Ambidextrous...

...or at least I hope to be in the near future. Fair isle is something that has intimidated me, not unlike cables, from the very beginning. And like just about everything else in knitting, it isn't as bad as it looks. You just need to jump in and not psych yourself out.

I took the Fair Isle Knitting class at the Grove yesterday and had a great time. First of all knitting with two hands at the same time is really fun. I thought it was going to take a lot longer before I could make it across the row, but it was cake. Now, I'm not saying my fair isle is perfect. I have a long way to go, mostly with my yarn control in my left hand. It is still getting hung up and doesn't flow over my finger like the yarn does in my right hand. But, I know that will work itself out. This is the swatch I made in class.

I used contrasting shades (Khaki M-18 and Roasted Coffee M-89) of Lamb's Pride worsted on size 8 needles. We started with the checker board at the bottom of the swatch and then learned how to carry yarn across the back using both hands - that's what the plain stripes are after the checkers. If you look close, you can see the puckers my poor stranding skills left behind. Then we tried our hands at some traditional fair isle designs.

I'm looking forward to practicing this technique a bit because there is a goal to all this: Eunny's vest. I am not a vest person in any shape or form, but I want this vest. This is the cutest vest ever. In fact, we have talked the instructor at the Grove into offering Eunny's vest as a project class, which is great for so many reasons. One of the top being that we will learn to steek in a controlled environment following the instruction of an expert. I can't wait! Ok, steeking is still freaking me out, but it's time to jump.

Also, it has been awhile since I posted any updates of my current WIPs. For my Oceania, I have finished the front and started the back. The little needles and little yarn take time, but it is slowly ticking away.

I also just turned the heel for sock number 2 in my Carbon Socks that Rock. Man, I don't think I could ever say enough nice things about this yarn. So far it is one of my favorite things to work with. Now, I find myself in a dilema. Nonnahs and I split a 1/3 membership in the Rockin' Sock Club to keep our cost down. With the last shipment, Blue Moon gave us the option to extend the membership and I don't know what to do. It's fun to be apart of the club and I'm not really ready to be done with it. But at the same time, we don't get to pick the colorway, so maybe it would be best just to spend that money on colorways that we choose. I just don't know!

Finally, I just wanted to say a public thank you to Nasus for my beautiful silk! She trekked two hanks of Debbie Bliss Pure Silk in a soft orange (27011) as well as the pattern book all the way back from the U.K.

The color couldn't be more perfect! Thank you Nasus!!