new projects for a new year

The Jewish New Year started last week (Rosh Hashanah) and the new year is 5771. It's a tradition to wear new clothes for the new year, and I wanted to finish that endless purple sweater so I could wear it to a friend's house for a holiday dinner, and for services on Thursday. I managed it. I haven't managed a photo of the sweater in use, as taking pictures isn't really something we do on this holiday. It's really supposed to be a time to go to synagogue, to see friends and family, to eat great big holiday meals and to rest. No errands, no chores, etc. I did rest, although I had a hard time avoiding the outside world this time...others' errands and a doctor's appointment happened "to me" even though I tried to avoid them!

Anyhow, I caught a photo of this sweater today while hanging it on a radiator. Our heat is now coming on occasionally as we're beginning to see cooler fall temperatures. This is a Debbie Bliss pattern, knit with Zara, a DK weight Merino wool. I sometimes knit other folks' patterns to see how they do things. My favorite part of this pattern was the pleated "bustle" in the back. I managed to catch a photo of that today, although I'm wearing blue jeans and not dressed up to match the sweater.

I was also able to finish the weaving of this rug made from mill ends that I purchased in May at Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. The edges still need to be finished, but it is now off the loom.

Last week I dyed some of the Brown Sheep Wool Mill Ends that I also got in May. I did a pound of this as a dusty rose (pictured here) and a pound of bright red. Here's the start of the next rug. When I dyed these, I discovered that the wool is mixed with a bit of mohair in places, so there is a shimmer and luster to this rug that I wasn't expecting. I'm enjoying seeing the surprise of it as I weave it up!

Now I am on to thinking about designing myself a new sweater. When I am not designing for others, I delve into my stash. I like to buy "souvenir" yarn when I go on vacations. This combo is now enough for a sweater...but the mohair/wool boucle (on a cone) is from Cushendale Woollen Mills in Ireland-I think we were there in 2005. The DK and laceweight weight wool is from a trip to New Zealand and Australia, and I used some of the DK yarn for my Two Point Scarf design. (the pattern is available for download both on Ravelry and from my website.) I was worried that I would not have enough matching yarn for my sweater ideas, so I visited my closest Local Yarn Shop--Wolseley Wool. (They've just moved to a new shop down the block from Wolseley Wardrobe!) There I found some Peruvian alpaca in just the right shade at my local Canadian yarn shop...on close out because they were in the midst of moving.

I'm looking forward to making the sweater...and I'm pretty sure there won't be another one like it! Not anywhere in the world! It's the souvenir Ireland/New Zealand/U.S./Canadian/Peruvian yarn.

Finally, I am inspired by all this red to mention one last thing. I discovered that I have been written up in the Cornell Alumni Magazine this month. Scroll down, I'm just past the person who does President Lincoln re-enactments! It makes me sound a little more clever than I actually am--I'm no expert at sewing, for one thing--but I'm honored to be mentioned there. I'm a proud Cornellian.

...So, got any neat new projects for fall?

What I did on my long weekend...

by Joanne --who isn't starting school right now, but can't help but write the 'back to school' composition...
#1. We went apple picking at a neighbor's tree on the next block. (we asked permission first!) I put up a lot of food. Roasted tomatoes, pureed, tomato sauce in freezer, dehydrated tomatoes (sundried tomatoes...), 5 quarts of apple pie filling, 2 quarts of "everlasting slaw" and we still had this left over...3+ large bags of apples. I also gave a lot of apples away and I can now close my refrigerator again. Whew!

#2. The Professor bought me these cool bags from Shipley Cargo made out of upholstery fabric remnants. As some of my friends know, I love me some bags and have way too many. Of course, you can never have too many knitting bags, although I am eyeing one or both of these as purses. I only ever manage to carry around one purse and never change it out until it's worn out, so we'll see how this goes...

#3. By Monday, I was completely worn out and insisted on some quality knitting time on the couch. I listened to The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East while I knit on the endless purple sweater. The Professor caught this photo of me in my very favorite knitting location...the couch, with Sally on the left and Harry on the right. Sally was asleep too until the camera started to click.

#4. The sweater has now been blocked and I hope to start sewing it up this evening. In the best of all possible worlds, I would have it ready to wear for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which starts later this week. I may be dreaming, but then, I thought this endless project would be done in January 2010, so well, a person can dream...

#5. The end of this week also is the end of Ramadan, so it's an auspicious time for holidays! 'Eid Mubarak! L'shanah tova v'metukah!
(Happy 'Eid! Happy and sweet new year!)