No photos this time, I'm afraid. Just jabber.
I've finished "Secret Project". It was quick, easy, and fun to knit. (Hurray for those projects.)
When that was done, I promptly began "Another Secret Project"-- also knitting, but not quite so quick and easy. Still fun, though, as it has been my introduction to knitting cables. It's worked in chunky yarn, which always makes for satisfyingly speedy progress. (Well, speedy by my standards. Some of those speed demons out there claim they whipped up this project in two hours. I'm simply not that fast at knitting or crochet.) I'm currently stalled on that one, though. Shouldn't take much more to finish it, but I have to kick myself back into gear on it...
So, together with a thread crochet project I've already finished, that makes three gifts (that will be) completed in January. I'm impressed! ;o) Unfortunately, that also means fewer in-progress and finished-object photos for the blog... (I may have to resort to more "sneak peek" photos-- the kind that don't reveal the precise nature/size/intended recipient of the project.) On the other hand, two of the the three will be given relatively soon... and none of them are Christmas gifts, so I'm not really making progress on that front.
On that subject, I'm not sure how many handmade gifts I'll be making for next Christmas, anyway. I have two big crochet projects in mind (just about to start one of them, actually). Then there's a sewing and small-scale crochet project that will go together. But apart from those, I just don't know... I enjoy making and giving handmade gifts-- and I feel that urge to make gifts very strongly, closer to Christmas-- but it takes a lot of time, and sometimes you have to wonder if it's worth it-- especially when you can't be sure whether the recipient is genuinely pleased with whatever you've made.
We'll see. One thing in favor of making gifts-- it give me an excuse to make things. I mean, I can only use so many of XYZ, myself, but if I have a few people I can make them for, I get to knit/crochet/sew so much more! ;o) I think the key is to do a little throughout the year, and to intersperse my gift-making among my "for me/Donald/our home"-making, so that I don't start to feel that I'm only ever "making" for someone else, who may or may not even want the darn thing.
- - - - - - -
I'm thisclose to finishing the V-Stich-ghan. I think I'm ready to crochet over the selvedge edge, and then I'll be DONE.
I already have my next crochet project (a gift (g)) lined up.
I think I'm going to make myself a scarf, for my next knitting project. Not sure, yet, what yarn I'll use (I want to use stash yarn, and I'm iffy on the yardage I'll need to get decent length), but I'm leaning toward this project: Reversible Cabled Brioche Stitch Scarf (here on Ravelry). I also found (what looks to be) a very similarly-styled scarf, elsewhere: Reversely Cabled. I think I'll go with the former, though. For one thing, it's been on Ravelry longer than the other (which I added myself, yesterday), and there are lots of projects for inspiration/guidance.
I've never done the brioche stitch before, but apparently it's very squishy. (It also sounds very fancy, doesn't it?) From what I gather, lifelines are a must in this scarf, and the cables may be a little tight to knit. I blanched a little when I read that... but the cables I've been knitting have been a little tight, and I've still managed with them, so why not these, as well?
Anyway, it's a lovely scarf, and I think it will be worth a little extra effort to make one.
While checking out Ravelry projects for that scarf pattern, I came across a yarn named "Supreme Possum Merino". It's 40% possum fur, 50% merino wool, and 10% silk.
Well, that's certainly interesting... (What a conversation-starter. "I love your scarf. Is that wool?" "Oh, thank you! Actually, it's a blend of wool, silk, and possum fur." *other person makes a polite "ah!" sound and takes the first opportunity to slip away*)
It's probably a very nice, soft yarn. I just... I can't think of possum fur as a luxury fiber. Honestly, that strikes me as much more icky than the thought of people using dog fur in yarn. Probably because one of our dogs is an Eskie, with long, silky-soft fur. It hardly smells "doggy" at all, either, unless she gets wet. A possum, on the other hand, seems like vermin. Imagine a rat-fur yarn! Ick.
- - - - - - -
I've finished "Secret Project". It was quick, easy, and fun to knit. (Hurray for those projects.)
When that was done, I promptly began "Another Secret Project"-- also knitting, but not quite so quick and easy. Still fun, though, as it has been my introduction to knitting cables. It's worked in chunky yarn, which always makes for satisfyingly speedy progress. (Well, speedy by my standards. Some of those speed demons out there claim they whipped up this project in two hours. I'm simply not that fast at knitting or crochet.) I'm currently stalled on that one, though. Shouldn't take much more to finish it, but I have to kick myself back into gear on it...
So, together with a thread crochet project I've already finished, that makes three gifts (that will be) completed in January. I'm impressed! ;o) Unfortunately, that also means fewer in-progress and finished-object photos for the blog... (I may have to resort to more "sneak peek" photos-- the kind that don't reveal the precise nature/size/intended recipient of the project.) On the other hand, two of the the three will be given relatively soon... and none of them are Christmas gifts, so I'm not really making progress on that front.
On that subject, I'm not sure how many handmade gifts I'll be making for next Christmas, anyway. I have two big crochet projects in mind (just about to start one of them, actually). Then there's a sewing and small-scale crochet project that will go together. But apart from those, I just don't know... I enjoy making and giving handmade gifts-- and I feel that urge to make gifts very strongly, closer to Christmas-- but it takes a lot of time, and sometimes you have to wonder if it's worth it-- especially when you can't be sure whether the recipient is genuinely pleased with whatever you've made.
We'll see. One thing in favor of making gifts-- it give me an excuse to make things. I mean, I can only use so many of XYZ, myself, but if I have a few people I can make them for, I get to knit/crochet/sew so much more! ;o) I think the key is to do a little throughout the year, and to intersperse my gift-making among my "for me/Donald/our home"-making, so that I don't start to feel that I'm only ever "making" for someone else, who may or may not even want the darn thing.
- - - - - - -
I'm thisclose to finishing the V-Stich-ghan. I think I'm ready to crochet over the selvedge edge, and then I'll be DONE.
I already have my next crochet project (a gift (g)) lined up.
- - - - - - -
I think I'm going to make myself a scarf, for my next knitting project. Not sure, yet, what yarn I'll use (I want to use stash yarn, and I'm iffy on the yardage I'll need to get decent length), but I'm leaning toward this project: Reversible Cabled Brioche Stitch Scarf (here on Ravelry). I also found (what looks to be) a very similarly-styled scarf, elsewhere: Reversely Cabled. I think I'll go with the former, though. For one thing, it's been on Ravelry longer than the other (which I added myself, yesterday), and there are lots of projects for inspiration/guidance.
I've never done the brioche stitch before, but apparently it's very squishy. (It also sounds very fancy, doesn't it?) From what I gather, lifelines are a must in this scarf, and the cables may be a little tight to knit. I blanched a little when I read that... but the cables I've been knitting have been a little tight, and I've still managed with them, so why not these, as well?
Anyway, it's a lovely scarf, and I think it will be worth a little extra effort to make one.
- - - - - - -
While checking out Ravelry projects for that scarf pattern, I came across a yarn named "Supreme Possum Merino". It's 40% possum fur, 50% merino wool, and 10% silk.
Well, that's certainly interesting... (What a conversation-starter. "I love your scarf. Is that wool?" "Oh, thank you! Actually, it's a blend of wool, silk, and possum fur." *other person makes a polite "ah!" sound and takes the first opportunity to slip away*)
It's probably a very nice, soft yarn. I just... I can't think of possum fur as a luxury fiber. Honestly, that strikes me as much more icky than the thought of people using dog fur in yarn. Probably because one of our dogs is an Eskie, with long, silky-soft fur. It hardly smells "doggy" at all, either, unless she gets wet. A possum, on the other hand, seems like vermin. Imagine a rat-fur yarn! Ick.