Dear Kay,
A quick swerve into a new knitting project.
I am still Knitting My Life, and frankly relieved to be beyond the Swerve. (Weirdly upsetting!) But I’m taking a break from that project to begin another one.
The Fiber Factor challenges are an excuse to work on new ideas. A nudge. Artificial urgency! Highly recommended.
Challenge 2 was announced the other day: Color Inside the Box.
Could there be a more perfect challenge? Boxy sweater. Use two to eight colors. Go for it.
It took me about four seconds to know where this challenge was heading.
To recap: my yarn options for these Fiber factor challenges are limited to my own personal stash. No sneaking out to Bliss to load up on Madeline Tosh. (OK so I totally did this last week.) (Economic stimulus.) (Just trying to help.) (Planning ahead for Fiber Factor Season 2.)
But MadTosh is not what this challenge is about. This challenge made me leap out of my chair and literally semi-jog to Stash Zone Number 3. The fingering weight Shetland wools–the mother lode that has been waiting patiently for a) somebody to liberate it on eBay or b) this moment in history.
O! Tender 150-yard skeinlets! How I have missed you! How I need to drape you over every horizontal surface in my home!
What a trainwreck. You haven’t seen such a mess since the load-in to Rhinebeck. Yarn all over the place. Endless still lifes of varying colorways.
Harsh rejections of certain combinations.
Wonderment at the supply of neon Shetland fingering weight wool.
Seriously, where did that come from?
Maybe I should have limited myself to yarns on hand that are blue. Or green. This is ridiculous.
Even as I scraped piles of yarn off the living room furniture, I had a sickening feeling growing in the pit of my stomach. These yarns are not the worsted-weight yarns that the Fiber Factor folks are using. This is size 3 needle territory, this stuff. Didn’t I just finish one of those, and didn’t I promise myself that I would never, ever need to do another fingering-weight Fair Isle sweater?
Love,
Ann
C’mon, Ann! Fingering-weight stranded knitting is the BEST! You know you’ve got the moxie for it. If you’re tired of choosing colors, how about just three, in a mod geometric pattern?
What about fingering weight held two (or three) together? Size 11’s! DONE LIKE DINNA.
You could use it but knit a hat or something small. A sweater for a child?
I would give you my one GOOD kidney for that collection of neon fingering weight Shetland wool. I would give you somebody else’s kidneys for it! Those oranges are calling my name!
Busting out of the box to color in the box, you wild woolly woman.Go Ann go!
Love it! Weird since I generally don’t like orange. What’s up with that??? Wool fumes?
Do eeeet! But I agree on the child (or toy) sized sweater. Not sense being all the way crazy.
I say double those suckers up dk to light worsted and pick a funky cardigan in ripple stitch. that’s the ticket.
Yes, double those babies up and go!!! Maybe you can get up to a size 6 AND you’ll use twice as much of the stash up.
Freeing space for new yarn in October….
Ann, thank you so much for making me feel less guilty about my own stash. I think it is great that you are taking on these challenges–inspirational even. However, if I spread my stash out like that my husband might just faint or something. Neon shetlands must have come from the 80’s or something!!!!!
Can’t wait to see what you come up with.
Hmmm–how about a vest 🙂
By making it fitted and sleeveless you take away a lot of knitting, but can still get a cool pattern in there.
Since I found out about Fiber Factor from you, I’m so happy to see you’re diving into challenge 2! I have already cast on sleeves – from my extensive collection of naturally-dyed yarns.
Yes, yes, I third “double those suckers up dk to light worsted.” And I say play, play, play with the color mixes. F’rinstance, how about a bright blue with that orange? But…maybe that’s just me. ‘Painting’ with yarn and knitting needles is my very favorite thing!
I just read the challenge instructions that said something like “at least 80% must be knitted and the other 20% may be knitted or you can be creative”… etc. Two questions came to mind.
First, what the heck is the 80% if not creative?
And second, what are you planning for that 20%, Ann?
8 colours total, or 8 combinations of two or three colours each? I like those tweedy pinky purpley bluish colours! And I do agree: boxy sweater for a toddler will be fine!
When you said you knew where this challenge was heading, a big boxy log cabin sort of sweater thing sprang to mind unbidden.
Then those beautiful multi-colored piles of Shetland evoked something more like Grace Anna Farrow’s Two Weeks in February, which starts with three strands of color one, then swaps out one strand at a time for a different colored strand till you have three of the new color … repeat.
I never had any use for orange until I snagged a very cute orange lambswool hoody at my favorite thrift store (I know not handmade but at least still wool). At first I thought the idea of a kid sweater was great but you might want to take the opportunity to knit something for you outside your own comfort zone of neutrals and blues. I’m not saying you have to wear something that looks fiestware in wool but…
Oh yum, oh joy, multitudes of color ideas all over the house. That is my idea of heaven. (i am a serious stranded kitting nut). Looks absolutely amazing and tons of fun. Don’t be put off by small needles and skinny yarn, it’s easier on your hands than fat yarn and big needles -smaller motions. Enjoy the color play!
ummm – who said you have to do stranded knitting????
PS – love the colors….
Two strands together! Even MORE potential combos of colors and heathering and contrast and tonal….and yet, faster than fingering single strands on your size 3 needle.
Two strands together! Even MORE potential combos of colors and heathering and contrast and tonal….and yet, faster than fingering single strands on your size 3 needle.
Love the pink and orange with a little dash of blue!
There’s always INTARSIA…just sayin’.
There’s always INTARSIA…just sayin’.
But fingering weight fair isle is so beautiful and you aren’t on the same deadlines that the contestants are on, so why not?
I’m surprised you didn’t even mention doubling the yarn in your post. I’m with the others…double and go. The colors are great and it will be a blast, can’t wait to see what you end up with!
Just how big is your apartment? I know that storage space in NY is practically non-existent but you seem to have the problem solved!!