Color Work!

Fair Mittens, originally uploaded by jeaniefarley1973.

Can you say SUNSHINE!

Today was a beautiful Alaskan spring day! The temperatures were in the 50's. Wasilla was the destination. Today was the Spring Fiber Fling hosted by Denise Morrison of Fiber and Ice. The decision to come out was last minute but boy am I glad it was made.
After sitting inside around the table gazing out onto the frozen lake with sunshine streaming in the window, we decided to set up on the dock! The pictures tell the story!












Yes. Those are my toes. In flip flops. On the frozen lake.
Watch out says that bird!

Location:Wasilla, Alaska

Good morning!

Good morning!, originally uploaded by jeaniefarley1973.

Jeanie get out of bed! I don't want to. Jeanie you have to take your car to the shop. I know. Get up. I don't want to. This is the conversation going on in my head this morning. Why can't we just be lazy. Like the dogs!

First new project on the needles... fruity, yes, I think so...

Citron, originally uploaded by jeaniefarley1973.

Pattern Notes:
Citron  by Hilary Smith Callis
Mama Lama Silken Cash 
Size 6 Knit Picks Options with 24 inch cable

So I couldn't stand it. I had to cast on a new project. Here it is in it's beginning stage! Citron by Hilary Smith Callis. This is a free pattern on Knitty and it is fun, springy and perfect for a cute tank top or strappy dress. The yarn was gifted from Farrah, you are going to see that a lot here in the future. She seems to be my yarn go to girl! Stay tuned in for updates on this project and possibly the beginning of some new ones!

OK... are you sick of me yet???

Cedar Leaf Necky, originally uploaded by jeaniefarley1973.

Pattern Notes:
Cedar Leaf Shawlette by Alana Dakos
Fleece Artist Sea Wool
Size 6 Knit Picks Options

This is my third finished object of the weekend... Oh did I forget to mention my last project - Fireweed Hand spun Cowl - was finished yesterday while snuggling up with my husband as we watched Avatar? Sorry, I forgot to mention that. At that point I gave myself permission to cast on a new project and then I had a little talk with myself...self, you are so close to finishing Cedar Leaf Shawlette. Just 14 leaves to go. Finish it up and then you can feel good about all of those new projects that you have in your knitting bag... Do it! So I did it! It was painful. I love the final project. I am glad I finished it. It is a beautifully written project and a wonderful accessory. It was painful to finish and let me tell you why! This shawl starts out quick and moves along great and then you start the clever edge, where you knit the leaves and attach it to the last row of stockinette. And you get through 6 leaves lickity split and then it is just painful. If you could memorize the 18 rows that make up one of the leaves it would be so, so, so much easier but I couldn't.

OK friends... I am done bombarding you for the evening. I think I have covered all that I have done. I feel very accomplished! Three finished objects in one weekend. It is kind of like my version of spring cleaning! Now I have three projects that are ready to jump on the needles. Two are purple if you can believe that. One is for a baby girl due in August. One is a squishy lovely ribbed lovely for me. The last is fun springy and fruity! I can't wait to share them with you!

Finally, I am typing this blog post on my new Apple Bluetooth Keyboard while I look at the screen on my iPad. How slick is that!

Fireweed Handspun Cowl

Fireweed Handspun Cowl, originally uploaded by jeaniefarley1973.

First I need to mention that the last project - Bestie Matchy Socks was project 1 finished this weekend - Saturday evening to be exact...
Back to my current project! This project does not have Fireweed on it. I just think that the colors look like summer in Alaska. Bold and vibrant Fireweed. There are some lengths of colors that are tall like Fireweed so... Oh and it is my project and I love Fireweed so, there you go. This yarn is hand spun. It is fiber from Fat Cat Knits. I just love her colors. She is great at what she does, I highly recommend you get a couple colorways and she is fantastic at telling you what colors will work together! Case in point. These were not a duo (which she does often). I asked her to pick two to do color work together and these were her choices. My bestie Farrah drew up a design that I found on a different cowl and whallla a cowl is born. This cowl is warm and was knitted to wear under my cross country ski gear this winter but ummm, I finished a bit late so it will be ready to go for next ski season! Look for more posts about my spinning FCK fiber. I have a couple more beautiful skeins of yarn that are looking for a great project!
I don't have many details to post about this one as the yarn is truly one of a kind and the pattern is kind of well one of a kind too!

Bestie matchy socks...

Bestie matchy socks, originally uploaded by jeaniefarley1973.

Pattern Notes:
Lifestyle Toe Up Socks 
Opal 6-Ply 
Size 2 Knit Picks 
Knit using magic loop two at a time

Project numero two because I can't spell it in Spanish!
Bestie matchy socks... these are exactly what they are. Simple toe up socks using Farrah's left over yarn from her socks that match, exactly, except mine are a tad bit shorter since they were made from the leftovers. I used EVERY last bit of yarn in finishing these socks. Double's photo shoot soon to come... Fun easy project using my go to pattern but this time instead of a short row heel we both used a heel flap that is perfectly ingenious... I will fill in on the pattern notes later as I need to pull that info! You can also see it on my Ravelry page. Hey if any of you have not been there check it out at www.ravelry.com and find me by typing jeaniefarley! Ravelry is the BOMB! Hey, they need to develop a blogging mechanism and all of my problems would be solved! This yarn though is Opal and it is 6 ply! LOVE it. Make for knitting sock quickly! I think 4 ply sock yarn is to be saved for shawls and such! 6 ply sock yarn is for nice comfy thick quick socks!

So I have been asked...

Ptarmigan, originally uploaded by jeaniefarley1973.

Pattern Notes:
Ptarmigan by Jared Flood
Cashmere purchased in Italy - lace weight held double
Size 6 Knit Picks Options

Hey Jeanie... when are you going to update your blog! For reasons that I don't want to complain about, blogging life has been kind of complicated, blogger, flickr, computers, ravelry, double photo's etc. Why can't it just be easy! So here I am, posting a few blogs tonight, in a kind of crazy sort of way. I am going to share some finished objects and then I will again later try to update them with links to project pages etc.

FINISHED OBJECT Numero Uno...
Ptarmigan Cowl ...
I used my remaining cashmere that was purchased in Italy on this. I held the yarn double. It is sooooo soft and sooooo warm and I think next to my fiddlehead mittens, possibly my favorite knitted item in my wardrobe...
This is a fantastic project for beautiful yarn. It looks great being sporty, dressy or casual. It is a wonderful piece!
DO IT!

Stay tuned as you will be getting quite a few mini posts from me tonight...