There is Brown...

and then there is brown.

Brown happens to be one of my favorite colors, although I am not quite sure what exactly that says about me or my personality.

I just like brown.

Below is a new design in its final stages of test-knitting, as this is one of three on various needles from Texas to Minnesota.  All I will say is that these are five different colors of Malabrigo's Rios in Coco, Teal Feather, Sunset, Ravelry Red, and Glazed Carrot.  Perfect for the fall season!

Below is the progress on the husband's Ranger in different shades of Madelinetosh's Vintage in Fig. More details on that knit here, but in a nutshell, I was short on yarn for this project. I had some skeins from a few years ago, the color has since been discontinued, but I was able to find two more at Jimmy Beans Wool.  When the new ones arrived, they were much darker than the old ones, so I decided to use the new, darker skeins for the cuffs, collar, and button band.  What I did not realize until I pulled out all of the old yarn to cast on for the second sleeve is that one of the old skeins was much lighter than the others.

There was a "what to do, what to do" moment or two upon that discovery, but ultimately, the best course of action appeared to use it for the second sleeve.  I could have alternated skeins for a stripy effect, but decided against it because the one skein was enough for the sleeve and I did not want to have to continue any kind of stripes onto the body. I hedged my bet knowing the heavy texture of the fabric design would help mask the difference.  Besides, how often are the right arm and left arm adjacent to one another (crossing arms, yes, but the husband does not often do that). 

Finally, I convinced myself that this was a casual sweater.  The only time he wears his other handknits is on the weekends when it is really cold and his typical t-shirt uniform is not quite enough to keep the chill at bay. I have yet to seem him venture forth in public with anything more than handknit socks.

Moreover, I even asked him, and he said it looked fine.

So, I have continued on. 

The yarn and fabric are lovely to the hand. The textured pattern is instantly memorized.  In all, this has been an easy and enjoyable knit.  It would probably be done by now, if I were not dividing my time between the day job, the household duties, my daily yoga routine, the new design above, and this contraption:

(Please forgive the mess that is currently my dining room!!)

This is a weaving loom. It is a Schacht 25-inch 8-harness table loom in dire need of a stand.  She's a bit naked at the moment and desires to be dressed.  I partially dressed her yesterday with a narrow bit of linen. She performed beautifully or as well as could be expected, as she was working with a total novice, but we were able to produce a whiff of fabric:

Please don't laugh.

I know it is a very sad little piece of fabric with embarrassingly poor selvedges, but with virtually no instruction (other than YouTube and a book for the warping), I am somewhat amazed I was able to produce anything.

On Sunday, Wee One and I are scheduled to take a Beginning Weaving class. Although it will be on a rigid heddle Cricket, it is a start.

In the meantime, I shall attempt to dress the lady again in Noro for a proper scarf.  

Oh, as I name most everything, she is Vanessa. 

Lady Vanessa Schacht.  

Intimidating as hell.