar Rose Bolero - Lower Body Done

I actually cast this on in the wee hours of the morning.  I had fallen asleep on the daybed watching Turner Classic Movies and knitting on my Knitterati mystery socks (more on those later).  I woke up around midnight and shuffled off to bed, but once there I couldn't get back to sleep.  Bruce had actually already gone to bed and he woke up after I came up.  Neither one of us could sleep, so he grabbed his Kindle and I grabbed my knitting.  And, seeing as how it was now May 27, I decided to cast on my Camp Loopy project.  I picked this project because of the interesting construction techniques.  I wanted a somewhat challenging project that would still be doable in the time frame allotted.  The bolero starts off with some short row shaping to get the curved bottom edge, I did shadow wraps for the short rows.  You may recall that I tried the shadow wraps on my Boreal socks, but didn't really like the results, but for this application they were perfect, and so easy.  Now I get to go knit two sleeves up to the underarm.  The sleeves are then attached to the body and the knitting continues from there.

Pattern:  Briar Rose Bolero by Ysolda Teague
Yarn:  Dream in Color Classy in Cool Fire
Needles:  US 7 (4.5 mm)

Camp Loopy 2012

It is almost time for Camp Loopy.  This is the best kind of camp in my book, virtual, and focused on knitting and crochet.  Each month for three months you knit or crochet a different challenge project. As if I need any more works in progress! But I don't care, it is fun, and if you buy your yarn from The Loopy Ewe during Store Week you can double your bonus dollars and get 20% off your order, and if you get your yarn from The Loopy Ewe and complete all three projects you will get a prize, a skein of fingering weight cashmere blend in a Camp Loopy colorway.  Last year the prize was a skein of Wollmeise yarn. The first challenge is to knit or crochet something that takes more than 400 yards and is by a designer from a country other than your own.  I picked the Briar Rose Bolero by Ysolda Teague and I am going to knit it in Dream in Color Classy in Cool Fire.  So what are you waiting for?  The last day to order your project yarn from The Loopy Ewe and get a 20% discount is today.  Camp starts on May 27.  Are you in?