Has it Been Almost a Year?

WOW!


This blog is badly neglected. I probably shouldn't have started it to begin with.


Lately, I've been working on my Mother-in-law's "Four Generations Shawl" from Spin Off magazine. My Mom gave me the pattern, and I thought it would be perfect for my MIL using the fuchsia mohair also from Mom. Its so far almost halfway done. I'm on my third cake of yarn and have just two more left. I hope I don't run out!


I'm also at the end of the overalls for S, I had to make them much bigger than the pattern. I mean, I had to put in many more rows than were in the pattern, even though my gauge is dead-on. I don't quite know how to explain this, but its O.K. That's one of the beauties of a good knitting pattern, you really can stretch the rules and make the pattern fit the person its intended for perfectly.

My latest, experimental bath mitt is nearly done. There' s a loooooong story behind that statement! Whew!

I found that pattern on the band of the Sugar n Cream cotton yarn, and loved it. Thought it'd be a great present for Mom, and I needed one, too. I knit up Mom's in no time. I got the Violet Veil color scheme, that lovely variegated with violet, blue, yellow and white, to match her garden/pansy themed bathroom.

I sent it with some handmade soap, and she thanked me for it a few days later.

I then knit up mine, using up some of the variegated yarn I had leftover from the bathmat I crocheted and thought it would be great to have a matching bath mitt! I used this color: Westport.


I was so eager to use it in my next shower. I put it on, pumped some shower gel on it, and tried to lather up. Then, I was totally bummed: the thing stretched out and totally lost shape when wet!

I posted this predicament/discovery on the About.com knitting forum, and got some great responses. Yes, I was told, this is the nature of cotton yarn. Its has no memory. We discussed alternative yarns, and one bright lady suggested I contact Sugar N Cream, which I haven't yet. I will, though, they really need to know that this yarn is NOT compatible with this pattern! Or, this yarn is not compatible with a BATH MITT.

So, days came and went, I had the baby (now 7 months!) and a couple months later visited my mom and family up north. Being a spinner, she introduced me to the a lovely world I fiber that, until then, I had no access to.
Included in the many wonderful gifts she gave me was a cake of burnt orange yarn spun from cowhair!It was pretty nifty!
Just last month I decided to knit it into a Bath Mitt using the SUgar N Cream Ball Band pattern, but I put in an eyelet row myself which I thought would make it extra-spiffy for gift-giving. I forgot to add the hanging loop!
Will post pics of it and my Peace Fleece grocery all-purpose bag soon as I can!

Anyway, I haven't tried my bath mitt yet, but if its good I'll use up the rest of the yarn for another, possibly to give as a gift.