Dude Sweater

May 2013

Yarn showed up...
I told my Husband, "Hey, your sweater arrived!!".
He wasn't as impressed as I was :)

As for the pattern, I have to give credit where it is due, so here is a link to the pattern.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-dude

Started work on the back of the sweater right away.

Finished the two front pieces in June and started the sleeves in July.
And yes, what a handful they were.. next time I may re-think the "two at a time" sleeves. Though getting them both done and not having to go back and knit the second one was rather sweet.

 8/17/2013

Main pieces are done and ready to seam.
Had to knit the front facings.. forgot about those!

Front facings are done and being grafted to the sweater fronts.

 Both facings are done!
I was rather scared of all the seaming/grafting that has to be done, but I do think I did rather well for my second attempt ever... first sweater was a bit of a disaster and has been hiding away in storage...

 Side seam.. everything is matching up.

And last but not least so far... the inside seam, nice and tidy!!

And it's done!!
Sorry about the picture, was trying to sneak around and catch him unaware..

Hot Rod Heather

8/14/2013
Going back to the red yarn I spun in May earlier this year...

 

It's a little bit of a cheat, but I just love this roving.. Kind of partial really, it's what I used to learn to spin. And honestly, I didn't have any red dye!

  Here is some of it before I decided on a Navajo (chain) Ply. At this point though, I almost wish I had left it as a single, but what do you do when it's all said and done... Just run with it.

 All three hanks!

 One close up... loving it so far!

Here it is!!
Originally I had started with a broomstick lace, but my broomstick (and yes, I took apart a broom for this) just wasn't big enough around to get the right look.. Like I was saying before, I kind of wish I had left it as a single.
Aside from that, this cowl should be pretty cool when done.
Sadly I can not claim this is my pattern... but it just looked so neat and I decided I would have to give it a go. It's been a while since I last finished a crochet project and decided it was time.

Kind of excited and not at the same time... thinking about entering to win an ashford blending board.. but I don't know just yet. Only a few days left so I better get on it I guess. If I do wind up going for it, I will let you know if I get it, if not, you will never hear about it again :p

Aside from that fun, been working on getting some of this wool I've spun knit into a pair of winter socks for my Husband. I thought I would have enough, but I'm starting to re-think that now..

Also placed an order over the weekend, so EXCITED!!, for a bundle of new dye. Really been wanting to dye this merino/tussah silk blend that I have. Wondering if I ought to spin it then dye it, or dye it then spin it. Only problem is, I don't know if I want a single, or to ply it... and if I ply it, how many?? I'm still hung up on Navajo(chain) ply but thinking I might have to try an actual three ply using three strands. If I do it this way, I can dye it using either three different colours or different shades of one colour. So many choices!!!! Mind you, I still have a pound of corridale and a littler over half a pound of southdown too. Oh the fun I will have!!! And don't worry, pictures will be posted!!!

Oh yeah... Poor thing is mostly done save for the finish. I don't know yet if I want to add more to it or just leave it as is...

Ok, so I broke down, convinced my Husband to take a pic of me and my wheel to submit. Too late to go back now, so fingers are crossed and I am hoping that I might actually have a chance to win.

 



Corriedale, Merino/Tussah Silk, Southdown

From left to right: Corriedale, Merino/Tussah Silk, Southdown.

And I can't believe how quick I got it!! Not even a week.. and it's here, ready to spin!! Not sure that I will dye anything this round, I'm still not too sure though. I would really like to play around with some dye, but I am down to three colours I just don't want to use.
I suppose though, that if I'm really itching to dye anything, maybe I will wait until I'm done with my spinning.

SOUTHDOWN FLEECE
8/14/2013

So far so good, though I think I'm going to need to ease up a little on the amount of twist I'm putting into my yarn. I did not quite manage a very balanced yarn, enough so that it is easier to knit with than not.
I have to say, I really love the amount of spring and bounce this fleece has and really do hope I have enough left over from these socks to be able to play with a bit of colour. I wound up ordering a bundle of new dye and I'm way too excited about cracking it open.
At this point I have managed five humble hanks of yarn and as usual I thought I would have enough yarn to knit a pair of winter socks for my Husband... sadly, I think I may have to return to my spinning (which I can't say I'm disappointed by). If I do have to spin more, I will have to keep it as close to the first five hanks of yarn, which means I will have to over spin this new batch as well.. Next time though, I will have to work on that.

8/16/2013

Toes!! That's it, that's all I have so far.. took a break to finish a sweater that I've been working on for my Husband. Decided it was time to get it done. After that, I will pick this project up again.

10/9/2013

Ok, so the socks have been scrapped since one of my little guys needs mitts more than their Dad needs socks!

Added some drops of Aztec Gold to both sides... Silly kid couldn't decide on white, red, or yellow.. So, white and yellow/gold'ish it is!!!

I can't wait to get these done! Not only because it's getting to be mitten weather out there, but they are going to be one of a kind and this little guy was so excited to pick the colour!

 Merino/Tussah Silk Blend

100grams of delightfully smooshie soft goodness!!

My dye showed up this morning and honestly, I've been itching like mad to use them!

I've also been toying with the idea of a rainbow effect with this one in particular.

 I zig zagged the sliver back and forth filling my soon to be retired casserole dish (just found out that the slight crack in it has now become a weak point.. I'm saddened a little over this).

Covered it with enough water just to cover, smooshed the water into it a little bit, topped it off with a little more water and about 1/2cup of vinegar (I'm sure this was a little over kill though).

Mixed my dye, primary and secondary colours, and poured it across in lines (at a 90* angle from how I zig zagged the sliver). Only using about 1/4cup of each colour.

This is the result...

 After sitting in the oven at a very low temp. (150*F and I'm sure a lot of people will say this is way too hot) until the dye water was completely clear I wound up with what looks like a very colourful small intestine :p

 This is what it looks like fluffed up a bit to help it dry faster... because really, patience is not one of my strongest points :p

Here's hoping, but very doubtful, that it will be dry enough by tomorrow to spin!!!

 8/20/2013

Time to spin!!

11/27/13

Finished my singles the other day and decided that a 2ply is the way to go. As well, I need to free up some bobbins for this fleece I just bought.

Too many things I'd like to do and not enough time or bobbins!

Some day soon I will get back to work on my blog, but until then I will be enjoying this gorgeous summer weather!

Spent the last week visiting my Mom. Very much needed and over due. We did a little transplanting on my poor little and very crowded tomatoes and I got to show off my garden. She was definitely impressed with it since she was bragging about it later on while visiting with my Aunt. I'm so glad that she had a good visit and I will miss her so much now that she has headed back home.

Sadly I did not get a lot of knitting done.. I did however mess up on a front piece of this sweater I'm working on and had to take it out, but happy it is back on track now and it's getting closer to the part where I seam everything together. This is the part which I dread so much... I never did like seaming stuff together :(

 Since I have not had much in the way of progress the past week or so, I would go ahead and add these pics.

Both only took a day, two really since I  spaced it out, but both were very quick little projects.

The blue scarf was a pattern I found in one of my many magazines littering my work space and the pink was a design worked up by me.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/marcelles-fancy-neck-wrap

With everything that has been going I've had the hardest time getting any knitting done... apparently it's not helping de-stress.. I have however taken to the outdoors a little here and there. Not something I usually do in town (I'm a country girl at a heart, what can I say).. but this year is my second year with gardening and since I spent the time expanding my little dirt patch, I figured I ought to tend to it here and there.
I had gotten a little over zealous and planted the entire seed packet on, well.. everything!! Now I have to go through and spread everything out! Honestly, I didn't have any faith in anything I had planted.. and it would seem that everything has sprouted!! Good thing though, because I will have a lot of home made pickles.. mmmm... And my potato plants have decided to grow sideways, and here I thought they were not going to grow at all lol... surprise!! They've made a meter away from where they were planted..
Anyway, aside from a very full and happily growing garden (and who said it's too early to start growing in the interior of BC?) I suppose at some point I ought to get some knitting done...