Rising dough in a cold kitchen
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Almost every Sunday, my family has pizza together. The division of labor has evolved over time, but most times, my son makes the pizza dough, my spouse chops all the vegetables, and I do the final assembly and baking.
Even though my son has been making the dough for quite awhile now, I usually text him a reminder at some point in the afternoon while I am at work. When I do this depends on the time of year: in the summer, it might not be until right before I leave the shop, but at this time of year, it has to be much earlier in order to for the dough to rise at all. Unless there is an all-day pot of soup happening, the kitchen just doesn't get that warm in the winter.
A recent project has been kind of like trying to get dough to rise in the winter. I've had a class in mind for awhile--fingerless gloves (not mitts) from the top down. Initially, I planned to use Ysolda Teague's Mitbringsel pattern, but after making a sample, there were things I thought I'd like to tweak. So I started making modifications. The most critcal thing I wanted to change worked well, but the matter of decreasing the hand stitches, relative to adding the thumb and then decreasing the thumb gusset, has been more challenging. Photos are of Mitbringsel (three colors) and my unnamed glove (two) laid flat and on the hand. I am not quite happy yet, but think I have a reasonable idea of how to proceed further. Stay tuned.
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February 1 & 15 and March 1 & 15, 2017, 5-7pm 4 sessions, $30 + pattern & materials
The Churchmouse Library Vest ia complete, and is on the class schedule! I've tried to balance the class fee with the materials cost on this one, since, as an adult garment, it takes more yarn, and the pattern--available either in full-color printed format or as a Ravelry download--is priced a bit higher than most). Most of the knitting is stockinette--so just knitting and purling, but there are some great opportunities for learning here--clipped short rows (truly invisible), pockets, picking up stitches for the button band and armhole trim. Photo shows the finished vest complete, save the addition of buttons. I have some ordered (see below), so I'm waiting to look at those options before making my final selection.
I've scheduled the class for four sessions to cover key portions of the knitting (short row shaping, armhole shaping, pocket placement, and finishing), with a week between each session for homework knitting.
January 27 & February 3 + February 10 (optional), 5-7pm, $20 + materials
Also added to the schedule is the Flax sweater. Another Tin Can Knits pattern, this one is sized from baby to XL adult. For class purposes, one of the smaller sizes is recommended, but the knitting proceeds similarly through all the sizes, so if you are committed to knitting a LOT for your homework, you could take on an adult size. The construction is top-down raglan in worsted weight. For pic of the completed sweater, see my stitching report, below.
More details at www.yarnfolk.com/classes.
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Go Hawks!
Did the Seahawks win against the Lions put you in the mood for some playoff knitting? I still have some bulky weight, lots of sport/DK weight, and some fingering from Oink Pigments and Done Roving. (The bulky is only from Oink.) (This week, while watching the replay of the game, I had the body of the baby sweater in progress. Stockinette stitch in the round is perfect for game day knitting!)
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Apple Fiber Studio order shipped on Monday, so the McIntosh sock yarn should be arriving from Bellingham in a day or two. My order from Universal Yarn with the relabeled Classic Shades and Classic Shades Big Time is on the way, and an order from Skacel (Addi needles, and a little bit of SimpliCria) will arrive with new buttons from Renaissance Buttons. Very excited that I'll be able to get some of my button stock from one of my favorite vendors.
Ordering this week will include Soft Donegal, a beautiful Irish tweed. The distributor is in Oregon, and the yarn is in stock, so persistent weather events notwithstanding, it should be on the shelves shortly.
Fyberspates might be on the agenda, too...
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Most of the knitting on the Library Vest was done by the beginning of last week, but such a simple design called for exacting finishing, so I spent several days on seaming, edgings, and the pockets.
As discussed, there was much knitting, unknitting, and gnashing of teeth when it came to the fingerless glove. With more to come!
The Flax sweater pictured here (drying) is the 1-2 year size. Very clear pattern, and an easy knit. I went with a cheerful, WARM color because...January!
I started a Purl Soho Garter Ear Flap Hat for a special baby due at the end of the month, and wound up some yarn to make my husband an 1898 Hat, as it recently came to my attention that his Christmas hat from 2013 has seen better days. I let him choose a color of Jaggerspun Mousam Falls: he picked charcoal grey.
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For frequent updates, check in on Facebook, Instagram, and the Yarn Folk site. On Ravelry, my user name is YarnFolkAnn. I look forward to talking with you soon!
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