All the pretty things...

While it may appear that all I did this summer was travel, hike, and work, I did actually accomplish some knitting. While I was in Santa Fe I decided that I would only knit for myself. You may remember from an earlier summer post that I completed the Bonsai Tunic from the Spring Issue of IK. I also knit Coachella from Knitty. I think the yarn called for in the pattern is something like Berroco Suede. This sounded way to warm for Texas. I swatched Euroflax Linen, wet-spun, worsted weight, and got the correct stitch gauge. I did have to keep an eye on my row gauge, but otherwise this was an enjoyable knit. I haven't had a chance to wear it yet, mainly because I didn't have an appropriate bra.


Just the other night I purchased one that should work though. I really like the drape on the linen, and I am looking forward to how it will soften up in future launderings.









On the sock front are these autumn inspired socks. My basic sock pattern in Koigu KPPPM, long forgotten colorway. I remember purchasing this yarn last spring in Houston at Yarns 2 Ewe. I convinced the classmates I was daytripping there with to please please please give me 20 minutes just so I could buy some Koigu! Hill Country Weavers does carry it, but unfortunately they do not get as many colorways.

For some time I didn't fully understand the vast differences in sock yarn weights and qualities. For example, Lorna's Laces and Koigu are so different from one another in their properties. Koigu has a lot of sproinginess to it as well as fantastic color palettes. Lorna's Laces is slicker and has more drape to it, and it is soft in its own way. I know some people do not prefer the lightning bolt pooling effect of the LL colorways - I myself am quite fond of it. I like both of these yarns for different reasons. I've also knit with Trekking, Nature's Palette, Claudia's Handpaints, and various others. I have two beautiful skeins of Schaffer Anne - which I hesitate to knit only because they are so luscious I cannot imagine either or the two possible scenarios upon completion. 1) Wearing such lovely creations on my feet, or 2) gifting them to someone else so they can wear them on their feet! I may have to knit a stole or shawl or something that will receive less wear and tear.

I have to apologize for the bad indoor lighting/flash of the previous two pictures. Although the rain has been greatly reduced since I returned to Austin, we are still getting more of it than usual for this time of year. Thus, crappy indoor lighting. Today was a lovely sunny afternoon however, so I was able to snap a picture of this pair of socks in a bush outside the costume shop at school. I warned the friend that I was with before I behaved so ridiculously. These socks are for my friend and colleague Christina. She got into the sock queue for a recent favor, and because she has tiny feet. The more solid purple is a single skein of Nature's Palette, and the blue/purple colorway is some leftover Claudia handpaints from my Charlotte's Web shawl. I haven't ever done a sock with two yarns before. These were fun and Christina was very happy with them. I have already cast on my next pair as Christina has commissioned me to make them for her mother's birthday.

In other projects, I am back onto the Adamas shawl that I am knitting out of Jaeger Alpaca 4-ply for my big sis's Christmas/birthday/Christmas present. I have determined that if I knit 10 rows each week until Christmas I can finish it. That is if I do all 10 repeats of the body chart. If I decide to make it slightly smaller than I suppose we are talking about 8 rows per week. The sad thing is I don't know if I can finish it even at that rate! Why? Here is my schedule each week this fall for grad school.

Drawing Lab: 4 hours
Costume Shop TA Appointment: 12 hours
Textile/Apparel TA Positon: 10 hours
Class Hours: 9
Production Assignment: average 10 hours
Homework: ???

I could make a fun pun hear along the Mastercard slogan, as in, "An MFA from a top ten university: Priceless." However priceless it may be though, it has come at the cost of said university tuition and fees, my sanity at times, the stability of my relationship, and so much more. Don't get me wrong, this is right where I want to be. Also, I'm much more prepared for this second year. I'm much more at ease and don't feel nearly as overwhelmed. For anyone that had an intense undergrad program, or has attended at demanding grad program, you know what I'm talking about. You just have to really want it in order to pull through.

With that said, I am going to enjoy the Labor Day weekend, and I hope you do too!
Tschuss!