Touching Cotton

I've been touching cotton. Cotton yarn.  First time knitting with cotton, I think.  I may have knit a cotton scarf (striped brown and blue) when I first learned to knit, but I no longer have the scarf so I can't be sure it was cotton.  Yesterday I cast on for a washcloth using Patagonia Nature Cotton.  I've heard mixed things about knitting with cotton, but the Patagonia cotton was fine and dandy.  This yarn is soft and the colors lovely.  My first washcloth.  Done in Rice Stitch.  colorway #212.  Interesting how the green made a diamond pattern almost.  These colors remind me of sea glass and sea weed.  It was satisfying to complete this in one evening.  My knitting mojo needed that.   Out of a blob of colored string, emerges an object that's useful and beautiful. 

My son likes it too.

Blue Sky Cotton in colorway #625. I'm going to swatch for this sweater tonight or maybe tomorrow morning (I took the day off work as I am doing a presentation on Ireland for my son's class).  I like a colorway that has a name.  The numbered colorway doesn't speak to me.  Commenter Carrie got me thinking about fun and funny yarn names.  Carrie proposed a line of gangsta named yarn.  An excellent idea.  From now on, when I remember, I 'm going to rename numbered colorways.  Sometimes gangsta, sometimes not.  Blue Sky Cotton #625 is now "Dark Donkey."  In honor of Carrie, I'm going gangsta with the Patagonia Nature Cotton #212.  #212 is now "The Chronic."

Chappysmom reminded me that she has an Ashford Kiwi for sale.  I have not gone over to the spinning side yet, although I have a few small bags of fiber I picked up at Rhinebeck.  I have a drop spindle, but I haven't used it yet.  I'm thinking it over for a couple days before I take the plunge and buy the Kiwi. If anyone has any opinions on the Kiwi or whether I should buy a wheel in general, leave a comment.  I feel like I need some advise on this.

Thursday March 22 is a big night for knitters.  We're taking over the world.  Big doings in NYC - yarn crawls, a gathering in Central Park, Harlot at FIT, after-parties, etc.  Details in Yarn Harlot's side bar.  I'm meeting up with Ina and Dorre at Purl, we're getting a bite to eat in Soho and then heading up to FIT.  I am so looking forward to this!  If anyone else wants to join us, leave a comment and I'll e-mail you.  I should ask Dorre to do a dance for pleasant weather (65F, very little wind, no rain). Dorre did a snow dance (so she could have a snow day) and lo and behold it worked.  Remember that Tina Turner song from the 80s, Private Dancer?  Dorre is Weather Dancer. 

"I`M YOUR Weather DANCER
A DANCER FOR Weather
I`LL DO WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO
I`M YOUR Weather DANCER
A DANCER FOR Weather
AND ANY OLD Weather WILL DO"

Well, I'm going to go shower and use The Chronic washcloth for the first time.

Comments

[Dorre]

I am gonna have hatemail from the east coast for my snow dance... The cotton for the dishcloth is soooo pretty!! I will work on a good weather dance for us!!

[--Deb]

I'm just chuckling here . . . you had said you hadn't started spinning yet but that you were thinking of it . . . but not that you had bought fiber already! Girl, you clearly need to learn to spin . . . if you're already buying the fiber I think it's already too late for you to look back (grin).

And, you can tell Dorre that Chappy is just ever so grateful that she did her snow dance!

[Monica]

I have worked with Sugar and Cream and that had no give and hurt my hands, but the Blue Sky Alpaca is lovely, really nice.

I wish I could join you guys. I already left a comment on Ina's blog, it sounds like so much fun. Have fun!

[Jessica]

That really is interesting how the colors worked out in the washcloth. That cotton is going to make a lovely sweater too. As for spinning, there is nothing quite like spinning on a wheel. And if you already have fiber, you should totally do it! I absolutely love spinning and I'm glad I decided to go for it.
What time are you guys meeting up at Purl? I'm totally going to FIT (and maybe central park and the today show) and I'd love to meet you!

[carrie]

Yes, I am actually commenting on the knitting portion of the blog: the cotten thing looks really pretty. I love the colors, especially when draped on your child's head. That boy is photogenic.