Found this at a "new-to-me" yarn shop in Romeo! I will be going back that's for sure!
4 oz of BFL roving that's been sitting in its bag for the last week. I just like looking at it.
Haven't been able to think of any project other than "just" yarn. Until today!
So it's decision time:
Wheel or Spindle: Wheel.
Which wheel: production? My hickory is loaded with Scottish Black Face wool. hmmm...
Pre-drafting? yes
Long or short draw? Short
What project? Well should really figure that out first then the rest will follow. Spinning for a specific project can add sooo much excitement for the yarn! Most likely another shawlette or wrap
Singles or plied? Singles
WPI (wraps per inch)? That's a good question!
I spun it and loved it! I have to get some more of that roving! Spun 289 yds would be 1156 yds for 16 ozs. Skeined and ready for when I find the right pattern!
Where is it anyway?
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Spring Cleaning
Spring Cleaning - SC. I normally do Fall Cleaning as being on a farm, dirt road and Spring being mud season it makes more sense. That way come Christmas my house is set and I can spend the winter knitting, spinning, creating and fun stuff.
Part of my SC is cleaning up anything on the www. From this blog, to Knit Meter, to Ravelry (cleaning up my queue, stash and project lists), Yahoo and other sites I play on I'm being ruthless and putting everything up to speed or deleted. Which brought me to my blog which I have been neglecting -total neglect. Hey, I had to use dial-up. Can you blame me? Now, my "tether" aka cell phone being a hot spot I can write and post and not worry if it actually posted.
Other things that are getting cleaned: workroom/office, basement (where I make my goat milk soap), barn, grooming pastures, (there is nothing like getting a fiber animal in your hands w/ the fiber is filled w/ pickers. OUCH), and general toss it activity.
Another area in dire need of refreshing: patterns, books, needles, yarn, fleeces, WIPs - it's finish-it or frog-it time the list is looong. But it's a chance to see what grabs my attention, or bores me to tears and adjust as needed. Rather theraputic when ya think about it. Makes ya face that Gosh-darn awful scarve that makes you cry "ugh" and put it back under the pile so you don't have to face the fact that it is ugly, ugly, ugly and you will never finish it. FROG the darn thing and get "new yarn".Yarn sitting in-waiting is fine.
It doesn't scream "you don't pay any attention to me".
"I feel so alone".
"You'd pay attention to me if I was made w/ that blue alpaca yarn".
"Yes I'm guilty of all that. I'm just not very happy w/ the way you are turning out".
"I will frog you and put you back into skeins so you can dream of being something wonderful".
"Until that time - shut it!"
So I talk, whisper, or yell to my yarn. I'm not the only one! Just visit Ravelry and you'll see what I mean. It's not like I'm holding it and making promises I won't keep just to give it attention. As in all relationships we all have said things we wish we could take back...k...some of my yarn has heard some very unkind things and I won't take it back. "I hate you" has been known to be heard. I just need to rethink the project, and the yarn I chosen. Hey don't mess w/ the lady w/ multiple sets of DPNs. Yarn should understand that!
So what the heck is on my needles?
~A shawlette in Cascade 220 Heathers Green. Have 1/2 of a row to finish before the cast-off. Mind you this finally row is over 800 stitches!
~The 1st of 3 Bulky Sweater Jackets w/ Bernat Softee Chunky.
~ a couple of pairs of socks that I have to finish!
~and a few other things that need to be blocked, sewn-up, what have you.
Speaking of the shawl...where did I put it?
Part of my SC is cleaning up anything on the www. From this blog, to Knit Meter, to Ravelry (cleaning up my queue, stash and project lists), Yahoo and other sites I play on I'm being ruthless and putting everything up to speed or deleted. Which brought me to my blog which I have been neglecting -total neglect. Hey, I had to use dial-up. Can you blame me? Now, my "tether" aka cell phone being a hot spot I can write and post and not worry if it actually posted.
Other things that are getting cleaned: workroom/office, basement (where I make my goat milk soap), barn, grooming pastures, (there is nothing like getting a fiber animal in your hands w/ the fiber is filled w/ pickers. OUCH), and general toss it activity.
Another area in dire need of refreshing: patterns, books, needles, yarn, fleeces, WIPs - it's finish-it or frog-it time the list is looong. But it's a chance to see what grabs my attention, or bores me to tears and adjust as needed. Rather theraputic when ya think about it. Makes ya face that Gosh-darn awful scarve that makes you cry "ugh" and put it back under the pile so you don't have to face the fact that it is ugly, ugly, ugly and you will never finish it. FROG the darn thing and get "new yarn".Yarn sitting in-waiting is fine.
It doesn't scream "you don't pay any attention to me".
"I feel so alone".
"You'd pay attention to me if I was made w/ that blue alpaca yarn".
"Yes I'm guilty of all that. I'm just not very happy w/ the way you are turning out".
"I will frog you and put you back into skeins so you can dream of being something wonderful".
"Until that time - shut it!"
So I talk, whisper, or yell to my yarn. I'm not the only one! Just visit Ravelry and you'll see what I mean. It's not like I'm holding it and making promises I won't keep just to give it attention. As in all relationships we all have said things we wish we could take back...k...some of my yarn has heard some very unkind things and I won't take it back. "I hate you" has been known to be heard. I just need to rethink the project, and the yarn I chosen. Hey don't mess w/ the lady w/ multiple sets of DPNs. Yarn should understand that!
So what the heck is on my needles?
~A shawlette in Cascade 220 Heathers Green. Have 1/2 of a row to finish before the cast-off. Mind you this finally row is over 800 stitches!
~The 1st of 3 Bulky Sweater Jackets w/ Bernat Softee Chunky.
~ a couple of pairs of socks that I have to finish!
~and a few other things that need to be blocked, sewn-up, what have you.
Speaking of the shawl...where did I put it?
Thursday, September 1, 2011
On The Needles September 2011
Sitting here trying to fight the urge to CO - cast-on a new project. Hmmm...maybe if I refresh my mind on what I have On-The-Needles - (otns) I can squish the urge of "new project"
Knitting bag: Let's see....a mobius shawlette in Mary Maxim Stepping Out Sock yarn. Dark rainbow self-striping yarn. A scarf in Red Heart Boutique Sashay in Jive (teal colorway). And newest addition, a test knit/Christmas present sweater for Nolan. The sweater is the must-git-'er-done project. Deadline September 20th as it is a pattern I get to test knit for the designer on www.ravelry.com.
Basket: (next to the couch) it's a small basket! Honest. Heather Hoodie vest for Courtney...that is another gotta get it done. What else do I have here? Another sweater for Nolan. A wrap/poncho type thingy...(not happy with this project - it's going to the frog pond..basket where I put those projects that are ripped out so I can reuse the yarn).
Tote: a few projects for the holidays...these can wait.
Well, that's that I guess. But the 3 new skeins of sock yarn...oops...5 new skeins of sock yarn are calling to me and wanting to be made into lacy type socks with yarn overs, knit two together etc.
Hmmm...it actually is helping! Quick write the date down..this is historical for me. Call the newspapers, the local news...this is epic!
On September 1, 2011 I, The Knitting Apprentice, Fought the urge to cast on a new project as I have at least 3 projects that must, I repeat must get done by Sept. 20th!
Wow...now where is that sweater for Nolan?
Knitting bag: Let's see....a mobius shawlette in Mary Maxim Stepping Out Sock yarn. Dark rainbow self-striping yarn. A scarf in Red Heart Boutique Sashay in Jive (teal colorway). And newest addition, a test knit/Christmas present sweater for Nolan. The sweater is the must-git-'er-done project. Deadline September 20th as it is a pattern I get to test knit for the designer on www.ravelry.com.
Basket: (next to the couch) it's a small basket! Honest. Heather Hoodie vest for Courtney...that is another gotta get it done. What else do I have here? Another sweater for Nolan. A wrap/poncho type thingy...(not happy with this project - it's going to the frog pond..basket where I put those projects that are ripped out so I can reuse the yarn).
Tote: a few projects for the holidays...these can wait.
Well, that's that I guess. But the 3 new skeins of sock yarn...oops...5 new skeins of sock yarn are calling to me and wanting to be made into lacy type socks with yarn overs, knit two together etc.
Hmmm...it actually is helping! Quick write the date down..this is historical for me. Call the newspapers, the local news...this is epic!
On September 1, 2011 I, The Knitting Apprentice, Fought the urge to cast on a new project as I have at least 3 projects that must, I repeat must get done by Sept. 20th!
Wow...now where is that sweater for Nolan?
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Testing Waterfall Lace Scarf
I am test knitting the Waterfall Lace Scarf for Zenmaria on ravelry.com.
Heres the link to flicker for a photo. http://www.flickr.com/photos/22549772@N07/5580891471/not
I picked South West Trading Company Bamboo for this project. I tried 5 different times to see if I liked it...that's a big NO - in this color way. The lace effect got lost in the translation:
Back into the stash until I find a scarf pattern for you, bamboo.
Stash dived and came out with "Hempathy" in dark orange and I love it! The weight, the stitch definition, the ease of knitting. It turned out awesome! Here is the scarf blocked and drying.
It measures 5"wide by 55"long. I knit two skeins of "Hempathy" as that's all I had in the orange. It was the perfect amount. Only have a couple of yards left!
I love "openess" of this pattern! It was easy to memorize and I could just sit and knit.
Now to other projects.
Heres the link to flicker for a photo. http://www.flickr.com/photos/22549772@N07/5580891471/not
I picked South West Trading Company Bamboo for this project. I tried 5 different times to see if I liked it...that's a big NO - in this color way. The lace effect got lost in the translation:
Back into the stash until I find a scarf pattern for you, bamboo.Stash dived and came out with "Hempathy" in dark orange and I love it! The weight, the stitch definition, the ease of knitting. It turned out awesome! Here is the scarf blocked and drying.
It measures 5"wide by 55"long. I knit two skeins of "Hempathy" as that's all I had in the orange. It was the perfect amount. Only have a couple of yards left!I love "openess" of this pattern! It was easy to memorize and I could just sit and knit.Now to other projects.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Knitting Vampires
It really doesn't matter what your craft is - sewing, knitting, crochet, weaving, scrapbook, jewelry: we all have one, or three, okay maybe six projects that are in the "never to see the light of day things". Those projects that were fun to create, from picking out the pattern, yarn and needles to the last making-up stitch. Then you realize that, well, it just doesn't work for ya. Whether it's the fit, the yarn you choose, or just the "yuck" feeling when you wear the finished piece. So ya toss it into the corner. Then a moment of clarity and you put the rejected project into a tote - (just because you won't wear it doesn't mean you should let it be a free meal for moths).
Every time you go near your stash, you feel the nagging feeling of those projects just sitting there. You have that excited, heady feeling of starting a new project. Finding the pattern that you really, really want to make. Next, the yarn: did you find the perfect yarn in your stash or do you need to make a run to your LYS? While looking for the yarn you bump the tote/box/plastic bag of "rejects" and you feel guilty. You cringe as you feel the excitement being drained from you.
Knitting Vampires...what the heck is that? Vampires who love creating knitted items? Can you just picture vampires having a knitting circle? Or would that be "Knitted Vampires"? That gives the image of a pile of knitted vampire dolls. I love calling the "rejects": "vampires"!
So what Knitting Vampires do I have that keep sucking the knitting mojo from me?
"If you pick out yarn I'll make you a sweater" said to my then-5-yr-old son. Well, he has since outgrown the sweater so it sits in the "frog-it" pile. I loved knitting the sweater. The boy did say it was "itchy" so a turtle neck was worn underneath.
It is Araucania Magallanes #307. A thick/thin yarn that is 100% wool. I'm thinking of making felted mittens.
Next project: a wrap with sleeves in Lily Chin's Nolita in white. A bulky yarn of, 48% Nylon, 26% Wool, 21% Acrylic, 5% Rayon. Similar to mohair, so frogging it is going to be a pain. My choice to frog, so I guess I better not complain.
The wrap with sleeves was going great. Got to the second sleeve and bingo: needed one more skein to finish the sleeve. If I ripped it back on the wrap part I would have to rip 3/4s of it out to the before the first armhole so both ends from arm to arm would be the same length.
Found a really nice hoodie sweater that is done in a larger than usual gauge so it has an airy type of effect. That is going well! I guess this one is really in the remake category, as I'm already frogging and getting "new" skeins, and on-the-needles!
Number 3 in my frog-it pile: This bolero. Enough said on that one! Don't know what I was thinking when I bought that yarn. It was 2 Hobby Lobby yarns. Have no idea what I'll make next with these yarns. No idea at all!
Number 4 in the pile is this wonderful little number. Sleeveless turtleneck out of Lion Brand Homespun - too bulky for me to be a top. Cardigan yes. A shawl - another yes. A couple of scarves - maybe.
The last item in my pile is this sweater. Lion Brand Jiffy in blue. Nice, warm and a great shade for me. It's the sleeves and neck that get me. I have redone all 3 at least 3 times. I guess llama wrangling, sheep wrestling and general farm things have given me more muscles in my arms that this sweater has stitches for. The neck is at that perfect place. You know the place, where it rides or hits that slowly drives you insane.
That's my group? Flock? Bundle? Of knitting vampires...watch out they like to grab at your ankles to keep you close! If you have wooden needles like me, you could always drive it into the project like wooden stakes in vampires. At least there is less mess!
Every time you go near your stash, you feel the nagging feeling of those projects just sitting there. You have that excited, heady feeling of starting a new project. Finding the pattern that you really, really want to make. Next, the yarn: did you find the perfect yarn in your stash or do you need to make a run to your LYS? While looking for the yarn you bump the tote/box/plastic bag of "rejects" and you feel guilty. You cringe as you feel the excitement being drained from you.
Knitting Vampires...what the heck is that? Vampires who love creating knitted items? Can you just picture vampires having a knitting circle? Or would that be "Knitted Vampires"? That gives the image of a pile of knitted vampire dolls. I love calling the "rejects": "vampires"!
So what Knitting Vampires do I have that keep sucking the knitting mojo from me?
"If you pick out yarn I'll make you a sweater" said to my then-5-yr-old son. Well, he has since outgrown the sweater so it sits in the "frog-it" pile. I loved knitting the sweater. The boy did say it was "itchy" so a turtle neck was worn underneath.
It is Araucania Magallanes #307. A thick/thin yarn that is 100% wool. I'm thinking of making felted mittens.
Next project: a wrap with sleeves in Lily Chin's Nolita in white. A bulky yarn of, 48% Nylon, 26% Wool, 21% Acrylic, 5% Rayon. Similar to mohair, so frogging it is going to be a pain. My choice to frog, so I guess I better not complain.The wrap with sleeves was going great. Got to the second sleeve and bingo: needed one more skein to finish the sleeve. If I ripped it back on the wrap part I would have to rip 3/4s of it out to the before the first armhole so both ends from arm to arm would be the same length.
Found a really nice hoodie sweater that is done in a larger than usual gauge so it has an airy type of effect. That is going well! I guess this one is really in the remake category, as I'm already frogging and getting "new" skeins, and on-the-needles!
Number 3 in my frog-it pile: This bolero. Enough said on that one! Don't know what I was thinking when I bought that yarn. It was 2 Hobby Lobby yarns. Have no idea what I'll make next with these yarns. No idea at all!
Number 4 in the pile is this wonderful little number. Sleeveless turtleneck out of Lion Brand Homespun - too bulky for me to be a top. Cardigan yes. A shawl - another yes. A couple of scarves - maybe.
The last item in my pile is this sweater. Lion Brand Jiffy in blue. Nice, warm and a great shade for me. It's the sleeves and neck that get me. I have redone all 3 at least 3 times. I guess llama wrangling, sheep wrestling and general farm things have given me more muscles in my arms that this sweater has stitches for. The neck is at that perfect place. You know the place, where it rides or hits that slowly drives you insane.That's my group? Flock? Bundle? Of knitting vampires...watch out they like to grab at your ankles to keep you close! If you have wooden needles like me, you could always drive it into the project like wooden stakes in vampires. At least there is less mess!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
That's it Stash...I'm Taking You Down!
Dear Stash,
It's time we had a talk. You are getting bigger than I like. You are taking up too much space. I need to get working on you and reducing you to a nice small pile! I keep looking at you and shaking my head at the size of you. How did I let this happen to you? I wasn't paying enough attention to your size and have been adding to your girth. I have a ton of patterns, quite a few people who would love something knitted and I will make the time to work you into a much leaner stash. I'm sorry I was lazy about working on one project in - one project out. No more waiting! Projects out - no new yarn in!
I love this time of year! Just love it. I get energized and want to get things done. Who needs New Year's Day, I have Fall. Happy I am, as I organize, organize, organize! Putting up the gifts from the garden into the freezer and jars. Clearing out paperwork, clothes and anything that is hanging around that we don't use anymore...then I look at my stash. It's contained in boxes - by fiber. In a tote for the things I want to make for Christmas this year. A few clear zipper bags hold projects that are hibernating and a few skeins are just hanging out.
I do not need to add to this stash. I've even gone into my favorite yarn shop and walked back out without a single skein of yarn following me home for 3 shopping trips! Enter the Mary Maxim Tent Sale. Came out of there with 2 new book - Son Of Stitch 'N Bitch by Debbie Stoller, and Knits for Children & Their Teddies by Fiona McTague and 2 count that just two skeins of Mary Maxim Aloe Sock Yarn in Sandstone...come on give me a break - they were $1.97 each. A pair of socks for $4? Of course I'll buy a couple!
Then, there in the back of the Patons Shetland Chunky: a fantastic dark blue, a wonderful deep red and a happy dark green skeins...I could have sworn I heard them call my name. Been looking for a sale on Shetland Chunky to make my hubby and his best friend, Joe, a sweater each. Gonna take hubby this weekend to pick which of the three colorways will be for Joe and which will be hubby's. Once I buy the yarn for those sweaters I'm on a serious yarn diet.
Oh, yeah, that's right, I was talking about my taking my stash DOWN! I buy yarn for a specific purpose...(see paragraph about) even when the yarn is on sale. If I don't have a project in mind I don't buy it regardless of the price. Looking at what I have on hand, I'll be happy knitting away this Fall. Sitting outside in the early morning and knitting. In the evening, sitting outside knitting. In the house knittin'. I have too many projects I want to do. Instead of buying yarn on sale for a project I had better work on my projects I already have waiting. To me my stash is huge...to a yarn stasher elite, my stash is very small...it's all in how you see it.
One. Two. Three...jumping into my stash...if I don't come up for air soon send some chocolate!
It's time we had a talk. You are getting bigger than I like. You are taking up too much space. I need to get working on you and reducing you to a nice small pile! I keep looking at you and shaking my head at the size of you. How did I let this happen to you? I wasn't paying enough attention to your size and have been adding to your girth. I have a ton of patterns, quite a few people who would love something knitted and I will make the time to work you into a much leaner stash. I'm sorry I was lazy about working on one project in - one project out. No more waiting! Projects out - no new yarn in!
I love this time of year! Just love it. I get energized and want to get things done. Who needs New Year's Day, I have Fall. Happy I am, as I organize, organize, organize! Putting up the gifts from the garden into the freezer and jars. Clearing out paperwork, clothes and anything that is hanging around that we don't use anymore...then I look at my stash. It's contained in boxes - by fiber. In a tote for the things I want to make for Christmas this year. A few clear zipper bags hold projects that are hibernating and a few skeins are just hanging out.
I do not need to add to this stash. I've even gone into my favorite yarn shop and walked back out without a single skein of yarn following me home for 3 shopping trips! Enter the Mary Maxim Tent Sale. Came out of there with 2 new book - Son Of Stitch 'N Bitch by Debbie Stoller, and Knits for Children & Their Teddies by Fiona McTague and 2 count that just two skeins of Mary Maxim Aloe Sock Yarn in Sandstone...come on give me a break - they were $1.97 each. A pair of socks for $4? Of course I'll buy a couple!
Then, there in the back of the Patons Shetland Chunky: a fantastic dark blue, a wonderful deep red and a happy dark green skeins...I could have sworn I heard them call my name. Been looking for a sale on Shetland Chunky to make my hubby and his best friend, Joe, a sweater each. Gonna take hubby this weekend to pick which of the three colorways will be for Joe and which will be hubby's. Once I buy the yarn for those sweaters I'm on a serious yarn diet.
Oh, yeah, that's right, I was talking about my taking my stash DOWN! I buy yarn for a specific purpose...(see paragraph about) even when the yarn is on sale. If I don't have a project in mind I don't buy it regardless of the price. Looking at what I have on hand, I'll be happy knitting away this Fall. Sitting outside in the early morning and knitting. In the evening, sitting outside knitting. In the house knittin'. I have too many projects I want to do. Instead of buying yarn on sale for a project I had better work on my projects I already have waiting. To me my stash is huge...to a yarn stasher elite, my stash is very small...it's all in how you see it.
One. Two. Three...jumping into my stash...if I don't come up for air soon send some chocolate!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
August
Don't know what it is about August. The sun has shifted a little south. Fair is a done deal. Still going through stuff: cleaning, oiling, restocking the tack box and the like. School for the boy starts soon - sure am gonna miss having him around all day. Cleaning, organizing, rearranging, going through my queues on Ravelry and my "what to knit next" notebook. Tidying up things in general.
I look forward to the fun, lazy last days of summer. It's my recharging time I guess. Some use New Year's Day for a fresh start...I use August/September as the start of my "new year". Maybe it's a carry-over from the anticipation of all things new at the start of the new school year. Really should have become a teacher.
I find myself re-accessing my knitting project list: finding different patterns for the yarn I have and really want to use up. The yarn that was started in a sweater for Bailey is being re-knitted in a Wonderful Wallaby for Sophie.
Bailey's new sweater will be in a turquoise, black and white colorway into a Wonderful Wallaby too.The reindeer seem to like it too.
The sweater made for Jolie is now going to Zoe. I am finding a combo of yarns to make Jolie another sweater. Looking at my stash I feel the need to organize, organize, organize it! So stash diving I go: I may not come out for months so send chocolate and hot, sweet tea!
I look forward to the fun, lazy last days of summer. It's my recharging time I guess. Some use New Year's Day for a fresh start...I use August/September as the start of my "new year". Maybe it's a carry-over from the anticipation of all things new at the start of the new school year. Really should have become a teacher.
I find myself re-accessing my knitting project list: finding different patterns for the yarn I have and really want to use up. The yarn that was started in a sweater for Bailey is being re-knitted in a Wonderful Wallaby for Sophie.
Bailey's new sweater will be in a turquoise, black and white colorway into a Wonderful Wallaby too.The reindeer seem to like it too.
The sweater made for Jolie is now going to Zoe. I am finding a combo of yarns to make Jolie another sweater. Looking at my stash I feel the need to organize, organize, organize it! So stash diving I go: I may not come out for months so send chocolate and hot, sweet tea!
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