Beetroot Knits

A few weeks ago, we got a bundle of small organic beetroots in our veg box delivery. They sat in the back of the fridge for a while, as I wasn't quite sure what to do with them...beet crisps? Nah. Pickled? Heck no.

And, as many veg box customers tend to find themselves at least a few times a year, I was completely confused, until I told EllaJ about it and she said, "What about borscht?"

Duh. As I have a very lovely Russian side of my family in my darling sister-in-law, and have enjoyed her and her mother's borscht on many a find occasion, I don't know how that delicate point escaped me.

So last night I made borscht. And while making borscht and seeing how brilliantly fuchsia everything within five feet of me was, I thought, "Oh yeah, people use beetroot to dye things."

In severe danger of being dyed.

After reading a few forum posts and learning that no, it wasn't a good idea, it wouldn't last, I tossed the beetroot peels into a pot with some apple cider vinegar, took out that beautiful skein of Organic Merino Aran that I bought from Bluefaced last weekend, and shoved it in.

At least I didn't give in to my first impulse and just whack it in with the borscht.

I let it simmer for about 30 minutes, half-expecting it to just soak it all in like it would with kool-aid, but second guessed it and threw it in the sink in cold water. As expected, it bled a lot, but didn't, as I was fearing, go completely white again (which wouldn't have been so bad, really). I hung it up in the bathroom to dry, and in the end of it all, got this:

It's a lot more orangey/rusty than I expected, which is good, because I was fearing it would turn out to be a bit more like candy-floss (which I hate the color of). And because it's kettle-dyed, and because I never fished the beetroot peels out of the boiling water, they ended up clinging to the yarn like leeches and leaving little darker splotches all over it, which I quite like.

I fully expect it to fade and bleach in the sun, but even if it's anywhere between this color and its natural shade, I'll still be happy with it.

Bacchus Scarf

Newest (free!) pattern is up on Ravelry:

Enjoy!

Step 1: Work

Moving countries, especially to a country so wonderfully beurocratic that you have to have a European Computer Driver's License to prove you know how to work a word processor, has left me in a bit of a sticky situation: jobless.

Fortunately, we're blessed to have my husband's student loans and a frugal lifestyle (besides the chocolate, and the occasional skein of Fyberspates), that I've been able to devote some time (a lot of time) to both my writing, and, of course, my knitting.

I'm waiting to hear back on the fate of my two newest books from my agent, so in the meantime, it's really all knitting:

My Workspace, with desk thanks to the blood, sweat and tears of my husband and to the cool Swedish stylings of EllaJ, who has IKEA in her blood.

Sneak Peak:

The Butterfly Forest Shawl

French Braid Cloche

I have a new pattern up in my Ravelry Store!

It's the French Braid Cloche, and it's available for download as a PDF and is only 2.00 GBP, (at current exchange rate, about $3.16 USD or 2.14 Euro, or 3.48 Aus, or...)

Available in Adult sizes Medium and Large, it's a fun, comfy cloche hat for all seasons, with a cable-created ruffle for snaz and eyelets that are just begging to have ribbons run through them.

(Link will take you to Paypal)

Thank you to KarateKid, Hobobird, and PocketDanielle for test knitting!

tales of an immigrant housewife

Somehow, a black hooded scarf tends to say everything:


Though it's not for me, but a friend, EllaJ. Since my time is abundant and otherwise useless, since no one feels the need to contact me about volunteer opportunities that I've applied for (I mean...really?), I've been mostly knitting. A lot.

Fortunately, this means quite a few designs should be coming up soon:

French Braid Cloche:


A few other hats, and somehow (har har) managing to work in a little Cookie time into my schedule:

Angees

Back in England

I'm really very torn between hating employment and absolutely loving it. Because, after all, unemployment means no eating out, no yarn (at least, yarn in minimal amounts), and, obviously, no job to go to everyday. On the other hand, I get to stay home all day and knit.

I've been trying to justify my unemployment by busying myself with potential-income-generating things like working on my book(s) and working on some designs. But when I don't have the patience to finish anything in one go, I end up casting on for seven different projects on one time, four of which don't have any sort of official patterns (at least, not yet), and using up all my spare needles.

In the meantime, I'm quite pleased:

This is the start of my Victoriana Coat, a coat I began because I had a hard time finding a coat that was A. a cut I liked and B. not made in China. Solution? Make my own. Of course. And it's going surprisingly fast. Though, come spring time, when the thing's thrown in a heap in a corner with a piece of half-arsed lining sewn to only one sleeve...well, I might have broken down and bought a coat, by then. But I'm determined. By golly, I'm going to finish what I started! For once.

I think all I need now, really, is one of those pointy 1920s-inspired hats like the Beauxbaton girls wore in Harry Potter and I'll be set.

Also coming:
The pattern for this and its fraternal twin sister, the Bacchus Shawl.

And a hat.

I'm Back

Well, I haven't really been away...my attention's just been turned elsewhere. Sorry for my absence! I can usually be found kicking around Ravelry; it seems Blogger stopped sending me comment notifications sometime last year.

In the mean time, here's a quick sampling of some FOs (all links lead to Ravelry):

Bleeding Hearts Shawl

Seeded Cables Cardigan

and Herringbone Socks

I've also been kicking up some new ideas for designs: next up, a lace scarf/shawl.

Here's a peek:

Anya Scarf and Fair Trade Goodies

I finished my first every project for my (someday) future mother-in-law (in other words, the Boy's Mum), the Anya Scarf.

I didn't get enough pictures of it, but it is quite lovely.

Pattern: Anya by Zari Zamen
Yarn: Fyberspates 100% lace silk in Ocean. Lovely, lovely yarn.
Needles: Size 4 (3.5mm) Knit Picks Options.
Mods: Did three repeats instead of five. I was running out of time and I really liked the length it ended at.


Also picked up this gorgeous bag in York today, at Fair Trade shop, Shared Earth.
It is completely gorgeous, and completely beats my old (tiny tiny plastic) handbag when it comes to room. It's fairly traded, handmade by women in India who receive fair wages from the purchase. Made from printed silk body, goatskin leather upper, handle, and lower. And enough room to carry knitting (and my wallet and glasses at the same time! Woo!)
Cost: £35. Totally worth it.

Flutter Sleeve Cardigan (IK Spring 2008)

Yup, another FO! This week has been very productive for me (haven't gotten much other work done, but y'know how it goes...)

Flutter Sleeve Cardigan

Source: Interweave Knits, Spring 2008
Yarn: Colourmart UK, 100% Silk DK-weight in Peppermint. Took 1.25 cones (a surprisingly small amount, about 800 yards)

I had a hard time getting a decent shot of the front on me. This is the closest it gets, I suppose.

Needles: Sizes 7, 5, and 3 Bamboo (Clover and Addis, I think)
Size: 40"

Blocking.

FO: VK Cape Collar Jacket

The Cape Collar Jacket

Pattern: Cape Collar Jacket from Winter 2007/2008 Vogue Knitting. Massive pattern modifications due to the pattern being...well...extremely stupid.

Yarn: Harris Tweed and Knitwear DK(ish) wool. Took a while to get here (er, after it was shipped off to the US...sort of my fault. They were very gracious though and sent me the second order at no added cost. Very sweet! It wasn't too rough to work with, being 100% wool, and washed up very soft.

Needles: Knit Picks Options, size 4 for the seed st and size 8 for the cables.

Time taken: Exactly two months.

Verdict: Love it. Hated the seed stitch, hated the pattern, love the sweater.