Day 12 ~ Close Up

Here is my mohair hand spun on my Thurmaston Suitcase Spinning Wheel and then I hand knit this shawl. I made it this summer as part of the Ravelry Ravellenic Games which is a fun competition associated with watching the Summer Olympics. It is now ready for it's close up...

Day 10 ~ Something I Made

I have many things that can compete here. I chose this yarn that I spun as it's such a lovely colour.

What I did Yesterday...

I regularly get the LBY Studio blog from the Lion Brand Yarn Studio. This wee project caught my eye on Tuesday and appealed to me in many ways. It's about memories and I have a lot of them relating to knitting. My mother taught me to knit when I was six years old. She also owned a fiber retail business called By Hand in Philadelphia, PA when I was in my teens. I spent many an hour either knitting samples from our new yarns or helping our knitting customers to be more successful with their projects. The memories of being taught to knit and the various projects I worked on over the years is a very long thread of my life. When I was in England two years ago, I was working on a pair of kilt hose for my Da whilst riding the train down from London. A wee lassie watched me for awhile and then asked me what I was doing and how long I had been doing it. I thought about her questions and realized that I had been knitting at that point, for fifty years!

I also am enjoying passing those memories on to the next generation as I have taught both my daughter, Erin and my niece, Mimi to knit. I think both of them will far surpass my skills in the end. After all, Erin has become an extraordinary independent yarn dyer with her own business called The Asylum for Wayward Yarn and Mimi has just finished up a lace shawl project called Evenstar that also included 3000 beads.

So, onto this project. I grabbed some of Erin's hand dyed yarn that was leftover from a hat I knitted for my dear old friend, Rocky. I just cast on 15 stitches and did 4 rows of seed stitch and then 4 inches of stocking stitch and 4 more rows of seed stitch. After casting off, I folded the fabric in half and crocheted the seams and then the loop. Wallah!

There will be a meet and greet for this project at the studio in NYC in May, which sadly, I will not be able to attend. After that, the wee bags and their stories will go to the Wales National Wool Museum for an exhibit during the summer. I, of course will not be able to visit the museum while the exhibit is there, but the thought of my bag being part of it makes me smile. Hopefully I can convince Erin and Guy to make a run to Wales and see it for themselves.

Tour de Fleece 2010

Every year fellow Ravelers do various projects for the Tour de Fleece. The goal is to spin every day during the Tour de France bicycle race. We get to rest on the rider's rest days and spin more or challenge ourselves on the hard mountain days.

I have been spinning everyday and my challenge has been to learn to be a better spinner and also to get better at plying my resultant singles. I am practicing chain plying, which is also called Navajo plying and also double plying with more balance to the twist.

This is the result of spinning a henna hand dyed Corridale and a natural coloured Corri and then plying them together. This yarn is called Fort Yellowstone in honour of the natural single being spun at Fort Lupton, CO during Heritage Days and the dyed single being spun at the Yellowstone Highland Games in Billings, MT.

This is a Corridale sheep in Natural. This other one is a Blue Face.

More shall be revealed. I am waiting on a chain plied dyed Blue Face Leicester to dry as well as some custom dyed pink merino.

#99 of 365 - Big Shawl to Be

So, yesterday I frogged a shawl that wasn't growing to my satisfaction. It was a simple triangle in Stocking Stitch, made be increasing at the beginning and end of every row, but I could see that it would be dragging the floor before it was a wide as I wanted it to be. I had been more and more getting to the point of decision, press on or frog. Frogging won, sigh! No pictures of what it looked like as I neglected that part. Oh well.

After my daily perusal of the blogs I read on a regular basis, I discovered the Mini Weaver's shawl on my friend, Judy's most recent blog post. I cast on for the new one yesterday. Here was the beginning of it as of last night.



Here I am as of today.

It's all scraps and skeins of these two yarns with some mystery yarns thrown in. The two yarns are Reynold's Lopi and Brown Sheep's LambSpun. They are blending together quite nicely. The weight and the shape of this shawl will make me very happy next winter.

This is a replacement big warm shawl for me, as Erin is taking the fringed triangle shawl (which is currently living with Rebecca) with her when she moves to England. It was made from the remainders of some Manos from projects of my dear departed Mum and therefore is sort of a family heirloom now.

#76 of 365 - We Was Pretty in Pink

Today I went to Rebecca's house to felt the comet bag I have been making for her. She has a top loader and I don't. Top loader are supposedly better for felting knitted items. Besides, I was letting her washer fill up with the lint, not mine, LOL... Actually, we put the item in a zippered pillow slip for the felting process. It surely contain a great quantity of the fluff inherent in the process, I must say. Here's a photo of me, seaming the bag prior to washing it. Hopefully Rebecca will read this and get a photo of the bag which is now pinned down to her carpet and drying.

As a general rule, knitted wool tends to reduce by 30 plus percent in length and about 10 plus percent in width. We got the 30 percent but not the 10, so Rebecca is going to cut off a section and make a clutch from the remainder as she wants a messenger bag not an over-night bag. Most of my felted experiments are by guess and by golly, but so far there has been only one fail in the felting department and that was a piece that just never felted to it's own company specifications.

Whilst we waited for the washer to do it's thing, Rebecca gave me a gift of her musical talent. Basically, my own private concert, how kewl is that?

Bleah, I have cropped this photo twice, but it still didn't take, so you get to see a corner of the shawl that Rebecca is borrowing from me. It's a basic bottom up triangle in garter stitch on large needles, done in 4-5 colourways of Manos de Uraguay yarn that was left over from some of my Mum's projects. It's post over on Facebook in the Garden of the Gods Album, if you want to see it and the one that Rebecca was wearing for that photo as well.

In reference to the title, again great minds think alike as both of us had pink on today.

#70 of 365 - Going Green

Going green isn't just for Saint Patrick's Day. I try to be as green as one can be.

I usually carry my own coffee cup, to quilt guild, church and stitch and bitch. It's funny that this picture doesn't show my green travel coffee cup, but I did have it with me, even so. I also recycle water bottles, either by refilling them from my Pur pitcher or as ice for my cooler in the summer (pop in the freezer with 1.5 inch of headroom for ice expansion). I also keep my own chopsticks (coloured green, even) to hand, in case of eating out at a Japanese or Chinese restaurant. No splinters for me...

I also use fabric shopping bags, many of which are recycled from other things. I have used jeans, UFO (unfinished objects) quilts and those give-away bags you get at certain events.

Tea bags and coffee grounds get used as dye for fabrics that need it or into the garden pots to amend the soil.

Tins and cans get made into containers for knitting stuff, scissors, pencils and such. Either painted or covered in fabric or poly-clay.




Sweaters can get unraveled, if not felted. The yarn is soaked and hung out to dry (TIC) to get the kinks out. If they are felted, they are cut up and made into various types of bags.

Still trying to figure out how to convince our complex get us at least one recycling station for papers and such.

#62 0f 365 - and Another One Done Redux

This post is about a number of things.

Among them are Deborah's finished Skully Blanky for
one of her grandsons. Kewl blanky and
very kewl granny that made it. If you look closely you will see the illusion skull and crossbones she borrowed from Ysolda Teague.





I also found the heavier weight yarn to make the kilt hose for my Da to wear with his kilt. He plans to wear the kilt and hose for the DD's wedding next fall. They will likely look something similar to these. I will do the foot part in a fingering weight and the cabled part in a sport weight to make them really comfy and so the cables stand out. I was ecstatic to find two blacks that matched in two different weights and that are both washable. Woot!

This shawl is done! but for the blocking that is. With all the yarns (5 different ones), including a cotton chenille, the drying process for this will take at least two days, so you'll have to wait for the finished picture. Again, this is a 198 Yards of Heaven. This one done on big needles and I made some changes to the last lace section, because I could, LOL.

#58 of 365 - Guardian Angel, thy Name is Stephanie2

I really hate going to the PO, well, I really hate doing business at the USPS. So to avoid a meltdown on my part, I use a contract PO branch inside one of the local Christian Book Stores. In this town, you can't swing a cat without hitting one of these stores, mind you. Though, they don't all have mailing facilities. This is me, mailing off an IME book and some Asylum yarn. That is Stephanie 2 (there are two Stephanies that work there) helping me out. She makes the chore of sending out stuff such a pleasure. She has the patience to put up with making up the postage in stamps instead of a sticker as the IME folks like to collect the stamps as art supplies or to add to the art in the books. Thanks dear one.

#41 of 365 - What You Do, When...

If you knit like I do, occasionally you'll want to wind some yarn without aid of tools. I am dog sitting in Broomfield this week and therefore don't have my tools of a ball winder and swift, nor do I have a willing pair of hands. Here's the solution. Either use your feet or use your knee. You can also use the back of a chair, but there is not an appropriate style in the TV room of this house.



If you do either of these, you can end up with one of these. This is some hand-dyed handspun, that my new friend Rachel was de-stashing last weekend. I thought that they would work well together as a shawlette. It is styled on the Multnomah. More shall be revealed... This is likely going for Miz Jenna's birthday giftie in May.

#35 of 365 - How I Spent Some of My Day

This morning, I talked Erin into going to the Denver Sew Expo at the Merchanise Mart in Denver, obviously. It's a sewing expo that runs for 3 days in February every year. We were going to pass by it today on the way to delivering me to Sheila's house in anticipation of dog sitting in Broomfield for the next week and we had the time to check it out, so we did.



We ran into Katte whilst we were there. We also saw Barb, Marlene and Betty, old dear quilting friends from Denver and Boulder. We checked out the vendors and spent a lot of time in Cheryl Oberle's booth petting yarn and checking out the shawls. We got to see her latest shawlette just of the needles and we all love it. I can't wait til the pattern is available. Besides Cheryl's yarns and books, the only thing that really interested me was the banana fiber yarn, lovely colours with an interesting texture. Erin was not so fond of the texture, but I was okay with it.



...and yes, I am wearing Ishbel again. I even gave lessons to other patrons on how I wear it...

Now I am at Sheila's, knitting and visiting whilst waiting to go to the Wiseharts for the supper and then on to the house of dogs across the way...



Sheila sez Hey Rebecca!

# 32 of 365 - The Ties that Bind was Really Lame

This is me at the Lamb Shoppe SnB, showing Anita the sock yarn that Erin dyed specially for me. The colourway is called Bellatrix 1.0 and the stocking pattern is called Bellatrix too..

#31 of 365 SnB and Burns Supper

Yesterday was a fun filled day as we started of with a free bagel and schmear from Einsteins'. We then went on to celebrated 3 birthdays at the Lamb Shoppe's Saturday afternoon Stitch In. Happiest of Days to Sheila, Molli and Betty-Anne.





I really want to make one of the shawls that Sheila is wearing in the picture. Anita got the yarn, which is a Summer Sunrise dyed silk and wool, to make one as well, whilst we were there. I picked up the black sock yarn to knit my Da's kilt hose and Erin scored some gorgeous merino/silk in greyish tones. Nummy!

After knitting, Erin and I headed to Chez Blair in Littleton for our 2nd Annual Burns Supper. Torin did a bang up job of reciting the Ode and a lovely time was had by all.

#15 of 365 - She's Alive (Sorta)

Recovered, sorta. Had a bunch of errands to run today that somehow all involved yarn... Gee, I wonder why that is?




And now a word from the Mav Crafter, thanks Margi!

ConKerr Cancer - Calling all Quilters!

Pillowcase Donations for ConKerr Cancer


The mission statement: "ConKerr Cancer is blessed with a simple, clear mission To make life brighter for children with life changing illnesses and injuries."

If you can, please make a pillowcase and send to them or get a group, your guild, your sewing/knitting/quilting buddies together and make a bunch of pillowcases to make a young ones life a little easier with a smile!

And check out the "Hotdog Method" for constructing a pillowcase! How fun is that!

My Favourite Heel - #7 of 365

I only learned to knit socks two winters ago or rather I finally learned to turn heels then. Here is my foot in the heel turn I use the most. It's from the Bellatrix Stocking which I will eventually knit a pair of. I keep starting the Bellatrix and then I frog what I started as I decide I want the yarn I chose for something else... I really just want a pair of black stockings in this pattern. I am thinking of using a kettle dyed black yarn (kettle dyed has subtle variegation due to the dying process) to get the effect I see in my head.

I finished the first shawl for the 10 in 2010 challenge. It's blocking now.

It's Mine, All Mine, I Tell You!

The skein is about 115 yards of worsted/bulky 2 ply is a supersoft squishy merino in the “California Poppy” colorway. Dyed by Girl on the Rocks and spun by Kiriko Moth!

I won it! How cool is that? I never win anything, but isn't that what everyone say? Thanks to Karrie of Girl on the Rocks, the dyer and Kiriko Moth the spinner. I really appreciate it. I shall make something kewl from it and share it here when finished. Thanks again so very much.

Creative Every Day - Dragonfly Socks

Here's today's Creative Every Day effort. It is a pair of pages in a 3.5 x 5.5 inch Moleskine Notebook from the E=Mc2 IME Group on Ravelry. This book is part of the Moleskine Round Robin, which I have blogged about before. This particular book is from the second group. This is the same group that I did the Ravens and Roses themed 5 x 8 inch book for. (See post of 01/22/09 for a look see at that book)

This page says "Dream Bigger" and the "R" of Bigger goes off of the page. It is collaged from torn bits of scrapbooking papers. I made a ribbon page marker with a fob from a recycled bob of plastic that some stickers came on. I am trying to be a greener crafter and repurpose things. I stitched plastic letters of the book owner's name inside the plastic sleeve and attached it to the ribbon with an initialed brad (This part is missing from the picture as the book owner doesn't need to know what I have been up to: wink, wink). I used stickers for the lettering. I also sketched and used altered bits of stuff on the two prior pages.












Here is a picture of one of the latest pair of Dragonfly Socks. This pair were knit on Size 2 Brittany DPNs from a Cherry Tree Hill Sock yarn in the Blue/Green Colourway. I got two little bits of pooling from the knitting of the heel flap, not enough to bug me though, for which I am very glad.

The previous pair of Dragonflies(the purple/green stripey ones) were knit on 4s. I definitely like the smaller needle size in terms of the fit of the socks but hated them for the fact that I broke two of them just knitting along on this pair. Never mind, that they all look like smiles from bending as I knit.

What happens when knitting fast with wooden needles also known as How to Put a Smile on Your Wooden Needles? Apply Heat and Humidity from my hands.

These needles are only a week old. There really is no excuse for the breakage, in my opinion. They are made of birch wood and have a lifetime guarantee, so it's no big really. Except, the LYS doesn't have any of this size in stock at the mo. Yes, I know there are metal needles, but they fatigue my hands faster than anything and I like to knit for long stretches, sigh.

Yarny Goodness

Hey you all, go check this out: http://yarnexhibitionist.blogspot.com/2009/02/blogger-prize.html . It's a contest to win a skein of handspun yarn. I have no affliation, just thought it was too pretty not to share.

I am in love with this yarn. I might not have picked it out, ordinarily. For some reason it is very appealing to me. Maybe, because it is so Springy and I am so very tired of Winter?


The skein is about 115 yards of worsted/bulky 2 ply is a supersoft squishy merino in the “California Poppy” colorway. Dyed by Girl on the Rocks and spun by Kiriko Moth!

MeMe about Me

So, my friend, Lini, the Essex Hooker challenged us to do this MeMe. It's pictorial, so here are the pictures of the 10 things about Me.

1) Something I use daily. French Coffee Press
2) A view from a window of my house.
3) My favourite colour. Sleeve of an Olivey Green Shrug
4) My mode of transport. My Pick Up if I can't get a Limo, LOL
5) My Yarn (felt, paint etc) stash.
6) My bad habit! Cigarettes
7) My extravagance. Books
8) My breakfast. Coffee
9) My pets. Pan
10) One word to describe me. Eccentric

So, Now it is Your Turn. Copy the Questions and Post Them to Your Blog...

Dragonfly KAL and Read Along

I cast on the Dragonfly Socks for the Ravelry Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon Read Along and Dragonfly Sock Knit Along. Here is the cuff of the first one.

Of course I never do things exactly to the pattern, as I only did two rows of the 2x2 rib at the top of the sock. I wanted the scallop effect of the yarn overs and K2togs to be apparent at the top. These are going really fast, by the way, even if I am using a sock weight super wash yarn from Cascade. I got the yarn at Shuttles in Boulder about a year ago and I am knitting them on Size 4 DPNs.

Edited later in the Day:

So have you ever had one of those moments when it all comes together and you think to yourself, DOH? Well, I had one of them today. I have been unhappy with my left side decreases on the gussets of socks since I learned how to turn a heel last winter. I missed the lesson on decreasing, apparently. As I have said, above I am making these Dragonfly Socks which required both a right and left leaning decrease in the pattern on the leg of the sock and down the foot. To make the left leaning decrease, you slip a stitch knitwise onto your right needle, then knit the next stitch and leave it on the right needle and then bring the slipped stitch back over the stitch you just knitted (right leaning is Knit Two Stitches Together or K2tog). Pretty simple, right? Well, it dawned on me TODAY, that I could decrease for the gusset with Slip, Knit, Pass Slip Stitch Over and it would lay beautifully and match the decreases on the right side gusset and it does. DOH!

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

I am also knitting a drawstring bag out of some Lamb's Spun in the same colours, that I bought at Knitter's Kove here in Colorado Springs to go with these socks. It will be knitted then felted into the shape of a thistle. I have posted a picture of the green blob to start. I am knitting it on size 15 needles and it's getting BIG. As you may be aware, tho, felted knitting shrinks about 30% in length and about 10% in width, so it's going to seem monsterously big until it's shrunk.