M a d e l i n e T o s h

treetops raglan

So the collection of handspun below has now become a raglan sweater for the wee one.

The colors just asked to be knitted together and conjoined like happy twins. The fibers include everything from Blue Faced Leicester and Merino to some mottled Jacob farm wool pictured below which I over dyed with rusty, reds and oranges.

The sweater is based on Elizabeth Zimmerman's EPS system. I added a hemmed edge to the bottom and have already tacked it down as it kept rolling up under my fingers as I knit around, minor annoyances.

I am so in love with the entire theory behind the magic loop method. Magic loop sleeves are just another plus!

As this sits in the knitting basket. I may just have found another addiction which might include color-work swatches. Colorwork I declare highly addictive - dangerous, definitely dangerous!

My amazon queue is now full of colorwork books and each book posted at schoolhouse press really should be mine, honestly.

Oh, and by the way, colorwork addicts I need some advice. How should I hold my yarn? EZ's idea seems the best thus far. I will learn the continental method yet.

doing, doing...

So I dyed my first pan of wensleydale roving and have to say that I am extremely fond of it. For fiber it is very soft and holds a nice luster even after it is dyed. The best part, it does not have the sneezyness or itchiness associated with mohair. I think it's a keeper for me. I have already ordered more of the good stuff.

The roving above became this;

quite a bit richer and brighter in real life, but the rain is not allowing me to take a true picture.

As the days get cooler wee and I have been planning his costume for the Halloween Carnival. My niece also requested a little doo dad. So I whipped up this twirly skirt, an idea taken from a Martha Stewart magazine with a small girl seated on a porch in a skirt very similar.

Pattern: Simplicity 6398

Fabrics: both sale finds at a big box store.

I added a 3 inch border to lengthen the skirt a bit, too short in the pattern for my liking. Now all it needs is a bit of ric rac for some whimsy I think.

Playing around with different color combinations for the glazed sock line has led to two new colorways as well.

Meet Milk:

and Wash:

I have neglected to blog about wee's treetops raglan sweater here so I will fill everyone in next time. I lack one sleeve and the yoke and it is finnito.

And of course I ran out and watched Elizabeth: The Golden Age Saturday evening.

Stunningly inspirational!

Her costumes led to many, many colorful explorations in my beady little brain. I think Cate Blanchett could honestly act her way across the stage in a potato sack and still put on a mind-boggling performance.

Hopefully one day she will do a play, and I will have front row seats in which to soak up her talents. Sadly, while living in London, I never saw her in person. I did see Dustin Hoffman if that counts for anything.

Hey, have any of you had a star sighting?