Catching up with Project Spectrum

I have had a rough time of it lately in terms of health.  I was sick for a time (though not with swine flu – yay!), and then I hurt my ankle and now I’m on crutches.  I’ve been largely confined to bed, so I haven’t really been as up on things that require being upright, such as sitting at the computer.  (I had the iPod in bed, but that’s very hard to type on.)  Anyway, this means that all my Project Spectrum North projects, cast on last minute in mid April or later, have gone unposted until now, when we’re in Project Spectrum East.

Dishcloths?  Oh yeah, baby.  That’s right.  I got yet hardcore dishcloth action right here!

Honestly, I never really imagined myself knitting dishcloths, but I came into a small amount of dishcloth cotton over time, and last month I decided to use some of it up.  I have to admit, while not the most exciting thing to make (rectangles that will eventually be covered in grime) they are much, much nicer to use than my usual pile of rags from hacked up tee shirts.  In both of these instances, I picked a simple knit/purl stitch pattern and just went with it.  No edging, just two kinds of basic basketweave.  The texture actually makes them very useful for cleaning.  Can you tell which one’s been washed?

I also made a hat for Mr. Kninja for next winter.  He’d been eyeing the leftover green yarn from Liam’s rainbow jacket, and while I knew he wanted a Thorpe or other ear flapped hat, I didn’t have enough left for that.  I chose Turn-A-Square, and used the remnants of my Chasing Rainbows Superwash for the stripes.  It reminds me oddly and intensely of Oscar the Grouch.  It’s just such a nineteen seventies Sesame Street sort of hat, what with the bright colors and the stripes.  I really love this thing…it just suits Mr. Kninja to the skies, and it’s so cheery and odd.  The stripes are actually really close to Mr. Kninja’s skin tone, which adds to the funny overall look.  It’s like he’s trying to camoflauge himself in a crayon box.

Finally, another project for Mr. Kninja.  The Lady was kind enough to meet up with me and teach me Magic Loop, and this is what I’m making with my new ninja skills.  I am so loving the Magic Loop, and kicking myself for not learning it earlier, after all these years of posting vaguely about how I should probably learn.  The toes on these socks are leftover Smooshy from my Spring Green top.  The rest is yummy Trekking.

I am afraid Project Spectrum North just zoomed by for me.  I love green!  I felt so ready for green and North and all the ideas connected with North, but somehow it just kind of passed me by, with only these last minute projects (and one still secret project) to show for it.  However, that’s not the case with Project Spectrum East.  Oh no.  I am so ahead of the game on this one.

This indistinct heap of knitting is a project that hit me quite suddenly this weekend.  Since I was laid up anyhow, I decided to just go ahead and start it.  It’s in every way connected with the themes of Project Spectrum East.  From the Project Spectrum Ravelry group page:

EAST (May/June)
Color: Yellow
Material: Wood
Season: Spring
Element: Air

The project you see here is a spring layering cardigan in butterscotch silk tweed with a woody look and an open, airy lace pattern on the top half.  It’s not as yellow as a project I have in mind for later, but I just couldn’t resist starting right when inspiration struck.  I have very few urgent projects on the go at the moment, and it seemed like an opportunity for spontaneity.

The lower half of the cardigan is knit sideways in one long strip.  The upper half is a Shetland fir cone lace – very puckery, but I think the silk will flatten pretty well.  It’s all got a very rustic, outdoorsy look.  I made large short sleeves, which are just now being attached, and I’ll be finishing it up with a raglan construction.  I’m afraid I have no plans at all to write up a pattern, though.  It’s really very improvised, and I think my method of dealing with the lace is pretty amateur.  I may write up a similar pattern later, but not this one.

Still, I’m very excited about this project.  I only started it this weekend and I’m almost done.  I hope to have modeled pictures (sans crutches) soon!