March 2018 WIPs

Welp. A lot happened in February, and to say that I got lots of stuff done would be ... not quite true. Yes, things did get done, just not all my pie-in-the sky plans, and some of the things that got done weren't exactly in the plans. The biggest thing that happened was that my husband got a new job, which means I'm doing a lot more work in our business. And, of course, a little bit less time for yarn. 

Here's what I'm counting as finished for the month of February

• The ruana pictured above. I've been posting progress photos and videos over on Instagram. Full post on the FO coming soon.
•  The baby camel sweater.
• Not one, but two Willow Tanks. I made a second with this print, in the next size up. That version will remain unblogged...it's wearable, but (1) too big and (2) not my color. Plus I think the print is a bit big for my taste. Anyways, I think I'll be exploring a full bust adjustment on the original size I chose.
• I also read several books on color theory - I started with Itten's The Elements of Color, then read Bobbie Irwin's Weaving Iridescence: Color Play for the Handweaver, and finished up with Stephen Quiller's Color Choices: Making Color Sense out of Color Theory. The last is really written for painters, but it had a lot that helped me understand more complex color schemes. 
• I wound the warp ends for my floor loom project from last month, but go no further than that. More below. 

So, with slightly tempered expectations, here's what's on the list for March:

Knitting

• The stashbuster sweater hasn't had any progress at all. I'm avoiding unraveling the yoke because I wove in ends, and I'm secretly afraid that I might not have enough yarn if I don't unravel. It wouldn't kill me to order more (it should only be 3-4 colors of Shetland Spindrift), but I'm avoiding it just the same. Or maybe I'm letting the ideas marinate in the back of my mind.
• A pair of helical stripe socks.
• More practice on the knitting machine - I have a plan for a top to go with the ruana.
• Organizing the knitting machine equipment, and my fiber art area in general .

Spinning

• Still working on that Finnsheep yarn from last month. 
• We practiced handcombing at our Guild spinning group last month. When I get through the Finnsheep, I'd like to combine some colors on Shetland wool that's been sitting idle in my stash for a while. But that's not a huge rush.

Weaving

• Warping the big floor loom didn't happen last month. I did wind all the warp ends, but I have yet to dye or even warp and weave. I was leaning towards dyeing an ikat effect, but am starting to think that might be too involved ... for now. So then the question is, do I dye it now, or once it's cloth? 
• I've been enjoying Jane Stafford's Online Guild, and am tempted to re-warp my table loom with the first project for this year. Then the question becomes, how do I do that with my existing stash? I have *almost* enough of a couple of colors, but not quite as much as I think I'd need, and am trying to restrain myself from buying too much. 

Sewing

• I'd like to get the hang of a full bust adjustment. I think I just barely need it, but it'll be a good skill to have. The plan is to make another Willow Tank, using a stash fabric that I don't love as a muslin. 
• I have a sample of fabric - about 20" square - from my ruana project. A swatch, if you will, that is perfectly good fabric. I really want to make something with it, but can't figure out what will be the *perfect* thing.
  
• And of course, the albatross of the log cabin blanket. I've maybe almost gotten myself ready to drag it out - it's soooo cold in my house, even with the heat turned up, and working under it would be the coziest thing.  

With the change in my time committments, I'm reevaluating a couple of things, and I know that not all of this can possibly get done in March. But a girl can always dream!

xx,

Pamela