So apparently I haven’t been doing much spinning or knitting. But I do have some knitterly stuff to blog about, so here goes…

I have a new FO to show off:

Pattern: Shoulder Wrap kit from Handmaiden Fine Yarns – Bronze
Yarn: Silkspun 100% silk boucle
Needles: 8mm Lantern Moon rosewood straights

It’s the Shoulder Wrap kit from Handmaiden fine yarns. Just lovely… super soft silk boucle and the colours are rich and shiny. A quick, easy knit I finished up just before my daughter was born. Speaking of…

Another Itty Bitty Hat. I had made a lilac version of this upside-down daisy hat before she was born, but it’s much too big to fit now, so I decided to whip up a smaller version she can wear one for spring. I just have to finish 4 of 5 petals and sew them on and it’s done. Again, I love this hat. So. Cute.

I seriously have had no time at all to knit, but every few days I manage to sneak in a little bit after my two year old goes to bed… it looks like this:

Best of both worlds!

I’ve also been working a little bit on a Bias Shawl kit done in Silk Rumple. (Also in Bronze- I really love that colourway.)

It’s an easy knit but I’m doing it at a pokey pace since it’s only a teeny bit here and there. I’m going to a wedding at the end of May so I’d like to have it wearable by then. We’ll see if I can swing it.

Since I also have some gorgeous seasilk in my stash, I decided to start my first ever real lace project, (what better time to start something complex? heh.) so I’ve cast on for the Forest Canopy shawl from I’m Knitting As Fast As I Can.

The pattern is very well written and super easy to follow, and if you are a chart novice (I am) and are more comfortable with written instructions at the time being (that’s me) then you can use either method (whew). I’ve only ever done openwork mesh type lace, and nothing actually patterned or challenging, so this will be an adventure. It’s a simple pattern though, and creates a beautiful shawl. I found an example of a seasilk version on Kathryn’s blog, and decided this is the one to start with. Considering how much shawl yarn I have in stash I’d better start making them. Maybe one day I’ll flash some stash but I’m not quite there yet. It might be a little excessive. I’m not saying.

Speaking of stash, in spinning news Adrian at Hello Yarn just announced that she will be running a Fiber Club (get a special dyelot of surprise fiber sent to you each month – her pick!) which I joined. Seeing Adrian’s yarn is what inspired me to learn to spin in the first place, and I have purchased both her hand-dyed yarn and fibers in the past and am always blown away, so it will be a real treat to get surprises in the mail each month to spin up. Especially since I won’t be doing any dyeing while I am nursing. I also joined the club at Spunky Eclectic, also gorgeous hand-dyed yarns and fibers by Amy… both will be such fun, I can’t wait. Since I don’t do anything like going to movies or out to dinner anymore (what with the babies and all) I see the clubs as both entertainment and wooly treats. And I don’t know how deluded this is, but it still feels like getting presents when things come in the mail. Even though you bought them. The element of surprise perhaps? Not knowing when it will come? The waiting? Nonetheless, it’s very fun.

And, speaking of things coming in the mail, I just got my copy of No Sheep yesterday from Amazon. It’s a lovely book, the patterns are gorgeous and there is a lot of really helpful information on the makeup of non-wool fibers and working with them as opposed to animal based yarns. For now I think this book will be more of a learning tool/reference for me because a bunch of the patterns look really intricate and I’m not quite there yet. Stunning, but over my head, for sure. When I’m feeling more adventurous and have more chunks of solid knitting time perhaps I will branch out on one of the sweaters. They’re so pretty. I’m still waiting on my copy of Lace Style to arrive. Apparently it’s on order. Meh. I’m so looking forward to that book, I don’t want to wait for it anymore!

I’m going to try to get back to some spinning over the next little while, so hopefully I’ll have some new updates in that arena soon… we shall see.