gaysknits

it's been raining for three days...

which translates to much knitting going on around here. i started a pair of green gloves last year and when the knitting finally commenced this season i found them at the bottom of the knitting bag...one done and one in need of a thumb and some weaving in of the ends.  the yarn is arucania nature wool love the colors of this stuff!

i finished them up and started a cowl to match from some noro iro in my stash. the yarn was originally purchased with the intentions of becoming a hat for the number one son but when i realized just how much pink and purple it had in the stripes i nixed that plan. the hat for the number one son was made from noro iro in grays and although it had too much purple in it as i recall i cut the purple out of the skein. the hat is well worn and is well loved. the cowl is for me. it looks rustic and very pretty at the same time.  in the past i have always been a predominantly black leather kind of a gal and still am but i have recently moved into browns.

 not on purpose either. i needed a replacement for my black leather coat which had holes in the pockets and the cuffs have worn and faded to white but i still wear it anyway. the one i liked and the only one that fit was a dark brown leather peacoat.  the mom who is constantly updating her wardrobe gave me one of her brown leather blazers and it fits like a dream so when i found a nice brown leather bag on the clearance rack this summer....presto chango...i have become a brown leather kind of a gal.

any way i never wore brown and had no brown accessories so it's a good thing i am a knitter because that problem is now solved.  big time!!!  brown cowl. greeeen gloves. chocolate gloves in progress! the yarn for these is patons merino wool heathers...brown!  also this weekend i started and almost completed a cowl whose pattern was totally improvised and i think i like it but i absolutely hate the cheap ass low budget mostly acrylic soft as hell but who really cares how soft acrylic ugh yarn is so i'm not even going to show you.  actually i'd  salvage the project but it is way too drapey for a cowl so i'm on the hunt for purple wool, most likely a softer superwash. later...love   g

and another one...

this time it's the turn a square cap.  the yarn is malabrigo wool and the color is called cypress.  for all intents and purpose it's black.  i loooove this yarn!  it does not do the pattern justice as i did not use a contrasting color to make the squares but i wanted a solid neutral for the kahuna's second cap.  i'll make another with some stripes cause it looks like fun.  this is a similar pattern compared to the ccc but a looser fit.

i love the ccc myself and will probably never use another hat pattern but i've already gone on and on about that. it's all ok. in the first place i do not have a clue what size the kahuna's head is.  in the second place that is subject to change when he shaves his head. in the third place who knows maybe a looser fit will be a good thing. sometimes i hate things touching my skin.  it's all a matter of personal preference and i wanted two options.   which ever is his choice i'll make another in other colors and yarns.  i still have the intention to get my hands on some cashmere but for now this is a good start. i can always frog and make these longer or shorter or wider...it's not like i've never done that before. happy saturday...it's raining it 's pouring  this old gal my be forced to go shopping.  later...love   g

ok so you're probably sick and tired....

of looking at a half finished piece of charcoal gray knitting.  i am too but i have been busily finishing up smalls this week.  this morning i spent some time on the deck because it is a fine sunny day in the burgh

and a perfect day for wearing wool hats and gloves and cowls...oh my.  it is  perfect for photography too. the dogs were also quite happy to be outside enjoying the morning with their people even the german who mostly likes to sleep on the bed all day.  of course they are just as happy following their people back inside  as follwoing them outside.

 

i finished the cap i was working on. it is a gift for the kahuna who is the husband of my friend dr ruth.  he is coping with is own mortality about now and facing some wicked chemo sessions in the coming days and weeks.  i thought a chemo cap in his favorite color...gray...was in order.

i fell in love with john's ccc...cashmere chemo cap and immediatly made the decision to knit it.  he isn't around blogging much anymore and i must say i miss that he isn't but when he is....he is witty and edgy and handsome as hell and when i read his post offering the free pattern for the cashmere chemo cap  which ended with the words "believe in the kindness of strangers" that sealed the deal. when i knit this cap i was thrilled. it is a fabulous pattern. it is  easy peasy unless you have tendancies towards momentary stupidity like i do and can't figure out your left from your right decreases...duh??? because i could not locate the cashmere yarn locally i subbed cascade 220 superwash and was not dissappointed that i did.

this yarn is soft...made even softer by handwashing with wool wash and drying flat but it can also be machine washed and dryed which i would never do but you know that's just me what can i say i love to hand wash hand knits. another story for another time.  this pattern fits perfectly this yarn is comfortbale and stretcy and soft and i probably have enough left out of the one skein i bought to knit another cap. i will. enjoy your saturday and happy knitting all. later...love   g

2 days...

and it's an almost fo.  chemo cap in cascade 220 superwash is well on it's way...

later...love   g

this isn't exactly what you'd call...

stash busting. in fact i'd say this is the polar opposite of stash busting.   i have another finished small but it is taking it's sweet time drying so we shall  move on to another subject. talk about your neutrals. i went out looking for the perfect single ball of yarn. i did not find it and instead  came home with this bag of neutrals.

malabrigo spruce 2 skeins 25% off can you say wooo hooo??? the tag says the color is spruce but it looks black to me. it is to become a pair of fingerless gloves i have my eye on. this stuff is so soft i swear you could snuggle up with one or two of these skeins and just drift off to la la land. how is it that wool can be so so sooooo soft?  while perusing the singles bin i also came across two skeins of aslantrends invernal and it was such a yummy soft lovely yarn i had to grab both and hold them close to me there was after all another customer in the store. i have no idea what these will be come but for now they are stash yarn added to the already too large stash of un planned projects and unused yarn.  this is so nice i plan to plan something and use it right up right away.  it is  a wonderful blend of rabbit angora, merino wool and ploymide.  i searched high and low for a grey cashmere or cashmere blend and i am afraid what i am searching for has turned out to be out of my reach.  they did have jade sapphire in stock but not in the worsted weight and they had a cashmere blend which i was not crazy about because the grey was too pale the yarn was too fine and it had little hairs which would be no damn good. this is supposed to be a manly chemo cap and by manly i mean not fuzzy, not fine and not pale. i want a deep grey or charcoal grey and i want a bulkier yarn...no dk for me. i would have loved to score some grey malabrigo but it's a tough color to come by in malabrigo.  so that leaves me quite possibly still on the hunt for some good old debbie bliss cashmerino aran in charcoal...that should make me happy. some have said it is soft and i'd like to track some down and feel for myself but any advice or opinion is welcome.  as a consolation prize i picked out a ball of cascade 220 superwash and i'll cast on tonight and see what i think. if it's not soft enough a watch cap always comes to good use as the son of mine lives in them as soon as the temps dip below 85 degrees and that my friends is as i have said is around the corner. later...love   g