White Whale Vol. II

"There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness is the true method."
—Melville, Moby–Dick

It's here. I think it's the best thing I've ever made. But it's not really something I made. We made it.

My sister did the design and layout.

Matt Kish did the illustrations.

Brandy Crist-Travers did the photography (going so far as to squeeze through barbed wire and locked gates to photograph at an undeveloped area on the shore of the Port of Baltimore).

Skein,

Sweet Fiber,

Cephalopod Yarns,

Neighborhood Fiber Co.,

and Dragonfly Fibers

dyed the yarns. HOW DO I KNOW SUCH AMAZING PEOPLE?

Kate at Dragonfly dyed the colors especially for The Line, shown above. They're three gradations of Grellow that we developed when playing around with yellow, gray, and black to create what became Weaverknits Grellow. Kate has created kits for The Line that include the necessary amount of yarn in the three colors here.

But wait, you ask, where can I get this book?

To celebrate the beauty of books, White Whale Vol. II is currently available only in print form. At the end of the month I will partition it into individual pdfs, but right now I'm too attached to the physical book that took so much love to create. If you missed me at Rhinebeck, you can currently purchase it

• at Vogue Knitting Live in Chicago this weekend from the Neighborhood Fiber Co./Weaverknits booth (!!!);
• at SAFF this weekend from Dragonfly Fibers and from the Dragonfly Fibers website (just send Kate a message); and
• from Fibre Space.

It will be available on my website early next week when I get my next shipment. I'll be discussing each of the designs in depth over the course of next week—after editing deadlines; after creating a Weaverknits sign from plywood, stencils, and spraypaint; after Chicago; after many Red Bull–fueled all-nighters.

I can't wait to share more with you . . . but now, to bed!

Running, knitting, destashing

Yesterday I ran the Cambridge Oktoberfest 5k in my echtes Bayerisches Dirndl (bei einem Flohmarkt in Bayern gekauft). A lot of runners had short, costume dirndls on, but mine was the only real deal I saw. If you think it looks awkward to run in, you're right. Kicking all that fabric made things a little slow, but I ran the whole thing in a respectable time and wearing it was half the fun).

Loving the portapotty background in this photo. I ran with some of Chris' work friends. Of course there was beer after.

I've been knitting a lot after finishing the work on my latest two books, mainly on a reknit of my Project Rothko Scarf from Twentieth Century Graphic in Neighborhood Fiber Co. Rustic Fingering. All the pieces from this book will be reknit in indie yarns and I'll republish the book in my own style this coming spring. Garter stitch (following my own pattern, even) is about all I can handle now.

Soon I'll be starting some new, bigger projects, both continuing some current themes (container ships, White Whale, color studies) and starting some new ones.

I was so pleased to relocate some of my yarns last week that I want to continue the process today.

WHOA, yarn destash is OVER, all is sold. I'll be back at my studio later this week and will post more!

First, nine balls of Crystal Palace Fjord (100% wool, single ply, nice and soft) in a soft blue semisolid (91 yds/ball; 819 yards):

$20 plus $7 shipping

Next, ten balls of Jaeger Extra Fine Merino DK (100% Merino) in a natural/gray ply (137 yds/ball; 1370 yards). I love this yarn, but it's discontinued and therefore not a great choice for a new sweater design:

$25 plus $10 shipping

Finally, a lone skein of Sanguine Gryphon Bugga! in a color that was limited to Spring 2011. I used this color in the yoke of my Tea Tray in the Sky design. It's awesome, but again, I need to design using current colors.

$10 plus $6 shipping

Just email me at weaverknits77@gmail.com if you're interested in the yarn!

Ramblin' Man

It came on as I drove home tonight and I sung along. I haven't been home much lately.

It's been a while, and most of you have probably stopped following my blog. So here's some DESTASH MADNESS to get things going while I wait to announce the publication of two new books in the next few weeks!

I've learned that when I design I can't use yarns that are discontinued; it makes people crazy and cranky. And it doesn't help the company that produced the yarn, either. So I'm destashing a lot of things I really love but that have been discontinued, rendering them unfit for design work.

To claim any of the following, send me an email at weaverknits77@gmail.com! I'll send you a PayPal invoice.

First, something I love so much that I contacted the dyer behind it, only to find that she had sold the company. I contacted the new company, which did not write me back. It kills me that I can't use this yarn for a White Whale design, but such is life.

Lobster Pot Yarns Whale of a Skein (80% wool, 10% dehaired angora, 10% cashmere; 740 yards; DK weight) in Sea Lettuce SOLD and off to a new home!

 $25 plus $8 shipping

A lovely fingering-weight blend that just isn't my colors, no matter how much I try to work with it.

Maple Creek Farm fingering blend (wool/bamboo/a little nylon; 450 yards; fingering weight) in Sun Stone Sold!

$10 plus $6 shipping

Five skeins of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted in Montrose (I love you, Montrose, but you're discontinued); that's 1125 yards! SOLD!

$45 plus $10 shipping

Eleven skeins of Artyarns Supermerino in color 102 (that's all I can find about this one). They're quite golden (more so than in this photo); not the sort of yellow I tend to use (but a yellow most seem to prefer). That's 1248 yards! SOLD!

$35 plus $10 shipping

And finally, destashed because I hate cotton SO MUCH, nine skeins of Den-M-Knit (compare to Rowan Denim). I bought it to make this, which is something I would wear and love if I ever knit with cotton. SOLD

$20 plus $7 shipping

I hope all of this yarn finds happy new homes!
ETA October 14: All the yarn has been relocated! Check in tomorrow for a little more destash and some updates!