Dye lot weirdness

rose garden shadows2, originally uploaded by iron knitter.

These two skeins of yarn are the same colorway.

I'll repeat that: These two skeins of yarn are the same colorway.

I received the skein on the right first. I was a bit perplexed. It is lovely. But the photo on Etsy looks like the skein on the left.

So I contacted the dyer, who said that some people had wanted more green in this colorway, called Rose Garden Shadows, so she had put more green in the second batch she dyed, and less grey overdye. She didn't update the photo on Etsy. She actually offered to take back the skein and overdye it with grey for me. How cool is that? However, I am keeping these both the way they are (I bought the one on the left from some beknighted person on Ravelry who, get this, wanted to SELL IT - how crazy is that??). The dyer suggested I might want to make a shawl, alternating the 2 skeins. It's a thought. For now, I will just pet them and love them (and call them George).

The back is done!

Elegance knit back, originally uploaded by iron knitter.

After reknitting the top right shoulder THREE times, I think I got it. It's not blocked, so the sides are curled in, and the neckline is all on the holder, so you can't see the shaping there.

Onward to the front!

Cool avatars! Meez.com

Cool beans.

Japanese knitting progress

Elegance knit2, originally uploaded by iron knitter.

Ta da! The first repeat of the pattern! The pink stripe is the provisional cast-on, which I wouldn't have known about without Japanese-translation help from maymay on Ravelry.

Not too exciting, true, but at least I gt the photo up, which I've been meaning to do for a few days.

WWKIP Day!

I had a great time KIPping at the Viroqua Farmer's Market, and then at Ewetopia Fiber Shop (with a nice leisurely lunch in between with CathyCate from Ravelry). I'm afraid I didn't bring a camera (yes, a blogger's faux pas). I only bought one ball of handdyed sock yarn, plus a nifty magnetic board so I can more easily find my place while I knit The Cover Sweater (see earlier posts). Sweet.


In other news, after seeing that KnitPicks is now selling sock blanks, Judy, the owner of Baskets of Yarn decided to try knitting blanks on her Bond "Ultimate Sweater Machine." The Bond knits sport and heavier, so we hadn't thought to try it before...but KnitPicks knits the yarn doubled, so that the socks are identical when knit. Fingering doubled is approximately sport/DK weight. So...she tried it, and it worked! So I have (literally) dusted off my Bond (Incredible, upgraded to Ultimate, what will they call it if they ever improve it again???) and am poised to knit my own blanks. Hee hee hee!!

What's "swatch" in Japanese?

swatch1, originally uploaded by iron knitter.

Well, I'm having catastrophic camera trouble photographing this, but here's my best shot of my swatch for The Cover Sweater. Since it's essentially ribbing and lace, the gauge can be practically anything depending on how much you stretch it! I seem to be in the ballpark - about 30 stitches in 10 cm. I like the fabric. So....I guess that's it then! Yee-hah.

Sweater obsession

Elegance knit, originally uploaded by iron knitter.

I must knit his sweater.

The instructions are in Japanese.

I do not read Japanese.

I must knit this sweater.

I think I can, I think I can.