I’m finally moved to a new blog home, over at Substack. WordPress has gotten pretty expensive, and since we’ve had to rebuild most of the outside of our home this year, every little bit helps.
Here’s the new link.
I hope to see you there!
Making
Let’s start with the knitting today. I have eleventy billion projects in the works, but am mostly working on just a few. One is the usual pair of socks.
The yarn is West Yorkshire Spinners, color name Wildflower. This is one of my favorite sock yarns; it feels nice on my feet, and is hard-wearing, and pretty colorfast. I wear my hand knit socks every day, so they need to be sturdy.
Of course, I do have the next sock ready to go once I finish these. I don’t usually do this, but I bought this yarn recently and couldn’t wait to wind it up and cast on.
That just makes me happy. The yarn is from Shilasdair, their Stocainn sock yarn. They don’t have any in stock right now, so it’s just a good thing that I have several skeins in reserve in the stash, especially since he-who-will-not-be-named has put tariffs on things shipping from out of the country.
Next up is another Hitchhiker.
This yarn is so fabulous. It is Sundara’s Fingering Silky Merino, and will be delightful as a shawl. This one is scheduled to be gifted, so it’s a good thing that the little remaining ball is getting smaller.
Last but not least, my Casapinka Hiss & Vinegar mystery KAL shawl. This was an impulse caston, since I already have a bunch of shawls in progress, but her knit-a-longs are so much fun I couldn’t resist.
The KAL is done, so it’s no longer a mystery. Of course, I’m in the “lag-a-long” group, though I don’t have that much left to go. These are stash yarns. The green is Cascade Heritage, the other two are from Madelinetosh (Twist Light). These projects are a good way to use up some of my ridiculously large stash of sock yarn.
I’ve also been doing some dyeing and spinning, but I’ll save that one for next time! Stay tuned!
A couple of finished things
I’ve been on a spinning obsession lately, so that’s what you get today. As they say, buying yarn, making yarn, and actually using yarn in projects are all completely separate hobbies.
First up is an ancient spindle project.
I finished spinning this whack of lovely fluff ages ago, and it just needed plying. I had started doing so on a spindle, which was taking forever. I switched to the wheel to ply, and it is now done.
Here’s a little better photo taken outside. We’re still under major reconstruction here, and have been under the circus tent for well over a month. Our contractor is predicting that we MIGHT be out from under the tarp in another 7-10 days. We shall see.
Fiber: Corgi Hill Farms merino/silk/firestar blend, color True Blood. Red is so difficult to photograph, and the sparkle of the firestar really doesn’t come through in the photos.
Wheel/Spindle: Bosworth Moosie spindle, plyed on Schacht Matchless wheel.
Yardage: approximately 864 yards , 203 grams. This is a fingering weight
What I’ll make with it: likely a shawl of some sort.
That’s the Moosie spindle with its current fluff. These are made from shed moose antlers. It’s a lovely spinner, and one of my favorites.
Next up is this:
Fiber: Jorstad Polworth/Silk, color Labradorite
Tools: Schacht Matchless for both spin and ply
Yardage: 234 yards, 118 g, 2 ply DK weight
What I’ll make: This would be great for a hat or mittens.
Since I’ve been spending more time at the wheel, my spinning is getting more even. What a concept; practice actually helps.
In non-fiber news, my summer classes are winding down, I have one more class for the Victor Hugo novel duo we’ve been reading (Notre Dame de Paris and Toilers of the Sea). Then we’ll have a bit of a break before fall classes start. I’ll be taking a short class (3 weeks) on Dickens’ Tale of Two Cities, then the regular quarter starts a week later. More on that in a future post. In our discussion of the Hugo Toilers book this past week, Moby Dick came up several times. I haven’t read that since likely high school days, so I pulled it off the shelf.
I’m only a couple of chapters in, but I’d forgotten how good this is.
Perhaps I’ll have some knitting for you next time!
Oof
I don’t even know where to start. Chez Knitting Doctor (the house, not the blog) has been under serious construction for the past 3 weeks. We had a leak from the deck above into the kitchen ceiling that had a couple of failed attempts at patching. It morphed into major wood rot, stucco damage, failed prior construction issues, etc. We now have scaffolding on all four sides of the house, a huge circus tent over the house, and basically replacement of a significant percentage of the walls of the house.
Yeah, we’re having lots of fun here.
Oh, let’s not forget the hornet’s nest the guys found whilst putting up scaffolding.
The joys of home ownership. It’s all supposedly on deck for completion in 3-4 weeks.
There was wood rot discovered around the window in my closet, so the window had to be removed to repair that. Of course, the window isn’t a standard size, so we just decided to plaster it over and get rid of the window entirely. So all my bins of yarn and fiber are stacked up in places all over the house. In that process, I found a whole bin full of handspun yarn that I’ve forgotten about. All of my commercial yarn is in my Ravelry database, but the handspun has generally just been shoved into the bin when it was finished.
This week I dragged it all out, took pictures, and entered it into Ravelry so I know what I have.
And it’s done. I added about half of it as “mystery yarn”, since I didn’t keep records of what the fiber was.
Here is my latest handspun.
It’s not my best spinning effort. I haven’t used either of my wheels or the spindles much since Hank came to live here, so I need some practice. But it’s done, and useable, so I’m moving on to the next thing. This is BFL fiber from Susan’s Kitchen, and is a little shy of 300 yds. It will make a nice small accessory. I’m tempted to cast on now, but I have SO MANY little nice small accessories already in progress, so into the bin it goes.
Stay tuned for whatever’s next.
Dumb corgi tricks
I got back from my trip safe and sound, but missing my earbuds. They could be in this house somewhere, but I suspect they are in the seat back pocket of an airplane. They were just cheap, barely useable things, didn’t stay in my ears, and with lousy sound. So I’m not all that sad that they’ve gone AWOL.
I decided to treat myself to a decent set, since I do use them a lot. They came this morning. I was playing around with them, and got up to refill my tea. A short while later, it registered that Hank was being awfully quiet, and went to check.
He had absconded with the little card with all the spare silicone tips. He ate one, and trashed the rest. Little shithead. Fortunately the replacements aren’t expensive, and another set is on the way. There goes his allowance for this week.
3AM Oxford time
My brain thinks it’s prime time, not sleeping time. I decided not to fight it. Obsessing about not being able to go back to sleep definitely does not help one go back to sleep.
My travel day yesterday (yesterday? I have no idea what day it is.) was uneventful. Uneventful is terrific when it comes to international travel.
On the Seattle airport side, there was no line at check in or baggage drop. Not one person in line. There was no line at security either. My flight was delayed by an hour, so I had a long wait once I got through security. THIS is why we always pack the knitting first, people. Whilst the other travelers were fidgety and irritated, I was happily knitting away.
It was equally painless on the Heathrow side. My prior experiences at this airport have not left me with a warm fuzzy feeling about it. But there was no wait at either immigration or customs. Immigration was all automated-scan your passport, it takes your photo, and the gate opens.
My checked bag made it here, my bus to Oxford was easy to find, and showed up a few minutes after I got there. So all in all a pleasant travel day. I arrived at the Oxford bus station, which is less than a ten minute walk to where I am staying. After sitting on the plane for hours, it was nice to walk. I arrived at Rewley House just in time for our group orientation.
Here’s a photo of the Rewley center for continuing education.
The main building was a 19th century convent school. It has a dining room, commons area, and a library (which is associated with the Bodleian Library!), as well as gardens, and a nearby park. Sleeping accommodations are in several buildings around Rewley House.
Classes start later this morning. There are around 25 of us from the Graham School here for the two weeks. We’re divided into two sections: one is studying English history in the Elizabethan and Jacobean years, the other is on love in Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets. I’m taking the latter class. We have discussion classes, lectures, and several tours and field trips.
And yes, I’ve already checked out whether there are yarn shops here (there are, including at the covered market within walking distance). I’m not sure I’ll have time to get any yarn shopping in, but I’ll keep you updated.
In the category of “goofy stuff”, I discovered recently that you can use photos for your Apple Watch face. Here’s one of mine.
I’m off to try to get a few more hours of sleep before the day begins.
Stay tuned!
Off on another adventure
I’m headed for two weeks of fun in Oxford, England. The Graham School has an annual program, Fortnight in Oxford. This year it’s a Shakespeare-focused theme. We’ll have classes, tours, a trip to Stratford on Avon for a Shakespeare play, along with other fun adventures. I have knitting packed, my kindle loaded with Shakespeare plays, and a bit of room for some souvenirs.
John is staying here, so don’t even think about raiding my yarn stash while I’m away.
Conversation at the garden shop
John (headed in to buy coleus plants): Aren’t you coming in?
Me: No, I’ll wait here and knit.
John: Why?
Me: You’ll have to look at EVERY LAST COLEUS plant before you decide.
John: Oh, a little like you in a yarn shop?
New socks
Aren’t those pretty? The yarn is fabulous. It’s dyed by Felt Fusion, but the fiber blend is from John Arbon; their Exmoor sock yarn blend. The difference between the two is interesting. The John Arbon version is dyed as fiber, then spun, and the Felt Fusion yarn is dyed after the fiber is spun into yarn. The latter feels a bit “heftier” once knitted up. Both of these make great socks, and the resulting socks wear well.
It’s the same old generic pattern, except that I’ve had to downsize my socks just a bit since I lost weight. I’d rather have lost it in my butt than from my feet, but whatever.
Back to my reading. I took a little study break, spun a little yarn, decided to do a blog post, but now it’s back to reading for this week’s classes.
Third (fourth?) time is a charm
Remember this from my last post?
I won’t name the pattern, since it’s a lovely design, and well-written. It just didn’t work, either with this yarn, or with my brain. The pattern is relatively complicated, with a stitch key that’s almost a full page. The rabid squirrels that live in my brain weren’t in the mood for complex.
The yarn is from Fly Designs. It’s her Angel Wings lace yarn, a 50/50 merino silk blend, 1260 yards/113 grams. The yarn has a subtle texture, and the dye style gives it a slight tonal nature. The yarn and lace were fighting with each other.
So I ripped it out, started a second pattern, which I’ve made before, and love. A big section of that pattern was plain stockinette, and after a few inches, I was ready to stab my eyes out with my knitting needles.
I want simple, but not THAT simple. I chose yet another pattern. After a couple of starts to get the right needle size, here we are.
Like Goldilocks, this one is just right. The learning point is that sometimes it’s not the pattern OR the yarn, it’s how they work together. This pattern is Edwina, by Dee O’Keefe. Another advantage is that the shawl I just finished is also her pattern, so getting things started was easy.
I will say that this yarn holds up remarkably well to repeated knitting and ripping, which is a good thing.
Elizabeth
Project Details
- Pattern: Elizabeth, by Dee O’Keefe
- Yarn: Lisa Souza Silk Lace, color Camaroon
- Needles: 2.5 mm
- Started/Finished: June 2023/ April 2025
This was such a fun pattern to knit! And it really didn’t take that long to knit. I started it 2 years ago, then it sat in the huge pile of unfinished shawls until a few months ago. It also isn’t a difficult shawl pattern, the patterning looks complex, but the wrong side rows are all purled, and the charts are easy to follow. The pattern has no glitches or head-scratching places. The stitch patterns are fun, and keep the knitter interested.
And the YARN. Oh, this yarn is divine. It is 1094 yards of 100% mulberry silk, in a lovely mauve color, very slightly tonal. It is light and drapey knit up, and may be one of my favorite shawl yarns ever.
Several months ago, I posted a picture of my pile of unfinished projects, which included seven shawls. This was one of them. Of the seven, I’ve finished four of those shawls. Of course, there are more. Somehow, despite my good intentions for finishing the seven before starting new ones, I’ve cast on some. So now I have FIVE shawls in progress. I guess that is still forward progress.
Here’s a photo of one of the most recently started shawls.
It doesn’t look like much just yet. But it is a glorious PINK!
I’ll leave you with one photo of crazy Hank.
He’s no doubt plotting something. Stay tuned!
Pinned
My Elizabeth shawl is done done done. Now I just need to wait for it to dry.
Full project post to follow!
An anniversary, and a finished thing
The anniversary first.
21 years ago today, I posted my first blog entry here at Chez Knitting Doctor. For the past few years the posts have been a bit sparse, but I can’t quite bring myself to delete the whole thing. It’s weird, I thought I would post more in retirement, but it hasn’t worked out that way. Maybe I’ll get more inspired to write in the future. But 21 years of knitting and blogging isn’t just something to toss out.
That’s the latest finished thing. It’s one of those one-skein sock yarn patterns, which are handy when you have umpty-million skeins of sock yarn in the stash.
Project Details:
- Pattern: Effuchief, by Casapinka. She typically releases a small project pattern in February, which she refers to as Effuary.
- Yarn: Yvieknits Sparkly Sock, color Orange Julius. It really is sparkly, though it doesn’t show in the photos.
- Started/Finished: February 1-March 16.
- Needle size: 3.25 mm
This is a very easy pattern, suitable for watching TV or socializing. It blocked out larger than I thought it would, and makes a nice little accessory. It is knit from tip to tip, so could be adjusted to use all of the available yarn, which I did by using my handy little yarn scale.
That’s all that’s going on around here. My spring quarter classes started this week at the Graham School, so I’ve been busy reading. I’ll finish the third year of the four year Basic Program in May, which has been a blast. Since I had to focus mostly on the sciences in my original education and my professional career, I didn’t study many of the “great books” previously. There are about 15 or so of us in my cohort who have been together (virtually) for the past three years. Occasionally people switch around and take a different class section, but it’s been fun seeing how much better we all are at discussing and interpreting these major works.
I’m also taking a three week class on the Shakespeare play Henry V. I’m doing a two week Shakespeare course this summer, which I’ll talk about another time, but in preparation for this class I’ve read the other Henry plays as well as Richard II.
The third class I’m taking is a contemporary politics and constitution discussion class. For obvious reasons, this one may be the most interesting. It’s the third of a three quarter class sequence on the history of the constitution and American political development.
So maybe I do still have some things to write about after all. Stay tuned!
Sharon Show
Here it is, finished!
Project Details:
- Pattern: Sharon Show, by Casapinka.
- Yarn: Yummy 2-ply, from Miss Babs
- Needle:US5
- Started:July 26, 2021
- Finished: March 5,2025
This was great fun to knit. It really didn’t take me four years to make this. I knit about six inches, then it went into the timeout pile when something new and shiny caught my eye. I picked it back up in mid January. I adore the colors. They’re bright and cheerful; just what I need for this not-quite-spring time of year. And it’s hard to get bored with all the different stitch patterns.
Stay tuned to see what’s next!
Blocking magic
It’s done! I finished sewing in the last of the ends this morning, and now I just need to wait for it to dry.
No, it’s not perfectly straight. I gave up on that a long time ago.
I’ve already found Ripley sitting in the middle of this. She made a run for it when she saw me, so no photo evidence.
Full post to follow.