by Kat | Apr 13, 2016 | General, Making
It’s Wednesday and that means Ginny is rounding up the knitters and the readers for her Yarn Along. I am about half way through Raven Black and I really want to get it finished today. I am not totally loving this book, but I have started it and I want to finish it. And, if you are looking for some titles to round out your reading list, yesterday’s 10 on Tuesday hosted by CaroleKnits was all about 10 books that make you D.E.A.R. and the participants all had fantastic book lists – if you are looking for a book to read, head on over there and you will be sure to find a more than a few good reads!
On the knitting front – I seem to have stalled on knitting projects recently. I still have socks in the works, but I have been kind of aimlessly casting on, knitting a few rows, and ripping out. Swatching that is not working – pattern and yarn are not loving each other.
However, this swatching is working out beautifully. My sample is knitting up nicely. I should have this done and washed today. I won’t know that my yarn will match and work completely until I have washed it. Once I am certain that my handspun will work, I will be back carding the Shetland to get ready to spin. This week is supposed to be lovely here and yesterday afternoon saw the completion of the Pergola – and we both lived to tell about it!! I will have pictures later this week, but it will make the perfect place to card that Shetland!
I have been putting the waste wool from the carding process out for the birds, because they don’t think it is waste at all! In fact, they are gleefully snatching it up to line their nests! I know this because of the war we are having with Mr. Robin (who every year wants to build his nest around the light on our porch) thus far, we are winning, but the collection of nesting materials that the wind is blowing all over includes bits of papers from the neighborhood, sticks, grasses, and my wool waste! I would love to let him stay, but the first year he abandoned the nest due to our activity – this is the only door out to our back yard, which we use multiple times a day. I am hoping that our spending more time outdoors will move his efforts to a more suitable place.
And, speaking of Shetland/UK – Ann and Kay are in search of the Knitter’s Holy Grail – Kay is knitting a Kaffe Fassett design and Ann has cast on a Jade Starmore sweater. A knitter’s battle for the ages and a rabbit hole for this knitter to avoid! However, it will be fun to see these projects progress. Kay wants to wear hers to Rhinebeck! What say you Ann? Will you wear yours too? While I might have pulled out my Alice Starmore book, I am in no means jumping on this bandwagon. I have other sweater dreams dancing in my head!
Anyways, enough rambling for today – I have a book to read! Tell me – what knitting successes are you having?!
by Kat | Feb 19, 2016 | General, In This Moment
Reading: A Malmö Midwinter: An Inspector Anita Sundström Novella by Torquil MacLeod – it should be a quick read. Should being the operative word. But, I have been falling asleep almost immediately upon getting into bed. This might frustrate me, however, since Insomnia has been on an apparent vacation, I will take the sleep while I can get it!
Knitting (and spinning): I cast on Hop Brook by Bonnie Sennott with some handspun Dorset Down. I am about half way through and I carded the remainder of the fiber to spin this weekend. I am also in the home stretch for Kirsten Kapur’s Mystery Socks – just the toes to go and I will be done!
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by Kat | Feb 16, 2016 | General, Making
Our regularly scheduled Ten on Tuesday is on hiatus this week while our illustrious leader, Carole, is off on vacation this week.
However, since yesterday was a holiday, you get the Tuesday Edition of Make it Monday!
Last week, I finished the warp from before Christmas. I ended up with just under 50 inches of cloth. What to do with such an odd length – too short for a scarf. However, after being inspired by this gorgeous cowl, I thought I could incorporate some of those techniques into a small table scarf that will be perfect for Friday night Happy Hour!
I am happy to report that I have gotten over my fear of cutting my woven cloth! I trust that my setting of the fabric will prevent anything from instantly unraveling. I had some left over yarn from weaving that I will use to stitch decoratively down the center panel and around the edges.
This project will be perfect for catching up on the most recent episode of Downton Abbey!
Happy Tuesday everyone!
by Kat | Dec 4, 2015 | General
I made the decision to be in only one fiber club this year, the Sheepspot Breed Club with the addition of the Breed School – it cost a little bit more, but what I am learning is invaluable.
The second installment was Montadale that Sasha got at MDSW. I saw the fiber there and it was lovely! I was thrilled to learn that I would have the opportunity to try this fiber. The fiber was dyed beautifully – I selected the Autumn Wedding colorway. The fiber was processed nicely, although there were a few bits that appeared to be second cuts. I am not sure, but they were easy to remove and I had less than a dozen of them in the first braid. However, these bits did not impede my spinning in anyway at all; I was able to maintain good consistency by removing them as I spun.
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by Kat | Nov 2, 2015 | General
Some days the things you try are wildly successful. They are incredibly motivating and exciting.
Then there are the days that are the polar opposite of Wildly Successful – the challenge is to find motivation in not winning and not give up in the process.
I have recently finished watching Janet Dawson’s wonderful Craftsy class on floor loom weaving (which is on sale today, FYI) and I was eager to become a beginner weaver again. After a couple of simple projects, I tried a project that was a bit more than I was ready for and rather than finding inspiration in Not Winning, I let it stymie me and my loom sat in silent abandon, warped with the doomed project.
Weaving is not like knitting, where you can unravel your mistakes and use the yarn again. Which makes weaving mistakes a bit of a challenge in and of itself. You see, to “unravel” weaving you have to cut the project off the loom.
Cut. It. Off.
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