Happy and Fiber Prolific 2008!

Take care of what you wish for-all wishes come true-but maybe not in the way you expect them to~

I got a tad bit of knitting done in December, a pair of slipper socks for the SAMKAL4, I made up the pattern up as I went along. These will be a birthday present for next year. They will be wrapped, carded, and kept safe. They are cashmere, wool and a bit of silk. The fiber seems to halo, I don't like that, however they are soft, yummy, and feel good on the feet.

The next two months is the time for deep winter, planning for the re-growth of life. My husband plans his garden and I play with fiber. I love to knit, and spin through this time. I plan our yearly gifts (birthday, holiday, and special occasion) with the hopes to have all the small handmade items finished by May. Most of the time I accomplish this, which leaves the last half of the year to fish, camp, and play. Now I will spread out the sock knitting over 12 months. I still want to get three sweaters, and two shawls done sometime this year. I have most of the yarn spun for my Central Park Hoodie. (Wow finally something for me!)

Back to the sock knitting...this year...I have planned 22 pairs. I have joined the SAM5,2008, and Red Bird Knits sock a month club, to help me keep on track. I even joined a mystery sock club at Goddess Knits...(I will see if this is something I can keep up with, as I don't know what to expect from it. )

I usually have all the socks, hats, bags, mittens, gloves, (small things) I am going to make for gifts, done by May. Then it is knit anything I want for the rest of the year. Last year was different. I joined the SAMKAL4. I knitted a pair of socks (or more) each month for the last half of the year. I enjoyed the pressure and the fun. It was wonderful to feel part of something, and to see all the beautiful hand work that these knitters were turning out. All the love that is being knitted, all over the world is a special feeling that only those that craft for the ones they love feel. They hope the recipients of the gifts feel the love and protection that they stitched into every knitted, woven, crocheted, tatted, felted, and sewn item that was made for them.

Make Wishes, not Resolutions!

Winter Magic

Look what's happening in Utah right now!

The snow is gently falling at the moment, it is hanging heavy in the tree branches. Out in the bird feeder there are Rosy Finches, Common House Sparrows, a Downy Woodpecker, and two pair of Gold Finches. There is a pair of Crown Sparrows, along with a dozen different Junco's and Chickadees. We have a flock of Mourning Doves, 18 at the last count foraging on the ground, taking their turn at a free lunch.
Nothing like a good Snow storm to put the spurs to finishing up Yule Tide goodies. That would be in the form of cookies, candy, knitted socks and a scarf.


Enjoy!

The Cotton Spinning Experience

I have been playing around for some time with spinning cotton. I use a small wheeled spindle in a candle dish to do this.

I read in ( http://cottoncrop.blogspot.com/) that fibergal grew cotton and spun from the seed. I found a supply of cotton bolls on ebay from 1brentwood (69 ) I got good communication from the supplier and purchased a box of 25 bolls. She even included two pods that were not open, but did open before I got around to taking a picture. (my missed opportunity, but was wonderful for the grandkids to see.) I popped two of the cotton balls (if that is what they are called) filled with seeds off of the boll. One advantage that I found from spinning from the ball and not roving was that I didn’t have any noils, something that I have had a hard time keeping out of the prepared roving.
The fibers just pulled smoothly away from the seeds (there are many seeds inside each ball), and I was in control of how thick the fiber was fed into the spindle…I could make the fiber as thin as sewing thread, that was a bit too thin, but it was nice to know that it could be done.
I Andean plied the small amount of yarn that 1 ball produced, and was surprised to find that I had 3 yards of a two ply 22wpi’s just from one ball, and this particular boll had 5 balls. The next attempt will be to use a wheel, and see if I get the same results. Now it's back to the sock-a-month 4KAL http://samkal4.blogspot.com/ . I have these Gansey socks that I have been working on (they were planned for my November socks)…or un-knitting on, it seems for every row completed I seem to un-knit it. I am hoping it is because I have had a very cluttered mind for the past few weeks. I have done more intricate patterns in the past, with less frogging(if any). Oh well, that is how life goes sometimes…but the Gansey socks might have to spend a little while in a “time out”. Maybe I'll get them finished in January...maybe. :)

Serendipitous Discovery

I was shopping at Wal-Mart the other day, and I always go through the craft department. Stuck in a bin was 7 balls of Aunt Lydia’s Shimmer Fashion Yarn 124 yards 64% Cotton, 36% Rayon. 6 balls of Lilac and one of cream, on clearance at $2.50 ea. The ball band stated a size US6 needle 4mm. It was shiny and I am drawn to shiny things so I bought all 7 with no clue as to what I would make with it.
I played around with the yarn, and worked up several swatches in knit. I kept working the swatches on smaller and smaller needles. Surprise…on size 2.75mm needles I got a fabric that I approved of…and thought why not slipper socks. You know, something to wear around the house.

Who knew!

I used 1 1/2 balls of yarn for this pair of socks, worked on 5 DPN’s.

Now what to do with the other 3 1/2 balls?

The yarn was a bit stiff when new and needed coaxing…but, once washed it softens to the most comfy supple fiber. I hand washed, although the ball band says that they can be washed in a machine, and towel blocked to dry. I don’t know how well they will wear in the long run. My cotton blend socks seem to get holes before the wool blends, but the wool blends get thin spots.

Sadly all socks wear out, whether store bought or handmade. For the short time they are in your life, they are pure love. You don't make socks for people you don't like...well I don't. :)

Happy Holidays!

October? when did that happen>

Warning: Heavy picture post



Knitting, spinning, cooking, sewing, traveling, camping, and holiday fun…wow where did the month of October go? Oooop’s no time to blog? My bad.
From the last week of September to the end of the first week of October was spent in the mountains of Utah. In the rain, snow, and of course MUD!

The clouds opened up and we received its bounty. This strange cloud had a hole in it, that seemed to be sucking the surrounding clouds up into it. Just weird.

The youngest one’s tried their hand at building a snowman…The oldest one shoveled…

I finished up my October Socks for the Sam4KAL…

My oldest granddaughter learned to knit, finishing a scarf with some hand-spun corriedale cross. Pretty girl!

Her fiancé caught his first fish. Hurrah!

next up: spinning cotton experiment...

STRESSING and UNSTRESSING

STRESSING...

Caught between a rock and a hard place, can't win for losing, damned if you do and damned if you don't. I think it is called life, it is certainly called dealing with fighting children. You can't take sides. You only want them to stop. There are no winners, only losers. Sigh...

UNSTRESSING...

On the knitting front however, and the need to escape into a tangled web of fibery goodness I have started a pair of fingerless mitts. It is Silky Wool, on US size 3 needles.

STRESSING...

The next is an almost finished Baby Surprise Jacket. It is blocking and still needs the shoulders sewn up. I added some short rows to the back for diaper fullness, and so the jacket hangs straight. I am still toying with frogging the whole thing, I don't like this colorway for a baby. In fact, I'm wondering just what this colorway would be good for, and why did I buy it. I think I just made my decision, it is going to be frogged. Perhaps a vest?

UNSTRESSING...

1200 yards of fingerling to dk weight yarn hand dyed, haven't got a clue what it will become, but was a lot of fun dying matching skeins.
We are off for a two week camping and fishing holiday, it's supposed to snow, (gulp, winter already?)

Friday

Socks. Another finished pair. The fiber is Art Yarn merino 4. Oh so soft.

Knitted on size 2 needles

Wet and Rainy Friday

Rainy weather does one thing for me, gives me an excellent excuse to knit, spin, and play with fiber. I am a fire sign, and love warm bright days. Cold wet dark days are depressing to me. I brighten these times with the fire in my wheel.

The first wheel I ever bought was a Babe. From Carolina Homespun http://www.carolinahomespun.com/, made by "Babe's Fiber Garden". It is an inexpensive wheel, and works wonderfully. I still use it. I love it. It is my friend.

Today, I am spinning some very soft and static Alpaca. Being a wet and rainy day, it is helping with the static electricity. Having a full pound of this stuff, I will be happy when the Alpaca is all spun. I seem to be getting more on me than twisted on the bobbin, and having a hard time keeping it all the same wpi. It will need some creative plying to make a balanced yarn.

Life is filled with challenges this one is minor. Enjoy the long weekend!

Blessings

Firsts

Another first in a life long list of firsts. My First Blog! It is something that, should be earth shattering, spectacular, and stupendous, but in reality, it is mundane, meager, and morose.

Words come to those that plan ahead. Today, I jumped headlong without a plan into the blogging world.

I have had very little sleep. I stayed up to watch the Blood Moon Eclipse, which was glorious. The moon was full and silvery white. The earth glided between the sun and the silvery orb, slowly stealing it's glow, until all that was left was a red, to orange orb hanging like a ripe peach ready for picking. Just Beautiful!

I need to dye some roving to match the colors that I witnessed last night. Deep Maroon, red, orange, light blue, and white.

Here is a picture of one of my firsts, not my first pair of socks as this is the 4th pair of Horcrux socks I made, I have several Granddaughters that came before my turn, but the first time I joined in with a group of knitters, the first time I posted to a group and the first time I uploaded a picture to the web. The fiber is Moda-Dea. I nearly got them to match, which was amazing since it was yarn leftover from another project. I do try to use up my scraps.

Blessings