Hello Spinning, It's Been Awhile

It's been a very long time since I've blogged about any spinning I've been doing. I'm guessing it'll probably go back to last years tour de fleece. I put my wheel away for a long time. When we moved into our new house I brought all three wheels with me and set them up in my beautiful new craft room and there they sat for a very long time - over six months I'm sure. 

  

And then I got inspired to spin this lovely batt.

 Its from etsy seller Dawning Dreams. Its super wash merino and bamboo. And the colourway is called Lisa Frank. I had no plans for it. I didn't care if it was a single or plied yarn. I had no care as to the weight of the finished yarn either. I just spin. And I let the fiber become what it wanted to become - which ended up being a two ply dk weight yarn.

It was a little tricky to spin. Since it's a batt there were different fiber types in the mix. And different fiber types require different spinning techniques (at least if you want a somewhat uniform yarn). The hot pink that you see was most definitely bamboo and had to be drafted so differently than the other colours which were wools. 

Overall it was a delight to spin. And I'm itching to do something with it. I'm just not sure what to do - knit or perhaps even weave. Time will tell.

I can't believe I've done this.

Well actually that's not true. I can believe it but it infuriates me so much. I am the worlds most careless person in terms of keeping track of my belongings. The worse. Ask my daughter about the time I was flying to Montreal to see her and managed to lose my photo ID during what was originally supposed to be a brief stopover in Halifax. Ask Kev how many times he has to help me find my car keys so that I won't be late for work. Ask my choir director about the time that I misplaced my music for two weeks and almost dropped out of choir because I was too embarrassed to tell her that I'd lost it - again. 

You get the picture? I'm a full blown scatter brain. This time though I've managed to bring this scattered brain into my knitting life. Up until now this facet of my life has not been immune to my scatter brain but no real big issues. This time I managed to lose a knitting book. 

And it's totally lost too. Because guess what? I'm pretty sure that I left it on a plane. Geeez. My record with airports - pretty soon I'm going to have to resort to tying anything I take into an airport and ultimately on a plane onto my body. 

The real upsetting this is that this was a brand new book. BRAND new. It pains me to even write it.  It's The Knitter Slipper Book by Katie Startzman. This wasn't an impulse buy either. I'd read several reviews (all good) about this book. And I loved the fact that the patterns in this book were for the whole family. It has everything from baby booties to full sized felted boots that are designed to be worn outside if you so desire and buy the proper soles. 

I bought this book when I was in St John's last week. Yes St John's. Again. The good thing about this trip is that I got to drop by what is my favorite yarn shop on the island Cast On. Cast Off! 

PI really felt like I had to support the local economy. I came away with these lovely things from Katie's cute little yarn shop. See that yellow?? It's called Not So Mellow.   I love it!! The name, the colour, the fiber, the sproinginess - everything about this yarn is just perfect. I had to cast on right away. 

They will become Laren Mitts  and the pattern is in KnitScene magazine.  

But let's get back to the whole losing the book thing. I knit when I fly. It helps keep me somewhat sane during the flight. I had finished one whole slipper while tending to Kevin during his hospital stay (nothing too serious) Knitting during hospital waits also keeps me sane.  The pattern is called Beaded Mocs and they were so cute!! I had the right yarn and needles with me even. And these slippers were felted. And did I mention beaded? The construction was oh so clever. I just loved knitting it.

We get back to Goose Bay last Saturday. We had a big detour into Gander and thankfully I had my knitting to keep me sane.  

Once we got settled in after our return I turned to my knitting like I usually do. And I cannot find the book of patterns anywhere.  I've searched and searched to no avail. It's gone. I think I must have left it in the seat pocket in front of me on the tiny Beech Aircraft that we flew from Gander to Goose Bay. 

I'm thinking I will just have to suck it up and buy a second book. Well, I did mention that I wanted to support the local economy. And I've got to knit a mate for this guy. 

 

A Random Post about Accessories

I've been busy knitting up a storm thes past few months. And I've been very monogamous. I finished one thing and immdiately cast on for something else. Nothing has been languishing on the needles. The past 8 projects I've cast on, I have finished them. I'm not sure what's happening or why but I'm just going to go with it. 

I think it's because of the projects I'm choosing. They have all been accessories  and with the exception of one wee toy they have all been in worsted weight. They are all smaller projects in heavy gauged yarn. That means quick knits. 

Just look at this adorable colorwork hat!! The pattern is free on Ravelry and it's written by Anna and Heidi Pickles. It's called "From Norway with Love". I loved knitting this so much. I have been really enjoying stranded knitting ever since I read an article in Interweave Knits on stranded knitting and ways to keep your floats tidy without having to twist your skeins. This was an eye opening experience for me. No more will I dread carrying my yarn for more than 5 stitches because I now know how to handle it. 

It made colorwork so approachable that I knit this awesome hat for Kev. It's called the "Whitman Cap" by Kristen Tendyke I'm ashamed to say that this is the first thing that I have ever knit for Kev. EVER. We've been together since 1997 - and all he got was this hat. Lol. I really am a little ashamed because he is totally knit worthy. I'm not sure why I haven't knit him anything until now. Perhaps I was

A little scared of "the sweater curse". 

I knit this headband for myself. It's "the Dryad Headband" by Katya Frankel. In the magazine the model is wearing it with the button on top of her head not in the back. I like it worn that way too. But I've yet to sew on a permanent button. This pattern and Kevs hat were both in the Interweave Knits Accessories 2011 magazine. This is the third pattern I've knit from this magazine and I will knit more. This magazine was a definite winner. 

I knit this neck warmer or as we call them here in Labrador "Dickie" right after coming in from a skidoo ride over to Mudlake. My neck was cold and I wondered why I hadn't knit myself a decent Dickie. I remedied that with a skein of Cascade 220 heathers and this free pattern on Ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/kylmille-ilmoille-for-cold-days

It still needs buttons sewn on but I am ready for my next skidoo ride. 

Speaking of skidoo rides - guess who came with us to Mudlake that day for his very first ever ride on skidoo?? 

Our youngest grandson Reagan came along. He was wearing much much more clothes than here in this photo. He loved his skidoo ride and was such a good boy 

I knit him this adorable hat out of Noro Silk

Forget about it.

You know in the last post I talked about going on knitting jags? And how I went on about knitting mittens in particular? Well, forget about it. It turns out that I'm not on a mitten knitting jag at all. As soon as I posted that blog post, I stopped knitting mittens. I did, however, start knitting TOYs!!

I bought this book during a recent trip to St John's and I'm hooked. These little toys are such a blast to make and they are such a great stash buster. 

This was the first one that I knit. He's called "Meager Mouse". 

And here is small squirrel. Small squirrel ended up with a fantastic rainbow tail that I needle felted on. This one was knit for my neice who is out and proud and wanted a rainbow toy in honor of that. 

And then I knit this guy. I cannot remember his name for the life of me. 

I really think I may knit my way through this entire book. I love each little toy and they are so fast to make. They make cute gifts and they would look so cute just sitting about in my new craft room. 

Mmmmm ...Mittens.

I go on these jags all the time. Usually it's food related. For example, I will only eat a certain cereal for breakfast. I will eat said cereal for six months (or two years even) and then one day I wake up and I'm done with that cereal for a very very long time. And then I move on to the next cereal. (I do the same thing with chocolate bars too but that's a whole other post)

I have never been this way with knitting. I usually have three or four varied projects on the needles at any given time. And they are usually at varied stages of completion.  I have a simple sock for knitting at the arena. I may have a sweater that I knit on while watching TV. And I may have a scarf or a cowl that I'm trying to finish up quickly for a gift. Perhaps there's even a baby sweater in there too. 

But not lately. It seems that lately I am on a knitting jag. I only want to knit mittens. Need proof??

It started with these. (There were two, I swear!!) The yarn is from the club I was telling you about in the last post. The pattern is Susan B Anderson's "Waiting For Winter" and they are the best fitting mittens I have ever made. I love them. I love the stripes.  I love the fit. I love the simplicity of the thumb gusset.  There's nothing clever or unique about this pattern.  But it is good. They were a birthday gift for my daughter and I must admit to being a tiny bit resentful when I sent them to Montreal. Just a little. 

I blame those mittens on the jag that followed. Here they are in no particular order. 

It's seems appropriate that the last mitten is knit in the second shipment of yarn in my Yarn Club that I joined at the beginning of the year. It was the first shipment that I blame for starting this jag. And the great thing is .... I HAVE FOUR MORE SHIPMENTS!!!

Yarn Clubs

Have you ever belonged to a yarn club? I have. The first one was about 8 years ago. It was first when I really got back into knitting - first when I realized what 'good' yarn was - first when I got onto Ravelry. 

Remember back in the old days when you had to wait for an invite to get onto Ravelry. They were still in beta phase testing then and it seemed like it took me forever to get on. Once I got on I realized the breadth of yarn available through online purchasing. The truth is I've known before Ravelry but it just seemed that those forums somehow made the yarn more real to me, more tangible. And the stash pictures. Oh my!!! I just had to have some of my very own. So I joined my first club. 

There is nothing quite like getting yarn in the mail. A club has that added benefit of it being a total surprise. Depending upon the club it could be a surprise colour. A surprise weight. A surprise fiber blend!! There could even be surprise patterns too. 

My first club was a sock club. It featured Fleece Artist and Handmaiden yarns - both are Canadian. I've been in a couple of Anne Hansons Knitspot clubs - as much for the patterns as for the yarns (which came from different surprise yarn dyers/ranchers). I've even belonged to what is arguably the most famous yarn club out there - Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin Sock Club. 

I've loved them all. I have never been disappointed with any of my monthly selections. Some have been so exquisite and unique. Others I had used before but it was in a color I would normally never buy myself. Have I knit them all? Well, no. That'd be silly. But I do have a stash that is remarkable. I have a stash that makes me giddy with delight. 

And so it was that time of year when I had to decide whether to renew my rockin sock club or not. I thought about the socks that I had knit using club yarn - some but not all. I thought about the amount of Blue moon yarn in my stash - quite a lot. I examined my yarn stash to see if there was something that was lacking and then it dawned on me. I have very little self striping yarns in anything other than fingering weight. Actually  I had seen this etsy store called Blueberry Pie Fiber was selling a self striping worsted weight mitten club and then I realized that I didn't  have enough of that type of yarn in my stash. What's a girl to do? Well....buy into the club of course! I've gotten two installments so far and I'm in love with this dyer and her yarns. Look at this ball! I love that it came like this all ready to go. It quickly knit into a great pair of lady's mitts for my daughters birthday. 

And here is February's installment. I am so pleased!  These too will become mittens. This time perhaps for some little boys that I know and love. 

Hat Mania

I've always been a fan of knitted hats - both as a wearer of them and especially as a creator of them. 

They are so fast to make and are almost like little canvases that you can create and make unique. I especially love little kid hats. Little kids can get away with wearing things on their heads that would be downright ridiculous on an adult's head. 

See this hat for example. It's called garter ear flap hat and it's from the Purl Bee. This pattern just came out this week and already more than 40 have been cast on on Ravelry. 

This pattern is sized baby sized right up to large adult sized. Now, I don't know about you but I think this hat is more suited to a child than an adult. Mind you I'm sure that some adults can pull it off.  My daughter is quirky enough that it would work for her. I guess it takes a certain type of personality to wear a hat like this. 

How about this one? I took a photo of Kev wearing this hat and I nearly peed in my pants at the sheer ridiculousness of it.   Morgan really likes this hat. But he is five years old and can pull it off. His mom suggested that if I did make him a hat like this then I should make it a little less girly!!!! DAFUQ???

Seriously. Morgan quickly put his mum in her place though when he pointed out that he was a boy and the insides of his ears were pink so boys definitely could wear deer hats with pink linings in the ears. 

 

Why do we do this to kids? Why do we put our warped ideas of gender colors onto our kids who clearly could care less. I'm not just blaming his mum. I'm sure I'm guilty of it too. Morgan has really made me more aware of this. He once begged me to knit him something from the gold and magenta and orange and fushia fiber I was spinning because they were his most favorite colours ever. I haven't finished spinning it yet but I know sadly that his mum won't let him wear anything in those colours. Perhaps I'll knit him a stuffed toy.