FINISHED projects!

So nice to be able to show something finished as opposed to in planning or in process - lots of that going on too of course! My niece had her baby so I got out the baby hat I had started - only a few rows done and got to work. Completed the main part of the head at my Stitch and Spin group on Thursday evening and was so excited to have started the green leaves at the top, I kept going when I got home until it was done! Just needs a wash and a block but it is so cute I can't stop myself from posting a picture.
Then my Aunt's finished scarf - washed and pressed!
Of course both projects need to be packaged and sent, fingers crossed I don't procrastinate too long on that. I do seem to have problems with snail mail.
Now for a little yarn porn - a new fiber in my LYS - Gosh Yarn It - where Thursday night Stitch and Spin is held. It is Artyarns - Rhapsody (silk and kid mohair). The picture does not do it justice, the colors just shimmer and it is so so soft. No plans for this one but it just begs to be next to the skin.

Finally, some fiber porn - this is January Southern Cross Fibre Club, Falkland in the colorway Paua. This is the second half, first already spun as a single and I am trying to decide if I should leave it as a single or do a 2 ply. Any suggestions? I have pre drafted it a bit and tomorrow I spin!

Problem Solving

I have been frustrated with the results of my last 2 spins -the BFL for Iced is both too heavy weight and I ended up with only half the needed yardage. The yarn for my Aunt's woven scarf, after being washed, was obviously over plied - too much twist! I was pretty bummed after all my busy spinning to have failed on both.

The lovely Souther Cross Fibre Oatmeal BFL "Babylon" was actually not that hard to fix once I got over the fact that I would have to ball it up, run it through the wheel taking twist OUT, re skein (my least favorite thing about spinning) and re wash. that really did the trick! Ended up with lovely, balance, soft fiber. Started weaving the birthday scarf today and it is moving along quite well. The colors pictured on the scarf aren't quite right but the yarn in the ball is much closer.

Considered unplying the BFL but the yarn is just so soft, lovely and really woolly, I will find a different pattern for it, there is #02 Cropped Jacket by Lutz & Patmos in Vogue Knitting (Early Fall 2010) that might fit the bill. I might need to make it a Cropped Vest - will definitely be doing another swatch.

Bad weather = spinning progress!

Two days of bad weather provided me with 2 days at home in the middle of the week. What a luxury! Between yesterday and today I spun up the Southern Cross Falkland "Babylon" as a single

then N Plied it for the birthday scarf for my Aunt. I did the Navajo Ply using the regular flier - the single was on the woolee winder. I love how I can see the color changes on the regular bobbin.

I have all the BFL for my Iced Sweater spun at least as far as singles. Here is three jumbo bobbins of 2 ply - need to get one on my niddy-noddy tonight so I can ply those last 2 bobbins of singles.

So tonight will be mainly clearing off the bobbins and then I can start a new spinning project!

Preparations

I realized I named my last post "Spinning in Maryland" then all my pictures were weaving so a few spinning pictures today. Actually spent most of my time today making plans, checking stash, taking some pictures, looking for the fiber I traded last week so I could mail it on Monday. So, my current spinning project continues - the silky BFL for the Iced sweater.
I did an actual gauge swatch, plied a little up and knitted! Turned out I was spinning it a little bulky so I have knocked it back a bit.
Spinning/Weaving coming up with these fiber/yarns. The commercially spun Silk/Merino in the center will be the warp and I will spin the beautiful Oatmeal BFL from independent dyer Southern Cross Fiber in a fingering wt single for the weft. This scarf will be for my Aunt who has a birthday next month (shhhhh, it is a surprise - especially since I may not get it by her birthday). I really enjoyed her interest when I visited last weekend.
Here is Spunky Eclectic January 2011 club fiber - Merino/Bamboo "Fruity Drinks by the Pool". It already spoke to me - eventually it will be a shawl for one of my sister in laws.
Finally I have a current picture of my Haruni shawl. I am on the second of four repeats in chart A. This isn't going fast but progress is being made. The socks and baby hat I am working on are going even slower - LOL.
So, plans made - now to accomplish them!

Spinning in Maryland

What a lovely weekend I had - full of visiting with a cousin and her family. We spun together, knitted together and I finished my first rigid heddle project, pictures in this post!

What a lovely weekend I had - full of visiting with a cousin and her family. We spun together, knitted together and I finished my first rigid heddle project, pictures in this post! I haven't washed it or pressed or any other finish, not sure what to do there so I will wait on that. Now I am wishing I took pictures of people and puppies while I was visiting. Got a great dog fix with Milo, a 9 month old French Bull Dog who was there the whole time I visited and short fixes with Meathead, bulldog, and Grimace, pug. It is so exciting for me to have a family member getting into spinning!

Projects, Projects, Projects

I just don't seem to be happy unless I have lots of projects in process. Here it is, the beginning of 2011 and I am running true to form! In Knitting there is the lace KAL I have recently started, pictured above (ravelry group Southern Cross Fiber Haruni). I just love this yarn I spun as part of Plying Games and so glad the yardage looks right for this shawl. Then there are my October socks - on hold when I started knitting christmas gifts, still waiting but should be a good mindless knit for social knitting. A pumpkin hat just barely started for a niece whose
baby is due at the end of Feb. I had better get that one moved along! I have another friend who is pregnant but not due until March - have the yarn but haven't started that one yet. Then there is my September socks - started last March but left sitting in this yarn They are the lovely Rivendell socks by Janel Laidman and I do love this project, not social knitting for sure.
In spinning there is a sweater project front and center. BFL in mixed natural colors for an Iced sweater. This is a KSL/KAL in ravelry group Spunky Eclectic. At least until the spinning is done it wont go into the knitting queue! LOTS of fiber in my stash just waiting to jump on the spinning wheel. I think after I finish the sweater lot I will treat myself to a quick spin with 4 oz. of handpainted loveliness - but which one????
Now for the weaving. Have located some yarn to finish the project that came with my 4 harness Leclerc Dorothy and have a warp on the warping board for 2 scarf projects. The warp is white wool and I think this skein of Claudia Handpainted wool/silk will make a lovely scarf.

In the mail is a 16 inch RH loom that I plan on using for small projects out of hand spun. My first project on that loom is still marinating in my brain.

Now that I have written it down, doesn't seem like all that much.

A New Year

I decided it was a good idea to go with a new look for the new year after seeing my cousin change her blog.
After waiting until 9 days before Christmas to decide that I would in fact do some Christmas knitting - I managed 4 hats.All out of heavy worsted to super bulky handspun. I have been working on heavier wt handspun. Didn't get a picture of my Brother,s hat before I gave it to him but I do have pictures of the other 3. This one for a friend, Foliage out of Southern Cross Fiber spun 2 ply, "Double Dog Dare"
Then there is a hat for my sister, "Tuxedo Rose", spun as a very bulky single, from Spunky Eclectic.
Then another Foliage for another friend out of 2 ply "Angelfish" from Southern Cross Fiber.
Not bad for such a late start on Christmas knitting!