Surly Sheep

Fernandina Fibers

2010-02-09T08:48:00.003-05:00

I little while ago I opened a little Etsy fabric shop starting out with a small supply of different quilting cottons. I've now got the domain as well so I shall blog about all my fabric and fiber conquests there: www.fernandinafibers.com

Second FO of the Year

2010-01-20T09:07:00.004-05:00

My Mum's Fair Isle Hat has been completed! I crocheted around the edges so it wouldn't roll but it made it stretch out oddly when not on my son's head. Ah well. I feel too lazy to take it out and redo, I'll just keep that fact in my notes ( I take extensive notes on my knitting, literally 2 notebooks full so far). He looks so cute though and he loves it! He wore it to school today and was very excited.

He also took his very first school project with him and I have discovered how much mothers are expected to help with such things. Good thing I love little odd and crafty artsy things. My son and I had a lot of fun and got our hands very gluey making a picture out of a household item. We chose yarn scraps since they are in abundance. He decided on making a poster of his favourite dinosaur, ornithomymus. He picked that dino out himself, maybe he's a budding dino doc.

Fair Isle First

2010-01-18T09:39:00.004-05:00

I can't actually remember when I started knitting. Unfortunately I was not one of those knitters who was taught young by a mother or grandmother (that would have been nice, knitting would really have helped me in high school). I know I started knitting around Christmas time and I think my son was turning one, because I really can't imagine myself learning to knit with a one month old baby. So that would put it around November 2004, just over five years ago. And in all that time, cables, intarsia, short row socks, felting, pattern publishing...

I never once knit fair isle.

I know, never once! Now I do live on the border of Florida and Georgia so it's not like I have snow to contend with and therefore desperately need warm and beautiful sweaters for months out of the year. I should be knitting nothing but cotton tanks and stuffed animals but I love to pretend I have a winter to plan for. I even started selling all my gloves on Etsy because I can never use them but I so wanted to knit them.

Still never managed to knit fair isle....until todayI know it's nothing spectacular but I am very very proud of myself. It's the Fair Isle Hat from IK Holiday Gifts 2006. I started it yesterday as a knit for my son and really loved the process. Which is probably why I finished all of the main hat part in one day, big accomplishment for me.
It's a great project for resolution time too since the pattern is from my library stash and the yarn was in my stash though it is a gift for my son, not uber personal knitting but close enough.

I'm already dreaming of knitting another fair isle pattern. Just gotta make room in my wip basket.

New Years Resolution

2010-01-17T09:08:00.006-05:00

How great is this color?! It's one of my new Bella Shorties in some Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk that has been hiding out in my stash. I think this is a great color to start the new year!

On the New Years Resolution front I have decided that I

1: must get in personal knitting time, since knitting everything for business is starting to suck the life out of my favourite pastime

2: must begin to knit from my library

and 3: must join and FINISH a KAL.

I've joined many over the years but have never finished a single one, for which I am deeply ashamed, or at least perturbed by my absolute lack of follow through. I've decided to start out with a project that hits all 3 marks, Cherie from Rowan Vintage Knits.And here is my progress so far... It's from a book I own that I have not yet knit from, it's going to be part of the vintage KAL I joined in my Anthropologie knits Group on Ravelry AND it's for personal use, no gifting or selling. Icing on the cake? I have the exact amount and type of yarn needed for the project, Rowan Yorkshire Tweed dk, which I bought 2 years ago on sale because I figured... why not?!

So far the changes I've made to the pattern include using twisted rib rather than regular and adjusting for it to be knit in the round with purl stitch fake side seams. Just finished the ribbing and am on to the main event. Wish me luck!

New Years Approacheth

2009-12-31T09:19:00.007-05:00

I forgot there for a bit all about the New Years Resolution thing. I'm pretty sure my resolutions will have to do with my business and my personal knitting. I've begun collecting Rowan mags and books (and have been for years) and I just realized the other day that I've ever completed one knitted item from them or for most anything else in my knitting library. Something to ponder.

On an actual knitting note, I've completed a small series of gloves for my Etsy and I'm very happy with them. I love knitting shorties, little fingerless mitts in pretty colors, and I discovered while knitting all my cabled gloves this Christmas that I really love working with Swish Bulky from Knitpicks. It's so soft and lovely to knit up. The colors are vibrant too!. Here's some of the gloves:

A Very Bella Christmas

2009-12-29T09:05:00.003-05:00

So my Bella gloves turned out to be quite popular this Christmas! I never expected them to do so well. I really loved the way the merino wool ones turned out. Such soft fabric and it made the cables really pop!

Glove Day

2008-11-19T07:46:00.003-05:00

I'll put some of the gloves I've been making up here to. I'm thinking I should dive into something with more heft, I feel accomplished because projects are getting done but I guess I'm ready for the next step in my little 12 step program to FO knitting success.

This was my first fingerless. I'm still tweaking the pattern and this has definately become the "medium to large" hand size. Me....tiny hands

These were next in line. I recently went through my stash and pulled out any yarn that I don't really want in my stash and I'm trying to use it up this season. These were next in the evolution of my glove making....they do actually fit me and my mom keeps trying to steal them.

These are a bit punky funky. I had originally had oompa loompa arms in mind (the burton ones) but wanted to make sure I'd finish the project so small ones first.

Wow, what a year

2008-11-17T07:54:00.003-05:00

I cannot believe I haven't posted in over a year. Insane. I shall slowly bring everything around to the blog. I've continued to be addicted to Ravelry. I've knit a lot of hats and gloves lately and am beginning to supplement my poor college student's income on Etsy with the handknit such and some jewelry. Here's some hats for your viewing pleasure...

Koolaid hat, otherwise known as Nautilus by Marnie MacLean

I had as much fun dyeing the wool as I did knitting the darn thing

Say hello to my favorite knit so far from 2008, my lilac hat or in other words the Zig Zag beanie from IK Fall 2008

And this guy is my own little bulky striped pattern that matches some fingerless gloves I came up with ... I used Lamb's Pride Bulky... yum yum yummy

And last but not least Scarfette... I know she's not a hat but she's so cute! Much thanks to my sis for modeling all these for me too. It's so hard to take pictures of yourself.

Scarfette is from a ball of Reynold's Rapture that's been in my stash almost since I started knitting. Now all I need is a great shawl pin

Officially Addicted

2007-10-29T09:16:00.000-05:00

So addicted to Ravelry it's not funny...
Stayed up til two just seeing what size needles I have.
It'll take so long to put my yarn stash up. I have quite the mish mash stash.
Love how it's putting wip's into perspective though. Maybe I'll actually knit today, after tons of studying and finally taking the big Anatomy test. stress stress stress.

On a good note my radishes are happy and waking up....

And say hello to my strawberries!!!!!

I love Florida

Brainwash Bag

2007-10-28T22:58:00.000-05:00

Brainwash Bag Text
Brainwash Bag Chart

Dune Obsession

2007-10-13T08:46:00.001-05:00

The Mandarin Blouse keeps staring at me saying, "dude, I'm blocked. Just finish me already."The Pea Pod Sweater, which just coos and cries, is seamed (for the most part) and waiting for me to find cute little buttons. The Tyrolean socks I started last week are just past the heel. I've been knitting the foot during snatches of time stolen throughout the day, mostly when sitting in the shuttle for work (we park 2 miles away and are then shuttled to work) or while waiting for the shuttle to pick me up. But since I'm at the chart now and prefer mindless patterns for work-related knitting, I'm at a standstill.Sure I have an hour or so at night after my son's in bed that I could be working on the socks or finishing up those in the finishing basket or beginning the Tangled Yoke for which I've received the yarn (sooo pretty). But no. Having Dune on TV last week caused me to unpack books until I found my copy. And so (for the fourth read of this great book in my lifetime) I am obsessed with reading this in my wee free time. Come on, it's a classic!

Unofficial FO warning

2007-10-02T20:58:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow there shall be a finishin' festival. Mandarin Blouse is blocking and Pea Pod is waiting in the wings for his turn in the water. Not to mention I babysat my nephew today so we did a little photoshoot to show off Trellis.
Since Pea Pod is off the needles I jumped ahead of the queue and started a sock in some stash Lorna's Laces. Baltic sea, so scrumptiously autumnesque. Doing the Tyrolean stocking from the most recent IK. I like knitting toe up though so I crunched more numbers than knit stitches. But preparation is the key to success, no? (Even with preparation I knit the toe 3 times. Finally found the combo of cast on and pretty increases that make my perfectionist side beam with pride)

I Feel So Productive

2007-10-01T14:06:00.000-05:00

I work outside at an island resort so when the weather is horrible or red tide comes through I don't work nearly as much. Since I keep all expenses to a minimum (what else does a single mother who is in school do?) I don't worry about missed work; so I've knitting my hands off.

Pattern: Streaming Leaves Lavender Eye Pillow

Designer: Cat Bordhi

Yarn: Cotolino / Queensland Collection discontinued

Yardage: used exactly one ball to make two pillows

Needles: 3,5 mm Addi Turbos

Gauge: %&$

Modifications: none with the exception of the yarn substitution.

I really enjoyed this pattern. Great gift knit. I'll be doing some more for Christmas presents. I believe I have more Cotolino in a dusty rose in my stash.

Since the eye pillows have left the building I pulled Starsky from the sidelines. I have been hmmming and hawing over what yarn to use. I didn't want to rush out and buy more yarn since I just made the Tangled Yoke yarn purchase. I needed to use my stash yarn too, running out of room!! I found the Wool Ease while cleaning up for the move and since it's been two failed sweaters before and frogged each time I decided the third time's the charm. I think my biggest problem before was swatching and forgetting that I tend to be a medium now, not a small.
A day of knitting off and on produced this:

Pea Pod is coming along too. While watching Pan's Labyrinth and studying for an Anatomy exam (multitasking at it's finest) I finished one sleeve. Only one more to go then it's off to the finishing basket!

And I must apologize for the pictures, artificial lighting. It's too gloomy here today (makes perfect knitting weather!!)

Here's a quick pic of the Mandarin Blouse:

Just 6 more I-cord closures to go, then final finishing.

Progress, Sluggish, but still progress

2007-09-29T07:42:00.000-05:00

Both eyepillows are officially done. Pictures tomorrow. I stuffed their little muslin bodies with lavender and flax seed. A very rewarding finishing project. I even handsewed the muslin insides. My machine was willing to oblige over in the next room but I didn't want the Hand part of the handiwork out of it yet. I think I need to make more. I miss the project already!

Slow going on the Phildar sweater. Just haven't felt like working on it. I should get a few inches done a day though. I like the feeling of finishing things.

Which leads me to a WIP I've long since forgotten....Annie Modesitt's Mandarin Blouse in Interweave Spring 2006. I started it last June with Cotton Fleece and I ran across it while cleaning up my stash, preparing for a move soon. Of course it's just a good finishing away from being done so now it's my SO CLOSE which makes it SO FUN project.

Pea Pod is chugging right along. I started one sleeve after finishing the body. I really hope it doesn't fit my nephew like a potato sack. Baby knits make me so nervous. Especially when my sister only puts him in those footed sleepers. You spend a good chunk of time (and yarn money) on an adorable little sweater that is either put in a drawer and forgotten until it's too late, or it's a sweater in Florida and it's too big during the 3 months out of the year the baby could really use it, but too small the next winter. I still fill compelled to knit him a sweater for Christmas. I learned to knit when my son was one and didn't get the courage to try a sweater til about a year later. I think I'm trying to make up for the baby clothes my son missed out on. (He will be getting an orange tweed jacket however, I just need to put it in the Queue.

Time to Play Ketchup, Tomorrow is Mustard

2007-09-28T08:36:00.000-05:00

While I haven't been blogging about my knitting lately, I have been knitting alot!! Some of the FO's are already in their recipiants wee little hands so there may or may not be photoshoots in their future. One was Trellis in Cotton Fleece for my cute lil' nephew and another was a simple stockinette airy scarf in Silky Tweed for my sister's birthday. So I have been accomplishing something.
Next on my gift list: Lavender filled eyepillows for both sister and mom from Cat Bordhi and Interweave.Whipped these suckers out during a fight of insomnia. Used Cotolin from Queensland and that yarn hurts my hands after awhile. (I remember my last week of knitting Cables and O's for No Sheep For You when my hands were smelling of icy hot and I was cursing linen under my breath.) But I really wanted to finish something so I pushed through it. The only part left is the muslin insides and the flax seeds and lavender. I have everything I need. Alas, procrastination rears it's ugly head again.

I'm making a strict pact with myself. Three things on the needles at any given time and I can have three things in my Knitting Queue. I am allowed to purchase both pattern and yarn for things in Queue but NO KNITTING til a space has opened up on the needles. So..... since Eunny's Tangled Yoke Cardigan is in my Knitting Queue I purchased Rowan Felted Tweed in Clover from Webs. I had a subscription to IK but it lapsed this summer and I forgot to renew it. Of course the next issue is so awesome it sells out everywhere. I was lucky enough to get one of Webs last copies! I love this colour so much. It pops more in reality. I wish I could take a picture worth a damn! (You're lovin my sock monkey sheets aren't you?)
Next victim filling the needles...
Phildar Tendances Fall 05/06 Sweater 20 in stash Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk DK.
In a fit of knitting renewal after two months of not picking up the needles I started this sweater (after some hefty crash coursing in French Knitting Terminology) and within a few days I had the back done and part of the front. Now it's laying by the wayside to let me finish some Christmas Presents. Don't worry my sweet, I get back to you.Another neglected WIP is Demi from Rowan Vintage Knits. Not an easy pattern to work with a baby and a three year old always underfoot. Plus I study at knit after putting my boy to bed so Demi doesn't get alot of love. But I need to finish her before Christmas. I'm going to the mountains on vacation this year with a few friends. For something who lives in Florida and doesn't really own anything warm this means Demi would be a huge asset! I'll post progress on her soon, but for now she's technically in the Queue.Another in the Queue: yummy Phildar sweater from Collections Printemps 2007. Absolutely adore it! Don't know what yarn I want to use for it though. And last but not least Pea Pod Sweater in Knitpicks Merino colour Moss. The yarn has been in my stash forever. I bought it for a sweater for myself but it looked horrid on me. Too yellow, but perfect for my nephew. I'm halfway done and eager to finish.

Christmas Knitting

2007-09-27T21:23:00.000-05:00

I usually get the Christmas-gift-knitting-bug in late November. I scramble to get maybe one or two done and mourn my absolute stupidity for not knitting my family gift stuff throughout the year. This year something strange has happened and I'm making progress on gift knitting early. Sister's birthday scarf? Done. Sister and mom's matching little eyepillows? Knitted and waiting for flax seed stuffin'. Nephew's pea pod sweater? Half done. I am rockin and rollin ladies and gents. And it feels good. I've been knitting so ferociously that my hands hurt and I've created a new hold (I knit Continental) that relieves the pressure on my right hand.

Pirate Booty

2007-06-16T06:39:00.000-05:00

I live on an island in Florida that is very proud of it's pirate history. Last Saturday I threw a pirate party for my coworkers. I even had buried treasure at the beach (I live across the street from it) and little treasure maps to find your way. Everyone dressed up, we had party crashers from different departments (always a good sign, I guess I throw a decent party) and to drink, pirate punch and (what's a pirate's favourite beer?........) PBaRRRRR.

If only we had found real treasure. Alas, others had better luck than I.

Treasure Hunters Hit Mother Lode Off Florida

Socks!!

2007-06-14T06:39:00.001-05:00

Finished!!
Started: April 3
Finished: June 14 2007
Pattern: My Own
Yarn: Can't Remember
Needles: Addi Turbo 2

I knit one of the socks from the toe up back in April on a holiday weekend when I was bored stiff and was watching movie after movie. I had never done toe up before but somehow forgot this big accomplishment when I started the second sock last week in an attempt to clean out my WIP basket. Alas, the second sock is knit cuff down. At least it's not something people will notice.
"Excuse me, why are you wearing socks knit 2 different ways??"
Needle Size

Here's my son, modeling the new socks.

All day at work yesterday I envisioned my next post being a big long list of WIP's which I needed to finish and get on with. Above is the first of 2 Lorna Laces Shepard Sport Socks in Bittersweet. What a difficult color combo to photograph! I finished this one while waiting for my son to go to bed so I could post that I needed to finish it. Mind boggling, I know. This is also when I finished the striped socks above, around 3 inches of one and weaving in ends etc.
PLUS...
I finished knitting the body of my Anne Modesitt Mandarin top in Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece. I need to find the rest of the yarn so I can finish that too. Pictures to come soon.

Horrific closeup of a really cool sock. The ribbing in 3 inches long and it's a short sock to begin with. I love it!

I Heart Red Shoes

2007-06-10T10:28:00.000-05:00

Lolly,

I love these shoes! They make me happy.

(The socks are great too!)

It's About Time

2007-06-08T10:22:00.000-05:00

Interest in Climate Change Heats Up in 2008 Race

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10840816

Harold and Maude and Beatknit too.

2007-06-06T08:50:00.000-05:00

Now I've been blogging for awhile, albeit with several different names and the longest one, beatknit, I erased in a fit of rage after someone took the .com and never did anything with it. Some designer chick who never used it before and still isn't doing it any justice. Honestly, did she even realize to what was alluded with "beatknit"? Not average, run of the mill knitwear design I can tell you that.

Fortunately since then, I've learned not to care so much. It's just a name and I'll find another one that feels right. Til then I'll blog under different silliness. No wait, I'm Beatknit Dammit!!

I am the type of blogger who just writes. I love pictures but can't take them very well myself and find it bothersome to find others. I need a photographer to follow me around. I am the type of reader, however, who loves pretty pictures. I tend to understand what the person means more through the pictures than the words. People tend to censor their words.

Harold and Maude. I'll admit I'd always wanted to see it but haven't until this morning. What a terrific movie. I was knitting a sock while watching so I felt productive. One thing I realized while watching the movie is I have an issue with ageism in my own relationships. All the guys who were even days younger, it would gnaw at my brain the age difference. Silly isn't it. I once sabotage a great relationship with a terrific guy who really was perfect for me because he was six years younger. Not that it bothers me, for example in Harold and Maude, to see older women with younger men. I think it's wonderfully exhilarating. I just have an inner issue to work out. Maybe a lingering thing from a past life, you never know.

Now for a nice picture that has nothing to do with anything. I adore Mason Jennings.

2007-06-02T08:54:00.000-05:00

Today was the first little harvest after the killing of the squash bugs. I really wanted to stay organic but sometimes little (nope, big and icky) grubs won't leave your squash alone and you're harvesting zucchini filled with holes. Especially not appetizing to slice one open and find a pal or two waiting for you. But they're dead now little buggy buggers.
What is fabulous is the squash we got!

Look at these beauties. I've been

Just Got This, I'll Let You Know How It Is...

2007-06-01T10:39:00.000-05:00

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9984934