March 27, 2008
Some updates
Yarn Smackdown
Last week, the pattern & opponent info was released & I made a hat:
I mailed it to my opponent in Montana along with a bar of chocolate & Monday I found out that she had forgotten all about yarn smackdown, so she ended up sending me the yarn she was going to use to make the hat, Peace Fleece in a color called Anna's Grass Hopper, which is a heathered grey green with blue and off-white flecks.
I got into the 2nd round & I'll probably mix the yarn my opponent sent along with some other Briggs & Little colors for hat #2.
My opponent also sent me a gorgeous sock yarn by C Eye Ber Fiber called Spring's Beginning. It's got pink, yellow & lime & should make pretty socks. I think I will use a contrasting heel & toe color & use the Sarah's socks pattern when I make these socks. Pics of the yarns another time!
I found that I like casting OFF a hat at the brim rather than at the crown, so I did a provisional cast on and am working my way down... I'll either use a sewn cast off or will cast off "in pattern", which is also pretty. I would have used a sewn cast off for the first smackdown hat except I was REALLY pressed for time & as it was, Evan flew to the post office at around 4:15 pm (they close at 4 but sometimes are busy getting the mail ready to take to the distribution center, so he made it IN TIME!)
I've started the ribbing for it & once that is done, I'll have to wait until Helen sends the instructions for what to do above the ribbing & will be able to work on other projects in between.
Luna Moth Shawl
I also took a photo of the Luna Moth shawl that I've been working on:
I took this picture when we were at the park... the weird background is a part of one of the picnic areas...
This is with Patons Decor in the color "King's Corner variegated" and I'm thinking about adding some loops & buttons (maybe the barrel type) so that it has the option of being more poncho like... we'll see how big the thing actually is once I'm done. I have about 5 or 6 more pattern rows to go before starting the edging & will get back to that when I'm either not working on the next hat for Yarn Smackdown.
One of my concerns about the Patons Decor yarn is that it's the same content as Plymouth Encore, which I've heard pills BADLY after the first washing...I hope this doesn't apply to this yarn...will handwash the sweaters that I made & hopefully that won't happen. I'll try washing a swatch or something small in the machine on a gentle cycle & see what happens...
kittens!
Last but not least: last Friday, Callie, one of the strays that hangs around our house, had her kittens in my car... we brought them into the house so they'll have a safe place to be & will find homes when they're around 6 weeks old... here's a pic of them:
And their proud mama:
