Tag: fiber

Solid Gold Sunday

Posted on Posted in fiber love, field trips, toolsTagged , , , , 17 Comments

Yesterday I got really excited about dyeing my Cotswold with turmeric, and I did it. I followed these instructions. It was simple and I love the color. It is still a little damp. I made a mistake by dyeing it at first while still twisted in a loose hank, so I untwisted and dyed it again, resulting in the beautiful gradient. So be like me and make a mistake and love the outcome. I don’t think I would like it as well if it were all the same color.

The dyeing process blew out the lanolin so I ordered some and I’m going to give it another rinse with lanolin. I had someone tell me recently that you don’t want lanolin left in your wool. Well, maybe they don’t. But I sure do. Especially in the Cotswold which got toothier after dyeing. The lanolin makes it softer and also moisture repellent. Why wouldn’t I want that?

With only 10 minutes to spare and my hands still yellow and smelling of turmeric, I rushed to the COWFG meeting. I got lost and was 15 minutes late, but still enjoyed most of the presentation by the owners of Oak Knoll Farm.

I knit on my Weekender and listened to wonderful stories about a sheep named Charlotte who goes into a trance when she gets sheared, and another one who wags its tail and follows you around like a puppy. Yes, I now want a hobby sheep farm when I retire. I want protective dogs and sweet Shetlands.

I purchased some of their fiber. You know they love their sheep when they include their photos on the product.

I also purchased this.

Do you know what this is? I’ll bet HighlandHeffalump does. I am going to take a class today and then I will share with you all about the mystery of this beautiful tool.

Random Thankfulness: Today I am thankful for our immigrant and refugee communities who bring their amazing food to our area, like baby bananas.

Lavender

Posted on Posted in art, finished objects, knitting, life, Works in Progress (WIPs)Tagged , , , , , 5 Comments

Bob and I are on our way to a lavender festival, and I hope to blog tomorrow about all things lavender. Technically my cumulus blouse is lilac heather, but close enough.

I finished my felt piece for the Mother Artists at Work show next month. It’s all natural wool except for the blues. It’s mostly Romeldale-CVM and Shetland, and is called “Sunbleach”. It’s about 16X20. I hope it counts toward my Shave’Em to Save’em finished objects.

The caterpillars are eating my dill, but I don’t mind. Are these Monarchs?

Work has been very busy and I haven’t had time to blog or read blogs. I am trying to catch up.

Hi

Posted on Posted in art, finished objects, sewing, Works in Progress (WIPs)Tagged , , , , , 13 Comments

I finished my Farrow Dress.

It’s very frockish. Super comfy and cool in the linen. Maybe it will dress up a bit with some sandal clogs. (Yes I used “dress up” and “clogs” in the same sentence.)

It was a new method of making pockets for me. I’m calling it the “apron method.” There is another complete layer of fabric across the inside front from the seam down. Since this is a medium weight linen, it makes it a little heavy. It’s not a good pattern for French seams but I made it work.

Not bad. Do you like it?

I got a little work done on my art piece. Do you like it? I’m liking it. I guess the real question is how long will I do this before I go home and have a glass of wine?

Or should I bring the wine here and keep working?

This is my choice for selfie of the week.

(Edited: I replaced the gym selfie because I thought this one was more appropriate.)

Studio Sunday

Posted on Posted in art, design, fiber loveTagged , , , , 7 Comments

Bob and I had a lovely hike yesterday, and I got lucky with this photo, which I plan to make into a felt painting.

Today’s essay from Knitting Season Club is about losing yourself in the creative process. I don’t need any help with that as I am a daydreamer by nature, but she did share two songs from Alice Coltrane. How refreshing to be introduced to a female jazz great, and I now have a new favorite song which I am currently listening to on repeat as I swatch in the studio.

I have two design ideas for the Warm Hands competition. I am swatching for both today. One design is for Milarrochy Tweed, the other is for Ard Thir. These arm warmers were knit for me by my friend Marjorie (holla!) and they, along with this alpaca poncho from Bolivia, are my inspiration for one design.

The other is a spin off of a design I was already working on. I’m being careful not to put too much out there, because designs aren’t considered if they’ve already been made public.

And I got some new yarn this week!

This is Cabecou Lace in Sel Gris. I will knit Anne Hanson’s Dust Devils with it. This yarn smells really good, by the way. I had a hankering (get it?) to knit something lace this summer.

I’d better stop yapping and get swatching.

FibreShare and a Q&A

Posted on Posted in finished objects, hats, what makes me tickTagged , , , , , 5 Comments

I signed up for FibreShare! I’m suuuuuper excited about it because I’ve wanted to participate for a while now!

Karen posted a Q&A, my favorite!

Q. What item did you make that was a complete win? You loved making it, using it and got compliments on it.

A. I’m just going to say hats. I seem to do really well with hats in general.

Q. How about a project that was a half win? You either loved making it and didn’t use it or hated making it but loved using it.

A. I loved making my Magenta Le Smoking, but I don’t wear it. There is no shaping in the shoulders, and it is too small to really wear comfortably. I love the color. I’m still thinking about frogging it.

Q. Have you ever resurrected a UFO, finished it and loved it?

A. Just the Birds of Blendon hat.

Q. Is there a technique that you’ve used in the past that you’ll never do again? How about one that you avoided and ended up liking? Do you use the items?

A. I tend to avoid intarsia. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it either. I prefer knitting that has an intuitive rhythm to it. I haven’t knit intarsia in a long time. It was a sweater for my oldest son that had a star on the front. He really liked it. I guess I would knit intarsia again if there were a really good reason for it and I liked the finished product enough. But I think it’s clear that I’m more of a process knitter.

I need to get cracking on my Ohio Star Cowl. I skipped the last Knitting Season creative assignment, which consisted of knitting a stranded colorwork design in different colors, in favor of finishing up my Otter Ferry. I can see the point of the assignment, but my Knitting. Time. Is. So. Precious.

Do you prefer to spend your time knitting towards a finished object? Or are you happy to knit experimentally? Do you swatch a lot? Or just enough to get the gauge?

I’m in the latter category. What was it I said about being a process knitter? Maybe I am a product knitter, or a combination of both?

Practice Makes Perfect

Posted on Posted in design, fiber love, scarves and cowls, yarnTagged , , , , 3 Comments

Kate Davies posted a helpful article about getting started with your journal. Yesterday, I made my first marks in it.

Rudimentary, but a start. This is a 2 ounce cake of Better Breakfast DK in Poppyseed from Bare Naked Wools. I want to knit a cowl with it, and it’s my first design of the year. My ideas for this design are still pretty half baked, but getting a sketch done and a gauge swatch is helping me inch forward.

Yesterday felt like I was playing house, only playing knitting designer in my studio, because this was very much an exercise. And that’s why my word for 2019 will be “Practice.”

My next entries in my journal will include a list of knitting projects in my queue, and a completed color chart of the Birds of Blendon hat.

But today, today is for hiking!

Decisions, Decisions

Posted on Posted in hats, inspiration, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , 5 Comments

I am making progress on Kate Davies’ Goats of Inversnaid hat for Hans. I won’t have any trouble finishing it by Christmas if I stay on task.

I wasn’t sure if the Milarrochy Tweed yarn would work for the crisp design, but I kind of love it. I think it gives a more grown-up look to it. I’m also thinking about changing the hearts at the crown to a star, because Hans is 15. I don’t need to say anymore than that, right?

There are two knitting clubs I want to participate in for 2019, and I can’t make up my mind.

Kate Davies has an upcoming club that looks to be more design oriented, and includes an awesome journal.

Knitspot is offering the School of Wool where you learn about American sheep breeds and fibers, and you get undyed yarn to play with.

I want to do both. I can do both, right? Can I afford to do both? (Can I afford not to do both?)

Birds of Blendon Hat

Posted on Posted in hats, sweaters, yarnTagged , , , , , , , , , 6 Comments

I finished it!

I quite like it. It does remind me of that walk in the woods and the birds in the snow. I didn’t finish coloring in my chart, but never mind. The top is my favorite part.

I enjoyed knitting it so much I’ve decided to knit more stranded color work! I saw The Oa Hoodie on Ravelry and burst out, “I have to knit that!” When I stopped by my super local (around the corner) LYS 614 Knit to pick up some size 3 dpns for the crown of the hat, I fell in love with this yarn and it’s perfect for the pattern.

The purple will be the pop of color. I’ve never knit with Scout yarn before but it’s got a nice squish to it.

So another Kate Davies design in my queue and I haven’t even cast on the Carbeth yet. I guess I’m a fan!

Tools

Posted on Posted in toolsTagged , , , 1 Comment

I thought it might be fun to post something about favorite knitting tools. Here’s a list of my “can’t do withouts”.

My Swahili Modern Fair Trade knitting basket. It was handmade by Senegalese artisans from grasses and salvaged strips of plastic. It used to have a handle, but my cat chewed it off. It’s okay. I carry it around like a big present because that’s how I feel about it, and it has a lid to keep the cat out of the knitting. Did I mention it is the happiest shade of orange?

From left:

Haven Herbs Flying Trapeze Balm for my dry and chapped hands. (Disclaimer: I’m a worker-owner of Haven Herbs.) The comfrey and calendula is healing and the lavender is antimicrobial and smells wonderful. It’s also natural and non-greasy because you don’t want that on your knitting.

Small Decomposition Notebook to jot down where I am on projects or other important notes. I love that these are 100% post consumer recycled paper and the different illustrations make me smile. Right now I’m using Wild Garden.

Plymouth Yarn Company’s travel crochet hooks. I use these on the regular because I’m a crochet cast-on person. Also good for picking up dropped stitches. Each end is a different size so they are compact. (These are old and I don’t know where you can get them now.)

Goose Pond’s sheep needle sizer and gauge measure. Cuz it’s efficient with 2-in-1 uses and it’s cute! (Also old. I’ve been knitting a long time.)

What are your favorite tools in your knitting kit? Please leave a comment if you post on your blog!

I wasn’t paid or rewarded in any way to endorse any of these products, except for sharing my joy. I wouldn’t mind if you checked out Haven Herbs, but no pressure.

Bonus question: Do you have favorite needles? If so, what are they? Mine are Peace Fleece‘s straight wooden needles with the painted balls on the end.

I would love to try their new yarn, too!