My brags: this weekend I finally finished a pair of fingerless mittens and got around to blocking the blue beaded shawl I finished a while ago. Here it is:
I wasn't sure how big it would turn out, and it took up a lot more floor space than I expected, so I didn't stretch it as hard as I could have, but it still looks like it does in the pattern. The wool seems a little rougher after blocking than before, but maybe that's just my dry skin catching on it. It's very lightweight, but should have some warmth to it. And plenty of cat hair.
I stopped at Pins and Needles this week, and actually got some attention, being the only customer in the store. When they asked what I was making, I said "pigs". That stopped them in their tracks, but it's true - I'm making little pigs for my friend Ann to sell on her farm. I got one skein each of Cascade 220 sport superwash in pink and black. I'm curious to see how many pigs I can get from one $7.95 skein, and how long it takes. They work up quickly, an hour or less each, but my wooden DPNs are too blunt and short, and my metal DPNs are too slippery and fall out of the stitches, so I need better needles to crank these out. These are the first 5:
They still need embroidered eyes. Here's the pattern. Ann sells meat from pigs and lambs she raises, and eggs with all different colors, so I'll also make her some sheep and chickens, but I'm not finding patterns I like that are quick and don't involve sewing multiple pieces together. I know there will probably have to be some of that, but not too much if I'm lucky. Her farm is Stonybrook Meadows in Hopewell. The goods are expensive, but very good quality and responsibly raised.
I finished watching a Craftsy class on repairing lace knitting mistakes. I think I already had figured out some of it for myself, but I did learn some things about how to repair a mistake a few rows back without taking the whole thing apart, which I can pass on to anyone who needs it.
Now I'm slowly working my way through all the ends to be woven in on 20 squares for that cat blanket, then I have to make eyes, sew down tails, embroider noses and mouths, then finally attach the blocks together and add a border. A lot more hours go into it than you would think, and I hope that reflects in the bids at the fundraiser.
Time for a new project! An alligator, I think, to use up some leftover green wool and make another toy for the fundraiser.
A reminder, Yarnworks has reserved the library display cases for September. What do you want to put in?
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