On my wheel today? Loop Earth Goddess. Take some time to enjoy all her photos, but beware, if you don’t spin yet, this could be the breaking point for you.
This is my first time spinning from a batt, and it’s taken some getting used to. But I love this fiber, soft, beautiful, with sparklies!!!! What’s not to love?
Filed under spinning
Maybe it’s a good thing I don’t have my camera. Because it would break your heart to see what these darlings look like now:
Going by my newfound yarn knowledge from Ms. Parks as well as my spinning studies, I chose the wrong yarn for the project.
They were knit from a loosly spun, woolen spun, two-ply shetland. A lovely yarn for a tam or a sweater. Not a yarn to hold up to keys, car seats, door handles and kids. I tried to darn, but where I closed up one hole another emerged. I counted seven at last count, and the tip of the right mitten has all but disappeared.
Although I want to replace the pair, I need mittens fast. It’s still freezing here in Minnesota (although today was much better) and I don’t have the time for another fair isle project.
The replacement?
EZ mitered mittens from Knitters Almanac, in some very sturdy blue Peace Fleece. Let’s see what that car seat strap does to these babies.
Filed under mittens/gloves
Oh how I wish I had my camera. I’ve been busy spinning, like a bit of a madwoman actually, and I’ve got tons to show off. Parts have been ordered from Darn Toothy Sam* and we will soon see if the Skeptic will be able to add digital camera repair to his long list of “Stuff I Have Taught Myself How To Fix.” He’s a clever guy when it comes to anything with wires so I have high hopes.
On to spinning: I have spun this lovely merino
into some pretty, citrus colored yarn that is again, bulky weight. But a smoother bulky. I’m getting there.
And this pretty heathered roving
is now also a bulky weight yarn.
My consistency is getting better. Although the yarn is still a bulky weight, it isn’t super bulky and I don’t have so many think and thin places. And I have a plan.
I adore this pattern. It’s perfect for all the four ounce hunks of fiber I’ve got that all seem to be in the same color range. (Don’t worry, the citrus is not going with the purple. I’ve got other plans for that). I’ll be making one with purples and greens, although I’m not sure I’ll go with the mobius. I might just do a similar style shawl. I like the look of the mobius but I’m always afraid it might be annoying to wear, always falling down, you know? We’ll see.
We will be at below zero temps this weekend. I will be wearing all my wool. At once. Knitters live for this, right?
Filed under spinning
When I first got my copy of The Book of Yarn, I devoured it completely, many times over. Then, I began thinking about what I should make first. Suddenly I had a realization:
The Honeycomb Bag was cute.
I have three balls of Cashmerino Astrakhan in my stash, in two colors.
I have the perfect fabric from Amy Butler’s Nigella to line it with.
I can make a cute, quick project and use up stash!!! It was the prefect project for the new year.
So, I made the first half and once I got used to the boucle, it practically knit itself. I could just see the cute fabric liner inside, with perhaps a matching fabric flower on the outside. It would be stunning.
I cast on for the second half and knit, knit a bit more, then thought to myself, I don’t have much blue yarn left. I kept knitting, hopeful. Then I checked the pattern, and swore furiously many times over.
I had thought it took one skein each, so I didn’t think carefully about which yarn to use for A or B. Looking more carefully, I noticed it calls for TWO skeins of A and one of B. I own two green skeins and one blue so had I actually read it this would not be a problem. But what did I do? I used blue for A and green for B.
So now, rather than use up stash completely, I have to BUY MORE of the blue, and still have one skein of green left over. Even if I use green rather than blue for the gusset, I still need at least a half skein of the blue. And the LYS I bought it at doesn’t carry it anymore, so now I have to pay shipping too.
This one hurts. It should have been so easy…..
This was supposed to be the month of small projects, but it seems now I’m on a bit of a spinning binge. I can’t stop spinning. It was even the first thing I did this morning, well… until the boys were done eating and I had to hide my wheel.
I’m also on a bit of a fiber buying binge (perhaps to make up from my yarn-buying deprivation?). So far Miss Babs and Loop have showed up at my doorstep, and Pigeon Roof will be here any day now. I’ve also got the Alden Amos book coming as well. I suddenly feel the urge to know EVERYTHING. This should help. Thank goodness for Christmas money!
I liked Trek’s comment that there should be a Knitters’ Spinning Day. I think it will keep me focused (and maybe some more of you out there!). Friday sounds good, so Friday it shall be. If you’re trying to get your spinning groove going in 2008, take Friday to either get some spinning done, or just share what you’ve been working on. Let me know if you plan to participate!
Filed under spinning
So one thing I’ve really been wanting to do this year is spend more time on spinning. I think this might help me stay motivated, although with all the spinning I’ve been doing lately it’s not a problem.
Dave over at Cabin Cove has come up with this nice idea for 2008.
I’m not sure I’ll go the spreadsheet route, but I do want to focus on spinning better quality yarn and various fibers, so it’s still right up my alley.
Now if only I could take a picture of what I’ve been spinning this week!
Filed under spinning
I had such a good post planned for today. Heaps of photos on the holidays and gift giving; a whole parade of handmade goods. After the sick-o-rama and then my holiday break, I was ready to jump headfirst back into blogging. Then, I dropped my camera.
My poor Sony landed with the lens hitting the floor, and now all it will do is make a sad, whirring/grinding noise as it tries to pull the lens back in, which it is grumpily refusing to do. So all those beautiful pictures I took for you? Stuck in the camera. So now what do I post about?
I guess I will start with the FO from my last post, the Webs Tam from Interweave Knits, Holiday 2007.
The yarn I used was Fleece Artist Sea Wool in Ruby Red. Lovely to knit with and a nice sheen. My gauge was dead on.
I used size 3 Addi Lace circulars, 32 inch. I was able to use the magic loop technique for the whole project and I am in love. I never bothered to try it until Mama Grouch showed me at our knitting group and really, it is the easiest thing. I just needed someone to start and show me how it’s done. And I swore I’d never give up double points.
The pattern was a fairly simple one (except the spiders in the middle threw me a bit) and I really have no complaints. This project was for my mother and it’s perfect on her!
On to a new year of knitting. Last year I set a few goals. Some I did well with, some not so well. I did increase my time spent sewing and spinning, and I did finish my raglan and cast on for a lace shawl (only four inches but hey, I tried it). The blankets and scarf are on a break, a big break. The only one I had been in a panic about was Knittybaby’s heart blanket, and he’s been given another years reprieve from his cardiologist*, so that can be slowly worked on as it looks as I’ve got a few years to get it done.
I also started the Ten Project Challenge this past year, and I have to say I’m happy with it and sticking with it. LimeDragon has come up with a great version of this; check it out if you’re looking for some other stash management techniques.
So where does that leave me for this year?
1. Try to get back to my one night a week spinning idea. I sew enough now that I don’t think I need to stick with a specific night for that.
2. Speaking of sewing, I’ve got 13 (13!!) windows that need new curtains. Think I’d better get to it.
3. Knitting? I’m got plans for the first few months:
January: the month of small things.
February: Sweater for me and one boy
March: Sweater for another boy and the Skeptic
April: Finish up the Skeptic and hit the lace
I also want to keep plowing through my sock yarn stash. Socks will be a good place to end this post. Remember the issue with these socks?
There was debate as to whether the Skeptic, in all his glorious Skeptic-ness, deserved any socks at all. Well, he’s hooked. Since it’s been cold out, I’ve been getting comments like this:
“I wish my socks were clean to wear right now. My feet are cold.”
“Can I wear these two days in a row?” **
“Will you knit me another pair? Soon?”
“You know, these wool socks I got for Christmas are nice and warm but the fit just isn’t as good as yours is.”
He also showed them off to all his cycling friends on their last winter bike ride. Case closed, huh?
*He actually went in for his yearly check-up today. His doctor said that if he keeps doing this well he won’t need surgery for a very, very long time. If your new to the blog, he has what’s call a coarctation of the aorta. Initially it was thought he’d need heart surgery by age one. So obviously we’re thrilled to get this good news today!!!!
**He does most of the laundry in the house, but he’s not allowed to wash anything hand knitted. He just doesn’t get fiber.
Filed under Uncategorized
Our family wishes you all a blessed Christmas and joyful New Year!
See you all in 2008!
Filed under Uncategorized
The workshop was in full force last night. The saws in the basement were buzzing and the sewing machine was humming. Carols were playing and we were on schedule.
Then Knittybaby woke up. And puked. And puked some more. And kept on puking. The little guy is sitting on my lap right now, probably getting ready to puke. I’m really not sure which is worse, seeing my poor baby so sick and confused, (because really, how scary must it be to puke when you’re that little?) or, cleaning him and everything up after each time he gets sick. OK, seeing him sick is the worst but the mess is a close second.
Keep your fingers crossed that this passes quickly and that the rest of us don’t get it too. The word around Minneapolis is that this one lasts for days. Christmas is so close. I can handle a slight change of plans, a gift or two that isn’t finished, but puking? On Christmas? Uh-uh.
Sorry for the incredible lack of handmade goodness on this blog lately. I promise, a major show and tell really is coming!
Filed under kids
If you ever feel that your 4 year old has been watching too much TV, and you decide to do something about it, whatever you do, don’t hide the antenna in your yarn stash. The results won’t be pretty and will put you two nights behind on your gift making schedule.
I’m sparing you pictures because the results were too grisly. While no yarn was permanently injured, major yarn abuse did take place.
And before you think I’m totally crazy, I did close the door to the room before I hid the antenna. It just never dawned on me that he knew he can peek through the keyhole to see where I hid it.
Not much of an update rigth now as everything I’m making is a gift; I’m going to have to wait until after Christmas to show off everything. But, I do have my mom’s tam blocking so I can show that off once it’s dry. Pictures soon!
Filed under Uncategorized
Knittymama 