A long and really busy work and life week here, but I did get a fair amount done on some YOP pieces:
I finished up the pair of Desert Vista Dyeworks self-striping socks. The yarn is DVD’s Viso sock yarn base in the color Halley’s Comet. I added in a pale pink mini-skein from stash for the heels and the toes. I don’t really follow a particular pattern for these, but I knit them on US size 1 needles, with a 64-stitch leg/foot in stockinette and a Fish Lips Kiss heel.
I also finished up the Finnsheep roving from Blaine Fleece and Fiber I had on my wheel. This was a beautifully prepared roving from the handsome Garnet that Jen at BFF owns. I love this dark charcoal gray (and it reminded me I really need a gray sweater in my closet). This is a 3.9 oz skein with 232 yards in it, so it’s about a DK weight. I don’t have any specific plans for it but am thinking maybe mitts since it should wear nicely and I do need a new pair of fingerless mitts for outdoor things when I need to have my fingers free.
Finally, I switched to a different cross-stitch project for the middle 10 days of the month, my Desert Mandala. If you aren’t familiar with Chatelaine designs, they are absolutely gorgeous pieces with loads of beads, specialty stitches, and a set of hand-dyed silk threads mixed in for glorious color. I would suggest popping over to the designer’s page here to see a finished version since mine is on scroll rods and partially rolled up. I have the top quarter of the design completed. I just finished working on the left-hand side landscape and that’s complete except for a few stitches to finish the outline border at the corners. Next, I want to finish up the center motif – I need to add in the seed beads in the center motif border and extend the border itself around the motif. This design also has larger crystals but I’m going to wait to stitch those on until everything else is completed as they don’t play nicely with the scroll frame when they get rolled up in it. I love working on this one; it’s never boring but it is filled with detail that takes a while to work on, so it’s not a quick stitch by any means.
Here’s the finished left side landscape vignette:
And a close-up of the beads as I’m starting to work those in around the center motif:
My plan is to work on this piece through the 20th and then I’ll rotate on to another full coverage design that’s in progress.
Have a great week YOP’ers!
Knit One, Spin Too 
I originally read this on my phone, and was like, “Oh, that cross stitch is nice” but I just took another look on my actual computer (with the big monitor) and I was BLOWN AWAY by the intricacies and beauty of the piece!!
The socks turned out perfectly, and your recent spin will make a beautiful piece!
They are amazing designs – the designer really had an incredible gift!
Love those socks Anne and your finished Finn is beautiful! I’m so amazed by the stitching proyiu are working on, such detail.
Thank you so much!
Your socks turned out great. But…..the cross stitch! Oh my goodness. The detail on it. That is going to be breath taking when completed.
I’m anxious to have it finished. It’s been languishing for too long!
Your plan sounds great to keep your progress going on your xs projects. This one is so detailed it’s lovely. I think the Finn wool will be perfect for keeping your hands warm, it’s what a felted handbag maker uses as its well wearing.
I think I may have found a good match with a mittens design – will see if those might suit for warm hands.
I tried to get that yarn from DVD but there was none. I really love the socks with the pick heels and toes…..so cute. Your dessert XS is amazing! It is beautiful. I like the yarn your spun also….very pretty and unique for being natural. i can’t wait to see the mitts!
I think that she rotates through seasonal colorways like that one so it may be a hit or miss thing before it returns. However, I have 50 g of the 100-g skein left, so I’d be happy to send it to you. With a little creative contrast for cuffs/heels/toes, I would think you’d have enough for a pair. Let me know if you’d like it!
Wow! All of your projects are beautiful, and the stitching is fabulous what a week’s work!
Thank you so much! 🙂
Your spinning is amazing. I love the colour too. Your stitching should be in a museum. Such fine work that must be so rewarding to see as it grows towards completion.
Thank you so much – that is a truly lovely set of comments!
Okay, I have cross stitch project envy. That design is stunning! And you’re doing a great job with it. How do you frame them afterward? I imagine it’s trickier than usual due to the beads.
And the socks and spinning are great too! But the stitching overshadows everything…
It’s not too bad. It does need some space between the beads and the glass, but usually a double-mat will do the trick for that. Otherwise, I have one other piece I had professionally framed where they used some small clear spacers between the mat and the glass to not crush the beads. This one will take a bit of finagling when I get there, but I probably would double-mat it anyway, so that might wind up being an easy solution.
Oh, that’s a good idea. I hadn’t considered the double mat raising the glass enough.
Your spinning is amazing! I hop to get mine that consistent some day. The cross stitch is absolutely beautiful.
Thank you so much! Hope you weathered the storm okay!