Bunnyspin

I went a little wheel crazy and spun up my roving allready.

It's a hair thinner then what the pattern called for, but it's a scarf.

I'm thinking there is a chance I could have the scarf done for The Spin to Knit book signing at Rosies.

Back on the Bunny Trail

After a long hiatus (translation: working on other projects), I am back on the bunny trail. I've cast on the second sock with Spice Cabinet. The first Spice Cabinet sock was my very first sock ever, and I've since finished a pair with Trekking XXL. I'm using a plain vanilla pattern, but I feel much more confident in my ability to produce a decent sock. And the Spice Cabinet colorway is perfect for the cooler weather. It makes me think of apple pie and cinnamon rolls. Yummylicious!

Safety first!

Fall is the best time for hiking, but it's also a good time for getting shot in the arse by a city slicker weekend hunter. It's good to wear something bright. Why not Orangina?* I just happen to have enough Self-dyed tangerine yarn on hand. I also had some BBF roving I spun too. Trouble is, I wasn't happy with the combo. I want a little contrast, but the handspun was too brown.

Meh.

So I went to knitting circle and look what was at Rosies! Some brighter, more yellowy fiber!

Isn't better? Let's see if I can spin it close to the weight the pattern calls for.

Yes, the socks are still coming along too...

*This is a pattern from the book Spin to Knit. If it's any example, I'm excited about it!

Mission Accomplished

DSCN0022
Originally uploaded by amarshall102.

I'm ready to HOP! I've got 2 skeins of BBF 100% Superwash DK Merino in the Grape Juice colorway. Why Grape Juice, I don't know as it is the most luscious varigated blue I have ever seen, exactly perfect, I love it, love it, love it. Must have a finishing party to get some old things off the needles before I start on this project, but my fingers are itchin' to knit some Black Bunny. What will it be, what will it be, I'm thinking a Forest Canopy shawl from Susan Pierce Lawrence...but I'm open to suggestions.

Drool

This yarn is to die (dye) for. I love it!

Hopefully it'll look just as gorgeous once it's made into this. Cross your fingers!

Fiber Trends "Oak Leaf And Acorn Scarf"

Mary Kay's adorable baby stuff

Loyal customer and friend Mary Kay, who has several very cute grandchildren, has been a boffo Black Bunny knitter since day one. She recently brought in this adorable sweater set knit in Lagoon in BBF superwash DK merino, which she made for a new grandbaby:



Aren't they great? Mary Kay doesn't have the digital photo equipment to upload, so that's why I'm writing about this. She promises to get a photo of the baby himself wearing them....

Maggie

...Philadelphia PA.

YARN EATING BEAGLE SPOTTED IN WEST PHILADELPHIA

One large ball of Black Bunny Fibers lace weight yarn was viciously attacked by Maggie the yarn eating beagle late last night on the living room floor of her owner's home.

"I came down the stairs and there was yarn everywhere," said a distraught and unnamed dog owner. It has been said that she spent upwards of two hours untangling and re-rolling the yarn during care coordination rounds at the hospital today. The yarn is useable, but in multiple balls and is desperate need of spit splicing.

The beagle could not be reached for comment.

Black bunny is a wild animal

WOW - This black bunny turned tigress!

The colors are so much nicer than they appear in the photo... I would perhaps have preferred the color placement at the previous gauge. I love the yarn, I love the pattern - perhaps they are not meant to be together. At any rate, I am pushing forward and have cast on #2 and if I ever doubt my choice, I slip the sock on and the doubts dissipate.

P.S. My mom and daughter are fighting over these, I will have to hide them when I am finally finished

Project selected for Summer Garden bunny

I decided to do Meg Swansen's Feather and Fan circle shawl from Gathering of Lace. Here's the first 30 rows. Look closely, I may never get any farther : )

Charcoal's birthday give-away

Yep, Charcoal's birthday is next Wednesday, the 27th, and in honor of the big day, I'm going to give away a free BBF tote bag. I'm going to put the name of everyone who purchases something between now and the 27th into a hat and pull a random winner. I just restocked the Etsy shop and more is on the way, so be warned....

Bunny Hopping over the Blocked Trellis

I probably didn't need to use so many pins, did I? I was a little nervous, I figured better safe than sorry. I wanted straight edges.

Here's a close up. This will go great with that little black dress I've got hanging in the closet. Just need to loose 15 more lbs... Anyway, I love it. I can't wait for it to dry. Thanks Carol! Your dye work is amazing!!!

~Gina

The Bunny Arrived!

I went out for my this-is-good-for-me walk and loe, in the post....the Bunny! Now I will have to fondle it for a while and consider what it shall be. And it's going to be for ME, ME, ME! (can you tell it's been a rough month?)

Finally, the Dyemistress has something to show

This



is a cabled vest I'm knitting for my younger son. (He's only 4 so I hope I can at least get him to wear it around the holidays.) It's made in the superwash merino DK that is only available via Rosie's, and I do love the twist and good stitch definition of this base yarn. Fun!

I love seeing all the beautiful photographs of everyone's projects. You guys rock!

Do I Have to Give Them Away???

The oregano socks are complete at last! I love them and really want to keep them for myself, but they will be handed off to their intended recipient at church in the morning. Sigh...
The Pembrokeshire Pathways pattern worked very well with the colorway--you can still see the twists in each cable and the detail in every lacy inset. I have had nothing but fabulous comments from anyone who saw me working on them, so I guess I'm not the only one who finds them lovely.

My BBF indigo laceweight arrived this week. I intended it for Icarus, but the pictures in Interweave show it in very fine gauge suri alpaca. Instead, I may return to my original Print O'The Waves plan to showcase Carol's beautiful blue dyework. The waves just seem more fitting for the stormy blues and greys in my yarn. I am open to suggestions though, so if you know of a great pattern for 880 yards of yummy laceweight, please let me know!

Garden Trellis Stole & Scarf Pattern

It's very simple lace, nothing like what Joe and some of the others are doing. I found it while searching for lace stole patterns at Curious Creek . The Pattern Stitch: Slip 1 (knitwise), K1, *P1, YO, P2tog, K1* (Multiple of 4+2). I'm using US8 needles and BBF 100% Merino Sock Yarn. I love how the hand dyed colors are turning out, it's quiet lovely. I think I just may add 6-12 inches. Then make a hat or something else with the rest, maybe even a smaller version in this pattern for a scarf, that would make a nice Christmas present for somebody.

Gina

A lot of progress and A little head scratching...

I need a little advise. My bunny hop stole is approaching 56" L and 8" W unblocked. I have never blocked lace before. How much will it grow? I still have plenty of yarn left, about 1/2 the ball. But I don't think I want a 9ft stole. So do I had another 12-14 inches then add a small border? Tell me what you think.

Humbly,
Gina

Sarcelle Progress

Sarcelle is speeding along nicely, I just wish I could get a better picture of it so everyone could do the appropriate drooling. This is the most relaxing lace pattern I have ever knit. While there is patterning on both sides, every row is basically the same, minus one stitch on each side of the yarnover bundle. You can't really tell from the photo, but each yarnover "bundle" looks like a little butterfly (again with the butterflies!), and I can't wait to see what they look like blocked. I've finished the increase section, and am 14 repeats into the straight rows. I have to look at the pattern again, but I think the straight section is 36 repeats - so that would make me at almost the halfway point. Sometimes when I knit, it's a race to the finish to see what the thing is going to look like. This knit, however, is like a long stroll on the beach, and when the sun begins to set on the horizon, it's sad to think of packing up my beach chair, and putting it to bed.

Black Bunny'in along - fast and wrong

The excitement to receive a package from Black Bunny yesterday was hardly contained! The yarn was wound within minutes of hitting my door step and I stayed up into the wee hours to produce this much of my sock.

I'm not the poster child for swatching so I will be ripping this down to start anew -- but on BIGGER needles!

Imagine how much I will have finished at this time tomorrow!

Celestine Shawl Update
I'm at 250 rows which means I'm halfway through the knitting of the main section of the Celestine Shawl!



I love this shawl for a number of reasons. First, the knitting of it has been enjoyable. Even the fixing of mistakes have been an interesting lesson in un-knitting for me (thanks in part to some of the commenters on this blog). Second, the stole is long enough now that I can drape it over my legs whilst I'm knitting it, and it is soft, lightweight and warm. Finally, while my pictures don't do it very much justice, the shawl is quite beautiful, and will be even moreso after it's been blocked.

Pattern Writing
I'm writing up the pattern for this shawl, and I'll be posting it out to The Knitting Vault when it's all done. I'm having a difficult time with some of the graphing of the lace stitches...especially the rows where the number of stitches is reduced or increased.

Baltic Seas Ahead

My Baltic Sea pattern arrived yesterday, and here is the yarn just minutes away from the ball winder.


















However, this arrived in today's mail:



I've found a stitch pattern that makes little acorns, and I think this needs to be a triangular shawl- gotta swatch that soon.












Also in the mail was "Traffic Cone"- don't you love the name? Hunting season is coming soon, and I'm thinking of lacey "blaze-orange" scarves for safe walks in the woods.

















Is there a category for "most BBF projects in progress"?

Baltic Sea progress!

Ok, I'm only on row 11 after 9 rows of moss stitch but I like the pattern so far. It does require me to pay attention so I can only do a row here and there when I'm assured of some quiet.
Has anyone else decided to do this pattern? p.s., sorry to photograph this gorgeous yarn on such horrible carpet - corporate rentals are soooooo beige.

Smootches

My Black Bunny socks in progress.

It looks a tad like a strange undergarment right now. But the Magic Loop is working! And the color (Kiss) is fab! I had hoped to work on them last night, but after a five-hour kayak trip (including an hour and a half trek across a rather large lake), my arms were useless. I've never done toe-up socks before and I'm enjoying the process. Really clever construction on these.

Hat ideas

I just got this yarn from Carol:

It's for my husband, and he was impressed it was dyed just for him!

It was going to be socks, but now he wants some kind of hat. However he wants 'something that shows off that it took skill to make, but still looks simple'. Any ideas, especially with varigated yarn? He's not into cables much.

I changed my mind.

I












So I switched patterns. I realized that this one would more easily convert to a square.
It's so lovely!

Celestine Progress

Have you ever had a project you couldn't wait to finish and show off to folks?

This is one of them for me. Usually, I am so bored by a project by the end of it, I have to put it away for a few months before I will even wear it out in public. But this project, I can see I will be thrilled to show everyone and anyone who asks abot it at Rhinebeck, or anywhere else, for that matter.



This is a little over 200 rows of knitting, and it's moving on a little more quickly now.

The two lace patterns I'm using for the Celestine Shawl are both surprisingly easy. Since they both have different number of rows in the repeat, it requires that I do a little calculation to figure out which row I'm on in both patterns, but overall, the knitting of this shawl is fun and easy.

Finally...I'm hopping

Is Hopping with two "p's?"
I told my students yesterday as I was writing that I'm a horrible speller...then again...blogger does have spell check!

Anyway, I have started my Black Bunny project: RosieKnits Half-Pi Shawl by Grace and Courtney. I'm doing Grace's version in Black Bunny Lace Weight "Conch." This is for Annie. Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas Annie!

Dye Maven Carol---its GORGEOUS GORGEOUS GORGEOUS!

I'll post more as it progresses

Knitty D

Sprinting to the Finish

Oregano sock #1 is done!

I'm at the point on #2 where I need to start the heel flap.

I have really enjoyed Brenda's pattern. I might just have to do it again with another yarn so I can have a pair of my own.

I bought the back issue of Interweave's Summer 2006 issue just to get the Icarus pattern. A few people said they would make a copy, but this way is better--I get the whole magazine to myself! Icarus and my new blue BBF laceweight will be the project for my LYS's lace class in October. I hope I can resist playing with them until then! It may not be too difficult to do, because I'm considering the idea of UFO September after going through my projects...

That 70's sock

Progress so far on my Pomatomus socks in '70's living room' (Platform shoes not necessary).

The pattern is a blast to knit, and I forgot how much I like twisted st rib.

I enjoy that the yarn isn't pooling or striping. Just little color blips here and there.

Pink Lemonade Sock #1

I completed my first Pink Lemonade sock this week.



The yarn is very soft and is a dream to work with. The gauge is a little bigger than I'm used to using for socks, but it's giving me a nice fabric. The socks are going quicker than usual, too!

Another pair of socks

My Black Bunny arrived yesterday! It is sock weight superwash merino in lapis.

I just came back from a research trip in Wisconsin, and one of the things I missed most was the ocean. This yarn captured that image to me perfectly, and I knew that I had to have *this* yarn for the Hop Along.

I know I want to make this into socks. Not original perhaps, but great socks can totally make or break my day. Now I just need to find the right sock pattern. I haven't decided if I want just a plain stockinette sock to really let the beauty of the shifting colors show or if I want to try something else. Decisions, decisions!

Woo Hoo - I'm a Hopper!

And an excited hopper at that!

I have a pattern and desire, lots of desire, and am waiting patiently for Black Bunny yarn of some type.

Wendy assured me that there's no such thing as a slow bunny so my race will begin soon!

It will be a pleasure to Knit along with all 'ya all.

More Yarn for Me!

I just ordered some gorgeous blue laceweight! I can't wait for it to get here, because I'm going to take it into my LYS and show it off during next month's lace class. I think everyone will be positively pea-green with envy!

On the sock front: I almost closed the first toe today. I worked up the toe in the pattern I'm using and decided it had an elvish quality which reminded me of Legolas or Jack Frost. That's not the look I'm going for in these socks, so I'm re-working it a bit to suit me. I'll post a picture of finished sock #1 as soon as it's done.

I love seeing everyone's BBF creations!

OK, I've changed my mind ...

Yesterday I had a revelation regarding my project, which was, that although it is something I want to knit with my Raspberry Swirl yarn, I was unrealistic to think that I could concentrate on something like Icarus when I have two other projects going that have upcoming deadlines (they are both gifts).

So, although I really do plan on giving the Icarus shawl a try with said yarn, I will postpone it until I can really give it some serious attention. Instead, I will make myself a pair of socks with this Black Bunny yarn, called Parrot:



I absolutely *love* the colors in this yarn, and it's really soft. The fact that the socks will actually be for me will just be icing on the cake!

OK, back to work. (Oh, please, like you've never done personal stuff when you're at work!)

Herein lies madness

Thank you for all your advice! I have thrown caution to the wind and cast on the Baltic Sea. The pattern is for sport weight on 5mm (sorry, still used to the metric system after being in England for 5 yrs) so I'm doing the laceweight on 4mm. I'm not bothered about it being a stole or scarf; I just want to see the pattern develop. The project may take a long time seeing as I'm 1) a serial cast-on and multiple project knitter and, 2) mother to 2 young children. Mindy - feel free to cast on your Baltic Sea sock yarn too! We could have a knitalong within the knitalong?!

Almost ready to hop!

I have two projects almost ready to cast on! I bought the acorn socks pattern from Fibertrends yesterday and have swatched this morning. The Hazelnut yarn will be perfect but unfortunately my 2.25mm needles are in use with Jaywalkers. So I turned to the laceweight which arrived yesterday in the Pacifica colorway. I can't describe how gorgeous this yarn is. I was thinking it would be Kiri but now I'm thinking either a Baltic Sea stole or Ella from Knitty. I just can't decide between the two...

Kiss Kiss

My beautiful yarn came this weekend. I am pleased to introduce to the group... "Kiss"
Isn't it beautiful?! The red is even more intense in real life. I think I can get two pairs of socks out of this. I'm dreaming of Falling Leaves and maybe Hedera. Great time to practice my Magic Loop!

Finally a decision

I've finally decided what my project and yarn will be:

The Icarus Shawl from Interweave Knits will be the project.

And I'll use the Raspberry Swirl yarn I bought from Carol last month.



I will admit that I'm not the world's best lace knitter, but the photos of the completed shawls that I have seen are just too pretty not to give it a try. :-)

Project indecision

I have a skein of wonderful sock yarn in my hands in Hazelnut. I'm completely undecided about a suitable pattern. I've been through all my sock patterns and looked on the internet. I'd like something organic, woody. Does that sound strange? Maybe a leaf pattern? Any suggestions? My other option is to begin a different project as I've got 2 more skeins winging their way to me through the post office. Rosie's has kindly mailed some laceweight in sky blue that I can't wait to see. It should arrive today or tomorrow!

New Project Name

I've decided to call my current project The Celestine Shawl. I would imagine most folks would expect this to come from the book, The Celestine Prophecy, but it's actually from one of my very favorite songs by Kirsty MacColl, Tropical Brainstorm.

The song is amazing, and fun and wonderful to listen to (as is the entire album). If you've never heard this CD, you ought to put it on your list.

Anyway, I've completed about 100 rows of the shawl, and I will probably have to complete about 400 for the body of the shawl, and then add on the two ends (using a different pattern stitch). Here's what it looks like so far.



And a closeup.



I'm enjoying the rhythm of the shawl. One pattern stitch has 16 rows and the other has 20, so with 80 being the least common denominator between the two, I guess I've really only finished one complete stitch pattern, and I'm 1/4 through my second one.

Finally, I don't know what merino laceweight yarn Carol uses to dye this stuff, but it is truly wonderful, and I will definitely be using it again at one point in the future.

Bunny Talk!

Knitty D and I are tired of hearing ourselves talk (and so are you I'm sure!). We'd love to hear from you about how much you love the Black Bunny, how your projects are going, and anything else you want to tell us as you Hop-A-Long with us.

Simply click on the link below, and we'll play your comments on the podcast. Our latest podcast is posted, and it features a tiny interview with Carol herself, about what kind of yarns she offers, and how to capture that elusive bunny.

Record a Bunny Story

And, thanks again Franklin for the awesome new banner!

Danger...Sock Construction Ahead...

My BBF Oregano socks are in progress! The yarn arrived on Wednesday, and I cast on for them that evening using Brenda's pattern as planned. My in-laws are visiting this week before school starts next week, so we hit Sea World on Thursday and did the obligatory tourist thing. I spent the day walking and knitting around the park. I got lots of interesting looks, but I wasn't bored while we waited for shows and rides. Sometimes, sock knitting is the best entertainment you get in an amusement park!

I've decided the socks are destined for my friend whose favorite flower is a green carnation--don't ask, it's a sentimental thing. The colorway has every color possible from her favorite bloom, and I thought of her while knitting it on Thursday. I showed it to her later that evening, and she said it would be better named Money since it has every color possible from a U.S. bill. She already refers to them as her money socks, and she loves the colors! I said she she should wear them during her candle shows to help boost her business! BBF appearing soon at a PartyLite show near you.

Learning German the Insane Way!

So I don't really think I've totally lost my mind. It really could have been way worse. But I think I am going to do something along these lines:

But I want it to be more square. And I don't speak any German. It's going to be great. Sometimes I wish I didn't work in a yarn shop so that I could really freak someone out by going into a shop with my giant wheel of yarn and this pattern (on a bad xerox, of course) and say something like, (totally seriously, of course) "So, I really wanna make this, in this yarn...so, can you help me? I mean, like, you guys can write the pattern out for me right? I'll just sit here and drink my coffee while you do that. Thanks!" And they would have to be nice to me. Or at least make me feel like I wasn't completely off my rocker.

But so far so good with the swatching:

This is on a 3.5 mm--I may go up a bit, or not...any suggestions?
It's going to be sooo lovely. Really. When I finish it. Sometime.

hop hop hop...forgot my yarn in Philly

Hey all! I'm a dork! I forgot an ENTIRE BAG of yarn (TRAVESTY!) I was supposed to be bringing on vacation---including my Black Bunny lace weight in Conch. Carol-love is dying me two more skeins which I'm going to make into Icarus, but this skein was going to be something lacey and lovely for best fried/new bride annie...and now I can't even take a photo, or cast-on...so I guess it is planning stages. Any suggestions for a scarf/shawl/stole to make with around 800 yards of the most gorgeous hand dyed yarn (love you Carol!)?? Wendy made it safely to the Cape yesterday---we stopped at two yarn shops along the way from Providence. We will be sure to discuss these on the podcast...until then, keep on hopping!

KNITTY DELICIOUS