Monday, March 2, 2009

Madrona-Holy Mohair

Warning, this post is all about yarn and knitting, if you like to skim the knitted parts of the blog, you can stop reading now.

My Christmas present to myself-a weekend at Madrona. Two years ago I tried to go and took a class with the Yarn Harlot. I ended up getting knocked up and drove an hour and a half by myself at 7 am with no caffeine and morning sickness. This year, I spent months thinking about it, got my classes, did my homework-and I got the flu. I was miserable but I made it. I also won a door prize and got to pick from a bin of yarn, patterns, books, and other booty. I grabbed the handspun Mongolian cashmere that retails for $165 (60 yards) quicker than you can yell, "Holy Mohair!"

The drive allowed me to finish up a sweater for Butters. He picked the colors. This is a Zimmermann pullover with color work I saw and tried to re-create. I won't make him wear the hat and sweater together. The hat barely fits and the sweater will be perfect next year, which is good as today it was nearly 60 out. He was excited when I showed him, he watched me knit it but I saved the final product for a special day. He wanted to wear it to school. He put it on and said, "It itches." We took it off.






I purchased yarn at Madrona as well. They have an amazing market place with local stuff and yarn you can't get anywhere else. I was given an amount to spend. I may have gone a tad over budget. Pictured is a ball of wide stripping sock yarn, the cashmere, some hand painted local loot from Lopez Island.....
.... and some amazing fiber from Blue Moon. Coordinating sock yarn and a merino/silk blend called LSS-a handpainted blend and a solid. I'm thinking a V neck sweater but I probably won't be brave enough to wear matching hand knitted socks. Teal is my new purple for knitting. It's veeeeeery soft.
I think I have enough yarn now. If I added up the time to knit all the yarn I have and calculate how much time I actually have to knit, I'm probably set for my retirement, which is more than most can say right now in this country.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

An undershirt or turtleneck will take care of the itching.

Beautiful work Geatter. Beautiful work.

Carrie said...

What yarn is the sweater made from? And which pattern is it anyway? (Or is it even a pattern? Ha!)

I am so going to Madrona next year. Sounds like fun! I LOVE teal!

Megan said...

Pattern is an Elizabeth Zimmerman pullover, I winged the colorwork-tried it on the hat first. It's a bit long in the armpit but otherwise I'm happy with it. I may try steeking it and putting in a zipper for practice.

It's lambs pride worsted. Keep your fingers crossed it doesn't run! I didn't prewash the red...

We should try to go together next year, or put a group together-unless I'm cursed, been sick both times.