Randomness

Well hello blog. Its been a while. I'm sticking to my story and blaming it on Instagram. I still knit, I still craft, I still take pictures of it all and I still want to share it with the online community. Like I've said before, it seems Instagram is filling that need. I don't even put my projects up on Ravelry with any regularity any more. Shhhhhhhh! I know, CRAZY!!

My whole desire to blog came about years ago as a way of documenting swap packages that I had made and received on Craftster. I can't tell you the last time I went on Craftster. I can't tell you the last time I was involved in a swap. Then the blogging more or less became a desire to document my crafting - a journal if you will. I keep telling the girls that when I'm gone (a long time from now hopefully) and the things that I've made for them are used up and worn out then at least they will always have this record to look back on. My digital footprint left for all my ancestors to see what an enterprising person their great great granny was. I still feel that way, and I still resolve to keep blogging even if I only have 9 followers.

So in that vein, here is what I've been up to the past month.

I knit a headband. The pattern is from Mel Clark's book Knitting Everyday Finery and I love it! This promises to be my most utilized knitwear to date. I wear it a lot because my hair is in a mess a lot. Its alpaca and silk and so far not too hot (mind you, we had snow yesterday, so everything is relative)



I blocked some finished projects. The stripey socks you'll recognize. The others are a cute little baby vest destined for some baby girl. The pattern is Milo and so versatile. Totally worth the few bucks that it cost. I love the little heart cable and I'll definitely be making this little pattern again. The orange beret is called "Meret". I did this as a KAL with some of the ladies on Instagram. Its made from my handspun. Its rather large on me but would likely fit my larger headed offspring no problem. I will likely gift this to her at some point.



I bought yarn! And OHMYGOD!!! Its all Socks that Rock. It is so beautiful!! All I want to do it look at it. Now thats wrong I know. I feel like buying a shadow box and framing them. I'm not sure what I'll make but right now I'm just enjoying the gorgeous colours. I think I may have fell down a rabbit hole when I joined that socks that rock club. I don't really want to knit with any other yarn. This could become dangerous.



I fixed a miss crossed cable on my Hope Springs Eternal socks from my Socks that Rock Club. I thought I could live with it, but 10 rows later it was still bugging me. I dropped those 6 or so stitches back and fixed it all - no problem. Pretty pleased with myself there.



And I finished spinning this beautiful yarn. This was spun from Rolags that I purchased from Blue Mountain Handcrafts on etsy. My first time spinning rolags and I really liked it.



Well thats my randomness for today. Hope all is well in your crafting world!

I Can't Believe.....

I can't believe that I haven't blogged yet this month. Its been an incredibly busy, productive month. I went to visit Amy!!! She had her final graduation recital and she rocked it! She was beautiful and amazing and everything that a I knew she would be. I was beyond proud! My daughter is so talented, I have no words. We had a really great time - lots of great food and some great shopping in Sherbrooke and Montreal. Of course I went to a yarn shop. I went to Mouline this time around. I bought a sweater's worth of Madenline Tosh chunky! I can't wait to try it out. I'm debating on which sweater it will actually become, but time will tell. Here are a few photos of some of the things that I've made recently....mostly knit while travelling. First up....a hat made from 100% yak fiber. The pattern is Anne Hanson's of Knitspot. I'm a member of her Bare Naked club and I love it so much. Yarn in its natural colour. This yak is divine. So soft!

And then I made a sock ... and a half. The pattern is Cat Bordhi's and its from the book 'The Knitter's Book of Socks'. This sock is knit toe up and has a really interesting arch expansion construction. And its extremely comfortable to wear. Here's hoping that I don't come down with second sock syndrome and can manage to knit the second one...well, there is more travelling in my future so I'm sure that it'll get done...eventually. Lol. The yarn is from esty seller lollypop yarns...and I love the self striping. I love this sellers stuff, but getting some of her yarn has proven near on impossible. I have to stalk her website like a crazed lunatic and even then you end up getting cart jacked. I've almost knit up the two balls I have and well, I neeeeeed more... I think I have a problem. Yes, I do...this girls shop and Loop. I'm not even linking the shops here just in case I have a reader that might be interested...lol...selfish much?

And finally, the best thing that I've ever made....the project that I'm most proud of....my magnus opus if you will.

Isn't she beautiful??? I just love her so much!

A New Hat for Spring

Its officially spring now. Can't you tell? Just look at the view out of my front window. Spring in Labrador.



Ignore the sarcasm. Its been a long, long winter. I actually love, love, love 'spring' in Labrador. It is warm enough to go outside and enjoy the snow. In keeping with the springy feeling. I knit a spring hat. Spring knitty just came out and I was immediately drawn to this sweet little beret called 'reverie' by Amy Swenson.






This hat is knit from yarn by tanusfiberarts that I picked up in Montreal. Colourway 'stormy'. I really, really love it. I actually think I have enough yarn leftover for a second beret. Which is great, because I'm sure Amy will end up with this one.

I Love Kool Aid!!

It has remarkable powers, I swear. It actually kinda scares me, and I don't think I'll be drinking anymore of this stuff. But boy, can it ever dye well. I made 'le slouch' (free pattern from Knit and Tonic blog) for Amy. She wanted purple, and I'm determined to knit from my stash. So, I wanted to try overdying after my prior sucess with dyeing a neutral yarn. I was thinking about overdying the yarn, but was anxious to cast on and didn't really want to wait for the yarn to dry.

Here it is on me...pre dying.



Here it is in the dye bath. Note, I only used 2 packets of Kool Aid wildberry tea. I nuked it in the microwave in about 3 cups of water at 5 minute intervals. I think it took about 5 different intervals (or 25 minutes) for the dye to take.




And here it is on Amy. It looks a little splotchy in places. I think its because I didn't leave it soaking long enough. When I dyed the yarn, I soaked it for 2 hours in water prior to adding it to the kool aid bath. I read somewear that the splotchiness comes for little airbubbles on the fibre that hasn't been soaked out.



Oh, the starting yarn was Bernat Lana, like before.