moebi-itis?

after finishing several time sensitive projects I am finally without a terribly close deadline (end of june doesn't count - yet:)) - and I have used the time to do something about all those leftovers flying about after being used in a larger project. I knitted several moebius scarves in a row - one for myself (at least that's how I planned it), the others go into a different kind of stash - the finished present stash. this is usually pretty small, closer to non-existent, but it's helpful to have something like that to hand when a small present is urgently needed. I used up most of my test sample of cashmere/silk blend, which I had dyed for the colibri challenge some time ago. eventually I used a different yarn, a wool/silk blend, but the colours came out nicely on this, too. it wasn't enough to do a larger project though, so I made a small scarf for myself, a "throat warmer" more likely. the one in white in the middle is the same material, but undyed. I used all of it, only about 50 cm were left when I finished the moebius! to be perfectly honest - I wanted to use an i-cord as finish (it gives a nice rounded edge) and after I had nearly finished it, I realised that I'd run out of yarn for maybe the last 20 stitches - so I had to unravel and go back one round to manage the finishing. I didn't want to waste a thing - so I increased from 3 to 4 stitches for the cord!

the last one in mint green is a blend of wool and silk - which I dyed with the flowers of a dark blue delphinium from the garden. this is not a leftover yarn, but I didn't have all that many flowers and only managed to dye a smallish hank in that colour. moebius scarves are a good project for smaller amounts of yarn - you can adapt the length and the width and just knit until you're nearly out of yarn. if you do a simple cast-off, you can manage with only a small amount after the last pattern row - if you do an i-cord, be careful and a bit more generous or you might have to undo your knitting until you're left with enough!

you can of course use any pattern you fancy for a moebius, but I usually knit a pattern that looks at least similar if not totally the same on both sides - because both sides are visible when you wear your scarf! the colibri coloured is knitted in ribs of 3 rounds k, 3 rounds purl. the white one is knitted in a sort of basket weave, which I also used for the "harmonia's rings" earlier. the mint green one is similar to the white one, but instead of the larger k/p pattern I used moss stitch over 2 rows....

all yarns are of course handspun, and I used a long circular needle, 120 cm, size 4 mm, for the knitting. the green one can easily be wound around the neck twice, the white one is slightly tight when worn like this - the one in front only goes around once....

while finishing the last moebius I also started on my "winter jacket" project in grey/white/light pink - at the moment the knitting goes quite fast, but that might slow down, either due to other, more urgent projects or due to the fact that eventually this soft, warm, chunky yarn might not be comfortable to knit anymore - if we do get any summer at all that is!

of course, soon the material for a project in bobbin lace should arrive as well - and then I am going to be off to make a bobbin lace fan in black silk "on the side". and then there is the gardening.... which I should have started weeks ago, but didn't, which means that I have to hurry up a lot now! and the workshop about rigid heddle weaving with the OLG - where I only managed to measure the warp so far and have to try and warp the RH loom, if possible today:)) the weaving hopefully is less fearsome......