And, I am thinking that I am liking it. I think I might try this very very soon....if only as a learning experience.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Core spinning?
I was perusing through Ravelry recently, and I came upon some core spun yarn like this one:
And, I am thinking that I am liking it. I think I might try this very very soon....if only as a learning experience.
And, I am thinking that I am liking it. I think I might try this very very soon....if only as a learning experience.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
3rd Glove curse
Apparently, I have been saddled with a curse -- 3rd glove syndrome -- whereby, I will *lose* one glove, and be forced to make another. This has hit me twice over now.
First, it was one of my Dashing Handwarmers that I lost on a train; I think it fell out of my pocket.
Luckily, I had more of the same yarn to make another.
Then, most recently, it was my Hand Thing-a-ma-bobs. A dear friend had given me a *single* skein of hand dyed merino worsted yarn from Spincycle (120 yards) as a gift.
It took me 113 yards to make the last pair (which was a gift). So, I knew I had more than enough to make a set for myself.
I had finished the 1st glove and had started the second. I knew that I should have left it at home because I was afraid I was going to lose it. However, I didn't listen to myself, and brought it to show a friend.
And, guess, what? 20 minutes later, it was no longer in my bag. I double checked to where I was earlier, checked lost & found, filed a report WITH lost & found, but I never got it back.
I *thought* I might have enough yardage to finish it, IF I made it a little bit shorter --- having it come to my knuckles versus the 1st joints on the fingers.
I managed to eek out just enough yardage. I had 5 INCHES left. Talk about heart pounding....
Lovely, aren't they? And, oh, so warm. I have made definite use of them.
First, it was one of my Dashing Handwarmers that I lost on a train; I think it fell out of my pocket.
Luckily, I had more of the same yarn to make another.
Then, most recently, it was my Hand Thing-a-ma-bobs. A dear friend had given me a *single* skein of hand dyed merino worsted yarn from Spincycle (120 yards) as a gift.
It took me 113 yards to make the last pair (which was a gift). So, I knew I had more than enough to make a set for myself.
I had finished the 1st glove and had started the second. I knew that I should have left it at home because I was afraid I was going to lose it. However, I didn't listen to myself, and brought it to show a friend.
And, guess, what? 20 minutes later, it was no longer in my bag. I double checked to where I was earlier, checked lost & found, filed a report WITH lost & found, but I never got it back.
I *thought* I might have enough yardage to finish it, IF I made it a little bit shorter --- having it come to my knuckles versus the 1st joints on the fingers.
I managed to eek out just enough yardage. I had 5 INCHES left. Talk about heart pounding....
Lovely, aren't they? And, oh, so warm. I have made definite use of them.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
FO: Travelling Mojo
During a recent trip, I managed to finish the last four charted rows of my shawlette, the Travelling Woman pattern (Ravelry link) using some KnitPicks Essential Kettle Dyed.
I also managed to get it blocked that day because the day was extremely warm, and only a hour outside saw it completely dry.
(The correct shade of red.)
It's thin, but warm, and is serving perfectly at work when the AC kicks into high gear.
(The incorrect shade of red due to lighting.)
AND, as it happens, it's the same *exact* shade of red as my REI fleece jacket and my fingerless mitts. I am nothing but consistent (or predictable....)
Overall, it was a relatively simple pattern to follow, and I *might* make more out of yarn from the stash. It only took 1.35 skeins (at about 311 yards), so it'd be good for left over yardage or low yardage from handspun.
I also managed to get it blocked that day because the day was extremely warm, and only a hour outside saw it completely dry.
(The correct shade of red.)
It's thin, but warm, and is serving perfectly at work when the AC kicks into high gear.
(The incorrect shade of red due to lighting.)
AND, as it happens, it's the same *exact* shade of red as my REI fleece jacket and my fingerless mitts. I am nothing but consistent (or predictable....)
Overall, it was a relatively simple pattern to follow, and I *might* make more out of yarn from the stash. It only took 1.35 skeins (at about 311 yards), so it'd be good for left over yardage or low yardage from handspun.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Knitting Handspun
Despite being in a spinning mode as of late, I have been knitting a little bit. Normally, I am a process spinner and don't really spin for projects. AND, I usually finish all of my roving/top/batt first, before I start knitting with it. However, before we went on a 4-hour trip, I had finished spinning/plying 2 ounces of a 4-oz corriedale hand-dyed roving. I had purchased it over at Stitches West from one of the dealers.
I wanted to start something "simple" that my poor addled brain could handle on the 4-hour drive up to Tahoe that didn't involve counting stitches (i.e. My Travelling Woman shawlette). So, I started a top-down stocking cap (my own design) that is all stockinette stitch.
I have to say, I *love* knitting with handspun. It was balanced, it was lofty, and oh-so-soft (despite some problems spinning it). It's got a few thick-thin spots, but most of it is pretty consistent, but I can see where it could have been improved. LOL
I managed to finish off the first skein of yarn in the middle of the trip. Luckily, I had brought another knitting project with me (along with 2 spindles), but I couldn't wait to get home to finish spinning up the rest of the roving.
When we got home from the trip, I had taken the day off from work, so I went ahead and spun/ply-ed/washed the second 2-ounces of the roving into about 151 yards, which should be enough to finish the stocking cap.
I wanted to start something "simple" that my poor addled brain could handle on the 4-hour drive up to Tahoe that didn't involve counting stitches (i.e. My Travelling Woman shawlette). So, I started a top-down stocking cap (my own design) that is all stockinette stitch.
I have to say, I *love* knitting with handspun. It was balanced, it was lofty, and oh-so-soft (despite some problems spinning it). It's got a few thick-thin spots, but most of it is pretty consistent, but I can see where it could have been improved. LOL
I managed to finish off the first skein of yarn in the middle of the trip. Luckily, I had brought another knitting project with me (along with 2 spindles), but I couldn't wait to get home to finish spinning up the rest of the roving.
When we got home from the trip, I had taken the day off from work, so I went ahead and spun/ply-ed/washed the second 2-ounces of the roving into about 151 yards, which should be enough to finish the stocking cap.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Spinner's Study: Low Twist Singles
I got this wonderful roving from the Morro Fleeceworks at the Retzlaff Winery Spinning Event.
And I very much wanted to spin it, because it looks so yummy! But, how?
I took 2 ounces of the roving, and spun it thin, intending to see how it'd look 2-ply (like my Targhee). I didn't like it. You couldn't really see the red & silver mixing together, although it was a bit more apparent in the 2-ply.
From experience I know that both Romney & the Alpaca have a long staple length. And the roving itself was pretty lustrous (characteristic of long staple length fibers -- see Fiber Information Below) and I wanted to maintain that luster. So, I thought that this might be a good candidate for a low-twist single, which I haven't spun before.
After consulting a few spinning books, I set up my Nona to have a low ratio with a fast uptake. And, after a few yards, I had something that I was extremely happy spinning.
I was so happy, in fact, that I managed to spin the rest of the 5 ounces of roving within two sittings. Then, the finished yarn was washed & fulled; dunked in both hot & cold water baths to help ensure a bit stability in the yarn.
I love the finished yarn. It's well-balanced, and is light & airy.
Now, the only question is...what to knit it into?!
Yarn Details:
Weight: Sport
Skein 1: 113 yards (52g)
Skein 2: 188 yards (94g)
Fiber Information:
Romney:
* wool type: long wool
* staple length 4-8 inches
* crimp: well defined
* coarser fleeces used for carpets
However, the Romney in this roving was luxuriously soft, and most likely from a lamb.
Alpaca:
* staple length: 4-7 inches
* crimp: depends on the breeder, but generally, alpaca isn't considered to have crimp
And I very much wanted to spin it, because it looks so yummy! But, how?
I took 2 ounces of the roving, and spun it thin, intending to see how it'd look 2-ply (like my Targhee). I didn't like it. You couldn't really see the red & silver mixing together, although it was a bit more apparent in the 2-ply.
From experience I know that both Romney & the Alpaca have a long staple length. And the roving itself was pretty lustrous (characteristic of long staple length fibers -- see Fiber Information Below) and I wanted to maintain that luster. So, I thought that this might be a good candidate for a low-twist single, which I haven't spun before.
After consulting a few spinning books, I set up my Nona to have a low ratio with a fast uptake. And, after a few yards, I had something that I was extremely happy spinning.
I was so happy, in fact, that I managed to spin the rest of the 5 ounces of roving within two sittings. Then, the finished yarn was washed & fulled; dunked in both hot & cold water baths to help ensure a bit stability in the yarn.
I love the finished yarn. It's well-balanced, and is light & airy.
Now, the only question is...what to knit it into?!
Yarn Details:
Weight: Sport
Skein 1: 113 yards (52g)
Skein 2: 188 yards (94g)
Fiber Information:
Romney:
* wool type: long wool
* staple length 4-8 inches
* crimp: well defined
* coarser fleeces used for carpets
However, the Romney in this roving was luxuriously soft, and most likely from a lamb.
Alpaca:
* staple length: 4-7 inches
* crimp: depends on the breeder, but generally, alpaca isn't considered to have crimp
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Spinner's Study: Targhee
The following is part of my continuing spinner's study on various wools.
Information about the Sheep Breed
Targhee Sheep are named after the Targhee National Forest where the breed were developed/grazed. (The forest was named for a chief of the Bannock Indians who had lived in the area in the 1860's.) This is a one of the youngest American breeds; developed in 1926 at the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station in Dubois, Idaho.
Targhee sheep were bred from Rambouillet, Columbia, and Corriedale crosses. This is a dual-purpose sheep developed for meat & high quality wool. This sheep became popular and is now found in primarily in the Western United States -- Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota.
The Targhee is a large sheep and are naturally polled. Mature rams weigh from 200 to 300 pounds. Breeding ewes weigh from 140 to 200 pounds.
Targhee wool characteristics:
My Review: The Good & Bad
I picked up 2oz of Targhee wool from "A Verb for Keeping Warm" in the colorway, "Granite". I'll do a review of AVFKW wool, then a review of the Targhee itself.
The Bad
What I didn't like was AVFKW's dye process. During spinning, a lot of dye bled on my fingers of my drafting hand. I showed it to some fellow spinners who were with me at the time (I was at a spinning event), and they were surprised as well.
In addition, some of the wool seemed a bit felted from the dye'ing process. There were some small sections that just did not draft property and I fought with those parts or just tore them out of the roving. Also, the roving came in two parts: one long piece of consistent roving, then an extra .5 ounces of the same colorway that looked like they just stuffed in, in order to make the whole thing 2 oz. This extra "piece" did not look like it had been accidently ripped off either end of the roving as it wasn't the correct color in the sequence.
As this was my first purchase from AVFKW, it did not impress me.
Once I was done spinning, I washed the whole thing in white vinegar to help set the dye. (I'll probably rinse it with dye AGAIN once it's been knitted up just to ensure that it doesn't bleed)
Targhee Wool: -- The Good.
Despite the problems with the sample I bought, I really liked spinning this wool. It was soft, and didn't mind being spun thinly.
I really liked the colorway from AVFKW, and I wanted to preserve the change in color.
I split the longer piece of roving lengthwise, spun those into 2 bobbins worth singles in the same direction, then did balanced 2-ply with the bobbins.
The resulting yarn is lovely, balanced, and just so utterly soft. I *definitely* want to spin this wool again, but probably not from AVFKW.
Information about the Sheep Breed
Targhee Sheep are named after the Targhee National Forest where the breed were developed/grazed. (The forest was named for a chief of the Bannock Indians who had lived in the area in the 1860's.) This is a one of the youngest American breeds; developed in 1926 at the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station in Dubois, Idaho.
Targhee sheep were bred from Rambouillet, Columbia, and Corriedale crosses. This is a dual-purpose sheep developed for meat & high quality wool. This sheep became popular and is now found in primarily in the Western United States -- Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota.
The Targhee is a large sheep and are naturally polled. Mature rams weigh from 200 to 300 pounds. Breeding ewes weigh from 140 to 200 pounds.
Targhee wool characteristics:
- Considered a fine wool
- Microns: 22.05 - 24.94
- Count: 58s-64s
- Staple length: 3-5inches
My Review: The Good & Bad
I picked up 2oz of Targhee wool from "A Verb for Keeping Warm" in the colorway, "Granite". I'll do a review of AVFKW wool, then a review of the Targhee itself.
The Bad
What I didn't like was AVFKW's dye process. During spinning, a lot of dye bled on my fingers of my drafting hand. I showed it to some fellow spinners who were with me at the time (I was at a spinning event), and they were surprised as well.
In addition, some of the wool seemed a bit felted from the dye'ing process. There were some small sections that just did not draft property and I fought with those parts or just tore them out of the roving. Also, the roving came in two parts: one long piece of consistent roving, then an extra .5 ounces of the same colorway that looked like they just stuffed in, in order to make the whole thing 2 oz. This extra "piece" did not look like it had been accidently ripped off either end of the roving as it wasn't the correct color in the sequence.
As this was my first purchase from AVFKW, it did not impress me.
Once I was done spinning, I washed the whole thing in white vinegar to help set the dye. (I'll probably rinse it with dye AGAIN once it's been knitted up just to ensure that it doesn't bleed)
Targhee Wool: -- The Good.
Despite the problems with the sample I bought, I really liked spinning this wool. It was soft, and didn't mind being spun thinly.
I really liked the colorway from AVFKW, and I wanted to preserve the change in color.
I split the longer piece of roving lengthwise, spun those into 2 bobbins worth singles in the same direction, then did balanced 2-ply with the bobbins.
The resulting yarn is lovely, balanced, and just so utterly soft. I *definitely* want to spin this wool again, but probably not from AVFKW.
1.5 oz. 259 yards of 2ply heavy fingering weight.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Sick Spinning
Because I was sick with the flu these past two days, I didn't have the fortitude to do much except be a lump on the sofa/chair.
T.V and Internet surfing was out for long periods of time, because, well, everything on the monitor was much too bright and hurt my eyes. And a low level headache kept me from reading, well, because it hurt to read.
And I wasn't about to tackle the sewing machine in my mental state (which wasn't much). Knitting was out, because I didn't trust myself enough to be able to count well enough on the shawl I am currently knitting, nor did I think I had enough of a mental state to try and wrap my head around starting something new. And I couldn't really nap for periods of time because I'd wake myself up with a major coughing fit.
So, I sat at my wheel, and spun..and spun..and spun...and spun....while listening to various podcasts to keep my brain from turning into more mush. And I managed to finish up several skeins of yarn on the wheel, and get them washed, thwacked, and dried. (This is probably the most I've spun in any one given period of time, ever....)
So, here's what I did:
Merino
I finished plying up singles for a 3-ply Black Merino - Fingering Weight: 161 yards. This came out absolutely faboo. The yarn is nice, lofty, and has the springy-ness of Merino. This yarn is for a set of Fingerless gloves
And, I washed up it's matching white merino counterpart
Targhee
I finished spinning up the last ounce of Targhee that I started at the Winery. Then plied both of them for a 2-ply Fingering weight : 259 yards / 1.5oz total. This came out extremely well balanced, and I managed to maintain color consistency. (I'll review targhee in a later post)
Navajo-Plying
For a bit of a new experience, I navajo-plied some Coopsworth singles (2oz) that I had languishing on a bobbin. I had never done this technique before, and it was easy, once I got it actually started. Getting the first chain done was tricky. The resulting yarn is a bit over-active (it's one of my first yarns I created)
So from this:
to this
Low Twist Yarn
And, I spun up this lovely pin drafted roving (all 7oz) into low-twist sport/dk weight single: 250 yards. (I'll also talk about this later in a later post)
T.V and Internet surfing was out for long periods of time, because, well, everything on the monitor was much too bright and hurt my eyes. And a low level headache kept me from reading, well, because it hurt to read.
And I wasn't about to tackle the sewing machine in my mental state (which wasn't much). Knitting was out, because I didn't trust myself enough to be able to count well enough on the shawl I am currently knitting, nor did I think I had enough of a mental state to try and wrap my head around starting something new. And I couldn't really nap for periods of time because I'd wake myself up with a major coughing fit.
So, I sat at my wheel, and spun..and spun..and spun...and spun....while listening to various podcasts to keep my brain from turning into more mush. And I managed to finish up several skeins of yarn on the wheel, and get them washed, thwacked, and dried. (This is probably the most I've spun in any one given period of time, ever....)
So, here's what I did:
Merino
I finished plying up singles for a 3-ply Black Merino - Fingering Weight: 161 yards. This came out absolutely faboo. The yarn is nice, lofty, and has the springy-ness of Merino. This yarn is for a set of Fingerless gloves
And, I washed up it's matching white merino counterpart
Targhee
I finished spinning up the last ounce of Targhee that I started at the Winery. Then plied both of them for a 2-ply Fingering weight : 259 yards / 1.5oz total. This came out extremely well balanced, and I managed to maintain color consistency. (I'll review targhee in a later post)
Navajo-Plying
For a bit of a new experience, I navajo-plied some Coopsworth singles (2oz) that I had languishing on a bobbin. I had never done this technique before, and it was easy, once I got it actually started. Getting the first chain done was tricky. The resulting yarn is a bit over-active (it's one of my first yarns I created)
So from this:
to this
Low Twist Yarn
And, I spun up this lovely pin drafted roving (all 7oz) into low-twist sport/dk weight single: 250 yards. (I'll also talk about this later in a later post)
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Spinning at the Winery
This past Saturday was a spinning event at a local winery, the Retzlaff Vineyards, which was an extremely fun day, and which I learned a few things, including the basics of looking at a given fleece (thank you Jasmin!)
There were plenty of vendors there, selling an assortment of fibers, spinning supplies, and finished yarns. I picked up a absolutely gorgeous chocolatey brown 10.5 lb merino/corriedale fleece (from a ram named Frank) that I am splitting with another person (which we promptly dropped off at Morro Fleeceworks across the way for processing -- because I just don't feel the need to do all that work myself.)
I also picked up some very yummy fiber from Morro Fleeceworks in gorgeous colors that I'm die'ing to start spinning immediately.
And, while there, there was a little bit of wine (just a glass of port) and I managed to spin up 1oz of the Targhee that I had brought with me (which I'll review later as part of my Spinner's Study.
There were plenty of vendors there, selling an assortment of fibers, spinning supplies, and finished yarns. I picked up a absolutely gorgeous chocolatey brown 10.5 lb merino/corriedale fleece (from a ram named Frank) that I am splitting with another person (which we promptly dropped off at Morro Fleeceworks across the way for processing -- because I just don't feel the need to do all that work myself.)
I also picked up some very yummy fiber from Morro Fleeceworks in gorgeous colors that I'm die'ing to start spinning immediately.
And, while there, there was a little bit of wine (just a glass of port) and I managed to spin up 1oz of the Targhee that I had brought with me (which I'll review later as part of my Spinner's Study.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Tour de Fleece: Debating Projects
As part of my masochistic self, I've signed up for Tour de Fleece and shall be spinning my wheels / spindle with Team Sasquatch.
I want to send realistic goals for this 3-week marathon spinning event, especially as it's taken me over a MONTH to spin 400 yards of 3ply fingering weight yarn. (However, truth be told I have not been spinning constantly every night.)
I need to peruse my fiber Stash(TM) to see what I should spin as part of this project. Currently, I am debating between the following:
or this mixed BFL -- which I'm debating on either dye'ing it AFTER I spin it, because I want to see how well the different BFLS mix...or I could DYE a solid color and then spin....Decisions decisions!
or this lovely batt!
Spinning up a WHOLE pound of fiber in less than 3 weeks is rather daunting for me. So, currently, I am leaning towards working on the batt for The Tour de Fleece.
I want to send realistic goals for this 3-week marathon spinning event, especially as it's taken me over a MONTH to spin 400 yards of 3ply fingering weight yarn. (However, truth be told I have not been spinning constantly every night.)
I need to peruse my fiber Stash(TM) to see what I should spin as part of this project. Currently, I am debating between the following:
Ashland Colonial in Garnet (1lb)
or this mixed BFL -- which I'm debating on either dye'ing it AFTER I spin it, because I want to see how well the different BFLS mix...or I could DYE a solid color and then spin....Decisions decisions!
(1lb of White, Oatmeal, & Dark BFL)
or this lovely batt!
(4-6 oz?)
Spinning up a WHOLE pound of fiber in less than 3 weeks is rather daunting for me. So, currently, I am leaning towards working on the batt for The Tour de Fleece.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Updates on Projects
In terms of knitting/spinning, things have been really laid back.
Knitting
Currently, I'm knitting the Travelling Woman (Ravelry) because it's an easy pattern to memorize, it's easy lace, and I have two skeins of some Knit Picks sock yarn that's just been sitting in my stash.
I'm working on this pattern in order to get my mojo back from the Fail of the Torreyana shawl with my handspun. Currently, I'm almost done with the second repeat of Chart A, and shall soon go onto Chart B.
This shawl project, dubbed Travelling Mojo, is a perfect weight for wearing around work, and is small enough to stuff into my purse. I'm hoping to finish it before the Winery Event so I can wear it there.
Spinning
Spinning-wise, I'm currently slogging my way through the last 2oz of dyed black merino so I can start plying and knitting for the Musica gloves that I want. I have no idea how people manage to actually spin enough for a sweater's worth of yarn.
It's taken me forever to spin up the yarn needed for this project. I finished spinning & plying the white merino. However, as mentioned in an earlier blog post......spinning dyed black fiber is BORING!
It's a solid black, so there's not even a slight variegation to keep my interest peaked. I'm currently DYING to spin something with COLOR just to offset the miles and miles of mind-numbing black merino.
(Although, in all fairness, I did spin & ply about 200 yards of white merino for this project, and the pattern only calls for 220 yards total. I could have dyed some of the white merino *black* just to make it easier on myself, but I didn't think about that until later.
Ugh. I know I will have left over singles on the bobbins of both black & white merino. I'm considering plying the white merino with the black merino for a zebra-striped 2-ply.
Knitting
Currently, I'm knitting the Travelling Woman (Ravelry) because it's an easy pattern to memorize, it's easy lace, and I have two skeins of some Knit Picks sock yarn that's just been sitting in my stash.
I'm working on this pattern in order to get my mojo back from the Fail of the Torreyana shawl with my handspun. Currently, I'm almost done with the second repeat of Chart A, and shall soon go onto Chart B.
This shawl project, dubbed Travelling Mojo, is a perfect weight for wearing around work, and is small enough to stuff into my purse. I'm hoping to finish it before the Winery Event so I can wear it there.
Spinning
Spinning-wise, I'm currently slogging my way through the last 2oz of dyed black merino so I can start plying and knitting for the Musica gloves that I want. I have no idea how people manage to actually spin enough for a sweater's worth of yarn.
It's taken me forever to spin up the yarn needed for this project. I finished spinning & plying the white merino. However, as mentioned in an earlier blog post......spinning dyed black fiber is BORING!
It's a solid black, so there's not even a slight variegation to keep my interest peaked. I'm currently DYING to spin something with COLOR just to offset the miles and miles of mind-numbing black merino.
(Although, in all fairness, I did spin & ply about 200 yards of white merino for this project, and the pattern only calls for 220 yards total. I could have dyed some of the white merino *black* just to make it easier on myself, but I didn't think about that until later.
Ugh. I know I will have left over singles on the bobbins of both black & white merino. I'm considering plying the white merino with the black merino for a zebra-striped 2-ply.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Knitting for Work
Work is an icebox -- even the GUYS have sweaters/coats, etc, to wear when it gets too cold for them. Our group Admin tells me that it's been a problem for a long time, and there have been many attempts to fix the problem, but alas, to no avail. The cold persists no matter if it's 50 or 80 deg. F outside.
The guys have put up posters/t-shirts around the ventilation ducts that sit above their cubes. Our Admin has a few fleece-y shawls that she wears.
I started bringing in a few of my lighter scarves so I can wear them around the office. And, I'm finally making use of the full-size cashmere/silk wrap (made in Pakistan) I found at the thrift store for a few dollars.
I've also taken to wearing fingerless mitts on occasion. I need to knit more small shawls/cowls/neck wraps of varying colors to match my outfits because, it's FREEZING in here.
Luckily, I have the Travelling Woman on the needles right now, using Knit Picks stroll fingering weight yarn. It's a nice small and easy project, PLUS it won't matter when I finish it, because I don't think the temperature control will be fixed anytime soon!
The guys have put up posters/t-shirts around the ventilation ducts that sit above their cubes. Our Admin has a few fleece-y shawls that she wears.
I started bringing in a few of my lighter scarves so I can wear them around the office. And, I'm finally making use of the full-size cashmere/silk wrap (made in Pakistan) I found at the thrift store for a few dollars.
I've also taken to wearing fingerless mitts on occasion. I need to knit more small shawls/cowls/neck wraps of varying colors to match my outfits because, it's FREEZING in here.
Luckily, I have the Travelling Woman on the needles right now, using Knit Picks stroll fingering weight yarn. It's a nice small and easy project, PLUS it won't matter when I finish it, because I don't think the temperature control will be fixed anytime soon!
Monday, May 24, 2010
For the Record
....spinning dyed black merino wool....is BORING***...
And, I have to put a light colored fabric over my lap in order to see the actual fibers.
Luckily, I have to only do one more ounce of black merino before I can start plying.
I can't wait to finish the spinning for the Musica Gloves, and start spinning something with a bit more colour.
*** Spinning actual natural black merino probably wouldn't be boring
And, I have to put a light colored fabric over my lap in order to see the actual fibers.
Luckily, I have to only do one more ounce of black merino before I can start plying.
I can't wait to finish the spinning for the Musica Gloves, and start spinning something with a bit more colour.
*** Spinning actual natural black merino probably wouldn't be boring
Thursday, May 20, 2010
One Turkish Spindle
I've had a hankering to actually *use* the Jenkins Turkish Spindle that I got over at Stitches West -- nevermind I have 3 spinning projects already going (1 on the wheel, 2 on spindles).
I had 2oz of corriedale roving from Spunky Eclectic that was sitting there waiting for me to use. So, last night, I grabbed the Turkish Spindle, opened up Respect the Spindle to the Turkish Spindle section, read up on how to wind onto the arms, how to do a half-hitch...and away I went.
Eventually, I ended up with a bit of yarn.
Differences
I have to say that it was a lot easier than I had expected -- probably because I already have the basics done. But, having a bottom weight spindle was very different from my other top whorl ones. It's not better or worse, but just *different*.
* the whorl doesn't spin as fast as a top whorl spindle, but it does spin for a lot longer duration -- this takes some getting used to. As a result, the yarn is more loosely spun as woolen, versus worseted. Of course, I've also "dropped" the spindle several times because there wasn't enough twist (versus when I learned the top-whorl, where I had too must twist....)
* I have to make sure the bottom whorl doesn't actually bump into anything, like chair legs. The spacial requirements are slightly different.
* there's no hook, so I have to use a half-hitch at the top of the spindle, which is going to take a bit of practice.
* stopping & winding on the yarn isn't as 'easy' as a top whorl spindle, because I have to unhitch the half-hitch, then carefully wind onto the arms of the whorl.
Of course, I'm sure much of these differences are easily solvable by more practice and getting used to the differences. But other than that, I do like it. I think I might prefer my top whorl a teeny bit better, but again, it's just a different tool for the job.
I had 2oz of corriedale roving from Spunky Eclectic that was sitting there waiting for me to use. So, last night, I grabbed the Turkish Spindle, opened up Respect the Spindle to the Turkish Spindle section, read up on how to wind onto the arms, how to do a half-hitch...and away I went.
Eventually, I ended up with a bit of yarn.
Differences
I have to say that it was a lot easier than I had expected -- probably because I already have the basics done. But, having a bottom weight spindle was very different from my other top whorl ones. It's not better or worse, but just *different*.
* the whorl doesn't spin as fast as a top whorl spindle, but it does spin for a lot longer duration -- this takes some getting used to. As a result, the yarn is more loosely spun as woolen, versus worseted. Of course, I've also "dropped" the spindle several times because there wasn't enough twist (versus when I learned the top-whorl, where I had too must twist....)
* I have to make sure the bottom whorl doesn't actually bump into anything, like chair legs. The spacial requirements are slightly different.
* there's no hook, so I have to use a half-hitch at the top of the spindle, which is going to take a bit of practice.
* stopping & winding on the yarn isn't as 'easy' as a top whorl spindle, because I have to unhitch the half-hitch, then carefully wind onto the arms of the whorl.
Of course, I'm sure much of these differences are easily solvable by more practice and getting used to the differences. But other than that, I do like it. I think I might prefer my top whorl a teeny bit better, but again, it's just a different tool for the job.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
One Fish, Two Fish, Three Fish...Dead Fish.
Sometimes, you just have to make something "fun"....like knitting a dead fish. And, this was particularly fun to do. I enjoyed adding the white felt 'dead' eyes to the fish afterwards. AND, it ended up using the remainders of yarn I had left over from the octopus and cat-in-the bag.
However, watching that last bit of yarn slowly get shorter when you're *almost* done can be quite disconcerting. When I finally finished binding off, I had 4 inches left of blue.
I so can't wait to give it to the Youngest Nephew for his birthday.
Details on Ravelry
Yarn: Cascade 220 Red & Teal
Needles: US 7
However, watching that last bit of yarn slowly get shorter when you're *almost* done can be quite disconcerting. When I finally finished binding off, I had 4 inches left of blue.
I so can't wait to give it to the Youngest Nephew for his birthday.
Details on Ravelry
Yarn: Cascade 220 Red & Teal
Needles: US 7
Monday, May 17, 2010
Knitting Mojo
In an effort to get my knitting mojo back from the disastrous and EPIC fail project using my lace-fingerweight handspun on the Torreyana pattern (Ravelry link), I've been working on very small and easy projects.
Last night I started working on another simple project -- this time a shawl -- with a simple lace pattern using some commercial fingerweight yarn just to assuage my fear that I can't do a lace shawl. And, so far, so good. The pattern is relatively easy to memorize and I haven't had problems with the fingering weight yarn.
Afterwards, I'll try swatching the Torreyana with commercial fingerweight and see if things go well. If it does, then it just might be this project is not right for my handspun or I have trouble with something thinner than fingerweight (4-ply) yarn (as the handspun is heavylace-fingering weight, but more lace)
If it doesn't go well, then this lace pattern might be too complicated for me to tackle readily...just yet.
Last night I started working on another simple project -- this time a shawl -- with a simple lace pattern using some commercial fingerweight yarn just to assuage my fear that I can't do a lace shawl. And, so far, so good. The pattern is relatively easy to memorize and I haven't had problems with the fingering weight yarn.
Afterwards, I'll try swatching the Torreyana with commercial fingerweight and see if things go well. If it does, then it just might be this project is not right for my handspun or I have trouble with something thinner than fingerweight (4-ply) yarn (as the handspun is heavylace-fingering weight, but more lace)
If it doesn't go well, then this lace pattern might be too complicated for me to tackle readily...just yet.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Octopus Anyone?
In the attempt to get my knitting mojo back, I took to making an octopus as a quick and easy knit from the book, Amigurumi Knits.
Here's my octopus wrapped around the hacksaw used to help make my Lazy Kate.
BTW, love, love, love this book. It's not exactly amigurumi (as technically, amis are crocheted, not knitted), but I love the patterns as they are quite unusual!
Here's my octopus wrapped around the hacksaw used to help make my Lazy Kate.
BTW, love, love, love this book. It's not exactly amigurumi (as technically, amis are crocheted, not knitted), but I love the patterns as they are quite unusual!
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
DIY Lazy Kate
Presently, I had been using the lazy kate that came with my Ashford Kiwi. It's a small little kate with two pegs for bobbins, which has been fine with just doing two-plys. However, it's problematic if I wanted to do more than two ply yarn. And, there's some issues with ensuring that there's appropriate tension being applied. Usually, I tilt the lazy kate at a 45 degree angle, or put long rubber bands around the bobbin grooves.
The lazy kate that I wanted (the Will Taylor 45 degree angle Lazy Kate), which was been recommended by several websites as well as a friend, that I got a chance to play. And I definitely did like it. The problem is having it in stock at Carolina Homespun. Not to mention, it's a bit pricey and we're trying to save a bit of money.
As DH & I do quite a bit of DIY, and really, what is a lazy kate but bits of wood and metal?!? So I decided that trip to Home Depot was in order and that I was going to fashion myself a lazy kate.
I outlined what I wanted, plus showed DH a few photos other 45 degree angle kates; he agreed it was totally do-able. I originally wanted a 3-ply kate, but DH suggested that 4 might be better. Who am I to argue?
Summary: This is a really easy project if you've got a bit of time and have done some DIY stuff before.
WARNING: If you don't know how to use a saw, then DO NOT DO THIS.
PLEASE TAKE ALL PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES WHEN USING THESE TOOLS. SAFETY IS FIRST AND FOREMOST!!!!
Materials
1) hardwood dowel about 2" in diameter ($3.00)
2) a birch wooden board 2 feet in length ($2.00)
3) 3/16" metal rod (4 feet long) ($4.00)
4) plastic miter board ($5.00) ****
5) Saw teeth for cutting metal. ($3.00)
Other items that we already had (with approximate costs)
* Wood Glue ($2.00)
* 1.5 - 2" flat head screws (or an appropriate size for your dowels). (~$2.00)
* miter handsaw (~$10.00)
* hacksaw (~$10.00)
* C-clamps and other assorted clamps (~$1.00 - $5.00)
* A drill of some sort. You need to be able to make holes in wood. We have a cordless Makita power drill driver that's we got when we rebuilt our fence. You can also use a hand drill of some sort
, or get a drill bit for a Dremel. The hand-drill is the least expensive at about $20 - $30.00. (Or cheaper yet, borrow a friend's drill)
Step 1:Cutting & Glue-ing.
1. Cut out the number of dowels you need to 45 degree angle using the miter board.
2. Measure out how wide your bobbins are, and approximately how much room you need between bobbins and mark your wood board for where the center of each dowel should be.
(For example: The Xs mark the center of where each dowel should be. They are spaced evenly as possible to allow the bobbins to rotate freely.)
You should also mark the OTHER side of the board with the same placements. (If necessary, cut off any extra board length you don't need)
3. Glue the dowels in place. This was allowed to dry completely.***
Time: 15 minutes (at most)
Drying time: 1 full day.***
(The large dowel is acting as support for the glued dowels.)
Step 2: Adding Screws
After the glue has dried, drill holes into the underside of the board *INTO* the dowels in question using the markings you made in Step 1. These screws will help anchor the dowels in place.
Make sure you get the appropriate size screws that will go through the board AND into the dowel itself. Make sure to get flat-head screws as in order to sink *into* the wood so that it's flush with the edge.
Step 3:Sanding & Staining
Next, the whole thing was sanded down, stained, then varnished. I used the left over stain and varnish from Nona.
Time to sand down: 10 minutes
Staining: 10 minutes per staining session (3 staining sessions to get the color to match)
Drying time: 1 hour on a very hot day between staining sessions
Step 4:Adding Rods
1. The rods were clamped down then cut down to the appropriate size to hold a bobbin
2. Holes for the rods were drilled in the dowels. You don't need to drill down very far.
(The rods are removable.)
Time: 5-15 minutes
Step 5: Painting
I wanted to make sure that the Kate matched my lovely Nona. So I got out the stencils & paint I used for Nona and went to town.
Time: 30 minutes.
Overall
* Total cost for materials (not including the drill): $17.00 - $35.00 (depending on what materials you already have)
* Total labor (not including drying time): ~ 1.5 - 2 hours spread out over 2 days.
* Drying time: ~1.5 days***
* Total number of days: 2 days
(Here's how far the bobbin is from the bottom. I probably could have cut the dowels shorter.)
(Here's the Lazy Kate next to Nona)
-------------------
*** Note: Some of our dry times were a bit long because we started this when it we had wet & rainy weather; plus I wanted to ensure everything dried well. Your dry times may vary.
**** EDITED to add (2013): Home Depot allows you to cut down your wood, and they now have a mitered board that you can use. Consequently, you don't necessarily need to buy this part, if you are buying lumber from Home Depot. Your local lumber store might also cut this for you, so check with them as well.
The lazy kate that I wanted (the Will Taylor 45 degree angle Lazy Kate), which was been recommended by several websites as well as a friend, that I got a chance to play. And I definitely did like it. The problem is having it in stock at Carolina Homespun. Not to mention, it's a bit pricey and we're trying to save a bit of money.
As DH & I do quite a bit of DIY, and really, what is a lazy kate but bits of wood and metal?!? So I decided that trip to Home Depot was in order and that I was going to fashion myself a lazy kate.
I outlined what I wanted, plus showed DH a few photos other 45 degree angle kates; he agreed it was totally do-able. I originally wanted a 3-ply kate, but DH suggested that 4 might be better. Who am I to argue?
Summary: This is a really easy project if you've got a bit of time and have done some DIY stuff before.
WARNING: If you don't know how to use a saw, then DO NOT DO THIS.
PLEASE TAKE ALL PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES WHEN USING THESE TOOLS. SAFETY IS FIRST AND FOREMOST!!!!
Materials
1) hardwood dowel about 2" in diameter ($3.00)
2) a birch wooden board 2 feet in length ($2.00)
3) 3/16" metal rod (4 feet long) ($4.00)
4) plastic miter board ($5.00) ****
5) Saw teeth for cutting metal. ($3.00)
Other items that we already had (with approximate costs)
* Wood Glue ($2.00)
* 1.5 - 2" flat head screws (or an appropriate size for your dowels). (~$2.00)
* miter handsaw (~$10.00)
* hacksaw (~$10.00)
* C-clamps and other assorted clamps (~$1.00 - $5.00)
* A drill of some sort. You need to be able to make holes in wood. We have a cordless Makita power drill driver that's we got when we rebuilt our fence. You can also use a hand drill of some sort
, or get a drill bit for a Dremel. The hand-drill is the least expensive at about $20 - $30.00. (Or cheaper yet, borrow a friend's drill)Step 1:Cutting & Glue-ing.
1. Cut out the number of dowels you need to 45 degree angle using the miter board.
2. Measure out how wide your bobbins are, and approximately how much room you need between bobbins and mark your wood board for where the center of each dowel should be.
(For example: The Xs mark the center of where each dowel should be. They are spaced evenly as possible to allow the bobbins to rotate freely.)
--------------------------
| X X X |
--------------------------
You should also mark the OTHER side of the board with the same placements. (If necessary, cut off any extra board length you don't need)
3. Glue the dowels in place. This was allowed to dry completely.***
Time: 15 minutes (at most)
Drying time: 1 full day.***
(The large dowel is acting as support for the glued dowels.)
Step 2: Adding Screws
After the glue has dried, drill holes into the underside of the board *INTO* the dowels in question using the markings you made in Step 1. These screws will help anchor the dowels in place.
Make sure you get the appropriate size screws that will go through the board AND into the dowel itself. Make sure to get flat-head screws as in order to sink *into* the wood so that it's flush with the edge.
Step 3:Sanding & Staining
Next, the whole thing was sanded down, stained, then varnished. I used the left over stain and varnish from Nona.
Time to sand down: 10 minutes
Staining: 10 minutes per staining session (3 staining sessions to get the color to match)
Drying time: 1 hour on a very hot day between staining sessions
Step 4:Adding Rods
1. The rods were clamped down then cut down to the appropriate size to hold a bobbin
2. Holes for the rods were drilled in the dowels. You don't need to drill down very far.
(The rods are removable.)
Time: 5-15 minutes
Step 5: Painting
I wanted to make sure that the Kate matched my lovely Nona. So I got out the stencils & paint I used for Nona and went to town.
Time: 30 minutes.
Overall
* Total cost for materials (not including the drill): $17.00 - $35.00 (depending on what materials you already have)
* Total labor (not including drying time): ~ 1.5 - 2 hours spread out over 2 days.
* Drying time: ~1.5 days***
* Total number of days: 2 days
(Here's how far the bobbin is from the bottom. I probably could have cut the dowels shorter.)
(Here's the Lazy Kate next to Nona)
-------------------
*** Note: Some of our dry times were a bit long because we started this when it we had wet & rainy weather; plus I wanted to ensure everything dried well. Your dry times may vary.
**** EDITED to add (2013): Home Depot allows you to cut down your wood, and they now have a mitered board that you can use. Consequently, you don't necessarily need to buy this part, if you are buying lumber from Home Depot. Your local lumber store might also cut this for you, so check with them as well.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Bits & Pieces
Normally, I'm a very project-oriented knitter and a process-oriented spinner. In that, when I knit, it's for a specific project and when I spin, I just like to spin. However, I'm currently, I'm spinning up for a certain project -- black merino & white merino for a the Musica fingerless gloves (Ravelry Link)
And I've discovered that spinning black wool is rather monotonous, and that I have to wear either light colored pants or have a light colored lap cloth in order to see what I'm doing. I've managed to get through 3 bobbins of white merino and am now currently working through my 2nd bobbin of black merino.
Since failing at my last lace project, I've been at a loss for what to do knitting-wise....despite having a rather long-ish queue on Ravelry. So, I'm keeping myself busy with small projects until I get my bearings again. I started (and finished) an octopus; I think I'm more partial to actually crocheting toys (ala amigurumi) instead.
Also, I started a dead-fish hat for my nephew's birthday (which is at the end of next month), but I figure I'll get it out of the way.
Plus, it allows me to use up most of the yarn that I used for my Cat-in-the-Bag Ravelympics project.
And I've discovered that spinning black wool is rather monotonous, and that I have to wear either light colored pants or have a light colored lap cloth in order to see what I'm doing. I've managed to get through 3 bobbins of white merino and am now currently working through my 2nd bobbin of black merino.
Since failing at my last lace project, I've been at a loss for what to do knitting-wise....despite having a rather long-ish queue on Ravelry. So, I'm keeping myself busy with small projects until I get my bearings again. I started (and finished) an octopus; I think I'm more partial to actually crocheting toys (ala amigurumi) instead.
Also, I started a dead-fish hat for my nephew's birthday (which is at the end of next month), but I figure I'll get it out of the way.
Plus, it allows me to use up most of the yarn that I used for my Cat-in-the-Bag Ravelympics project.
Friday, May 7, 2010
The Difference of a Few Microns
A bit ago, a friend was helping me to get better at spinning. I had some really good soft and wonderful merino, which I had spun a little bit previously without issue, but I was having trouble spinning "thinner" in order to spin for the project I want. She gave me some faboo superwash merino from Crown Mountain Farms to try.
And, the difference was amazing. I could really tell the difference between the different fibers. The CM Merino was so much softer than the other merino and I was able to draft much easier. Consequently, I was able to spin thinner. She told me that it was going to be easier to spin thinner on very good fiber.
It's not to say that the other merino was bad. It's good merino, but the Crown Mountain was *excellent* merino. Much like the difference between decent wine and EXCELLENT wine.
After finishing about 2 oz of the CM merino, I went back to spin some of the other merino fiber, and it didn't draft as smoothly as the Crown Mountain version, nor was it as soft. But, I was now able to draft it a lot thinner than previously.
And she was absolutely right, it DOES help to learn how to spin *thinner* on very very good fiber. It's made working with the decent merino easier than before.
And, I think I shall have to buy more of the Crown Mountain merino.
And, the difference was amazing. I could really tell the difference between the different fibers. The CM Merino was so much softer than the other merino and I was able to draft much easier. Consequently, I was able to spin thinner. She told me that it was going to be easier to spin thinner on very good fiber.
It's not to say that the other merino was bad. It's good merino, but the Crown Mountain was *excellent* merino. Much like the difference between decent wine and EXCELLENT wine.
After finishing about 2 oz of the CM merino, I went back to spin some of the other merino fiber, and it didn't draft as smoothly as the Crown Mountain version, nor was it as soft. But, I was now able to draft it a lot thinner than previously.
And she was absolutely right, it DOES help to learn how to spin *thinner* on very very good fiber. It's made working with the decent merino easier than before.
And, I think I shall have to buy more of the Crown Mountain merino.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
When Learning Lace...
When doing your first actual "lace" shawl project, it's probably best to start off simple and *not* do something so complicated.
Last night, I started the chart on Torreyana pattern from Knitty with my Japanese Maple homespun.
And, it's NOT reading the pattern that is complicated or hard, but the combination of:
1) really really having to pay attention
2) never really having done *lace* before
3) homespun that's slightly still active....
Ergh. Not a good combination. I ended up with knots, wrong # of stitches, dropped stitches, etc. I had to rip out & start over multiple last night before I gave up after two hours. I thought to just get through the swatch, but I can't seem to get 6 rows into it without *something* going wrong.
And, can I say that working with such thin yarn? I ended up fighting with it more than enjoyed the whole process. It was a nail biting experience and that's JUST with the swatch. I'm not wholly sure I would enjoy knitting this pattern with my oh-so-lovely-homespun.
If I used a worseted weight yarn, I might be able to get through the swatch without problems. I just don't think it's going to happen with my homespun. *sigh*
Last night, I started the chart on Torreyana pattern from Knitty with my Japanese Maple homespun.
And, it's NOT reading the pattern that is complicated or hard, but the combination of:
1) really really having to pay attention
2) never really having done *lace* before
3) homespun that's slightly still active....
Ergh. Not a good combination. I ended up with knots, wrong # of stitches, dropped stitches, etc. I had to rip out & start over multiple last night before I gave up after two hours. I thought to just get through the swatch, but I can't seem to get 6 rows into it without *something* going wrong.
And, can I say that working with such thin yarn? I ended up fighting with it more than enjoyed the whole process. It was a nail biting experience and that's JUST with the swatch. I'm not wholly sure I would enjoy knitting this pattern with my oh-so-lovely-homespun.
If I used a worseted weight yarn, I might be able to get through the swatch without problems. I just don't think it's going to happen with my homespun. *sigh*
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)