Just in time for spring. Well, projects get done when they get done, right? It will be a big one, 5 x 6 feet at least. It really is turning out beautifully. My friend Julie has already fallen in love with it.
Christmas gifts from my older brother whom I was unable to see at Christmas due to the COVID. He so generously shipped them since we are not sure when we will get together again and I needed them to wind yarn for the sweater I am knitting for Dennis Nothdruft.
This is an update on the progress of my newest blanket called "Phoenix". Watch the video to see my progress and how long it has become.
In the fall of 2019 I purchased a large quantity of discontinued Dark Horse Yarn from a yarn liquidator. The yarn is beautiful and was very inexpensive and I was in the midst of knitting blankets for friends. Therefore, I purchased 4 different colors of the Boucle yarn. Very soon after receiving them I started a blanket with my favorite of the colors, #18. I do not know what the official color name is as I believe Dark Horse has gone out of business and I can't look it up. Their website is still up but isn't fully functioning. You can still find their yarns for sale on eBay if interested.
Anyway, I started a blanket with color #18, which is a white to red to black mix as you can see in the photo. Because it is a boucle, it can be a bit difficult to work with. The loops get caught on the needle tips all the time! But this was my first foray into boucle yarn and I was excited to knit something new. Plus, I was also using size 15 needles for the first time and the knitting was going quickly, minus the snags on the loops.
After several skeins I realized a problem with the yarn dye. Even though I purchased 4 bags of skeins with all identical dye lot numbers the color shade varied from skein to skein. This became noticeable once knitted up, especially where one skein stopped and another started. I am a bit of a perfectionist and this was my first blanket I was creating with the intention of selling, so that wasn't tolerable. I left it to sit, frustrated, and perhaps a bit enlightened as to why the yarn was discontinued and inexpensive.
After some time away from the project, it occurred to me how I might remedy the situation. I divided the yarn into two piles, those that looked darker and those that looked lighter. Then I switched between the two while knitting. I knitted 2 rows in the darker yarn then 2 rows in the lighter yarn and then back again, as if I was knitting with two entirely different colors. Because the yarn is a boucle, with no discernible yarn definition, the two shades blended. Viola!
After fixing that problem I now had a new one. I had to pullout 3 feet of work, which is never a fun thing to do. The project sat again and since my yarn stash is plentiful it was very easy to start another project in the mean time. And another one. And another one. Over a year and half later the blanket was still in a bag, in a tote, patiently waiting for me. I was reorganizing my yarn stash earlier this month and found the neglected project. It spoke to me and told me it was time to work on it again. I took it out of storage, unraveled it into two big balls, one dark and one light, and started the blanket anew.
By now, Metz and I had started this business and I started naming my knit creations. When I started knitting the blanket again I thought, what am I going to call this one? Immediately, because of the color and the story behind it, the name Phoenix came to mind. So utterly obvious and fitting. I can't wait to finish it and for someone to find it a home!
The "Bordeauxlicious" Hand-knit Scarf is done and now available for purchase!
Started another scarf now that we are back to normal November temps. This is super soft Lion Brands Scarfie yarn in discontinued colorway oxford/claret. I had one skein leftover from the blanket I made for Dennis Nothdruft and thought it indeed, would make a fantastic scarf! Dennis is a very talented, longtime friend who drew the dragonfly for the Metz & Matteo logo.
Look what Metz received as an early birthday present! A Comgrow Creality Ender 3 Pro 3D Printer with Removable Build Surface Plate. I'm posting for Metz because she is in the middle of another play but she wanted to share about this fun new toy. Still learning the ins and outs but it looks like so much fun so far. I'm jealous! Metz has ordered some accessories to help put the finishing touches on the figurines and what not that she is making. We will share photos when they are finished. I included links to everything in case you want to order some yourself. For each qualifying purchase, Metz & Matteo will earn a modest amount so please click on our links here so we can receive credit. |
Paint pens for coloring and finishing touches. They work on stone too so maybe we will be making rune stones! | |||
Brushes, 3D Print Coating and cleaning tools. |
This looked like a really cool set, especially since Metz is also a Dungeon Master! |
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And just for the fun of it, Metz also purchased this calligraphy kit. |
Weave the ends in, tie on care label, take photo and then post on social media. Done and ready for someone to purchase! Available soon on MetznMatteo.com.
Update 1/25/2020: The "Amethyst Dream" Hand-Kint Scarf is done and now available for purchase!
After calculating four times and finally accepting that there isn't enough yarn for the blanket project, knit something else! Half way done on my first infinity scarf. I'm calling this one "Amethyst Dream"!
]]>Knit a test swatch to check needle size. I tend to knit with tight tension so I usually go up a size. This swatch gives me the necessary information so I can calculate how many stitches I need for a particular width, how much yarn used per row and how big a blanket I can make with the number of skeins I have.
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