Another Spinning Post!

I've been bitten by the spinning bug lately. Its all I want to do. Usually when these sort of whims hit me, I just go with it.

I just purchased some teeswater fiber off of etsy seller beesybee fibers Teeswater sheep are the guys that look like they have dreadlocks. The prepared top had a very long staple length and it was very interesting to spin.

I did predraft quite a bit. Just look at how fluffy it became with a little predrafting.

It was almost like I imagine spinning human hair would be like. The fibers were so long and silky. My goal was to spin this into a heavy worsted weight to make some mittens.

Once again, its a two ply and the weight is just what I aimed for. I am happy with it, but I'm not sure that the resulting mittens won't be itchy. This yarn has quite a bit of halo going on, and I'm pretty sure that the micron count for this fiber is quite a bit higher than merino. Maybe I'll knit the cuffs up in a different fiber. God knows I have plenty of it.

And, I'm going to Halifax tomorrow!! So excited! I'm going to see Amy perform in the Phoenix Rising show. I haven't seen Amy since August, so I'm really, really looking forward to spending some time with her. I'm also hoping to get to Loop Cafe! I hope they have something interesting for sale!

Fractal Spinning

I've heard of fractal spinning before, but have never tried it. The concept is quite simple. You just strip down your roving in such a way that the colours in a multicoloured roving should hardly ever line up, and you end up with mostly a barber poled type of yarn.

Here is my attempt at fractal spinning, and I'm so happy with the resulting yarn.

This started out as a hand painted merino roving from etsy seller Chimera. I've purchased fiber from this seller before, and I've always been super happy with her stuff.

I ended up with about 350 yards of 2 ply fingering weight yarn. You may also notice a mini skein on the end. For some reason, I always end up with a fair bit of more singles spun on one bobbin and this time, instead of leaving it there for all of eternity, I decided to navajo ply it just to see how it compared with the fractal spun yarn. Quite different isn't it?

So what is fractal spinning? Well, my understanding of it, is this - Its all in the fiber prep done prior to spinning. I split my length of roving into half lenghtwise. One half, I set aside. The other half, I divided again lengthwise. Each of these halves, I divided again, so of this half, I had four pieces of roving about as thick as my thumb. I then predrafted each of these pieces and spun them up onto one bobbin.

The other half, I just spit in two (not four) and predrafted that down to about the size of my thumb and spun that. So, basically, this method is designed to have the colours line up in as random as possible. I'm super happy with the resulting yarn as this is how I think handspun should look. Something that cannot be replicated by bigger yarn companies. I love me some barber pole. Now what to knit with it?

Next up....I have some lovely Tesswater fiber that is just begging to spun up into a worsted weight for a pair of mitts.

Knit Lobster

All of my knitting time in the past week has been taken up by knitting this lobster costume for Colson.

It turned out pretty cute - the hat was a little small. I'd forgotten how big toddler heads really are. Lol. I improvised the whole design and overall I'm please with it. I told Heather if she wanted me to do something for next year, she would have to give me at least a months notice. Geesh....who can knit lobsters that quickly?

In other news, I've been watching the Knitgirlls podcast a lot lately. They are quite productive spinners and they've inspired me to spin more. Here is my lastest spinning project. The roving came from etsy seller Chimera Fibers I've purchased from this seller before and I'm always happy with her stuff. Its 100% merino top and I've spun it into a 2 ply worsted weight yarn. It is very lofty! I'm guessing there is about 200 yards or so of the stuff - enough for a pair of mittens for myself. At least this is what I want them to be. Stay tuned.

A Very Random Saturday

Its been a while since I last posted and I feel I'm over due. For some reason I only tend to post finished objects, not works in progress - so it would seem that I'm not doing too much, but I am - honest.

Now, I don't knit for Christmas - way too much pressure. I have been known to knit for Halloween though. Thats whats been taking up my time lately. I've been charged with the task of knitting a lobster costume for my nephew Colson. Last year, I did a duck costume, remember? After a search on Ravelry, I realized no knitted lobster costumes patterns in a toddler size were to be found. Believe it or not, there was an infant bunting bag pattern that is super cute, but no way would Colson put up with being bound up in that for Halloween, not anymore, since he is walking this year. So, I've been improvising my own pattern and so far so good. I've two mittens completed and almost finished the hat. Next up, legwarmers that somehow look like a lobster tail. Yeah, I've saved the best for last. And I have to finish this by tomorrow. Pictures of my success (or failure...eep...) to come later.

In other news, I've been so busy with Anne Hanson's Knitspot Fall into Colour Club!! I've completed Longshawdows. I wear it all the time. It is so beautiful and lightweight, yet warm enough.

This is a picture of it blocking - aggressive blocking makes all the difference. I just love the colours.

And here it is on my neck.

I've finished the knitting on the second pattern from the club too. Its called Hazeline. Its a top down, triangular shawlette pattern. I'm smitten with this too. I just have to graft the center stitches together, block it and I'll be good to go.
This isn't a great picture, it was taken in the dark with a flash. The colours are very sophisticated. I'll post a picture, post blocking. When I get a chance...too busy knitting a lobster.

And here are the mittens that I finished knitting for Sam. She loves them. I love knitting for people who really appreciate things. She was so grateful for the mittens and she's been wearing them ever since.

In an effort to try and document more WIPs I'll show you what I've been knitting. I started this hat my favorite designer Lee Meridith. Its called Wild is the Wind. She has a new ebook called Remixed - she is releasing a pattern each month. So far, I've received two patterns and I love both. Lee writes any gauge patterns - which I love! This hat is no exception. The pattern features twisted stitches and is so pretty. I just have to finish this lobster, so that I can finish the hat.

And finally, here are a couple of pictures of the latest addition to our family...well, not directly our family. I'm not sure I could take training two puppies right now. These two cuties belong to Aimee, Keith and Max. This is Bailey.

And this is Spike. I think they are insane, but I can't argue with the cuteness factor!

My Hero!

I realize how lucky I am to have a supportive spouse in my life. Kev truly supports me in all that I do. He doesn't complain (too much) about the 20lbs of fleece that is currently stored in the shed. He will (sometimes) model shawls and lace scarves when I need to do a photo shoot, but today, he really proved to me how much he loves
me.

As I said in an earlier post, our little guy Max started hockey this year! So this means more time being spent at the arena - which in turn means more time knitting socks and mitts at the arena. I don't usually get to go to too many practices since I work full time, but today, being Saturday, I got to go.

I took my latest work in progress and off I went. I'm currently making a pair of mitered mittens (by Elizabeth Zimmerman) for Sam (my friend Karen's daughter) I've made these mittens many, many times and could make them in my sleep, I think. I finished one mitten, except for the afterthought thumb and cast on for the second.

After hockey, we went and got our fresh turkey for Thanksgiving. Kev's cousin Monica has a farm! And then we went grocery shopping. We had people coming for supper so I had a lot to get ready, but I figured I'd get a few rows of my mittens in before company came. I pulled out my mittens only to discover that I just had the second mitt - which was just a measly bit of ribbing. I told my sad story to Kev - I think I left it at the arena. Can't you knit another - he asked. Of course, I can knit another, but....but...this was handspun!!!!! And handspun that came from Torbay, Newfoundland, created with fiber that the dyer called "Jellybean Row" (named after a row of colourful houses on a street in St.John's) This mitt was special!

Well, my hero didn't hesitate. (Well, he did a little - they were recapping the Olympic gold medal men's hockey game on TSN) Off he went to the arena to try to find my mitten (sans thumb) Meanwhile, I was sick with worry. Would he find it? What if someone picked it up and realized its beauty and decided to keep it. (Without a thumb, I'm not sure if anyone would have realized what it was) What would I tell Sam? She had picked out the pattern and the yarn herself.

Well, Kev (being Kev) came through the door looking very sad, and very dejected - and I knew right away..... that he had indeed found it. He does that to me every time and he really is quite a good actor. I always say he missed his calling. He would have convinced anyone else that the mitt was gone forever, but not me. I know this man too well.

My hero saved the day - and the mitten. I just really hope I have enough yarn to finish! If not, the thumbs will be some commercial yarn.

You can see why I was upset. These are gonna be gorgeous!

Going big!

I've been pretty monogamous to my fall club knitting, but its lace knitting on laceweight yarn and its getting a little tiresome. I've been hankering for some immediate gratification knitting. And this involves super bulky yarn with huge needles.

And since I'm still a few shawls short of my goal for 11 shawls in 2011, I was on the hunt for a bulky shawl. I just received my latest issue of Interweave Knits and loved the Pembroke Wrap.

I had to go out and buy yarn for it, and of course the selection is so darn limited here in Goose Bay. I ended up buying Bernat Roving This is normally not something I would buy as it is 80% acrylic, 20% yarn. But, I needed super bulky and I wanted it now. So, whats a girl to do. Of course, this will likely be gifted and thats a good thing since most of my giftees appreciate a washable item.

I do think I'll make this pattern again. It was so fast...like 3 hours fast! And next time, I may even spin a bulky yarn for it - that will make the gift even more personal.

In Fall into Colour Club knitting, I have finished Longshawdows. I just have to graft the two ends together. Then I can cast on for the next project in the club. Its called Hazeline!! Cant wait.

By the way, who says that acrylic blends don't block well? Here it is preblocking

And here it is post blocking. Not as nice as a 100% wool fiber, but still I think it blocked out rather nicely.

Fall in Full Colour

I am really enjoying Ann Hanson's Fall in Full Colour Club.

I've been pretty monogamous with knitting the first project. Its called Longshawdows, which is a great name since the colours do look like shawdows. Here is my progress so far.

It is such a great lace pattern and the yarn is stunning! This yarn is a custom blend made for club members by Spirit Trail Fiberworks. Its a laceweight merino, cashmere and silk blend.

I've also received my second shipment. I love this one too. Here is Morgan modelling it, since he thinks it looked like hair.

The pattern for this yarn is a triangular shawlette - which I love knitting. I'm resisting casting on until I finish the first one.

And in family news....guess who started hockey this week??

Too big!