Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Finished, at Last

Ian and I had an unex-
pected day off together today. Initially we had planned to drive out for breakfast, but decided to use the morning to work on laying more of the flagstone pavers instead. We had purchased them several years ago and while unloading them from the truck, Ian damaged his back seriously and our project stopped. Today we used the best of both of our backs to get this done - he shoveled the path and spread out the stones and I laid them. I was so happy with the results that I had to sit on the front porch in the rocking chair and knit. I can think of no greater reward.
Sonnet is done. It was easy to knit because Knitty provided instruc-
tions that only required you to plug in your own gauges. I enjoyed knitting it and look forward to knitting it again. I did add several rows of single crochet around the neck to stabilize it, decreasing stitches on the last two rows.


I asked Ian to take a picture of the back, in the hopes you can see the stitch detail. Clearly, this is not sweater weather. This sweater is full of memories for me, where I got the fiber and the vacation when I spun it. . I know I'm going to enjoy wearing this sweater.
My silk brick, thank you Beryl, is spun and plied. I can't imagine spinning silk without a superfast flier. How ever could you get enough twist in it?! When I plied, the flier was spinning so fast and so loud that it sounded like an aircraft.
Shameful boast - I guessed at my division of the brick so closely that this is all the waste that I had. Oh dear, I've wrenched my shoulder, patting my back.
Also finished is my lace scarf. Oh my, what I have learned through this project. It was two ounces of silk, and I belive the scarf is short because I spun it too thickly. After I spun this silk, I spun another two ounce ball that I bought from Mim. I did better and think the scarf will be longer, but the silk I have just finished spinning should give me a *real* scarf length - to be seen.



Not finished.

7 comments:

margene said...

You must love using the walk and knowing of the work that went into it.
Your sweater is fabulous! It's a real beautiful accomplishment and one you will wear for a long, long time. Nice work all the way around!

Valerie said...

Wow! what a productive day off!! Isn't it funny that after long dry working spells a bunch of projects queue up at the finish line all at once.
Love the sweater! And the silk....sigh....

~~Sittin.n.Spinnin said...

Very nice sweater Sharon! I love the look of the plied lace also. I have some lime green/yellow (seems like my colors lately) bamboo/merino on my wheel right now, something a friend of mine bought at BSG and got agrivated with and gave to me. I personally love the blend, but it is sometimes hard to draft like silk can be.

Leigh said...

The silk is gorgeous! Gorgeous all the way from the batts (or whatever they are) all the way to the yarn. Yum!

Sonnet looks like my kind of sweater. I like the idea of a "memory sweater."

Michelle said...

Nice work all the way around! I still haven't "fixed" my Sonnet so I can wear it....

Mim said...

I like the path! You and Amy can start a business. "The Quarry Sisters" we rock around the clock!

soxchik said...

I love how your sweater turned out. It's the type of style that will go with just about everything. And your back busting paver work looks lovely too.