It has been a couple of weeks since I’ve checked in with you. The main reason is, I was pushing through on knitting Folded. I was persistent and stubborn to get it done, and I didn’t cast on a single thing until it was done. I’m so stubborn, but Folded tested me; it really was a hard slog. At times I thought it would never be finished, ever. If I even considered casting on something else, I just knew it would be doomed. I also tried to avoid Internet time-suckage activities as well… but this worked to a lesser extent.

I’m happy with how it has turned out, despite needing to alter the pattern for the girth of my arms, I also heightened the neckline. This is a jumper that doesn’t need to be worn with anything underneath, so I wanted my bra straps to get covered with minimal fuss. Thank you to my obliging husband for the photographs; it really is a test for him to photograph someone so unphotogenic! Do not argue with this, until you’ve seen the hundred photographs that didn’t make the cut, you know I’m not kidding.

In addition to finishing Folded in wollmeise (I was sewing in ends on Monday night) I’ve also been waiting for my new Wollmeise for an extremely long time, 5 weeks people! Waiting can just make me sad sometimes. It finally arrived early this week and I’ve only just picked it up today. It seemed there was some holdup with this update judging by the comments on rav, with later updates arriving weeks earlier… the circle of Wollmeise, I’m right back where I started…

The new wollmeise is described as dark grey, almost black. I can tell you I have black clothes that are greyer than these three skeins, they look black to me! Regardless, they will make something yummy, maybe a few months down the track, after I’ve knitted a few things in 8ply or heavier…

You would have thought that my Wollmeise would have shown up by now, sadly it has not. I’m going through the anticipation cycle that is Wollmeise. I’ve tried to keep the purchase far from my thoughts; but hell it’s gotta be three weeks by now!

Whilst we’re waiting for the Wollmeise, Folded IS progressing very slowly (maybe the Wollmeise knows), I’ve just begun the second sleeve. Trying on the first sleeve, the fit was looking a bit ‘firm’, so I continued increasing until the top of the sleeve. Gentle reader you know I have fat arms… ::cough:: OWLs ::cough:: Tempest, I’m not about to make another garment that doesn’t fit, I can’t put my knitting group through that disappointment, not again.

Two thoughts met on Saturday morning, my birthday is getting closer and it’s been a long time since I paid a visit to Sunspun. Since birthday yarn is exempt from stash, I figured I should take advantage of this loophole whilst I still can. Sunspun had a great selection of all the new Rowan yarns, which made me a bit sad I hadn’t planned something with more forethought before I left home. The heritage tweed colours in 4 and 8ply were divine. Not to worry, I still picked up some lovely skeins of yarn. First up: Ella Rae merino lace (more like a 4ply, just quietly), I bought two skeins so I could make a nom nom Kitman shawl or equally yummy shawl.

I also grabbed a skein of schoppel wolle Admiral. The schoppel brand is showing up in a few yarn stores around town, but this is the first time I’ve seen the admiral kind. It is made up of 75% virgin wool, 25% polyamide. And it’s 3 ply ::swoon:: if you were having kittens over my 3 plied handspun, this is probably the next best thing if you love the mixture of colours that occurs when you have 3 strands. Or you can learn how to spin 🙂

Still a few more weeks until my birthday, don’t you just love birthday month?

This weekend I finished plying my first sock fibre club installment, and in not a moment too soon. You see the next installment is more than likely to show up on Monday. Had that arrived before I had finished the first batch, I would have felt a world of doom on my shoulders. It may surprise you to hear, I won’t be knitting up this beautifully spun fibre (if I do say so myself). It’s going in the gift box for a special someone.

I also turned around a quick little project for a colleague. It is a smooshy hat made from some left-over yarn from my cabled-hoody vest. I often deflect requests for knitted items, but this time I relented. My friend really needs an awesome hat, she lives somewhere very very cold and she makes awesome cake. But that’s not why I made it for her (I don’t expect things in return). I made it for her because I know she’ll appreciate it. I can’t wait to give it to her!

I’m up to the sleeves on Folded. I’ve just wound up my third wollmeise skein. The reason I’m using the third skein is because at the end of the day it is a hand dyed yarn, the possibility of having a horrible changeover when the sleeves are joined in to the body without knitting from two skeins is too great. See, I can learn…