NorCalKnitter

My latest dye adventures.......

2009-10-22T19:50:00.000-07:00

I just had to share these yarns that I dyed. I haven't been good about coming up with names for the colors that I do, oh well, I 'm still having fun!
Shades of blue to green...

This color combo reminds me of an old china pattern, I believe it was called desert rose. This is superwash merino and didn't soak up the dye very well, not likeing superwash very much for dyeing right now. Once you spin it, you don't really notice the white spots, it just tends to lighten the color.
I was really playing around with the colors here, and tried the scarlet, diluted. I like the way it came out in the roving, and then had to try 2 of the colors by themselves on some odd bits of yarn that I had. I like the colors allot and am thinking that they might be good for some bigger sweater project.
These yarns are all 100% organic wool. Too bad I haven't learned how to use natural plant dyes yet :(
Next time I dye, I will try to get out of the darker colors. I do like the intensity of the colors though.
Hand spinning:

I finally finished and plied the mauve merino that I bought last Feb. I used my Ashford drum carder to make batts, then sun it on my Ashford Traveller spinning wheel. It was hard to get use to spinning from a batt after spinning with mostly roving, but I am happy with the results, and it is very soft.

I also have some darker maroonish/purple-ish merino to spin that I bought at the same store. I would like to get that spun up as well, but need to quit with the ADD and stick with less than 10 projects at a time!!! Must... maintain... focus........

Finished socks:

Salish Sea Socks, Finished on 10-12-2009.
Sorry about the lighting. But this is proof that I did finish both socks.
Better picture of sock....

I do love Blue Moon Fiber Arts sock yarn. It is very comfortable to wear and nice to work with. So far I have more than enough yarn from one skein to make a nice pair of socks. Maybe one day I will do something with all the leftovers.

I also have a very cute pair of socks on the needles that was just started 1 week ago. Sock #1 almost done. You can view it here on Ravelry, since I don't want to take any chance of ruining it for the recipient!

2009-10-07T15:47:00.000-07:00

Life is busy,and I like it like that. I haven't had time to think too much about being an empty nester. So, while husband is setting up the new DVD release of "My Life in Ruins," I will give you a quick update.

Knitting projects:

A baby hat for a workmate at work that is due soon. (This really isn't the only thing I gave her, but it is the only thing I made for her).
Salish Sea Socks for the 2007 Rockin' Sock Club through Blue Moon Fiber Arts (75% finished)

New Purchases:

Yarn for the Rosamund Cardigan (see more pictures here)from the Fall 2009 issue of Knits. I bought the yarn last weekend while in Sacramento visiting Son#2 and stocking up his fridge with food. The yarn is Royal Llama Silk by Plymouth Yarn Co. (60% Llama and 40% silk)......
Mariposa Shawl kit from Southwest Trading Co. (The kit was purchased from Websters in Ashland) The yarn is Bamboo - 100%, color #182

I have also had fun cooking from the few things that we grow on our property.

Ugly apples......

Make yummy apple crisp.......

Tonight I made the Toscana Soup (Olive Garden's recipe scroll down until you see the recipe) using fresh Kale and Yukon Gold potatoes from our garden. Boy was it Yummy. I also made Cheddar Bay biscuits. Sorry I didn't take any pics of that.

Will post again with pics of recently dyed yarns when I get a chance.

I'm Baaaack...........

2009-09-07T16:39:00.000-07:00

What a busy month I have had. Son # 3 is settled in college on the east coast and is staying very busy with classes and making new friends. He is maxed out on the number of units that he is taking and I hope that he does OK with that. The day after we left him, he texted us that he had received another scholarship to be a sound tech for the marching band.
While we were there, my husband and I were able to go to Washington D.C. for the day. One day is just not enough in D.C. A few of the highlights......

The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and the Washington Monument

The World War II Memorial I got a little sentimental at the last Memorial.
I just had to dip my poor hot feet in the water at the WW II Memorial, and believe me, I wasn't the only one doing it!

The Lincoln Memorial just filled me with a sense of awe. Hubby and I had to read the whole Gettysburg address and his second inaugural address. What powerful speeches.

We also visited Appomattox, and the Virginia Safari Park.

After we got son #3 settled in his dorm room, we flew back home and drove to WY. We bought fruit and corn in Idaho for the in-laws and helped them process it. Then we spent "several" long days helping son #1 and our daughter-in-law with their house. We helped tear up carpet and re-finish the wood floors that were underneath - boy what a messy job! Then, when my husband finally got home, we worked on major cleaning projects at our house that have been neglected. We have been busy, busy, busy this summer. And it sure feels good to be getting some things accomplished.
Last Saturday I tried to sell some yarn at the Farmer's Market and got rained out. It started misting just as I arrived at the fairgrounds, and we were able to set up the gazebo and the yarn table without any problems, then it started really raining. When the river started running through the middle of my gazebo, I decided to call it quits. The few customers that I saw at the market were just there after their vegetables and then were making a quick exit, they weren't shopping for anything fun like yarn.
I did manage to get some knitting done while traveling on the plane and in the car. On one flight I got a little testy. I carry a tote onto the plane with my knitting in it, but when I board I take a bag with my knitting out of the tote so it looks like I am carrying 3 items onto the plane. The stewardess told me that I couldn't take 3 things onto the plane and I started panicking thinking what am I supposed to do with myself for the next 2 hours? the only thing I brought was knitting. You know the feeling? Counting on that time to work on a project? Then she explained to me that there were inspectors on the plane watching everything, and that I could take my knitting out of the toe once I got to my seat - whew, what a relief!
The purse is felted (it is still very large), and I plan on going to the yarn store today for help figuring out how to do the handles.

Several days ago I started on the Teddy suit for a baby shower that got moved up by 2 weeks (Yikes! Fingers and needles are flying!) I have the 2 legs done and am just about ready to join them to work on the body of the suit. Thank goodness babies are small :)

When the Farmer's market got rained out on Saturday, we decided to go to Oregon to do some shopping. We had lunch in Ashland and visited Websters. I ordered the yarn for Mariposa, and bought 7 oz. of Blue Meriboo roving to spin to add to the 4 oz. I already had. Maybe I can make something more than just a scarf or a hat with it (not that there is anything wrong with scarves or hats).

As if my husband and I haven't ben busy enough, we bought Tuna to can, about 60 pounds of it. I'm sure some people buy much more, but with only 2 pressure cookers going, 60# is keeping us busy enough! Boy does our house smell fishy!

Over 3 dozen jars,, and we have one more batch to do! I guess I better get busy ;)

2009-08-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

Almost off the needles:

I started this purse on July 28th. It is based on a purse in our LYS that one of the owners had designed and knit. I had looked on Ravelry for a puse pattern, and I didn't find many patterns. I did see one that was striped so i based my design on that also. But really, this is one that I am kinda designing as I go. I am doing an i-cord around the top of the purse to finish off that edge, and around the base of the purse to help it stand up straighter, when you put it down. I finished the i-cord on the top last night, and started on the base. Next I have about 8 feet of i-cord to knit for the handles. I am also trying to figure out how to add a pocket or two on the inside of the purse, and some kind of flap to close the top ( or I might look into some kind of magnet to keep it closed)

The Flirty Tank progress has slowed down. I am on the bodice with a "daisy stitch" on a base of knit stitches for the design. The daisy stitch is fussy to do, and if you don't get it snug enough, it leaves too much of a hole. It is knit 2X, alternated with a purl, all through the same 3 stitches. I think it is starting to look better.

I also started this pair of socks. I love a good sock project for traveling, very light and compact.

The pattern is Salish Sea Socks by Cat Bordhi, the yarn is medium seight 100% superwash Merino in the Bella Coola colorway. This project is from the 2007 Socks That Rock club. Better late than never, right? I haven't been knittng much on socks lately and there is a lot of yarn in my sock yarn stash that is waiting for some attention. I have been very good at resisting the urge to buy more at our LYS - they keep getting new, beautiful yarns. I don't know if I will be able to resist this urge much lonnger!!!!!

I haven't spun very much since my last post, mostly because I worked about 90 hours in 1 week. There wasn't much timee to spin and get some sleep before I had to go back to work. But I did work on this Dusty pink Corriedale cross. I bought the fiber alreday dyed, but picked it and ran it through my drum carder before spinning it.
I have been working almost solely with combed top, so it was quite different to spin from a batt. This yarn will be very bouncy when plied. I can't decide if I want to ply it with one ply of a darker purple or just with itself?
I am off of work now till the end of the month and will be taking son #3 back to college to get him all settled in, then visiting son #1 and miscellaneous other family. I hope to voisit yarn shops along the way. I am blessed with a husband that knows how to keep me happy and is very understanding about my obsessiveness with my current favorite hobby.

Future projects -

1. Teddy Suit from Baby Knits by Lois Daykin. for a friend at work that is due in October. I need to get started on that as soon as I get home.

2. Christmas projects X 2

3. A scarf out of some scrumptious yarn that I bought last year in Texas.

Happy knitting to all......

2009-07-25T11:54:00.000-07:00

On the Needles:

The Flirty Tank - I just finished the skirt part of the top, and am starting the bodice. Going well so far. This one shouldn't be too big. In fact when I block the lace, it should be just right (according to the measurements).

The lace is pretty scrunched up right now, and you should see much more pattern definition when it is blocked.

Off the needles-
G's Cabled Scarf:Remember the shades of blue singles that I dyed at BSG? I knitted a scarf out of it for DH. He loves it and is anxious to wear it on a motorcycle ride. I know that sounds funny to allot of people to wear a scarf during the summer, but here on the coast, we are still having foggy, drizzly mornings and highs in the low 60's during the day.

The pattern I used was based on the Double Cable Scarf from the One Skein book by Leigh Radford.

Pattern modification: Instead of only doing 9 cable crossing rows on each end, I continued the cables to the other end of the scarf and did the 2" of ribbing on the end.
Needles - U.S. 9, Addi Turbo circulars.

Yarn - Corriedale thick/thin singles, one skein, hand dyed by me.

Time to complete - about 1 week.

Off the needles -

I have also made a scarf for myself out of some of my first handspun. The scarf still needs to be blocked.

This is a dropped stitch pattern. I think I cast on 45 stitches, knit 2 rows, alternating with a drop stitch row. Knitted to desired length.

Needle size - U.S. 9.

Off the Wheel:

Teal 3 ply Colonial wool, DK weight. Total of 341 1/2 yards.

I sure like doing the 3-ply. It is a much smoother yarn and hides any little imperfections.

Cashmere/wool blend from chasing Rainbows -2 oz. What a pleasure to spin. Sorry I couldn't get the lighting just right for the picture.

84 count Merino Roving that I bought at BSG and hand dyed.

Spun 2 ply, 9-22 WPI.

Yardage - 187.5 yards, 4 oz.

In the box and on the bobbin is 50/50 Wool and silk that I hand dyed at my class at BSG to match the silk hankies dyed by Chasing Rainbows. I have spun a small amount of the silk and plied a sample to see what it would look like. The silk hankies are not very easy to spin, especially since this is my first experience. I am trying to find a special pattern for this. Maybe something like a cowl with a lace design?

Dyeing to knit

2009-07-13T13:24:00.000-07:00

I have been a fool for dyeing lately. Here are just a few of the latest skeins out of the dyepot....
Sand and Sea

Wavy Gravy

And of course...Chocolate Covered Cherries

And to show you what a difference it makes to re-skein the yarn when it is dry....

Before..............

And after re-skeining...............

Last weekend, a fellow spinner/knitter friend and I had a booth at the Farmer's/Saturday Market and I actually sold a few skeins of handspun and some hand-dyed yarn. I feel like I have soo busy with the spinning and dyeing, and was surprised that I couldn't quite fill up a table with my "stuff". I won't be able to do the Sat. Market again until August and should have more yarn to sell by then.

In August, my husband and I will be empty nesters. My Youngest son is leaving for college. We will be going back with him to Virginia, and will be doing some sight-seeing while we are back there (Are there any good yarn shops in Lynchburg??). When we get back, we will be home for one night, then hitting the road to go on our annual trip to Wyoming. I am excited as I will be seeing Son # One's house for the first time.

Color Eye Candy

2009-06-25T09:50:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful time at Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene last weekend. I had alot of fun playing with color in the Lanaset color wheel class with Nancy Finn. And here is what I came up with.

This is Merino/silk roving dyed with toned primaries.

Next is Corriedale singles yarn. When I dyed this I was started with my favorite shades of blue and green and wanted to add some orange to make it pop. then added a fourth color to tone down that pop a little!
This is Tussah silk roving. At the top of the picture you can see my inspiration fabric....

My husband doesn't really care for the "wild" color combinations, so I made a blue with different values (blue is his favorite color). I plan on making a scarf for him out of this...
The inspiration for the next fiber was an abstract picture titled something like White Dove in the Desert Morning. The pinks and tans in the picture were alot lighter in value, but I really like how this color came out.
The sample I made was with Merino/Silk roving. I was trying to make a roving that would at least coordinate with some silk hankies that I want to spin that were dyed by Chasing Rainbows in the Tuscan colorway. I hope to spin singles from the hankies and from this roving and ply them together to make something delicate and pretty.

It was fun to see the different colors that people in the class came up with . I think we were all pleasantly surprised with our results. I think the best part of the class was that Nancy was so laid back and allowed us to be creative. I am already looking forward to Black Sheep Gathering next year and hope to take more classes.

Off to BSG

2009-06-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

I have been off on vacation for a week now, and what a busy week that has been. Last week, my "baby" graduated from high school. In 2 short months he will be off to college on the east coast - far, far away from mom. I'm not quite sure how I will handle that. He has been such a pleasure to be around lately. Last weekend all the kids were home to see their brother graduate. I'm glad they were all so supportive.
I leave tomorrow for Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene, OR. I have been looking forward to this for a long time. It is the only real wool festival that I have been to and I am hoping to find a fleece to buy this year. I have never bought a whole fleece before, just a pound here and there. So Wish me luck!
Stay tuned next week for pics of classes and fiber !

2009-06-02T12:59:00.000-07:00

I have been bad this past week. First of all I have ordered several books (Alice Starmore's Book of Fair Isle Knitting , The Celtic Collection - used version!!, Debbie Bliss Baby and Toddler Knits, and Baby Knits by Lois Daykin). And no, I am not pregnant or going to be a grandmother soon, but do seem to know alot of people having babies.

Today I ordered some yarn for the Sweet Hex Child's Hood. I love the old fashioned look of it, and the stranded work is always a draw for me. I am hoping if I get enough practice at it on the small projects, I will be good enough someday to make one of Alice Starmore's sweaters!

The other thing I ordered this week was new cell phones. Our 2-year contract with Verizon was up for renewal, and the 2 kids were needing new phones, so everyone got new and upgraded phones. I am little excited as my new phone will have the Qwerty keyboard, now maybe I will be faster at texting the kids.

Now for updates on projects:

On the wheel-

Merino - 3-ply. I am hoping this will work for a Baby Surprise Jacket.

....and some wool/cashmere blend by Chasing Rainbows Dyeworks

Almost off the needles -

Miss Dashwood - for gift-giving. I need to make some baby booties to go with it.

I received my confirmation for two classes on fiber dyeing with Nancy Finn from Chasing Rainbows at Blacksheep Gathering this month. I am soooo excited. I have been wanting to take another , more in-depth dyeing class for quite awhile. I hope to learn lots!

I am also excited about the new book by Chrissy Gardiner - Toe Up. She is self-publishing this book, and it hasn't yet been released. If you have seen any of her patterns in Interweave Knits magazine, this book is a must have. Her patterns are challenging and fun. I also was able to test knit one of the patterns for the book. ........

Just to give you a little teaser!!

Knit On!!

2009-05-17T16:30:00.000-07:00

I have been spinning allot lately.

Off the Wheel:

This is the crazy fiber that I carded, spun and plied with variegated thread.

I consciously spun it thick and thin, because something with that many different kinds of fiber and bits and pieces of novelty yarn wouldn't look right any other way.

I have probably 7 oz. more of this fiber to spin, enough to make a substantial project, I'm thinking!

Also off the wheel is this 100% Baby Alpaca by Handspinner's Dream...

Waiting to go on the needles....

I bought this pattern for Flirty Tank by Y2Knit about a year ago. I fell in love with this yarn
(Olmue) by Ester Bitran. It is a cotton and Viscose blend and has a shine to it. (5-18 -I couldn't wait and had to cast). I'm hoping that it will be a nice, cool little summer top. I don't know if it will get done for this summer though! It is knit in the round which should help.

I finally finished the sleeves on the Printed Silk Cardigan. Now I just need to block it and do all the finishing. It seems like it takes me forever to finish some projects, maybe if I could focus on only one project I would do better, but I want to make so many things !!!!!!

The On-going Project, and Fiber Fun

2009-05-03T14:53:00.001-07:00

Lately I have been working mostly on sleeves for the Printed silk cardigan. I have the same problem I usually have and am short 1 skein of yarn. The sleeve needs to be between 11-12 inches before I start shaping the cap of the sleeve, and I just have a tiny bit of yarn left I just ordered 2 more skeins which I hopt to have by the end of the week. I'd sure like to wrap up this project. (yes, I am knitting both sleeves at once).I did start a scarf with the Mooi yarn from Louet that I just purchased. The pattern is the Cocoon Lace Scarf by Fiber Trends, #AC-73X. I wasn't sure how to do the provisional cast-on, so had to make a trip to the LYS yesterday for help. I also did a swatch to practice the pattern, and when I actually started the scarf, it seemed to go smoothly. Here is a shot of the first reapeat plus 2 rows. (The bright pink is, of course, the provisional cast-on). Tere is an article for Provisional Cast-on here, and a tutorial here.

I have been playing with differnt colors and types of fiber. I recently purchased some "crazy" fiber from Websters......

close up of fiber...

Ready to spin "crazy batts".....

I hope to have some "crazy" yarn to show you next week.

Ready to Ply, twon bobbins of baby alpaca...

Also ready to spin is some 100% Icelandic lamb roving that I purchased from a spinning friend that raises Icelandic sheep. She has more roving for sale here.

Ok, I must go now. I feel the need to spin after talkig about all that wool!!

New Treasures

2009-04-16T12:12:00.000-07:00

My wonderful husband gave me a gift certificate to the LYS for Christmas that I have been saving for something very special. I have been tempted to spend it on yarn for a big project, but didn't think I needed anymore big/sweater projects at this time. I was visiting the LYS last Saturday and they had just received some new "special" yarn, and suddenly I knew what I had been waiting for.... Mooi by louet. It is lace weight yarn - 50gm/350 yds. Fiber content 15% Bison/15% Cashmere/70% Bamboo. It is very soft yarn and feels like quite a treat for me, since I don't think I would ever spend that much for one skein of yarn if I didn't have a gift certificate. Now, to find the perfect lace scarf pattern :)

They also had another new fiber that I had never heard of before - Banana hemp. It is made from Banana leaves. It feels stiff to the touch, but should get softer with handling and washing, much like linen does.

ON THE BOOKSHELF -

The LYS (A Perfect Yarn) also had some new books. I couldn't resist buying Mother-Daughter Knits.

There are several projects that I would love to make.

The Classic Shirt...

Mother-Of-The-Bride Cardigan

A Gray Cardigan (but probably not in gray!)...love those cables and the long ribbing at the hem.

And the Reversible Tank Top...

ON THE WHEEL -

Alpaca with a Twist - 100% Baby Alpaca, 7 oz. in the Fawn colorway. It requires more concentration and skill to spin than the wool that I have been spinning with lately. It is very slippery. I think it will be beautiful when it is done.

ON THE CARDER -

I have been hand teasing the 8 oz. of dyed wool that I bought in March. It is very time consuming and a dirty job (should I give it to Mike Rowe?), there is a fair amount of vegetable matter including some burrs, and a bit of dirt still. One of the colors that I got was very sticky, which I hadn't noticed in the store, and some of the locks are matted together requiring a bit more care to tease apart.

I tried blending the 2 colors together on the carder. I think this will add more visual (and spinning) interest.

The batt on the top is solid pink, the batt on the bottom is the pink merino mixed with dark purplish brown merino.

IN THE WORKS-

I am sending off my registration today for 2 different dyeing classes by Nancy Finn from Chasing Rainbows Dyeworks, that will be held at Black Sheep Gathering in June. I have to send the form by snail mail, but should receive confirmation by e-mail. Here's hoping I get in. I am excited to possible have this opportunity since I have been wanting to learn more about dyeing fiber, and haven't had any luck so far finding anyone local who could teach me. This week I told some people that I was going to "take a class in dyeing", the room got "dead" silent and I got some odd stares! I had to explain myself so that they would quit worrying about my sanity :)

Out Of The Dye Pot And Off The Wheel

2009-04-04T17:29:00.000-07:00

I feel like I have been pretty productive the past 2 weeks. I finished plying the last of the 8 oz. of Autumn Corriedale pencil roving. I ended up with 2 large skeins, and one small one. I had a tiny bit of leftover singles that I tried Navajo plying, but the singles weren't cooperating and kept breaking. The yarn came out a lot different than I expected, to my pleasant surprise.

The yarn came out allot different than I expected, to my pleasant surprise. There was a lot of orange in the roving (see picture from previous post), but when I plied it, the orange just ended up mostly being a highlight.

WPI – average of 10, Worsted Weight, 3 ply
Yardage – Approximately 331 yds,

I had to play with color on Thursday, so I broke out the crock pot and the dyes and some Pastaza by Cascade yarns. The colors didn’t come out as deep as I would have liked, but I am still pleased with the results. The yarn was sitting in my bag at the yarn shop yesterday, and the lady next to me said she loved the colors. I must be doing something right!! I am anxious to try the dyeing again with some different colors. I think I will add more dye to see if I can get the deeper shade that I want.

I have also been working on the Printed silk Cardigan here and there. I had made a fair amount of progress, then realized that I had been off on my measurements and had to rip back about 7 inches of work. That was last weekend, I have since re-knit those 7 inches and now I am ready to start the diamond pattern on the second front piece. My next obstacle is doing the buttonholes, the directions in the magazine are different than the buttonholes I have knit in the past. I can’t wait to get this sweater done and have something new to wear -and move on to the next project that is waiting in the wings.

On and Off the Needles, Wheel, Bookshelf, etc.

2009-03-22T17:34:00.000-07:00

Projects off the sewing machine ...............

When I went to see my mom and sis last November, I offered to finish (I mean MAKE) pillow shams to match quilts that I made for them several years ago. None of us have been sewing much lately and have been concentrating our creative talents elsewhere. It was a difficult project for several reasons:

1. I am rusty on my sewing skills, and cutting things out with a rotary cutter.

2. It was hard for me to make myself sit down and sew with so many other projects calling my name.

3. I had to be very careful with cutting things out, as there wasn't as much fabric of the right size to use.

All I can say is IT IS DONE !!!!! I sure hope they are happy with their shams. I know it will make their beds look more "finished". I do feel good that the project is completed and I can cross it off my list.

On the Needles:

In between other things, I started on a pair of generic socks for my MIL who really appreciates handmade socks. They had some sock yarn on sale at the LYS and I couldn't resist. I'm almost ready to start the heel on the second sock.

Also on the needles:

Theis is the left front of the Printed Silk Cardigan from Interweave Knits Spring 2008 issue (after you click on the link, just scroll down to the pattern). I am finishing up the armhole, then the shoulder decreases and piece #2 will be done!

Off the needles.....

Project specs:

Pattern: Striped Hat from the book Baby Cashmerino 2 by Debbie Bliss.

Yarn: Oceanside Organic 100% cotton by Plymouth Earth, colors #1 and #4

Needles: U.S. #3, Addi Turbo Circulars, and Brittany DPNs

Made for : A friend at work who is due to have her baby in about 3 weeks.

Time to knit: About 1/2 a day.

Comments: It was fun to make a hat with stripes. The pattern directions were to knit the hat flat and then seem it....well I knit it in the round so I have a jogs on my stripes. Oh well, now they know which side goes in the back!!

I have also been spending alot of time at the wheel, trying to increase my inventory of yarns to sell. I was thinking that I would have yarns ready to sell at the local Farmer's Market when it opened up again for the summer, but with my other full time job and duties at home, I was wondering how I would be able to do all that.

Anywhooooo....I talked to my friends/owners at the LYS and they are more than willing to sell the yarn there. The store is right on HWY 101 and they get tourists that pass through and want something that was made locally. Here is a little mix of what I have been spinning.

Here is what is on the wheel right now:

It is Corriedale pencil roving that I purchased at Black Sheep Gathering about 3 yrs. ago.

On the bookshelf:

World Without End by Ken Follett. I have been waiting for this book to come out in paperback. I actually gave it to DH for his birthday. We both fell in love with Pillars of the Earth and were anxious to read the sequel. Well, he finished the book in less than 2 weeks. It will probably take me 2 months since I mostly just read at night when I go to bed.

Long time, no blog....

2009-03-02T16:13:00.000-08:00

I knew it had been about 2 weeks since I last blogged, but when I looked at my last entry today, I realized it has been almost a month. It didn't help that I was out of town for work for about 1 1/2 weeks. I am back home now, and other that having to do FAFSA applications for the 2 youngest boys, and college entrance paperwork for youngest, I am hoping life will be somewhat "normal." My definition of normal has changed over the years, and "normal" seems to be slightly less hectic than "crazy busy"!!

While I was out of town for work-related "stuff" I stayed with my son in Sacramento. He was calling me his own personal "Economic Stimulus Package." I wonder if he had an empty fridge on purpose so that Mom would feel sorry for him (who wouldn't feel sorry for a poor starving student?) and fill it up with food (that is what Moms do best, feed people!). I also helped him finish unpacking some boxes from his last move in Nov. and clean things up a little. For an 18 year old boy, the place didn't look too bad. It sure was nice to see him, and know that he appreciates everything we do for him....and to get caught up on my hugs and kisses!!

I did finish the Tyrolean Stockings. They were a faster knit than I thought they would be, and, of course, I loved doing the cable work. Now I need something like a jeans skirt and some nice clogs to wear them with and show them off.

Specifications:

Pattern - Tyrolean Stockings by Ann Budd from the Knits-Spring 2007 issue

Yarn - Cleckheaton Country 8 ply, 3 + a little of a 4th skein.

Needles - Addi Turbo, US size 3

Time to complete - a little over 3 weeks.
On my way down to Sacramento, I had to stop at the Boll Weaver Yarns in Eureka. It was good timing. She had 2 washed fleeces for sale, but the one that caught my eye and made me drool with the buttery softness of it, was a white Corriedale/Merino cross. I made myself stop at 2 pounds. Now, the big decision is whether to spin it and then try to dye it; or dye it first and then spin it?? Does anybody out there have an opinion??

I also bought some dyed top quality Merino in 2 different colors that the owner had dyed.....

(sorry, that is the best I could get on the color today),.... and some Corriedale roving that was hand-dyed by Carin Engen from Garberville.

When I was in Sacramento, I had to stop by Babetta's Yarn and Gifts. They had some beautiful hand-dyed silk hankies. They weren't labeled well, but they were with some hand-dyed roving from Chasing Rainbows, and if you go here and look at the "Tartan" colorway, that is what I purchased. I also bought some un-dyed silk caps and 5 different colors of Jacquard acid dyes to play with!

I even bought some yarn there, Berroco Palace, 2 skeins, color #8909 (50% merino/50%silk) to knit a hat.

On Feb. 26th and 27th, I attended a conference. It was very educational and the speaker very knowledgeable. So on Saturday, I was ready for another shopping fix, and found Filati Fine Yarns in Rocklin. They have a very nice store with some very fine yarns. They also have allot of knit samples that are very inspiring. I found some creamy lace weight yarn by Filatura Di Crossa that is 70%cashmere and 30% silk to knit a lighter that air lace scarf with. I also bought some Baby Cashmerino by Debbie Bliss to make the Twisted Stitch Gauntlets from Knits - Holiday 2007 issue.
I truly need some help, I am soo addicted to knitting and spinning.......oh well, it could be worse. And with the failing economy, if I run out of money, I have enough projects to last me a very, very long time!!! I am lucky my husband is so supportive (and doesn't know where I hide all the yarn!)

On Knitting and Book Acquisition

2009-02-06T22:10:00.000-08:00

I am currently I working on the Tyrolean Stockings by Ann Budd from the Interweave Knits, Spring 2007 issue. The yarn I am using is Cleckheaton Country 8 ply. So far I am liking the yarn, and the pattern is complicated enough to keep my interest but not discourage me. I had a few qualms about knitting knee-high socks, but then decided I should try at least one pair. If I were to do this pattern again, I think I would do the usual 6-7” leg. The other project that I picked up from the hibernating pile is the Farmer's Market Bag by Pam Allen from the book - Weekend Knitting. I enjoy stranded knitting and really enjoyed doing the Fake Isle Hat and Mitts, but with this pattern I can only do about 5 rows in a sitting before I need a break. I have recently been on a book-acquiring craze. I purchased Intertwined when I was last in Ashland at Websters. When I purchased a book for my hubby from Amazon, I decided not to waste the shipping, and ordered Folk Mittens by Marcia Lewandowski. For my birthday, I was given 2 new books – The Eclectic Sole by Janel Laidman, and Latvian Mittens by Lizbeth Upitis. I had been lusting after both of these books for some time. THEN, Knit Picks just happened to have a 40% off sale on certain titles, soooo I added The Opinionated Knitter by Elizabeth Zimmerman, and Selbuvotter by Terri Shea to my library. There are sooo many patterns and styles of knitting, and only 24 hours in a day, I wish I didn’t have to sleep!

More FO's

2009-01-21T18:10:00.000-08:00

I have been a knittin' fool lately. I have completed several things, but they have all been quick projects. I knitted a baby hat in 2 days for a baby shower, then neglected to get a picture of it.

Chemo Hats: I have finished 2 since Jan. 1st. I made them both for a young woman with breast cancer. I have knit these before, and a local breast cancer support group reccomends the Cascade Fixation because it is soft and not itchy. There is quite a range of colors to choose from including pastels, solids, self-striping, and bright colors. I have now knit a total of 4 of the Chemo hats.

Specs - Pattern - Chemo Caps

Yarn - Cascade Fixation - Colors 9245 (striped) and 3077 (pale pink)

Needles - Size 6, Addi Turbos, 16" circulars

Time to finish - The first hat took about 1 week to finish. The last hat took 5 days of knitting in the car, in front of the TV and on lunch breaks at work.

I have also been spinning. The skein below is the first yarn for the new year.

Fiber - Blue faced Leicester - 4-5 oz.

Color - Pink Panther by Snake River Fiberworks (purchased in Montana while on vacation last summer).

Spinning details - spun 2 ply, 9 WPI. 138 yds. I also have another 42 yd. skein.

My fourth hat for this month is the Fake Isle hat by Amy King to match the last pair of Fake Isle Mitts that I made. The yarn is Lang Mille Colori #48 for the main color, and GGH - Bel Air #07 for the contrasting color. Time to knit - 1 week. I love this pattern, it is so quick and satisfying.
My husband's birthday was on the 13th and I had to search a bit to try to find something to knit for him. He doesn't wear knit sweaters or vests, knits socks are too hot, knit caps make his head look too small (in his opinion). I did find a knitted tie pattern in the new Fons & Porter's "For the Love of Knitting" magazine that just came out - and he does wear ties!!

Time to knit - probably 2 weeks (it went on forever, plus I was trying to keep it a secret)

Yarn - Happy Feet by Plymouth Yarn Company, color #1. Superwash Merino and Nylon. It took aprox. 1 1/2 skeins to make the tie.

Needles Addi Turbo circulars, US size 2

Pattern - Garter Stitch Tie

My First Pattern !

2009-01-10T13:49:00.000-08:00

I recently made the Fake Isle Hat by Amy King as a gift for my daughter-in-law. I really enjoyed knitting the hat, but felt that there should be another article of clothing to complete the ensemble. I used the basic Potluck Wool Mitts pattern by Missa from kpixie.com with part of the charted pattern from the Fake Isle Hat and voila’, there you have it!!

I finally finished editing and uploading the pattern for the Fake Isle Mitts on Ravelry. This is my first experience with designing and writing a pattern. If you are a Ravelry member, you can find it in the pattern section - search under the "Mitts" tag.

I finished the Mitts on the left before Christmas, but was waiting until I had the pattern available to post a picture here.

The yarn used is Lang-Mille Colori , color #048 for the main color. The contrasting color is GGH - Bel Air , color # 07.

Now that I have finally fiished the pattern, I am kinda nervous. I am hoping that there will be some interest in it. I would welcome any comments, positive or constructive!

I have continued to knit furiously on presents and managed to finish the Christmas/New Years presents for my mom and sister. It was very stormy outside when I took these pics and I was having trouble getting good lighting. The color is really very pretty.

Yarn - Lana Grossa Mellenweit Cotton Stretch, color #8004

Needles - U.S. Size 1 Addi Turbo circulars

Pattern - Celtic Braid Socks by Cabin Fever - (#157)

Time to complete - aprox. 2 weeks

Here is a close-up of the cable pattern -----I also finisihed some fingerless arm warmers for my sister

Pattern - Whitewater Wristwarmers (originally offered in Mag Knits, now available in Ravelry for free.)
Needles - U.S. size 1 Addi Turbo circulars.
Yarn - Oops, can't find the label without tearing the house apart. I do know that it is part Alpaca and part silk!!
The yarn (whatever it is!) was very nice to work with. The pattern knit up quickly and yet was challenging enough not to be boring. Using stitch markers really helped to keep track of the pattern repeats. I would do this pattern again probably for myself or as another gift.

Flashing some FO's

2008-12-29T15:04:00.000-08:00

One of the things that I love about Christmas decorating, is re-discovering all the things that I have made over the years to decorate the house.

Patchwork cross stitch pillow designed by Homespun Elegance .
I made two of these Santa dolls and gave one to my mom.....
The body was sewn together, stuffed, then painted. It was a very fun project and I think I was smiling the whole time that I was working on Santa.
I feel spoiled with some of the gifts that I got for Christmas, one of which was a gift certificate for the LYS. My mother spoiled me with this loveley project basket by Lantern Moon...

The fabric right above the basket is a light rust and black colored silk. The top part of the bag for the drawstring is black velvet, and it is lined with black velvet.
My mom and sis contributed to my collections of sheep ....

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T15:34:00.000-08:00

I am working furiously on finishing some gift knitting, in between the job and Christmas baking.
I will have pics of latest knitting after they have been mailed off to the recipients, hopefully before New Year's Day.
Just a heads up to look for my pattern for the Fake Isle Mitts. I am fine-tuning the pattern, then I need to convert it to a PDF file. I hope to have this done wtihin the next week. I haven't decided if I am going to post it only on Ravelry as a free pattern. If I can get my act together, I will probably post it on this site as well.
I am looking forward to when the Christmas rush is over and I can finish some projects for myself, start some on my "to do" list, and do some more spinning!! Tomorrow I plan on fully enjoying the day with my family and eating good food. When we aren't eating or opening gifts, I hope my youngest will entertain us with his guitar playing and singing songs that he has written!

Merry Christmas

Christmas Push

2008-12-14T11:05:00.000-08:00

There is less than two weeks until Christmas, and life is crazy for everyone. I had prospects for a 4 day weekend that was crammed with things to do. On Thursday I went out of town with my youngest son for an orthodontic appt. for him and a day of Christmas shopping. We accomplished quite a bit of shopping, and I think I am about done. While we were shopping, I found a few cute things to add to my Christmas decorations.
I love vintage ornaments/decorations, santas, and snowmen.

On Friday I had hopes of getting alot of baking and wrapping done, but ended up getting called in to work for 5 hours. After work I went home and rushed around to get ready for a Christmas party. I made it to the party and had a great time with friends from work.

Saturday was spent baking and doing laundry.

Martha Stewart boxes for goodies......

Then Saturday evening my son had a performance - a Madrigal Dinner that the high school Madrigal students put on every year. The food was catered by a local restaurant, and the students served and entertained. What fun!

Now I'm off to wrap presents and do more cleaning!! Yippee!!

My Dyeing Experiment

2008-12-06T11:06:00.000-08:00

I decided to try my hand at dyeing to practice what I had learned at the class that I took on 11-1-08.

Step 1 - winding the yarn around 2 kitchen chairs so that my repeats will be spread out over the yarn.

Step 2: I gathered the dyes, selected the colors that I wanted and got my crock pot ready. I put the yarn in the crock pot with the water already in it and turned it on high, letting the water get hot (but not boiling) and waiting for the yarn to "bloom". (sorry, no pic of that step). I waited longer than I remember the instructor telling us to wait and the yarn didn't seem to bloom as much as it did in class....so I finally just went to the next step. Did I mention that I was trying to recall all the steps from memory - since I couldn't find my notes from the class??

Step 3: Adding the color to the yarn that is in the crock pot........

the I put the lid on and set the timer..........and waited for the dye to be "exhausted"........then I checked it, and set the timer again and waited........

Do you see all the green dye that is in the water and not being taken up by the yarn??? It finally dawned on me that I hadn't added one of the most crucial elements to the water before I added the yarn - the vinegar!!! I think that is why all the green and brown dye stayed in the water? I waited soo long for the dye to be exhausted that the water ended up coming to a boil. I know you are all gasping with shock and dismay! But no, my yarn didn't felt, it is still soft and............

Not exactly the color that I was hoping for. I am not unhappy with this color though, it is kind of a mauve-ish pink. There are a few darker spots of pink here and there that must be where the dye didn't get mixed very well before I added it to the dye pot. I like the darker spots of color, they add character to the yarn. Now I just have to decide what to do with the yarn.

Yarn used - Dolce by Cascade Yarns. It is Alpaca, wool and silk. 50 gr. hank

Dyes - Wilton's Food dyes - color Juniper Green, Violet, Brown and Burgundy.

As for the knitting this week, I made one fingerless mitten, and started on #2 last night.

I am using the Potluck Wool Mittenettes pattern (it is free on Ravelry). The yarn is Baby Alpaca Brush and Perle. The little specks in the yarn are beads that are on one strand of the Perle yarn. I am holding one strand of each yarn together to knit the mitts. I hope to get the other mitt done this weekend. The mornings are getting cold here and I need something to keep them warm!

Christmas Gifts, and De-Stashing

2008-11-29T09:03:00.000-08:00

One more Christmas gift done! I had been wanting to make a hat for my oldest son - specifically the Swell hat. I tried about 3 different yarns, and at least that many different needle sizes and still couldn't get gauge. Sooo.... I ended up just making a ribbed hat (my husband talked me out of making one with a cable design - oh well).

Specs: Yarn used: Cleckheaton Country Naturals 8 ply, color #1825. One 50 gm. ball (with about12" of yarn leftover!!)

Needles: Brittany U.S. size 7 DPNs

Pattern: Basic hat pattern.

Since I finsished the Lenore socks, I had to get another pair of socks on the needles (no matter that I already have several projects on the needles). So I went through my patterns and found the Celtic Braid Socks pattern (# 157 in the Cabin Fever catalogue). It is one of the first sock patterns that I bought when I started knitting, and certainly one of the first cable patterns that I purchased. I do so love cables!!! The yarn I am useing is Lana Grossa - Melenweit Cotton stretch, color #8004 ( a de-stash yarn, she has been sitting around waiting for me to notice her for about a year). This yarn has a very nice hand, and the color is beautiful. What a change from the dark color of Lenore!

Once I got the hang of the cable pattern, things have started really progressing.

Close-up of cable pattern.....

I am trying not to stress out this year and make everyone handmade gifts, so I don't really have anymore plans right now to knit anything else for Christmas. Of course that could change at a moments notice, especially since I haven't bought anything for my sister for Christmas yet. It is so nice making things for my family, they really appreciate handmade things. I think they know how much love I put into it.

Well, the needles are calling for my attention. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Flashing my FOs

2008-11-22T10:43:00.000-08:00

I have been back home from Texas for a week, and finally have a moment to "flash my FOs".

The day before I flew to Texas, I took a class in crock pot dyeing. I didn't have the colors available that I really wanted, so my first attempt doesn't look exactly as I had imagined. But isn't that the way with so many things when we are first learning? I know my first few knitting projects didn't turn out how I had hoped.

The green is too much on the "kelly" side, so I tried over dyeing it with brown. That muted it some. Since I did this, I have gone shopping for other dye colors and have about 10 now. I am looking forward to having a morning to play with yarn and dyes.

I also finished the Lenore socks.......

Sorry about how dark the picture is, but black is hard to photograph.

While I was visiting my mom and sister, I enjoyed visiting with my sister's cat, Pandora. Pandora is gorgeous (as you can see in the picture below) and her fur is very soft...and luscious... and a very soft creamy color.

The more I thought about it, how she gets combed every single day and how that beautiful fur was just being tossed into the trash can, an idea began forming in my head. Now the fur is being placed into a bag, and when at least 4 oz. has been gathered, it will be shipped to me and hopefully spun into some gorgeous yarn and knit into a lacy scarf to give back to my sister to enjoy for years to come!!
The biggest accomplishment for me during my 2 weeks in Texas, was designing a pair of fingerless mitts. The design is actually based on 2 different patterns. I have e-mailed both of the other designers who have given me permission to offer the pattern for free on the Internet. I have a friend who is willing to proof read the instructions for me. When she is done, I will be posting the pattern here and on Ravelry. I have also had a few ideas for sock designs rattling around in my head. Who knows where this will lead me?

Vacation Post

2008-11-07T06:55:00.000-08:00

I am currently in Texas visiting and helping out my sister and mom (mom recently had a knee replacement and had a few complications).
Flying on a plane is a great time to do knitting. You can sit and knit and not feel guilty! I have finished one of the Lenore socks, and would have finished the second sock, but have been sidetracked on other projects. Since I have been here (in between cooking, cleaning and playing chauffeur), I have worked on:
1. The Lenore socks
2. A present for my sister for her birthday in December
3. Adapting a fair isle hat pattern to fingerless mitts

As soon as I finish working out the bugs on the pattern for the fingerless mitts, and get the OK from the original pattern designers, I hope to offer the pattern for free either on my blog or on Ravelry, or both. So stay tuned!!

The day before I flew to Texas, I took a yarn dyeing class. We dyed the yarn in the crock pot using Wilton food dye. I wasn't especially happy with the way that my yarn turned out - I was hoping for more muted colors instead of a bright Kelly green. Since then I have bought more dye colors and more yarn and hope to possibly do some experimenting in the next week. Please look for more pics in about 1-11/2 weeks.