The Affair Ends

After a week hiatus, I'm back with the Alexandra Chain, though the relationship is all spiced up, colourwise:

I think the last time I used this much bright, clear yellow - or in fact any primary - in a project was for a challenge in which we had to use all the beads in the kit, when I made this:

This time, voluntarily, I not only made the earrings above, but also a necklace.

And now I think I need some sludge therapy.

The yarn I spun today should help.

Not extraordinarily dull, but more in line with my colour comfort zone.

Finally

I know it really didn't take that long, but it seemed I spent the entire week wanting to work on this, and only managing bursts of a few minutes at a time, so progress seemed snail-like after my initial effort.

I absolutely loved making it, and it turned out perfectly (in my opinion) and right on target and yet ... I can't seem myself wearing it.

I adore the opal-like chartreuse leaves, the lovely organically-shaped amethyst rings (bead artist is Peri, a member of the St Louis Bead Society who always brings scads of beads to each meeting, and I get weak almost every time), the contrast of the sharply crystalline geometric shape of the beaded connectors, but I don't think I need to keep it for myself.

That almost never happens with knitting projects, and only rarely happens with beading projects that entrance me as much as this one has, and yet, there it is.

The Fix Is In

I still can't figure out how I thought this ball of yarn was anything vaguely resembling attractive, and as such, could be made into anything I'd place on my body for public viewing.

The socks feel rather nice though, as the yarn is part bamboo (and superwash and nylon).

Fortunately I'm a big fan of the dyepot.

At first I thought I'd throw some purple over it, but it turned out that I had none left and didn't feel like mixing, so I threw in a glug of black which frightened me a bit, as it was, well, rather black and a bit cold-looking. I poured in some magenta to liven things up, but all that happened was that the dye liquor became utterly opaque.

Slightly anxious, I rummaged through the main handspun box and found a skein of scratchy not-very-well-dehaired cashmere yarn in ugly beige, which joined the socks. There still seemed to be an awful lot of dye.

The main handspun tub is quite large, yielding a skein of something containing angora and a couple of sparkles (those white spots are sparkles) in an insipid greyish lavender that's just this side of dirty white. In it went too.

The yarns turned out rather well, but didn't really suck up any of the black from the socks, which is what I was hoping for.

I think salt would have helped with the leveling, and also probably getting it a whole lot hotter: I put it in the crock-pot on medium because I needed to go to bed. If I'd been more engaged and hands-on, I'd have chosen high for as long as necessary, but when you're multitasking, something's gotta give.

I'm not entirely unhappy though; even though the photo doesn't quite capture it, the socks are a very nice, very deep, barely this side of green, charcoal. With a greener and a slightly more purple stripe. Absolutely more wearable than before.

Still Not Over

I thought we'd have broken up by now, but it's kinda getting serious.

Yesterday at the Bead Society meeting, Peri brought her beads (as usual) and I succumbed (as usual), bringing home a collection of odd, organically-shaped glass rings. I've been trying to move away from all monochromatic all the time, so since (a) the rings are a pretty flat, unifor colour and (b) I also happened to have picked up these acid green-yellow opal-finish daggers, it seemed that the two complimented each other very nicely with a little gold and bronze thrown in.

At first I'd thought I'd make some sort beaded bead, something rounder, connecting them to the glass rings with simple peyote or herringbone links, but what with the daggers, it seemed I had no choice, and I'm loving it.

Still a few more hours of work, and I haven't quite decided how to fasten it, but as I'm teaching Tuesday and still have a bit more prep to do tomorrow, I have time to figure it out.

Last year I all but finished a pair of socks and then I ran out of yarn about two or three inches short of the end of my toes, and so it sat.

I've been getting antsy about languishing knitting projects, past the point where I guiltily banish all thoughts of them even as I start another; I'm at the point where I Feel The Need to do something about it.

I really didn't want to buy a whole nother ball of yarn as I'm unlikely to use it again: pleasant though it is, it's heavier than my normal sock yarn, doesn't seem to be available in terribly exciting colours, and what on earth would I do with enough pink-coral yarn to make either one long sock, or a sock and a toe?

Fortunately, I had another yarn of a similar blend (bamboo mainly) in a variegated with some vaguely similar colours.

First I undid the finished toe and started knitting on the short sock until they were even.

Then I joined in the new yarn, increased enough stitches to maintain the size of the foot, and finished both toes.

Now I can start a new project ... well, just as soon as my emergency socks are done.

The Affair Continues

(But I think it's run its course).

If you thought I'd made a pair of identical pendants, you'd be partly right.

I made a pair of identical reversible pendants.

And then I made a third almost-identical reversible pendant and joined it to the other two to get a reversible vee-shaped pendant.

Pretty nifty, even if I do say so myself, and if I wasn't eager to get on to something else (a new watchband because I lost my watch on Sunday night when I went to see 127 Hours with my son), I might have continued to make more of them for an entire necklace.

Damn. I'm just second-guessing myself, looking at the pictures above: I should have used those lovely fat twisted copper jump rings to join the components of the pendant; that way if I decide that really the affair isn't over, I can go back and make more pieces and turn it into a necklace but right now because I used right angle weave to join them, I have to be done with it.

I might have to do this again.

I really thought it was over.

In other news in which I'm pleased with myself, I finished a new pair of gloves.

After seventy gajillion attempts to do something interesting with the variegated yarn such that any effort over and above stocking stitch was worth it and didn't get lost, and failing, I fell back to my standard gloves, although this time I made the hand ever so slightly too long instead of too short as usual.

The yarn is a delightfully soft and squishy merino which may not be as warm as the alpaca gloves I've been wearing most of the winter, but they fit better, and I'm much more fond of the person who gave me the merino yarn than of the person who gave me the alpaca yarn although at the time I confess I was quite charmed. (Back then, he was a new boyfriend. Right now, I'm well rid of him).

I'm still not feeling compelled to start a new sweater; instead I'm getting creative with a pair of socks which was one and nine-tenths complete with no more yarn. After that I'm thinking I might finish my emergency car socks (the ones that are always in the car in case I'm desperate for something to knit, for example if traffic comes to a literal stand-still - extremely slow movement doesn't count due to the danger factor akin to texting and driving - HELLO! - or if there's a very long traffic light or I find myself in a waiting room or some other emergency I haven't yet thought of, but am well-prepared for) with which I'm both bored and annoyed due to the colour of the yarn which somehow didn't look as bad in the ball but I can now see in in serious need of a dyepot. I just need to put them out of their misery so that I can work on socks which are better.

OK, newer.

So sue me, I like new projects. And you don't? Really?

Uh huh.

Is It A Serious Affair?

Dunno, but we've been spending quite a bit of time together, and as you can see, not just for quickie earrings or pendants.

If this continues, the next one might have to be reversible.

Or a necklace.

Or a reversible necklace.

More Than a Fling?

Yesterday I was just flirting, just fooling around, didn't think I'd fall for this in any meaningful way, and while I still plan to return to last week's obsession, I''m definitely being unfaithful.

I made a pendant with a rather awkward bail and an earring.

The earring needed a mate, naturally.

And then I wondered if it would work with five arms instead of four.

I think it does.

[Edited to add: It also works with these spade beads that I keep on buying but rarely manage to use successfully.

I also managed to think of a bail before completing the last few rounds; the big twisted jump ring works well for a purchased chain, but would be too small for most beaded chains, unless they have short narrow sections to accommodate.]

I've mentioned that when we went to Australia over New Year, my cat stayed with a friend from work, who posted a video of Isis playing with his cat, Oso who is velvety, like a Beanie Baby.

Nothing much happens after the first minute and a half, but if you enjoy watching cats play, it's somewhat cute.