Boot Toppers

Two pairs done, soaking and soon to be set out to dry. Can not wait to see how they look when ready to wear.

Oh what an awesome start to a Monday morning!!!

Checked my messages this morning to find a friend (and what an awesome friend!) sent me a message about raw fleece. A lady was trying to sell a huge bag of it. Well guess who the lucky one was! ME!!! So excited and what an amazing deal too!!

I am so excited to dig in and figure out what I'm going to do with it... oh the many choices!

11/26/2013
Just started carding and a test spin on this huge bag of fleece.

Since the only available prepping method I have is carding.. that is what I'm going to do. As well I'm going to be working on the long draw woolen method to spin. So not only will I get some serious practice in, I will hopefully wind up with enough uniformly spun yarn for a toasty cardigan. Thank you so much to my daughter for that awesome idea!!

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...

Well, it's definitely been a while since I've added anything to my blog.. and well, I'm not sure I could say it's a lot.. but here goes... ;

Pretty sure I mentioned my spinning wheel.. yay!! Still love the daylights out of it hahaha... how can you tell I love it! So much so, I ran out of my humble little stash of raw wool. In fact, I've been trying to track down some local sheep owners (any who are selling fleece)..

Spun some yarn. Learnt a few things, and in doing so, have realised I'm going to need some wool combs.. Those are a bit expensive at the moment.. but thankfully, I found a mini tutorial on how to make some. Well, I don't have the tools to make them, so I plan on convincing one of my Uncles to help me out with that. A bit of a trade really.. home made perogies and home made bread, mmmm so tasty!

Oh yes, and I started knitting a sweater for my husband. So excited to have found a pattern for "The Dude" sweater.. gotta love it really.

Here are a few pictures...

Uck... I mean OK sure, the blue and yellow/orange work OK together.. but oh did it turn out scratchy!!! And I really don't like scratchy :(

The two spools of thread to the right turned out to be singles.. Thinking of making a little something light and lacy with those.. just not sure if it should be a scarf, cowl, or shawlette.

Ooooh... a nice soft fluffy single!!! Funny thing about it.. it is really crazy close in colour blend and weight as the previous single I spun on my drop spindle.. love it!

This yarn was spun to make a little something for one of my many cousins. I just need to make a trip to the craft store for some big beads and other such do dads... Something to add a little something to it. Thinking it should be a cowl...

OK, so not that impressive yet, I kind of need to add the other photos of it for anything like that to happen yet.. I did get the back done, and had one of the front pieces done, at least until I realised I missed two rows here, didn't make certain stitches the right contrast colour there.. And well, needless to say, I had to rip it back and start over :( Aside from that though, I really really think I'm going to need to make one for myself!

Oh yeah :( I got a little carried away with my spinning wheel. Decided I wanted to add some colour to it. Why???? I have no idea...

Latest Adventures in Yarn

OK... in the process of getting use to my spinning wheel, I did figure out a few more little helpful tricks.. like not letting it spin the bobbin backwards on me ever time I stop the spinning.. that was getting annoying! Thankfully though, that little bug has been worked out.
Another one is letting it rest on the bobbin a few days before I unwind and make a skein out of it. It would appear it relaxes a bit and doesn't let it tangle and wind in on itself... Thank you!!! Not sure if that is the typical way of doing it, but oh wow is it helpful.. especially when your singles are spun too tightly! Still doing that and trying to get into the spin of things.. lol..
I did wind up with a large freezer bag mostly full of the wendslydale... As well as a great deal of learned tid bits here and there..
What I do know... I need to get some wool combs. Which kinda scares me due to the price.. but when in doubt, make your own right?! Thankfully I did come across the best little tutorial on how to make some.. and honestly, they look just as nice as those really expensive ones I've had my eye on.. Now just to find someone with the tools needed, because lets face it, I don't have them!
I have also decided that that is where my problem and hang up right now is.. seems to be what is standing in the way of making a better and prettier to look at yarn.. and I do like pretty yarn.. After all, that is what draws you into a yarn in the first place isn't it? You see it.. either it draws you in, or you go "Ewww", and move on... And well, I need to get past that "Eww" spot.. cause I DON'T like itchy yarn and I know I can work past that and make it far less itchy. It can be done, and I WILL do it! Just need a few more tools first hahaha!

I am so excited about this.. yet the excitement is too unbearable since I have to wait until the end of the month... and hopefully not longer!

My husband says to me one day.. "Well, since we have the money now, we can either A:get our gun license or B:get you that spinning wheel that you want".
Well.. first off, that is a difficult decision for me to make since I really want both so much so that it is close to a need for me.. Anyway, I had decided after weighing pros and cons of both for a few days, that I would have to get me that spinning wheel.. and well, my blog is about my spinning/knitting so why not right!?

So here is hoping that I wont have to wait longer than I'm hoping... cause this bad boy will be mine!!!

Yay me!! OK, so it's not the best ever, but it is pretty good for a first time using the woolen technique for spinning.. I mean, it's not that bad hahaha..

I do have to say though, I do greatly prefer the worsted technique for spinning... though I am not above learning new ways of doing things.. Knowledge is never ending, and why limit ourselves when there is so much out there. I may not like this new way of spinning, but it does have it's advantages, and I have no doubts that I will put it to good use. Even if I this yarn won't make the best sock yarn, I'm sure it will make a really cool scarf...



4/10/2013
Here is a pic of the yarn... all ready to knot something, what? I'm not sure yet.

Hand Carders & Rolags

OK... I'm sure that I'm not doing it just right, but the idea has been gotten and well, here we go. First go at using hand carder, ever!

A bit blurry, but getting there...

And wow... that didn't turn out quite like it should. But seriously, first attempt at making a rolag ever!! Give me a break.. at least for now hahaha.

Better!! Definitely getting there.. thank you knitting needle of greater size, you have helped me achieve a much prettier rolag.

Here is my first box of rolags... and well, they kind of out grew it.

So, I found a bigger box!!! And well, I have decided to start spinning.. and being the first time at spinning from a rolag.. ugh, que the swearing I'm sure. I will definitely post a pic of that yarn.. even if it's shameful and embarrassing hahaha.

And this is what I have left over! Depending on how the spinning turns out and how much yarn I manage to get from it.. I may just have to do a little something different with this batch.