Enjoying a long weekend holiday here in the US for the 4th of July. Mostly just getting some things done around the house and enjoying our summertime weather, but that also means time for lots of fun crafty things!
If you checked out my FO Friday post, you’ll see I finished up my friend Nic’s pair of cables and ribbed socks, as well as the Meadow Knots cowl I had been working on.
Yesterday, I finished up a quick project my DH had requested. This is a really simple worsted weight 2×2 ribbed cowl, which knit up super fast with worsted-weight yarn. He wanted something appropriately “guy colors”, so I found this Camouflage colorway from Knitter’s Brewing Company and worked this up in just a few knitting sessions. It’s soft and squishy and he’s quite happy with it.
I’ve been working on the pair of Faded Socks using a gradient set of fuschia to teal miniskeins from Spun Right Round. This is a fun way to use up a set of 5 (or 6 if you want to do a contrast heel) miniskeins and I’m enjoying the easy knit while being entertained by the colors as they circle around. I’m hoping to have this pair finished up this week.
I have a few other things on the needles including:
- The Roses of Avon lace shawl: I’ve finished the main body charts of lace and now am working on the first of the two borders. It still doesn’t look like much all squished up on the needles, so pictures to come once you can make a bit more sense of it.
- Back to working on crochet blanket squares but nothing much of note there, so again…. no pictures.
I spent some time this weekend finding a couple of skeins of yarn I want to use for some socks in the next month or two, and I got those skeined up but not cast on yet. More to come next week on those.
If you’re a spinner, you know the Tour de Fleece kicked off July 1st. I managed to spin up the first ounce of mixed BFL in the gradient pack from Greenwood Fiberworks I’d like to get made up into yarn this month. (I spun the first 2 oz at the end of June and it’s done, waiting patiently to be joined by the other 3 colors.) This color is a lovely soft peachy taupe and has a nice heathered effect due to the mixed BFL of the original roving base. I’m planning on getting some spinning time in this afternoon.
Finally, while this week was not particularly conducive to getting stitching done, I did finish up the cactus motif and started working around the outer border for this little right corner vignette on my Desert Mandala. Some stitching time is also on the books for this afternoon and I’m hoping this upcoming week evens out a little bit so I can get some more done on this one.
Looking forward to seeing all the year-end/new plans from my fellow YOPers – off to check the blogs!
Knit One, Spin Too 
Your cowl does look very “manly”. Glad he likes it. The socks look great and I appreciate the idea as a way to use up minis. Seems I have a lot in my future!! Your peach taupe yarn looks delicious.
Yes! I was happy it matched what he said he wanted and it will definitely be warm! Minis for the win1 😀
Great cowl for his upcoming winter trip. Those socks are really pretty. The gradient fades are perfect. Good luck on your spinning during the tour.
Thanks, Marsha! I do enjoy having a reason to focus on spinning every year. 🙂
That’s some very beautiful spinning and stitching. I hope you enjoy the Tour!
Thank you! Hope you do too!
Wow look at those socks, that yarn is amazing! It’s sooo beautiful 😍. I’ve spun 3 days in a row so it’s looking hopeful, our guild team are having daily zoom hours to drop in and spin on so I should be spinning at least an hour a day.
It’s all just minis – put together in a fade. I have several different color versions I want to do now! WOOHOO! That’s great progress on your spinning. How fortunate you are to have that as a resource.
I look forward to following along with your makes this year! You’ve inspired me to try a fade sock. It seems like a good way to practice alternating skeins for a fade, which I’ve never done.
It’s not particularly hard – the pattern I used (The Faded Socks) is an easy way to do it where she’s calculated out when to switch the yarns, and otherwise, it’s just a plain vanilla sock!
I’ve never seen fade socks before. What a neat idea! Good luck with TdF. I’m also participating, hoping this gets me back to spinning on a regular basis!
Aren’t they fun? A great way to use up minis too. 🙂 Hope you are able to get some time in on your wheel for the Tour!
The cowl looks great! And I know what you mean about the fade socks—though I usually use a gradient or striping yarn instead of a set of minis, the color change in socks of that nature can keep me knitting for a long time, watching for the color changes.
Thanks! Never underestimate the pull of fun colors, I always say! 😀
Fun colors is a huge draw for me!
Your faded socks are glorious and I love your spinning – it looks perfect!
Thank you so much! 🙂
That cowl worked up super quick! I hope it is both warm and decedent for your husband’s trip!
I LOVE the colors of the socks! Really beautiful. Your spun single is also looking great! Excited to see the finished yarn!
He is very happy with it – we will see how it works in the reality of the cold outdoors! Thanks for your kind comments (I’m loving the socks as well).
Your cowl looks great and the colour way is perfect. Your socks are just glorious the fade is beautiful.
Thank you so much! 🙂