August Turns to September

I always forget how fast August goes by.  I have a job that has summers off and usually by the first week of August we are preparing for the new year.  I succumbed to startitis last weekend and cast on a Quaker Stretcher Scarf/Shaw.  I am knitting with handspun Finn that I dyed with some Black Cherry Kool-Aid.

What little time I have had to knit last month went to this project.  This is a blanket for my new grandniece that was born last week.  Her grandmother sent me pictures today and she is growing so much already.  It was awesome to see my brother hold his granddaughter.  This is the Baby Chalice Blanket and I used Berroco Vintage yarn.

The Spin of Things

I have a wonderful job with wonderful coworkers here in the town where we live.  I work in food service at in the district.  This week it is back to work for us. We had training on Tuesday, staff meeting and opening kitchens on Wednesday and today was just getting minor details accomplished before school starts next Tuesday.

The last two summers I thought I would have all this time to get lots of spinning accomplished.  SO NOT TRUE!!!  I really have good intentions but I just don't seem to produce the amount of yarn I want to produce each summer.  The above skein is the whole of what I did in July, just one skein of yarn.  I admit that it is beautiful but it just doesn't seem like much for a whole month.  It is FatCatKnits November Mythology in Arachne on a Panda Blend.

This was the last yarn that I completed in June.  It sat on my niddy noddy for most of July.  I just finally got around to washing it last week. It is Finn that I dyed with some Black Cherry Kool-Aid.

I did get a chance to spin the other day while the kids were swimming.  I just stayed at the top of the stairs and spun while they swam.  I am spinning Frabjous Fiber BFL in Spilled Ink.  It is such a pretty color and I would love to spin it in a silk blend one day.

Very Bright Socks

I finished my Neon Rainbow Socks.  I have decided that I tend to just knit boring k3p1 socks.  I think that I am okay with that.  They fit my feet well and they are easy to remember how to do them.   This yarn is from Desert Vista Dyeworks and her yarns are some of my favorites.

Here again is a k3p1 sock.  I am using Knit One Crochet 2 yarn.  I think this is the Tropicale color. I am using size 0 Hiya Hiya sharps and knitting magic loop.

Awesome Overload

Don't you just love projects that you think are AWESOME.  I think these two fit the bill for me.

This Baby Tea Leaves is being knit for my great niece.  I am using Urban Gypz handspun in Little Lainey.  I am a little worried that I am going to run out of yarn but I am still going.

These are my plain 3/1 rib socks that I just tend to keep knitting.  I seem to only like to knit plain socks anymore.  I am not super fond of lacy socks since I think it defeats the purpose of having socks if there are tons of holes in them.  This yarn is Desert Vista Dyeworks (which I love) in Neon Spring and I am using a 40 inch size 0 Hiya Hiya sharp to magic loop them.

Tour de Fleece aka Tour de FAIL

I had great plans for Tour de Fleece to spin all of this.  I am not doing so well.

As of this morning this is all I had spun so far.  I have since finished this bobbin and started the other braid that was with it.  It is the middle braid in the first picture.  At this rate I might get two braids done is all.

Hat and Socks

I finished a hat out of some handspun last week.  It is Dyewishous merino and the pattern is the Simple Slouchy hat that I have now knit six times and will still probably knit again because I enjoy it so much.

I usually only have one pair of socks on the needles at any one given time but I was wanting something cheery to spin one day and cast on the striping pair.  (Yes, I know I had cast that yarn on once before but it had an unfortunate demise in the project it was being knit into.)  The pair on the left is the Vanilla Latte socks in the K-State colorway of Kaleidoscope Yarns.  The pair on the right is my boring 3/1 ribbing in Desert Vista Dyeworks Neon Spring.  Both pairs are being knit on size 0 Hiya Hiya Sharps.

Handspun Makes Me Happy

Hello Yarn Evaporate Targhee,  loved spinning this.

Wild Ivy Genie in a Bottle Panda,  it turned out amazing.

Woolgathering January 2012 Choose Your Fiber Polwarth/Silk, destined to be stranded mittens.

Waxing Poetic

Sometimes the arts of spinning and knitting can be cruel.  Yarn doesn't turn out the way we want or gauge lies to us and stabs us in the back.  I would have to say that I am probably asking for a big tush whooping from the knitting and spinning spirits.  I am in love with my projects right now and they are AWESOME!!!!!!

This is some Panda blend that I am plying right now and it is so pretty.  It looks to be really even and I am excited to knit with it.

How can you not be happy with a project when it looks like this.  Such happy and pretty colors make my little heart sing.

They Are DONE!!!!!

I finished those socks that were preventing me from starting the Neon Spring Socks.  They are on the needles already but haven't taken a picture yet.  I finished them on Monday.

Some Finn wool that I dyed with some Kool-Aid last week.  I am really looking forward to spinning this.

Motivation to Finish

I really hoped to finish knitting these socks this past weekend, but it didn't quite happen.  I am on the last repeat with a toe to go, so I did make quite a bit of progress from this picture that was taken on Saturday.

I really want to cast on this yarn for a bright pair of socks so I think I will ball it up and put it in front of me as motivation to finish the others up.

Handspun Projects

I love knitting with handspun yarn.

ZuZu's Petals in Wild Ivy Vintage Merino

Just Knit It in Wild Ivy Stolen Moments superwash merino

It Kind of Spun Itself

This is Hello Yarn Evaporate Targhee that was a Yarn School color in Fall of 2010.  I purchased this from a friend who is moving away soon.  This is the half that I have not started spinning yet.

I started spinning this fiber before I left for work this morning.

This is how much I have left of the first two ounces.

This is the current bobbin shot with just that little bit left to go on the first bobbin and before I start the second one.


I have two other braids of Hello Yarn fiber, but now I wondering do I save them until I have a project in mind or do I just spin them because they are AWESOME.

Kiss Knitting Monogamy Goodbye

At least for a little while.  I couldn't resist any longer and cast on a Chickadee Cowl with some handspun.  I have only been working on it since I started but I reserve the right to work on my socks if the mood strikes me.

Saturday Socks and the Darkside

I finished these socks last weekend.  They are Charade Socks in Two Windows Dye Co.  Knitty Bitty sock.  
I used size 0 Hiya Hiya Sharps on a 40 inch circular.

These I finished before I started the previous pair. I just sort of made up a pattern for these and I used Lollipop self striping.  I used a size 1 Chiagoo 40 inch circular.

This is my current sock in progress.  I am using Araucania Huasco on a size 0 Hiya Hiya Sharp 40 inch needle.  The pattern is called Bowties are Cool.  I am not following it exactly I changed the heel flap since I am not a big fan of the garter stitch edges on the one the pattern called for.

I am going to admit that I used to think using Magic Loop was like going to dark side in Star Wars.  I was old school double point needles all the way.  I dabbled in two circulars some but I always preferred the double points, but one day I lost one of my needles somewhere so I decided to try Magic Loop.  I have gone to the dark side all the way.  All three of these pairs of socks were knitted Magic Loop.  

Spinning

I have been knitting quite a bit but haven't taken pictures of my projects but I have taken some of my recent spinning.  This is Wild Ivy BFL in Popsicles on Asphalt.  I made that name up for it.  It is around 280 yards of navajo plied fingering to sport weight.

This is the first bobbin of my Greek Mythology Persephone.  It is Polwarth/Silk and this one is called Despair.

This is Wild Ivy Merino in Spain.  I am still spinning this and I am planning to navajo ply it.

Three FO's on Friday

Hitchhiker

Forest Canopy Shawl

Nola Cloche

Project monogamy has been good for me.  I seem to finish the projects I start and I am always excited to start a new one.  I have a hard time deciding what to knit next as I want it to be a GOOD project since it will be the only one I am knitting at that time.  I have another one started that will be for the next post.

Crochet, Spinning, and Hitchhiking

I got on a crochet kick and crocheted seven new dishcloths.

I finished spinning the Eye of Jupiter corriedale.  I got about 172 yards.  It is a worsted weight that is very squishy.

I finally decided to knit a Hitchhiker.  I have been contemplating this for a very long time for some reason.  I have a feeling I will be buying patterns this year instead of yarn.  I really want to use up the yarn that I have. I do tend to pick free patterns but if I find one I really like I will make it from stash.  The stitch marker is where I started yesterday.

I moved the stitch marker to where I started today.  I am curious how far I can get today.

A Little Spinning

I am way behind on my spinning this year.  I have lots I want to spin but can't seem to get the motivation to spin more.  This is deep stash (yea Me), Woolen St. Mill Eye of Jupiter on corriedale.  It was in three separate pieces and I turned each one of them into 18 rolags.  I am spinning them supported long draw and I plan to navajo ply it.

Here is the bobbin shot.  I am thinking either a crazy hat or a pair of mitts of some sort.

This is my most recent finished yarn, 406 yards of superwash merino by Wild Ivy the color was Stolen Moments.  This was spun straight from the braid and navajo plied.  I am looking forward to knitting it soon.

Project Monogamy....Kinda

The sweater is in the penalty box because I have to reknit the sleeves because they were too long. 

 I knit and gave away this baby blanket for my great niece.  It is the Little Bubbles pattern.  I think it was well received.  I failed to take a picture of the completed blanket.  I knit on this exclusively until it was finished (at least at home that is where the kinda comes in).

I had actually started this shawl before the baby blanket but I decided to knit a blanket since my original plan didn't work out.  I picked this back up and this will be my at home project until it is finished.  I am using handspun Dark BFL in Gumball from Gale's Art.  

Spinning on a Saturday

I finished Frog and Carp and got around 409 yards of a two ply fingering weight.  I am not sure what this is going to become just yet.  I find that the longer I am spinning the less attached I get to my handspun.  Maybe it will be a gift for someone.

This is my current spinning project.  This is Wild Ivy Superwash Merino in Stolen Kisses.  I have plans to navajo ply this and make a kick sack for my great niece that is due in March.