Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Stripey Mittens and BAP: The Holiday Edition

Morehouse Merino Mittens
Due to the nudging and encouragement I received from you all I decided to go ahead and finish the thumbs on the Morehouse Merino Trainwreck Striped Mittens. All in all I'm happy I finished them in a thrifty Scot kind of way, but I have to say that I might not be bum rushing the Morehouse Merino Yarn Stand at any upcoming fiber festivals anytime soon. Nope, just not feeling the yarn at all. Splitty, frayed and dessicated. Not a winning yarn profile.
Morehouse Merino Mittens
The Specs:
Yarn: Morehouse Merino Two-Ply
Needles: Size 8
Pattern: Morehouse Merino Striped Mitten Duo kit
Mods: The only modification would involve traveling back in time and not buying the kit. How's that for a modification?
Morehouse Merino Mittens
However I will say that finishing these mittens has put me on a color jag that I am very excited about, and once I finish my dad's Dr. G's Memory Vest (awesome pattern from a GORGEOUS knitter and designer), I will be ready to dive into what I am calling BAP 'The Holiday Edition' : Big-Ass Plans for 2009. These big ass plans involve lots and lots of color work due to the following events:

Heilo for Usefrud
-seeing Ashley's Bea Ellis Traditional hat on Flickr and remembering that I myself wanted to do the Bea Ellis Ufserud. See Heilo above.

Naturespun for Opus Spicatum
-queueing the Opus Spicatum hat and getting some more Naturespun in the stash that will be perfect. If you were interested in the Selbu Modern, please take note as this hat is a worsted variation. Yo!

For a Selbu
-speaking of the Selbu, wouldn't I sort of rule the world in one made of these new Jitterbug colors, Apricot Smoothie and Pastures New? I know, I'm on a roll.

For more Herringbones
-resurrecting my Herringbone Mittens from the bowels of my Ravelry zzzz pile and deciding that they completely blow doors off any current mitten pattern and finding some Naturespun in my stash that will do quite nicely for another pair.

For various Kristin Nicholas projects...
-making a trip to Kathy's Kreations in Ligonier and finding a copy of Kristin Knits and nearly falling over gobsmacked by her use of color. For a split second while leafing through this book I do believe I felt a portion of my brain open up, and I haven't felt that feeling in a long, long time. Think of this book as sort of like poppers, for knitters. Her use of color is quite simply stupendous. Amazon Wish List this mother now! See the Julia collected above for two insane projects (Checks and Dots Mittens and Wild and Wooly Socks) that I just know I will complete...

Naturespun for Matrix Mittens
-queueing the Matrix Mittens and finding the perfect Naturespun color combo for them. So. Excited.

Lamb's Pride
-getting my grubby hands on what is perhaps the greatest shade of Lamb's Pride in the history of the world: Prairie Goldenrod. I am cribbing this color choice from Purlfriend and just know that mittens this color will stop traffic.

See? Big Ass Plans. What are yours?

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, I am so with you on Ashley's hat. LOVE IT! So cute! I'm in a mitten phase of my life. Who needs fingers? I highly recommend (although I see you are sort of stuck on the whole color-work theme) the Aran Island Mittens from Folk Mittens or the Magic Mirror Mittens. Love them both. I'm so glad you finished the Moorehouse mittens. (Um, why do I keep thinking 'Agnes Moorehead from Bewitched' when I hear that name?)...

Yarnhog said...

Congrats on finishing the mittens. I take a sort of grim pride in finishing a project I hate. (In fact, there's one blocking on my dryer right now.)

As for plans...there's still this stupid plain black stockinette sportweight sweater hanging over my head, as my husband reminds me daily.

knithound brooklyn said...

Man, you are on a serious colorwork streak here, lady. I'm near dizzy!!

Jennie said...

ooohhh sooo many pretties to make!! I am dying to see your knits!

mooncalf said...

What lovely sheering brightly-coloured wool pictures. Your post has cheered me right up! Good to know that Opus Spicatum in a worsted weight hat - I'd assumed it was for 4 ply! Queued!

Sarah said...

Holy moly, that's a lot of color! Perhaps I need color like that to get me out of my winter funk.

Not sure that I have any concrete BAPs. I just want to finish my vest and get on to the other sweaters that have been languishing in the queue before it's spring and too warm to wear them.

nicole said...

My plans? To continue plugging away at my wips pile (which heavily features endless miles of grey wool stocking stitch) despite the tempting array of gorgeous colours and projects certain people are parading right under my tired nose.

THANKS a lot Heather!

(love that colour of Lamb's Pride! Late summer captured in a ball of yarn!!)

Janet said...

Those are, indeed, Big Ass Plans!!

I started Selbu Modern in orange and purple malabrigo sock, and I dig it, although I am pretty sure that my gauge is off and it will be too small unless there is some sort of blocking miracle (note that this has not stopped me from knitting happily away -- surely someone out there has a small head and a good eye for fashionable hand knits, right?)

Who? Me? said...

I made my husband a shifting sands scarf in that gorgeous color of yellow. It was the fastest project I've done because I loved that yarn so much!

Jodi said...

Those are some seriously awesome colors! Can't wait to see how it all knits up.

I'm still chugging away at all the holiday small projects. Mittens, hats, and scarves, oh my! But I did break down and work on a sweater for me last night, too.

Alison said...

Oh, I wish I could wear yellow. That Prairie Goldenrod looks so vibrant and happy.
Have fun with all the colorwork- what a great project line-up!

Happy knitting,
ali

Kim said...

Your karmic rewards for finishing the striped mittens will be legion! I printed out the Opus Speculum (can't stop calling them that!) and am eager to cast on. Selbu Modern too. 2009 is the year of colorwork.

Ashley said...

I heart all your plans the most.

Except that my brain can't say Ufserud. It insists on Usferud instead. My own little knitting nuclear/nucular.

Also my secret Blogger word is Astackl, which totally sounds like something you might be about to knit.

peaknits said...

Holy crap - big ass plans indeed!! Yay! I plan to order Kirsten's new sweater pattern just asap so I can start that right away in 2009 for ME - but til then I'm working away on the Selbu - thanks for that inspiration btw, and hope to do some Genmaicha mitts for my sister too - wow, Kirsten is a recurring theme here!:)

Philigry said...

drooling over all those colors! beautiful.

kaetrn said...

those colors of yarns you have posted have me drooling all over myself! i love love love color and am hopping over to amazon right now to wish list that book!

Sonya said...

Oooooohhh, color, color, color! I love your big ass plans for 2009. Mine include lots of colorwork too.

Kirsten said...

Day-um! That's a lot of colorwork!!
My whole life is nothing but a ton of BAPs, seldom realized. Hmmm, and I wonder where that bratty son of mine gets it.

Thanks for the compliments. I don't get 'gorgeous' much anymore (okay, truth be told I never did), so your words will carry me through the day!!

a friend to knit with said...

you DO have big ass plans!
mine? knit something other than this stinkin advent garland. (what was i thinking? why didn't you stop me?)

good going on the mittens. i love their stripy goodness.

Anonymous said...

Those Jitterbug colors look good enough to eat! Lucky girl.

Orinda5 said...

That Prairie Goldenrod kicks big ass!

I really want to make a Selbu Modern for myself as soon as my "deadline knitting" is finished this month. I keep daydreaming about it and picking out different color combos from my stash.

Amy said...

LOOK at all of that!

Personally, I'm lusting after everything winter and some sweaters for the boys as I whip myself back into shape for the *real* treat: sweaters for me.

If only I had more knitting time!

Anonymous said...

I love these! I really want to knit some too!

weezalana said...

My BAP for 2009 is to do as *little* colorwork as possible to provide balance to the knittingverse. (I just finished a fair isle-ish hat for my MIL and couldn't wait for the misery to end!)